Vacuum compression molding (VCM) is a novel technology supporting the research and development of pharmaceutical solid dispersions. It is widely applied due to its precision and convenience in sample preparation. This technology integrates the principles of heating, melting, cooling, and vacuum compression to transform solid powders into shaped solids directly. By selecting different molds, temperatures, and pressures, researchers can prepare samples with diverse characteristics. This paper presents an overview of the equipment composition and working principles of VCM technology, demonstrating its distinct advantages in the formulation screening process of amorphous solid dispersions through comparative analysis with hot melt extrusion using case studies, and introduces its applications in the development of drug delivery systems and rheological characterization analysis, with a perspective on the future development of its functions.

To explore the clinical characteristics of primary intracranial germ cell tumors (iGCT) and analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of neuroendocrine dysfunction.Methods:A case series study was conducted. The data of 130 children diagnosed with iGCT who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from February 2021 to December 2023 was collected. The clinical characteristics of iGCT were summarized, including general information, clinical manifestations, imaging findings, laboratory tests and outcomes. Children were divided into groups aged 0-9 and 10-18 years, and divided into group non-neuroendocrine dysfunction, group partial neuroendocrine dysfunction and group combined hypothalamic and pituitary-target gland axis dysfunction. Multivariate Logistic regression was employed for statistical analysis to identify risk factors for neuroendocrine dysfunction in iGCT children.Results:A total of 130 iGCT children were included, with an age of (10±3) years, 87 males and 43 females. Among them, 82 children (63.1%) had germinoma and 48 children (36.9%) had non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT). One hundred and ten children (84.6%) had single lesions, including 47 cases in the sellar region, 29 cases in the pineal region and 34 cases in the basal ganglia region. Multi-leisions presented in the 20 children (15.4%), with 10 cases in the sellar+pineal region, 6 cases in the sellar+basal ganglia region, 3 cases in the pineal+ganglia region and 1 case in the sellar+pineal+basal ganglia region. Dissemination was presented to 26 children (20.0%). Initial clinical manifestations presented with symptoms of cranial hypertension like headache and vomiting in 75 cases, vision changes in 28 cases, limb movement disorders in 42 cases, diabetes insipidus in 67 cases, precocious puberty in 23 cases, growth retardation in 22 cases and delayed puberty in 2 cases. Among the 72 children aged 0-9 years, 37 cases (51.4%) had germinoma and 35 cases (48.6%) had NGGCT, while among the 58 children aged 10-18 years, 45 cases (77.6%) had germinoma and 13 cases (22.4%) had NGGCT. Non neuroendocrine dysfunction group included 39 children, partial neuroendocrine dysfunction group 54 children, and combined hypothalamic and pituitary-target gland axis dysfunction group 37 children. Univariate analysis showed statistical difference in gender, disease duration, tumor location, and serum human chorionic gonadotropin level among the 3 groups (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that girl ( OR=5.29, 95% CI 1.54-18.16) and long disease duration ( OR=1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.14) were risk factors for neuroendocrine dysfunction in iGCT patients (both P<0.05). Conclusions:iGCT occurs in children of all ages, with a higher incidence in males. The proportions of germinoma and NGGCT are similar in children aged 0-9 years, while germinoma is more common in patients aged 10-18 years. The clinical symptoms are atypical and diverse. Female gender and longer disease duration demonstrate the presence of neuroendocrine dysfunction in iGCT.

