ObjectiveTo delineate imaging findings using an imaging platform and investigate the correlation between MRI characteristics of spinal cord atrophy and clinical diagnosis in children with spinal cord injury (SCI). MethodsImaging data of 150 children with SCI admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, from January, 2002 to March, 2024 were collected and imported into the imaging platform. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the middle part of the spinal cord at the cross-section with the most severe atrophy were measured, and the relevant indicators of the previous normal spinal cord segment were measured as controls; the radiomic features were extracted. Clinical data of the children including gender, age, cause of injury, sensory level, motor level, spinal cord injury level, injury severity and disease course were collected. ResultsSpinal cord atrophy was identified in 81 cases (54%), among which 78 cases (96%) were American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A and 3 cases (4%) were AIS grade C. The upper boundary of the spinal cord atrophy site strongly correlated with the injury level, motor level and sensory level (r > 0.8, P < 0.001). ConclusionMore than half of children with SCI may develop secondary spinal cord atrophy, the vast majority of whom suffer from complete spinal cord injury; the upper boundary of spinal cord atrophy is correlated with the injury level.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the ratio of C-reactive protein(CRP)/preal-bumin(PAB)and severity of illness and onset in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods A total of 102 patients with primary KOA admitted to a hospital from October 2018 to October 2023 were selected as the study group,and 100 healthy people in a hospital during the same period were select-ed as the control group.According to the Kelgren-Lawrence(K-L)grading criteria,102 patients with primary KOA were divided into K-L grade Ⅰ group(n=21),K-L grade Ⅱ group(n=27),K-L grade Ⅲ group(n=34),and K-L grade Ⅳ group(n=20).The levels of CRP and PAB were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer,and the ratio of CRP/PAB was calculated.The predictive value of CRP,PAB and CRP/PAB ratio to the incidence of primary KOA was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve,and the influencing fac-tors of the incidence of primary KOA patients were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression.Results There were significant differences in CRP,PAB and CRP/PAB ratio among primary KOA patients with different K-L grades(P＜0.05).The total score of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoar-thritis Index(WOMAC)for primary KOA patients from K-L group Ⅰ to K-L group Ⅳ were(40.91±5.18),(46.08±9.21),(51.24±7.46),(65.83±12.93)points,respectively.The difference was statistically signifi-cant(P＜0.05).In patients with primary KOA,CRP and CRP/PAB ratio were positively correlated with K-L grade and WOMAC total score,while PAB was negatively correlated with K-L grade and WOMAC total score(P＜0.05).CRP and CRP/PAB ratio in study group were higher than those in control group,and PAB level was lower than those in control group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)and 95％CI of CRP and PAB levels were 0.781(0.736-0.831)and 0.853(0.781-0.876),respectively,and the AUC of CRP/PAB ratio was 0.937(0.892-0.987).Conclusion CRP and CRP/PAB ratio are highly expressed in patients with primary KOA,and PAB is low expressed in patients with pri-mary KOA,which is related to the severity of illness and onset in patients,and can be used as a potential marker to predict the severity of illness and onset in patients with primary KOA.

Terahertz(THz)technology,as an emerging tool for characterizing biomacromolecules,has rapidly developed over the past few decades,demonstrating significant application potential in multiple fields.Defensive qi is a vital energy in the human body,responsible for defense functions by warming the skin,regulating the opening and closing of the striae and interstices,and resisting the invasion of external pathogens.Defensive qi is one of the core concepts for disease prevention and health maintenance in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).However,due to the high abstraction and complexity of TCM theory,the scientific connotation and mechanism of action of defensive qi remained incompletely elucidated.THz waves have the unique physical properties of molecular vibration sensitivity,penetrability,and thermal radiation effects,and are highly sensitive to biological tissues,which make THz technology a promising tool for defensive qi research.By analyzing the characteristics of THz waves,this paper explores the feasibility of applying THz technology to investigate the circulation patterns of defensive qi,the prevention and treatment of disorders related defensive qi,the pathological essence of defensive qi diseases,the material basis of defensive qi,the screening of defensive qi disorders,and the development of novel drugs targeting defensive qi disorders.This approach provides a new perspective and methodology for the research of TCM fundamental theory.

