ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

Objective To analyze the diagnosis, treatment and clinical characteristics of a patient with parotid gland metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)following radical nephrectomy. Methods The clinical data and diagnostic/therapeutic course of the patient were reported, and the metastasis time and treatment methods of patients with parotid metastasis of renal cancer were summarized in combination with literature. Results The 63-year-old male patient sought medical help due to a mass behind the right ear persisting for 3 months. He had undergone a right radical nephrectomy for a renal tumor 10 years ago. Preoperative computed tomography(CT)with contrast of the parotid region revealed an approximately 2.5 cm×2.1 cm round soft-tissue density lesion in the right parotid gland with slightly irregular margins. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)showed an enlarged left kidney with an irregular shape and multiple round, slightly hyperdense lesion(SUVmax=7.2), suggestive of malignancy. A round, slightly hyperdense lesion(diameter 2.6 cm, SUVmax=4.2)with well-defined borders and increased radiotracer uptake was noted in the right parotid gland, indicating a hypermetabolic mass where malignancy could not be excluded. The patient subsequently underwent partial parotidectomy, advancement flap transplantation, and facial nerve dissection. Postoperative pathology revealed tumor cells with clear/eosinophilic cytoplasm and nuclear atypia, exhibiting ill-defined borders with salivary gland tissue. Immunohistochemistry was positive for PAX-8, CAⅨ, and Ki-67. During the 12-month follow-up, the patient was in good condition with no evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis. Conclusion Parotid gland metastasis following radical nephrectomy is exceedingly rare, with no specific imaging features and clinical manifestations, and definitive diagnosis relies on pathological examination. Currently, there is no standardized treatment protocol, but complete surgical excision remains the primary therapeutic option.

Objective:To investigate the detection rate of human herpesvirus（HHV）in children with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome（DIHS）and to analyze the impact of HHV on the prognosis of DIHS.Methods:This study included a retrospective analysis of clinical data from hospitalized patients diagnosed with DIHS at the Department of Dermatology at Beijing Children's Hospital between January 2009 and December 2023 who underwent peripheral blood HHV-DNA testing.The positive rates of the following HHV types were analyzed:epstein-barr virus,cytomegalovirus,HHV-6,and HHV-7.The clinical features,disease severity,course,and prognosis were then compared between HHV-positive and HHV-negative children.Results:Of the 81 patients enrolled，46（56.8%）tested positive for at least one type of HHV-DNA.The positive detection cases of epstein-barr virus，cytomegalovirus，HHV-6，and HHV-7 were 16（19.8%）cases，9（11.1%）cases，25（30.9%）cases，and 8（9.9%）cases，respectively.Compared with the HHV-negative group,the HHV-positive group exhibited significantly higher incidences of facial/limb edema,severe disease,and a RegiSCAR score ≥6( P<0.05).Furthermore,the HHV-positive group experienced significantly longer durations of fever,skin rash,liver injury,total disease course,and treatment period ( P<0.05). Conclusion:HHV-6 is the most frequently detected herpesvirus among children with DIHS.HHV positivity is significantly associated with greater disease severity and a prolonged clinical course in pediatric DIHS patients.

Metabolic reprogramming is a crucial feature of cancer.Among various metabolic processes,oxidative phosphorylation(OXPHOS)metabolism serves as the primary biochemical pathway for energy production and significantly influences tumorigenesis and tumor development.Therefore,this study aims to explore the impact of the metabolic characteristics of lung squamous cell carcinoma(LUSC)on its ma-lignant properties.By analyzing the single-cell transcriptome sequencing data of LUSC,lung adenocarci-noma,and normal lung tissues from the gene expression profile database,it was found that the OXPHOS signaling pathway and molecules related to ATP synthesis were remarkably enriched in LUSC tissues.Based on the OXPHOS signal intensity score,LUSC cells were classified into OXPHOShigh and OXPH-OSlow groups.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 126 transcription factors were highly expressed in both LUSC tumor tissues and the OXPHOShigh group.Notably,the expression levels of cancer stem cell-related signals(such as SOX2,SOX9,POU2F1,CDX1,ARID3A,EZH2,and KLF5)were significantly en-hanced in the OXPHOShigh cell subset(P＜0.05).Treatment of LUSC cells with an OXPHOS antagonist significantly inhibited the sphere formation rate of H520 and SKMES-1 cells,which is a key characteristic of cancer stemness(P＜0.05).Analysis of cell-cell communication data from the LUSC single-cell tran-scriptome indicated that the signal emission and reception in OXPHOShigh cells were stronger than those in OXPHOSlow cells.Moreover,fibroblasts showed significant interaction with OXPHOShigh-LUSC cells.Co-culture of LUSC cell lines H520 and SKMES-1 with human lung fibroblast-like cell lines significantly in-creased the sphere formation rate of tumor cells(P＜0.05).Additionally,the levels of ATP,NADH-ac-tive enzymes,and reactive oxygen species(ROS)in co-cultured H520 and SKMES-1 cells were signifi-cantly elevated(P＜0.05).The results of this study confirm that the OXPHOS pathway is a key signal involved in LUSC metabolism,which is closely associated with the characteristics of cancer stem cells and the regulatory signals of fibroblast interactions.This finding holds promises for providing novel strategies for tumor treatment.