Objective:To construct curved microgrooves with gradient surface roughness on polycaprolactone (PCL) members by regulating alkali etching time and to investigate the synergistic effect of surface roughness and curved microgrooves on the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of mouse pre-osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1), aiming to determine the optimal PCL surface modification strategy. Methods:Soft lithography and melt-casting techniques were used to fabricate PCL membranes with regularly arranged curved microgrooves (CMP). Alkali etching was performed for 24, 48, and 72 h. Groups: smooth PCL (control), CMP (curved microgrooves only), CMP-24 h, CMP-48 h, CMP-72 h (CMP etched for 24, 48, 72 h, respectively). Surface physicochemical properties were characterized: surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface roughness was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and surface hydrophilicity was evaluated by contact angle measurement. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in vitro. Cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation were assessed using cell counting (CCK-8), immunofluorescence staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red staining with quantification. The mRNA expression levels of osteogenesis-related genes [ALP, collagen type Ⅰ (COL-1), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN)] were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Results:Curved microgrooves were successfully fabricated on PCL membranes. Alkali treatment improved surface hydrophilicity and increased roughness. The CMP-72 h group exhibited the best hydrophilicity (contact angle: 33.2°±5.5°), with significant differences compared to all other groups (all P<0.05). The CMP-72 h group showed the highest roughness [(59.966±4.729) nm], which was significantly different from all other groups (all P<0.05). CCK-8 results on day 5 showed that both curved microgrooves and roughness promoted cell proliferation: CMP-24 h (0.292±0.003) and CMP-72 h (0.383±0.004) were significantly higher than those in the smooth group (0.270±0.005) (all P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining revealed that curved microgrooves induced significant contact guidance of cells; this effect weakened with increasing etching time. ALP and Alizarin red staining indicated the deepest osteogenic staining in the CMP-48 h group. Both ALP activity (0.013 021±0.000 032) and Alizarin red quantification (0.290±0.003) were highest in the CMP-48 h group, significantly different from all other groups (all P<0.05). RUNX-2 expression in CMP-24 h and CMP-48 h groups (1.845±0.087 and 1.837±0.027, respectively) was significantly higher than in other groups (all P<0.05), with no significant difference between these two groups ( P>0.05). CMP-48 h group exhibited the highest mRNA expression of all osteogenic genes tested, specifically ALP (2.194±0.028), COL-1 (1.983±0.024), OCN (7.644±0.156), and OPN (2.648±0.031), all significantly greater than other groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Both curved microgrooves and surface roughness modification enhance the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of cells on PCL membranes. Among the tested strategies, alkali etching of curved microgrooves for 48 hours (CMP-48h) provided the optimal enhancement of osteogenic capability for MC3T3-E1 cells and represented a promising surface modification strategy for future PCL membranes.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by structural or functional abnormalities of motile cilia. It often presents clinically with recurrent respiratory infections, situs inversus, hydrocephalus, and infertility. Currently, there is no clinical treatment to directly restore ciliary motility in PCD patients.In recent years, researchers have explored gene therapy methods such as gene replacement, gene editing, and RNA replacement in vitro and in mouse models, offering potential new strategies for PCD treatment. This paper comprehensively reviews the current status of PCD gene therapy research, evaluates the potential of different gene therapies, and provides an outlook on the future treatment directions for this disease.

Objective:To construct curved microgrooves with gradient surface roughness on polycaprolactone (PCL) members by regulating alkali etching time and to investigate the synergistic effect of surface roughness and curved microgrooves on the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of mouse pre-osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1), aiming to determine the optimal PCL surface modification strategy. Methods:Soft lithography and melt-casting techniques were used to fabricate PCL membranes with regularly arranged curved microgrooves (CMP). Alkali etching was performed for 24, 48, and 72 h. Groups: smooth PCL (control), CMP (curved microgrooves only), CMP-24 h, CMP-48 h, CMP-72 h (CMP etched for 24, 48, 72 h, respectively). Surface physicochemical properties were characterized: surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface roughness was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and surface hydrophilicity was evaluated by contact angle measurement. