OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between susceptibility genes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children with obesity. METHODS: We conducted a two-step case-control study. Ninety-three participants were subjected to whole-exome sequencing (exploratory set). Differential genes identified in the small sample were validated in 1,022 participants using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and high-throughput sequencing (validation set). RESULTS: In the exploratory set, 14 genes from the NAFLD-associated pathways were identified. In the validation set, after adjusting for sex, age, and body mass index, ECI2 rs2326408 (dominant model: OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.02-1.72; additive model: OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01-1.47), C6orf201 rs659305 (dominant model: OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01-1.69; additive model: OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.00-1.45), CALML5 rs10904516 (pre-ad dominant model: OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.01-1.83; adjusted dominant model: OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03-1.91; and pre-ad additive model: OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04-1.66) polymorphisms were significantly associated with NAFLD in children with obesity ( P < 0.05). Interaction analysis revealed that the gene-gene interaction model of CALML5 rs10904516, COX11 rs17209882, and SCD5 rs3733228 was optional ( P < 0.05), demonstrating a negative interaction between the three genes. CONCLUSION In the Chinese population, the CALML5 rs10904516, C6orf201 rs659305, and ECI2 rs2326408 variants could be genetic markers for NAFLD susceptibility.
Humans ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Case-Control Studies ; Exome Sequencing ; Adolescent ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Obesity/complications* ; Pediatric Obesity/complications* ; China

Objective To construct an intelligent segmentation and T-stage diagnostic model for esophageal cancer based on the DAEUnet and ConvNeXt networks using transfer learning.Methods Dicom raw data from 126 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer between January 2018 and April 2022 were collected,including 100 cases from Department of Thoracic Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University and 26 cases from the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Shanxi Cancer Hospital.After data augmentation,a total of 60 275 images were obtained.The DAEUnet esophageal cancer intelligent segmentation network was built,and on this basis,3 classification networks,ConvNeXt,Swin Transformer,and ResNet were constructed for T-stage diagnosis of esophageal cancer.Results The Dice similarity coefficient(DSC)for esophageal cancer intelligent segmentation using the DAEUnet network was 0.82,and the DSC value of the esophagus,aorta,normal esophagus,mediastinal lymph nodes,and heart was 72.4％,87.5％,79.3％,60.5％ and 96.8％,respectively.Among the 3 T-stage diagnosis models for esophageal cancer,the ConvNeXt model performed the best,with a precision value for T1～T4 stages of 0.65,0.727,0.889 and 0.92,respectively,and an AUC value of 0.892,which were superior to the ResNet and Swin Transformer networks.Conclusion The proposed DAEUnet and ConvNeXt-based intelligent segmentation and T-stage diagnosis model for esophageal cancer improves T-stage accuracy and treatment efficiency.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Tongfu Xiezhuo enema in treating stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease （CKD） and the effect of the therapy on the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR） as an inflammation marker. MethodSixty patients diagnosed with stage 3-4 CKD who visited the Nephrology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine from December 2022 to June 2023 were included and randomly assigned into observation and control groups in a ratio of 1∶1. The control group received conventional therapy plus Shenkang suppositories， while the observation group received conventional therapy plus Tongfu Xiezhuo enema. After 8 weeks of treatment， the clinical efficacy was assessed based on the changes in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom scores， renal function indicators， and NLR. Result① Both groups showed decreases in TCM symptom scores after treatment （P<0.01）， and the decreases were more significant in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.05）. The total response rate of TCM symptoms in the observation group was 79.31% （23/29）， which was higher than that （62.96%， 17/27） in the control group （Z=0.604，P<0.05）. ② After treatment， the observation group showed declined serum levels of creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， and cystatin C （Cys C） and increased glomerular filtration rate （GFR） （P<0.01）， and the control group showed lowered SCr level and increased GFR （P<0.05）. The observation group had lower SCr level and higher GFR than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. The total response rate of renal function in the observation group was 79.31% （23/29）， which was higher than that （55.56%， 15/27） in the control group （Z=1.127，P<0.01）. ③ The NLR in the observation group decreased after treatment （P<0.05）， and it was lower than that in the control group （P<0.05）. ④ There were no significant differences in safety indicators between the two groups before and after treatment. ConclusionTongfu Xiezhuo enema ameliorated symptoms and improved renal function indicators in the patients with stage 3-4 CKD by reducing the NLR and inhibiting inflammation.