Metastasis is the leading cause of death from cutaneous melanoma. Identifying metastasis-related targets and developing corresponding therapeutic strategies are major areas of focus. While functional genomics strategies provide powerful tools for target discovery, investigations at the protein level can directly decode the bioactive epitopes on functional proteins. Aptamers present a promising avenue as they can explore membrane proteomes and have the potential to interfere with cell function. Herein, we developed a target and epitope discovery platform, termed functional aptamer evolution-enabled target identification (FAETI), by integrating affinity aptamer acquisition with phenotype screening and target protein identification. Utilizing the aptamer XH3C, which was screened for its migration-inhibitory function, we identified the Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), as a potential target involved in melanoma migration. Further evidence demonstrated that XH3C induces cytoskeletal rearrangement by blocking the interaction between the bioactive epitope of CSPG4 and integrin α4. Taken together, our study demonstrates the robustness of aptamer-based molecular tools for target and epitope discovery. Additionally, XH3C is an affinity and functional molecule that selectively binds to a unique epitope on CSPG4, enabling the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

The zebrafish is characterized by its rapid reproductive cycle,transparent embryonic body in the early developmental stages,high genetic and physiological homology with humans,and low breeding costs.These advantages make it a valuable tool that complements mammalian models of depression.The zebrafish has emerged as a promising model organism for studying mental illnesses owing to its unique biological characteristics and the diverse method available for establishing depression models using this species.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of zebrafish depression model establishment method,evaluation criteria,advantages,and limitations.

The specific mechanisms of interferon regulatory factor 8(IRF8)in porcine intestinal in-nate immunity and resistance to enteric virus infection remain to be elucidated.To investigate the immunoregulatory role of IRF8,establishing an IRF8 gene knockout porcine intestinal epithelial cell(IPEC-J2)monoclonal cell line is of significant importance.This study initially aimed to obtain recombinant adeno-associated virus rAAV-sgIRF8-eGFP capable of knocking out the IRF8 gene through co-transfection of HEK-293T cells with three plasmids.Subsequently,IPEC-J2 cells were infected with the virus,and those expressing eGFP were selected by flow cytometry and cultured to form monoclonal cell lines.These cell lines were then identified by Sanger sequencing and West-ern blot techniques.Lastly,qPCR analysis was used to measure the expression levels of interferon factors IFN-α,IFN-β,IFN-γ and IFN-λ,providing preliminary insights into the impact of IRF8 gene knockout on IPEC-J2 cell immunity.The results demonstrated successful generation of rAAV-sgIRF8-eGFP,which successfully infected IPEC-J2 cells leading to eGFP fluorescence.Flow cytometry followed by cell culture led to the establishment of two monoclonal cell lines,IRF8-KO1 and IRF8-KO3.Sanger sequencing revealed a five-base deletion in IRF8-KO1 and a seven-base dele-tion in IRF8-KO3.Western blot confirmed the absence of IRF8 protein expression in IRF8-KO1,making it an ideal candidate monoclonal cell line.qPCR analysis of interferon factors indicated sig-nificant decrease in IFN-γ(P＜0.05)and IFN-λ(P＜0.01)transcription level in IRF8-knockout cells,while the transcription levels of IFN-α and IFN-β remained relatively unchanged.This study successfully established an IRF8 gene knockout IPEC-J2 monoclonal cell line,providing a founda-tion for further research on IRF8-related porcine intestinal immune regulation and mechanisms of intestinal virus infection.

Objective:To investigate the trajectory of frailty in elderly patients on maintenance hemodialysis(MHD)following SARS-CoV-2 infection and its associated risk factors.Methods:This prospective cohort study focused on elderly patients who underwent baseline frailty assessment(T0)during hemodialysis treatment at Beijing Friendship Hospital for over 3 months between December 1st, 2022, and December 31th, 2022, and were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection.The Fried Frailty Phenotype was evaluated at 1 month(T1), 3 months(T2), and 6 months(T3)post-infection.Frailty trajectory after infection was analyzed using repeated measurement ANOVA.Patients were divided into stable/improvement or exacerbation groups based on their frailty status at T0 and T3, with logistic regression analysis employed to identify risk factors for different frailty trajectories.Results:A total of 130 elderly maintenance hemodialysis patients, with a median age of 66 years(range: 63-71 years)and 62 males(47.7%), were included in the study.Six months after the infection, a majority of surviving patients saw their frailty scores return to baseline levels.Specifically, 72 patients(55.4%)either maintained or improved to robust or pre-frail states, while 9 patients(6.9%)progressed to a pre-frail state, 18 patients(13.8%)progressed to a frail state, and 31 patients(23.8%)remained in a frail state.Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that low grip strength( OR: 6.30, 95% CI: 1.48-26.73)and all-cause hospitalization( OR: 5.01, 95% CI: 1.19-21.03)were identified as risk factors for non-frail patients transitioning to frailty( P<0.05). Conclusions:The majority of elderly maintenance hemodialysis patients who survived SARS-CoV-2 infection returned to their baseline level of frailty or showed improvement within 6 months.Non-frail patients with low grip strength or those who were hospitalized were more likely to deteriorate towards frailty.