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in vitro. Cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation were assessed using cell counting (CCK-8), immunofluorescence staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red staining with quantification. The mRNA expression levels of osteogenesis-related genes [ALP, collagen type Ⅰ (COL-1), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN)] were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Results:Curved microgrooves were successfully fabricated on PCL membranes. Alkali treatment improved surface hydrophilicity and increased roughness. The CMP-72 h group exhibited the best hydrophilicity (contact angle: 33.2°±5.5°), with significant differences compared to all other groups (all P<0.05). The CMP-72 h group showed the highest roughness [(59.966±4.729) nm], which was significantly different from all other groups (all P<0.05). CCK-8 results on day 5 showed that both curved microgrooves and roughness promoted cell proliferation: CMP-24 h (0.292±0.003) and CMP-72 h (0.383±0.004) were significantly higher than those in the smooth group (0.270±0.005) (all P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining revealed that curved microgrooves induced significant contact guidance of cells; this effect weakened with increasing etching time. ALP and Alizarin red staining indicated the deepest osteogenic staining in the CMP-48 h group. Both ALP activity (0.013 021±0.000 032) and Alizarin red quantification (0.290±0.003) were highest in the CMP-48 h group, significantly different from all other groups (all P<0.05). RUNX-2 expression in CMP-24 h and CMP-48 h groups (1.845±0.087 and 1.837±0.027, respectively) was significantly higher than in other groups (all P<0.05), with no significant difference between these two groups ( P>0.05). CMP-48 h group exhibited the highest mRNA expression of all osteogenic genes tested, specifically ALP (2.194±0.028), COL-1 (1.983±0.024), OCN (7.644±0.156), and OPN (2.648±0.031), all significantly greater than other groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Both curved microgrooves and surface roughness modification enhance the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of cells on PCL membranes. Among the tested strategies, alkali etching of curved microgrooves for 48 hours (CMP-48h) provided the optimal enhancement of osteogenic capability for MC3T3-E1 cells and represented a promising surface modification strategy for future PCL membranes.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is a major viral pathogen causing disease in pigs, and effective monitoring of SVA infection is critical for disease control. In this study, we aimed to develop a reliable ELISA method for rapidly detecting neutralizing antibodies against SVA. We used HEK293F cells to express an SVA-specific porcine Fab antibody and verified the biological activity of the Fab antibody by indirect ELISA, immunofluorescence assay, virus neutralization test, and Western blotting. The Fab antibody was biotinylated and used as a competitive antibody to establish a competitive ELISA (C-ELISA) for detecting neutralizing antibodies against SVA. We then evaluated the C-ELISA in terms of sensitivity, specificity, repeatability, and result agreement rate with the VNT. The results showed that we successfully prepared an SVA-specific porcine Fab antibody, which showed high affinity for SVA. We named this antibody 1M33Fab and designated it as Bio-1M33Fab after biotin labeling. The assay conditions were optimized as follows: the coating concentration of SVA particles being 1 μg/mL, the working concentration of Bio-1M33Fab being 0.5 μg/mL, the optimal serum dilution of 1:10, and the optimal dilution of enzyme-labeled avidin being 1:30 000. At a percent inhibition (PI) of 47%, the assay demonstrated the highest sensitivity (96.88%) and specificity (100%), with no cross-reactivity observed with the positive sera of major porcine viral diseases. The intra-assay coefficient of variation ranged from 1.12% to 7.34%, while the inter-assay coefficient of variation ranged from 1.10% to 8.97%, indicating good repeatability. In the detection of 224 clinical pig serum samples, C-ELISA and VNT showed a result agreement rate of 93.75%. In conclusion, we successfully develop a C-ELISA method for detecting neutralizing antibodies against SVA by using a porcine-derived Fab antibody, which lays a foundation for the development of detection kits.
Animals ; Swine ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods* ; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments/immunology* ; Antibodies, Viral/immunology* ; Picornaviridae/immunology* ; Humans ; HEK293 Cells ; Swine Diseases/diagnosis* ; Picornaviridae Infections/diagnosis*

Objective:To summarized the clinical characteristics of intracranial germ cell tumors（iGCTs）in children, with the ultimate goal of facilitating early tumor identification and guiding the prompt selection of appropriate treatment strategies.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on pediatric patients with primary iGCTs admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University between March 2021 and June 2022. Patient age, gender, clinical manifestations, tumor marker levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, imaging features, and histopathological examination results were meticulously collected and statistically analyzed.Results:A total of 126 pediatric patients with iGCTs were included in the study, of which 86 cases (68.3%) were male,and 40 cases (31.7%) were female.The average age was (10.0 ± 3.5) years old. The mean age of onset was found between 6~14 years old(80.1%), with a male-to-female ratio of 2.2:1.The tumors were predominantly located in the sellar region (30.2%), basal ganglia (23.8%), and pineal region (19.8%). Notably, there were distinct differences in tumor location across different age groups: pineal region tumors were most prevalent in preschool children (71.4%), basal ganglia tumors were more common in school-age children (41.9%), and sellar region involvement was highest among adolescent patients(44.8%). Based on molecular marker analysis and biopsy diagnosis, 79 cases were classified as germinoma, 3 as teratoma, 2 as yolk sac tumor, 1 as choriocarcinoma, and 41 as mixed germinoma.All children underwent head CT and MRI examinations. Among them, 99 cases