Objective To design an 8-channel gene analyzer to take the place of the widely used gene analyzer with problems in inconvenient consumable replacement and short storage time of electrophoresis polymer.Methods The 8-channel gene analyzer had its mechanical components composed of an automatic sample loading table,a polymer injection module,a high-voltage temperature control module,an optical module and an integrated U box,its electrical control system made up of a host computer(an embedded computer)and three slave computers(a sampling control board,a polymer injection control board and a high-voltage temperature control board).The automatic sample loading table involved in four motors and transmission systems for x,y,z directions and optical alignment,the transmission systems adopted mainly belt drive mode and the optical alignment motor had its threads with an anti-backlash structure;the polymer injuection module was manipulated by the polymer injection control board,and the polymer block was made of highly transparent acrylic material;the high-voltage temperature control module realized the regulation of electrophoresis voltage and the detection of electrophoresis current by the low-ripple precision high-voltage power supply,and controlled the temperature of the heating furnace by the proportional-integral-differential(PID)algorithm;the optical module consisted of an excitation module and a light-receiving module,which had the base of the reflector made of low expansion coefficient alloy material;the integrated U box had the electrophoresis polymer,capillary array,polymer block and anode buffer in a plastic housing;the host computer had the data acquisition software programmed with C# and C++,and the slave computers were controlled by STM32 SCM.Results The 8-channel gene analyzer had no significant differences with the widely used ABI3500 gene analyzer in resolution,precision accuracy and clinical results.Conclusion The 8-channel gene analyzer gains advantages in consumable replacement and storage time of electrophoresis polymer,and can meet the requirements for gene sequencing.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):24-30]

Objective:To investigate the detection rate of human herpesvirus（HHV）in children with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome（DIHS）and to analyze the impact of HHV on the prognosis of DIHS.Methods:This study included a retrospective analysis of clinical data from hospitalized patients diagnosed with DIHS at the Department of Dermatology at Beijing Children's Hospital between January 2009 and December 2023 who underwent peripheral blood HHV-DNA testing.The positive rates of the following HHV types were analyzed:epstein-barr virus,cytomegalovirus,HHV-6,and HHV-7.The clinical features,disease severity,course,and prognosis were then compared between HHV-positive and HHV-negative children.Results:Of the 81 patients enrolled，46（56.8%）tested positive for at least one type of HHV-DNA.The positive detection cases of epstein-barr virus，cytomegalovirus，HHV-6，and HHV-7 were 16（19.8%）cases，9（11.1%）cases，25（30.9%）cases，and 8（9.9%）cases，respectively.Compared with the HHV-negative group,the HHV-positive group exhibited significantly higher incidences of facial/limb edema,severe disease,and a RegiSCAR score ≥6( P<0.05).Furthermore,the HHV-positive group experienced significantly longer durations of fever,skin rash,liver injury,total disease course,and treatment period ( P<0.05). Conclusion:HHV-6 is the most frequently detected herpesvirus among children with DIHS.HHV positivity is significantly associated with greater disease severity and a prolonged clinical course in pediatric DIHS patients.