ObjectiveMolecular docking plays a critical role in predicting binding modes and affinity between molecules, serving as a pivotal method in structural biology and computer-aided drug design research. Our research team has recently developed a novel template-based docking method called FitDock, which outperforms commonly used molecular docking methods in terms of accuracy and speed, particularly when approximate protein-ligand templates are available. To enhance the accessibility of the FitDock method and promote its broader application in the field of molecular simulation, the development of a graphical software tool is imperative. MethodsUtilizing Python-based graphical programming, we have created FitDockApp, a plugin software for the molecular visualization software PyMOL. ResultsFitDockApp enables template-based molecular docking and ligand structure alignment through an interactive graphical interface, providing real-time visualization of predicted three-dimensional structures. It also offers the convenience of uploading docking files to a laboratory server to obtain the optimal template. Additionally, FitDockApp includes batch docking functionality. ConclusionFitDockApp simplifies the docking process through its user-friendly interface and provides robust functionality to assist researchers in obtaining precise docking results. FitDockApp is a free software compatible with both Windows and Linux systems and can be downloaded from http://cao.labshare.cn/fitdock/.

Objective: To explore the balance of peripheral blood T helper 17 cells/regulatory T cell (Th17/Treg) ratio and the polarization ratio of M1 and M2 macrophages in lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). Methods: A rat model of lower extremity ASO was established, and blood samples from patients with lower extremity ASO before and after surgery were obtained. ELISA was used to detect interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, and IL-17. Real-time RCR and Western blot analyses were used to detect Foxp3, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 expression. Moreover, flow cytometry was applied to detect the Th17/Treg ratio and M1/M2 ratio. Results: Compared with the control group, the iliac artery wall of ASO rats showed significant hyperplasia, and the concentrations of cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly increased (P<0.01), indicating the successful establishment of ASO. Moreover, the levels of IL-6 and IL-17 in ASO rats were pronouncedly increased (P<0.05), while the IL-10 level was significantly decreased (P<0.05). In addition to increased IL-6 and IL-17 levels, the mRNA and protein levels of Foxp3 and IL-10 in ASO rats were significantly decreased compared with the control group. The Th17/Treg and M1/M2 ratios in the ASO group were markedly increased (P<0.05). These alternations were also observed in ASO patients. After endovascular surgery (such as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and arterial stenting), all these changes were significantly improved (P<0.05). Conclusions: The Th17/Treg and M1/M2 ratios were significantly increased in ASO, and surgery can effectively improve the balance of Th17/Treg, and reduce the ratio of M1/M2, and the expression of inflammatory factors.

BACKGROUND:Kinesio taping has been widely used as a means of sports protection,but its role as a means to correct abnormal biomechanical changes of the lower limbs during side-step cutting remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To analyze and compare the changes in lower limb kinematics and dynamics when the subjects complete the side-step cutting of the knee joint under the conditions of kinesio taping,placebo taping and blank control. METHODS:Thirty-nine male college students majoring in basketball were recruited as subjects.Each subject was tested with kinesio taping,placebo taping or no taping.The mechanical correction method was used to patch the dominant knee joint of each subject.The run-up speed of 4.5-5.5 m/s was selected to complete the 45° side-step cutting motion,and the kinematics and kinetics data were collected synchronously by the three-dimensional dynamic capture system and the force measuring platform.The kinematics and kinetics parameters at the moment of initial touchdown and peak ground reaction force were selected for data analysis.SPSS 27.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the test data. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Kinematic indexes:compared with no taping and placebo taping,the hip abduction and knee valgus angles at the initial touchdown moment were significantly decreased when kinesio taping was used(P<0.05);at the moment of peak lateral ground reaction force,the angles of hip abduction,knee valgus and ankle plantar flexion decreased significantly(P<0.05),and the knee flexion angle was significantly increased(P<0.05).Kinetic indexes:Compared with no taping,both kinesio taping and placebo taping significantly reduced hip abduction and external rotation torque,knee valgus and external rotation torque at the moment of initial touchdown(P<0.05),and significantly reduced peak vertical ground reaction force and peak horizontal backward ground reaction force(P<0.05);in addition,kinesio taping significantly reduced peak lateral ground reaction force compared with no taping and placebo taping(P<0.05).These results indicate that kinesio taping of the knee joint may improve some kinematic and kinetic indexes associated with lower limb injury risk factors during the completion of the side-step cutting in basketball specialized college students to some extent,and may have a positive effect on the prevention of injury during the side-step cutting.In addition,the trends in the effects of placebo taping and kinesio taping on the knee joint are more consistent in terms of changes in some indexes,suggesting that there may be a placebo effect on the mechanism of action of kinesio taping.