showed high-density lesions on CT,while 27 cases showed mixed density,including 39 cases of calcification and 35 cases of hydrocephalus.MRI revealed atrophy of the cerebral peduncle, caudate nucleus head, or cerebral cortex in 38 cases, involvement of the basal ganglia in 33 cases, and midbrain involvement in 5 cases.Blood β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were examined in all patients, while CSF tumor marker levels were analyzed in 103 cases. There were 76 cases with elevated β-HCG in blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid, and 24 cases with elevated AFP in blood and/or CSF.Additionally, all 86 male patients underwent genital ultrasound, revealed testicular microlithiasis in 12 cases and testicular cysts in 6 cases.Conclusion:The clinical presentation of iGCTs in pediatric patients exhibits significant heterogeneity in terms of epidemiology, classification, tumor location, and molecular markers. Notably, CSF β-HCG and AFP levels are equally crucial diagnostic indicators alongside blood tumor markers.Histological examination should be performed as early as possible in clinically suspected cases with negative tumor markers. Clinicians should remain vigilant for early imaging negative potential cases. In addition, male children with testicular microlithiasis or cysts should be closely followed up.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of value orientation brief therapy(VBT)combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs)on clinical symptoms,rumination,decision-making ability,and cognitive func-tion in patients with mild to moderate depression.Methods:Eighty patients meeting the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for mild to moderate depression were randomly assigned to either a medication(SSRIs)group(36 completed)or a VBT combined group(38 completed)for a 6-week intervention.Baseline and post-intervention assessments includ-ed the Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxious Scale(HAMA),Ruminative Response Scale-Chi-nese Version(RRS-CV),Iowa Gambling Test(IGT),number of eye fixation(NEF),responsive search score(RSS)in exploratory eye trajectory movement were used to evaluate patients'anxiety and depression symptoms,ru-minative thinking,decision-making function,and cognitive function.Results:The VBT combined group showed sig-nificantly better therapeutic effects than the medication group(P＜0.05).Compared to baseline and the medication group,the VBT combined group had significantly lower post-intervention scores in HAMD,HAMA,symptom rumi-nation,introspective reflection,compulsive meditation,and RRS-CV total scores after intervention(Ps＜0.05),and significantly higher scores in IGT net profit scores,NEF,and RSS scores(Ps＜0.05).Compared with the medica-tion group,the VBT combined group demonstrated a greater reduction in HAMD,HAMA,symptom rumination,in-trospective reflection,compulsive meditation,and RRS-CV total scores before and after intervention(Ps＜0.05),and a larger increase in IGT net profit scores,NEF,and RSS scores(Ps＜0.05).Conclusion:VBT combined with SSRIs effectively improves the symptoms of depression,anxiety,decision-making ability,rumination thinking,and cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate depression.

In recent years, sleep problems among nurses have become a prominent social focus, and sleep disorders are widespread among nurses. ICU nurses are more prone to problems such as decreased sleep quality, shorter sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness than nurses in other departments due to special and complex work environments. Sleep disorders seriously affect the physical and mental health of ICU nurses and the quality of nursing care. This paper reviews the influencing factors, interventions, and assessment tools for sleep disorders among ICU nurses in order to inform the development of effective interventions.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of value orientation brief therapy(VBT)combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs)on clinical symptoms,rumination,decision-making ability,and cognitive func-tion in patients with mild to moderate depression.Methods:Eighty patients meeting the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for mild to moderate depression were randomly assigned to either a medication(SSRIs)group(36 completed)or a VBT combined group(38 completed)for a 6-week intervention.Baseline and post-intervention assessments includ-ed the Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxious Scale(HAMA),Ruminative Response Scale-Chi-nese Version(RRS-CV),Iowa Gambling Test(IGT),number of eye fixation(NEF),responsive search score(RSS)in exploratory eye trajectory movement were used to evaluate patients'anxiety and depression symptoms,ru-minative thinking,decision-making function,and cognitive function.Results:The VBT combined group showed sig-nificantly better therapeutic effects than the medication group(P＜0.05).Compared to baseline and the medication group,the VBT combined group had significantly lower post-intervention scores in HAMD,HAMA,symptom rumi-nation,introspective reflection,compulsive meditation,and RRS-CV total scores after intervention(Ps＜0.05),and significantly higher scores in IGT net profit scores,NEF,and RSS scores(Ps＜0.05).Compared with the medica-tion group,the VBT combined group demonstrated a greater reduction in HAMD,HAMA,symptom rumination,in-trospective reflection,compulsive meditation,and RRS-CV total scores before and after intervention(Ps＜0.05),and a larger increase in IGT net profit scores,NEF,and RSS scores(Ps＜0.05).Conclusion:VBT combined with SSRIs effectively improves the symptoms of depression,anxiety,decision-making ability,rumination thinking,and cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate depression.