Objective To investigate the clinical prognosis of untreated residual coronary artery dissection treated with drug coated balloon(DCB).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of patients with primary coronary artery lesions(2.5-4.0 mm)treated with DCB under angiography guidance at Xuzhou Cancer Hospital,Xuzhou New Health Geriatric Hospital,and Peixian Guotai Hospital from September 2017 to April 2023.According to the observation of coronary artery dissection through angiography,the patients were divided into a dissection group and a non dissection group.The main endpoint of this study was the major adverse cardiovascular event(MACE)during a 12-month follow-up.Results A total of 381 patients were enrolled in the three research centers,with 30 cases(30 lesions)in the dissection group and 351 cases(367 lesions)in the non dissection group.There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age,gender,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes,smoking,previous myocardial infarction,previous percutaneous coronary intervention,coronary artery bypass grafting and other baseline clinical characteristics(all P＞0.05).Except for the reference vessel diameter(P=0.049)and DCB pressure(P=0.032),there was no statistically significant difference in the characteristics of coronary angiography lesions between the two groups of patients(both P＞0.05).During a 12-month follow-up,there was no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05)in the incidence of MACE between the dissection group and the non dissection group after DCB treatment for primary coronary artery lesions in situ.Conclusions Untreated residual dissection after DCB treatment of de novo coronary lesions does not lead to an increase in clinical MACE.

Metabolic reprogramming is a crucial feature of cancer.Among various metabolic processes,oxidative phosphorylation(OXPHOS)metabolism serves as the primary biochemical pathway for energy production and significantly influences tumorigenesis and tumor development.Therefore,this study aims to explore the impact of the metabolic characteristics of lung squamous cell carcinoma(LUSC)on its ma-lignant properties.By analyzing the single-cell transcriptome sequencing data of LUSC,lung adenocarci-noma,and normal lung tissues from the gene expression profile database,it was found that the OXPHOS signaling pathway and molecules related to ATP synthesis were remarkably enriched in LUSC tissues.Based on the OXPHOS signal intensity score,LUSC cells were classified into OXPHOShigh and OXPH-OSlow groups.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 126 transcription factors were highly expressed in both LUSC tumor tissues and the OXPHOShigh group.Notably,the expression levels of cancer stem cell-related signals(such as SOX2,SOX9,POU2F1,CDX1,ARID3A,EZH2,and KLF5)were significantly en-hanced in the OXPHOShigh cell subset(P＜0.05).Treatment of LUSC cells with an OXPHOS antagonist significantly inhibited the sphere formation rate of H520 and SKMES-1 cells,which is a key characteristic of cancer stemness(P＜0.05).Analysis of cell-cell communication data from the LUSC single-cell tran-scriptome indicated that the signal emission and reception in OXPHOShigh cells were stronger than those in OXPHOSlow cells.Moreover,fibroblasts showed significant interaction with OXPHOShigh-LUSC cells.Co-culture of LUSC cell lines H520 and SKMES-1 with human lung fibroblast-like cell lines significantly in-creased the sphere formation rate of tumor cells(P＜0.05).Additionally,the levels of ATP,NADH-ac-tive enzymes,and reactive oxygen species(ROS)in co-cultured H520 and SKMES-1 cells were signifi-cantly elevated(P＜0.05).The results of this study confirm that the OXPHOS pathway is a key signal involved in LUSC metabolism,which is closely associated with the characteristics of cancer stem cells and the regulatory signals of fibroblast interactions.This finding holds promises for providing novel strategies for tumor treatment.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of specific IgE antibodies against Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus fumigatus in serum samples from clinical allergy patients across selected provinces in China.Methods Data on specific IgE antibodies for Alternaria A.and Aspergillus F.were collected from 20 hospital laboratories in 17 cities spanning 11 provinces.The study analyzed the levels of specific IgE and their variations across different provinces and seasons.Results A total of 27 471 cases of Alternaria A.and 32 843 cases of Aspergillus F.specific IgE data were included.The national average positive rate of Alternaria A.IgE was 10.40%,with the highest rate of 22.68%in Jiangsu and the lowest rate of 2.06%in Guangxi.For Aspergillus F.specific IgE,the average positive rate was 4.24%,with Hubei province having the highest rate(7.25%)and Hunan province the lowest(1.23%).The difference in IgE levels for both Alternaria A.and Aspergillus F.among provinces were statistically significant(H=9 955,16 993,all P<0.0001).Among patients,5.85%had Alternaria A.specific IgE levels at grade 3 or above,while only 0.57%had Aspergillus F.specific IgE levels at this level.When examining seasonal variations using data from Liaoning,Hunan and Anhui provinces,significant seasonal changes were observed for both Alternaria A.and Aspergillus F.IgE antibodies(HAlternaria A=347.6,338.0,401.3,HAspergillus F=196.6,133.7,231.7,all P<0.0001).Conclusion The sensitization to Alternaria A.and Aspergillus F.exhibits distinct geographical characteristics and vary significantly with seasons.Given the relatively high IgE levels associated with Alternaria A.,it should be given adequate clinical attention.