BACKGROUND:Successful uterine spiral artery remodeling is necessary for normal pregnancy,in which vascular smooth muscle cells are important cells.Interferon-γ is associated with the loss of vascular smooth muscle cells during early pregnancy.However,the specific mechanism is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of interferon-γ on migration and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells through NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway. METHODS:Human vascular smooth muscle cells were divided into control group and interferon-γ group.The control group was cultured normally,and the interferon-γ group was treated with 10 ng/mL interferon-γ for 24 hours.The migration ability of vascular smooth muscle cells was detected by Transwell assay.The apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells was detected by TUNEL assay and flow cytometry.The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 were detected by qPCR.Western blot assay was utilized to detect NLRP3,caspase-1,and cleaved N-terminal GSDMD protein expression levels. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the migration ability and apoptosis rate of vascular smooth muscle cells in interferon-γ group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in vascular smooth muscle cells of interferon-γ group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with control group,the expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1,and cleaved N-terminal GSDMD protein in vascular smooth muscle cells in the interferon-γ group were significantly increased(P<0.05).The results suggest that interferon-γ may regulate the migration and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells through NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway.

Objective:To investigate the pathogenetic characteristics of clinical isolates of Streptococcus suis in Henan Province from 2020 to 2023. Methods:Eight clinical isolates of S. suis in Henan Province from 2020 to 2023 were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotype and virulence genes were detected by the serum agglutination test and PCR, and antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated using the microbroth dilution method. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), minimum core genome (MCG), identification of antibiotic resistance genes, and core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) analysis were conducted using whole genome sequencing. Results:The results showed that eight S. suis strains isolated from humans were mainly serotype 2 (75.0%), while the rest were serotype 14 (25.0%). ST353 (62.5%) was the predominant genotype, followed by ST1 (25.0%) and ST7 (12.5%). All isolates belonged to the MCG1 group. The virulence genotypes of these isolates were primarily mrp(NA2)/ sly+/ ef+/ gapdh+(75.0%), while the remaining were mrp(EU)/ sly+/ ef+/ gapdh+(25.0%). These isolates carried tetracycline, macrolide, lincosamide and aminoglycoside resistance genes, and their resistance rates to tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin were 100.0%, 87.5% and 87.5%, respectively, and 62.5% strains were intermediate-resistant to penicillin. The cgSNP analysis indicated that these isolates were closer to the isolates from Guangdong, Zhejiang and Guangxi Provinces, with five ST353 strains and one ST7 strain belonging to Clade Ⅰ, and two ST1 strains belonging to Clade Ⅱ. Conclusion:The human isolates of S. suis in Henan Province are mainly ST353, harboring multiple virulence and antibiotic resistance genes.

Objective To analyze the distribution and drug resistance patterns of pathogenic bacteria in bile and blood cultures obtained from patients with biliary stones accompanied by acute biliary tract infection,to evaluate the clinical appropriate-ness of antibiotic use based on drug sensitivity results,and to provide evidence for empirical antibiotic treatment in such patients.Methods The clinical data of 161 patients with biliary calculi complicated by acute biliary tract infection who were admitted to the First People's Hospital of Neijiang from 2017 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The results of microbial culture,drug sensitivity analysis,and patient characteristics were assessed to evaluate the appropriateness of clinical antimicrobial therapy.Results Among the 161 patients with positive cultures,212 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected.The predominant patho-gens were Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies,and Enterococcus faecium.Age and underlying diseases significantly affected the distribution of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies.Within the gram-negative bacterial group,Esche-richia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies exhibited higher drug resistance to commonly used broad-spectrum penicillin,third-generation cephalosporin and quinolones but lower resistance rates to piperacillin and tazobactam;furthermore,elderly indi-viduals aged ≥65 years showed higher resistance rates to ceftriaxone than those under age 65 while people with drug exposure history had higher ceftazidime resistance rates that were statistically significant.In contrast to Enterococcus faecalis which displayed low antimicrobial resistance rates for most drugs tested in this study,Enterococcus faecium demonstrated high levels of antibiotic resistance;however,both Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium exhibited zero-resistance rates against vancomycin and tigecycline although this may be attributed to their small sample size in our study cohort.Finally,we found that empirical anti-in-fective drugs,as well as target anti-infective drugs,were not prescribed rationally among these patients due mainly to inappropriate combinations of antibiotics or incorrect dosages.Conclusions The predominant pathogens in patients with acute biliary tract infection are gram-negative bacteria,Gram-positive bacteria,and fungi;however,the potential involvement of anaerobic bacteria should not be overlooked.Vancomycin exhibits sensitivity against gram-positive bacteria,yet the overall rationality of antibiotic usage remains suboptimal.Enhanced clinical testing for pathogenic microorganisms is imperative in the management of biliary stones accompanied by acute biliary tract infection.In contrast,clinical pharmacists should provide comprehensive training on anti-infective drugs to clinicians to facilitate their judicious selection of antibiotics based on drug sensitivity results and prevent the e-mergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Objective:To analyze research trends, hotspots, and international collaboration in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) from 2010 to 2024 using bibliometric methods.Methods:A total of 4 368 articles published between January 2010 to December 2024 were retrieved from PubMed using the search strategy temporomandibular disorders[MeSH Terms] OR temporomandibular joint disorders[Title/Abstract]. The R package"bibliometrix" was employed to analyze publication statistics, author collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence.Results:The annual publication volume in the TMD field increased 3.4-fold from 2010 to 2024, with an average annual output of 291.2 articles. MANFREDINI DANIELE was identified as the most prolific author (74 articles). The Journal of Oral Rehabilitation ranked first in terms of publication quantity (454 articles). The University of S?o Paulo (Brazil) emerged as the leading contributor, followed by Sichuan University (China) globally. Research hotspots predominantly focused on the DC/TMD diagnostic criteria and pain mechanisms. Analysis of international collaboration networks revealed that core authors (e.g., Lobbezoo F, Manfredini D) have driven advancements in the field through multidisciplinary collaboration (dentistry+psychology+medical imaging). The high-frequency occurrence of the imaging keyword "magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)" underscores its pivotal role in diagnosing disc displacement. Chinese institutions (Sichuan University, Peking University) ranked second globally in research output; however, interdisciplinary international collaboration remained limited, with multiple-country publications (MCP) accounting for only 13.0%. Conclusions:TMD research demonstrates interdisciplinary integration, highlighting the need for future emphasis on Asian population studies and innovative diagnostic/therapeutic technologies.