Antibody-drug conjugates(ADCs), as an emerging therapy for cancer treatment, have made significant progress in the past few decades. However, due to the heterogeneity of ADCs, they still face various issues and challenges in clinical therapy. Therefore, site-specific conjugation techniques have become a crucial area of research in ADCs, and in recent years, this field has witnessed numerous breakthrough advancements, empowering ADCs with enhanced performance. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the frontiers in site-specific conjugation technologies for ADCs. Categorized into seven major classes including lysine-based, cysteine-based, low-abundance amino acid-based and glycosylation site-based conjugation techniques, ribosomal incorporation of unnatural and noncanonical amino acids and enzyme-mediated conjugation techniques, it meticulously describes 21 classical and emerging techniques such as the THIOMAB technology and linchpin-directed modification, in order to offer valuable insights for the development of next-generation ADCs.

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of silent information regulator 1(SIRT1)-NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)axis in the effect of remifentanil against ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI)in rat livers.SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group(sham group),IRI group,IRI+remifentanil pretreatment group(IRI+RPC group),IRI+SIRT1 inhibitor EX-527 group(IRI+EX-527 group)and IRI+RPC+EX-527 group,with 8 rats in each group.The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 of rats in each group were detected.The liver tissue pathology was observed.The apoptosis rate of hepatocytes in rats was detected.The expressions of SIRT1,NLRP3,cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1(Cleaved Caspase-1)and Gasdermin D(GSDMD)proteins in rat liver tissue were detected.Results Compared with the sham group,the liver tissue pathological score and hepatocyte apoptosis rate of rats in the IRI group were increased,the serum ALT,AST,LDH,IL-1β,and IL-18 levels were increased,the relative expression of SIRT1 protein in liver tissue was decreased,and the relative expression of NLRP3,Cleaved Caspase-1,and GSDMD proteins were increased(all P<0.05).Compared with the IRI group,the liver tissue pathological score and hepatocyte apoptosis rate of rats in the IRI+RPC group were decreased,the serum ALT,AST,LDH,IL-1β,and IL-18 levels were decreased,the relative expression of SIRT1 protein in liver tissue was increased,and the relative expression of NLRP3,Cleaved Caspase-1,and GSDMD proteins were decreased;the liver tissue pathological score and hepatocyte apoptosis rate of rats in the IRI+EX-527 group were increased,the ALT,AST,LDH,IL-1β,and IL-18 levels were increased,the relative expression of SIRT1 protein in liver tissue was decreased,and the relative expression of NLRP3,Cleaved Caspase-1,and GSDMD proteins were increased(all P<0.05).Compared with the IRI+RPC group,the liver tissue pathological score and hepatocyte apoptosis rate in the IRI+RPC+EX-527 group were increased,the levels of ALT,AST,LDH,IL-1β,and IL-18 were increased,the relative expression of SIRT1 protein in liver tissue was decreased,and the relative expression of NLRP3,Cleaved Caspase-1,and GSDMD proteins were increased(all P<0.05).Conclusions SIRT1 may participate in the regulation of remifentanil against rat liver IRI by inhibiting NLRP3 mediated cell pyroptosis.

The decline in the regenerative capacity of tissues and organs due to aging is significantly attributed to the failure of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Changes in histone acetylation levels are a key mechanism underlying the biological characteristics of aging MSCs. Targeted repair of abnormal histone acetylation in aging MSCs holds promise as an effective treatment for anti-aging therapy. This article reviews the roles of histone acetylases and histone deacetylases in the aging process of MSCs, aiming to provide new insights for anti-aging therapy.

The decline in the regenerative capacity of tissues and organs due to aging is significantly attributed to the failure of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Changes in histone acetylation levels are a key mechanism underlying the biological characteristics of aging MSCs. Targeted repair of abnormal histone acetylation in aging MSCs holds promise as an effective treatment for anti-aging therapy. This article reviews the roles of histone acetylases and histone deacetylases in the aging process of MSCs, aiming to provide new insights for anti-aging therapy.