The specific mechanisms of interferon regulatory factor 8(IRF8)in porcine intestinal in-nate immunity and resistance to enteric virus infection remain to be elucidated.To investigate the immunoregulatory role of IRF8,establishing an IRF8 gene knockout porcine intestinal epithelial cell(IPEC-J2)monoclonal cell line is of significant importance.This study initially aimed to obtain recombinant adeno-associated virus rAAV-sgIRF8-eGFP capable of knocking out the IRF8 gene through co-transfection of HEK-293T cells with three plasmids.Subsequently,IPEC-J2 cells were infected with the virus,and those expressing eGFP were selected by flow cytometry and cultured to form monoclonal cell lines.These cell lines were then identified by Sanger sequencing and West-ern blot techniques.Lastly,qPCR analysis was used to measure the expression levels of interferon factors IFN-α,IFN-β,IFN-γ and IFN-λ,providing preliminary insights into the impact of IRF8 gene knockout on IPEC-J2 cell immunity.The results demonstrated successful generation of rAAV-sgIRF8-eGFP,which successfully infected IPEC-J2 cells leading to eGFP fluorescence.Flow cytometry followed by cell culture led to the establishment of two monoclonal cell lines,IRF8-KO1 and IRF8-KO3.Sanger sequencing revealed a five-base deletion in IRF8-KO1 and a seven-base dele-tion in IRF8-KO3.Western blot confirmed the absence of IRF8 protein expression in IRF8-KO1,making it an ideal candidate monoclonal cell line.qPCR analysis of interferon factors indicated sig-nificant decrease in IFN-γ(P＜0.05)and IFN-λ(P＜0.01)transcription level in IRF8-knockout cells,while the transcription levels of IFN-α and IFN-β remained relatively unchanged.This study successfully established an IRF8 gene knockout IPEC-J2 monoclonal cell line,providing a founda-tion for further research on IRF8-related porcine intestinal immune regulation and mechanisms of intestinal virus infection.

The zebrafish is characterized by its rapid reproductive cycle,transparent embryonic body in the early developmental stages,high genetic and physiological homology with humans,and low breeding costs.These advantages make it a valuable tool that complements mammalian models of depression.The zebrafish has emerged as a promising model organism for studying mental illnesses owing to its unique biological characteristics and the diverse method available for establishing depression models using this species.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of zebrafish depression model establishment method,evaluation criteria,advantages,and limitations.

Objective:To assess the predictive value of acute liver failure (ALF) for sepsis-free survival (SFS) in burn patients and to identify associated risk factors.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on burn patients meeting inclusion criteria from the 2014 Kunshan aluminum dust explosion disaster (August 2, 2014 - April 13, 2015). Eligible patients were stratified into ALF and non-ALF groups based on the development of ALF. Demographic characteristics, total burn surface area, organ dysfunction, time to sepsis onset, and clinical outcomes were collected and compared between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression were performed to assess the impact of ALF on SFS. A nomogram model was constructed for individualized risk prediction.Results:Among 185 enrolled patients (ALF group:21, non-ALF group:164), ALF incidence was 11.35%. The ALF group demonstrated higher mortality (85.71% vs. 34.15%, P<0.001) and SFS failure rates (100.00% vs. 61.59%, P<0.001) compared to non-ALF patients. Multivariate Cox analysis identified ALF as an independent sepsis predictor ( HR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.00-2.80, P<0.05). Time-dependent ROC analysis showed AUCs of 0.626, 0.714, 0.703, and 0.706 for SFS prediction at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks respectively. The nomogram model demonstrated that ALF combined with other parameters effectively predicted sepsis risk within 2-12 weeks post-injury. ALF development showed significant associations with concurrent organ dysfunction including acute kidney injury, acute heart failure, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (all P<0.001). A higher proportion of ALF patients received hemodialysis ( P<0.001) and pre-hospital central venous catheterization ( P=0.017). Conclusions:ALF independently predicts SFS failure and correlates strongly with poor prognosis in burn patients. Early ALF recognition and targeted interventions may facilitate sepsis risk stratification and precision prevention strategies.