Objective:To investigate the pathogenetic characteristics of clinical isolates of Streptococcus suis in Henan Province from 2020 to 2023. Methods:Eight clinical isolates of S. suis in Henan Province from 2020 to 2023 were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotype and virulence genes were detected by the serum agglutination test and PCR, and antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated using the microbroth dilution method. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), minimum core genome (MCG), identification of antibiotic resistance genes, and core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) analysis were conducted using whole genome sequencing. Results:The results showed that eight S. suis strains isolated from humans were mainly serotype 2 (75.0%), while the rest were serotype 14 (25.0%). ST353 (62.5%) was the predominant genotype, followed by ST1 (25.0%) and ST7 (12.5%). All isolates belonged to the MCG1 group. The virulence genotypes of these isolates were primarily mrp(NA2)/ sly+/ ef+/ gapdh+(75.0%), while the remaining were mrp(EU)/ sly+/ ef+/ gapdh+(25.0%). These isolates carried tetracycline, macrolide, lincosamide and aminoglycoside resistance genes, and their resistance rates to tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin were 100.0%, 87.5% and 87.5%, respectively, and 62.5% strains were intermediate-resistant to penicillin. The cgSNP analysis indicated that these isolates were closer to the isolates from Guangdong, Zhejiang and Guangxi Provinces, with five ST353 strains and one ST7 strain belonging to Clade Ⅰ, and two ST1 strains belonging to Clade Ⅱ. Conclusion:The human isolates of S. suis in Henan Province are mainly ST353, harboring multiple virulence and antibiotic resistance genes.

Objective:To analyze research trends, hotspots, and international collaboration in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) from 2010 to 2024 using bibliometric methods.Methods:A total of 4 368 articles published between January 2010 to December 2024 were retrieved from PubMed using the search strategy temporomandibular disorders[MeSH Terms] OR temporomandibular joint disorders[Title/Abstract]. The R package"bibliometrix" was employed to analyze publication statistics, author collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence.Results:The annual publication volume in the TMD field increased 3.4-fold from 2010 to 2024, with an average annual output of 291.2 articles. MANFREDINI DANIELE was identified as the most prolific author (74 articles). The Journal of Oral Rehabilitation ranked first in terms of publication quantity (454 articles). The University of S?o Paulo (Brazil) emerged as the leading contributor, followed by Sichuan University (China) globally. Research hotspots predominantly focused on the DC/TMD diagnostic criteria and pain mechanisms. Analysis of international collaboration networks revealed that core authors (e.g., Lobbezoo F, Manfredini D) have driven advancements in the field through multidisciplinary collaboration (dentistry+psychology+medical imaging). The high-frequency occurrence of the imaging keyword "magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)" underscores its pivotal role in diagnosing disc displacement. Chinese institutions (Sichuan University, Peking University) ranked second globally in research output; however, interdisciplinary international collaboration remained limited, with multiple-country publications (MCP) accounting for only 13.0%. Conclusions:TMD research demonstrates interdisciplinary integration, highlighting the need for future emphasis on Asian population studies and innovative diagnostic/therapeutic technologies.

Objective To analyze the distribution and drug resistance patterns of pathogenic bacteria in bile and blood cultures obtained from patients with biliary stones accompanied by acute biliary tract infection,to evaluate the clinical appropriate-ness of antibiotic use based on drug sensitivity results,and to provide evidence for empirical antibiotic treatment in such patients.Methods The clinical data of 161 patients with biliary calculi complicated by acute biliary tract infection who were admitted to the First People's Hospital of Neijiang from 2017 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The results of microbial culture,drug sensitivity analysis,and patient characteristics were assessed to evaluate the appropriateness of clinical antimicrobial therapy.Results Among the 161 patients with positive cultures,212 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected.The predominant patho-gens were Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies,and Enterococcus faecium.Age and underlying diseases significantly affected the distribution of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies.Within the gram-negative bacterial group,Esche-richia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies exhibited higher drug resistance to commonly used broad-spectrum penicillin,third-generation cephalosporin and quinolones but lower resistance rates to piperacillin and tazobactam;furthermore,elderly indi-viduals aged ≥65 years showed higher resistance rates to ceftriaxone than those under age 65 while people with drug exposure history had higher ceftazidime resistance rates that were statistically significant.In contrast to Enterococcus faecalis which displayed low antimicrobial resistance rates for most drugs tested in this study,Enterococcus faecium demonstrated high levels of antibiotic resistance;however,both Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium exhibited zero-resistance rates against vancomycin and tigecycline although this may be attributed to their small sample size in our study cohort.Finally,we found that empirical anti-in-fective drugs,as well as target anti-infective drugs,were not prescribed rationally among these patients due mainly to inappropriate combinations of antibiotics or incorrect dosages.Conclusions The predominant pathogens in patients with acute biliary tract infection are gram-negative bacteria,Gram-positive bacteria,and fungi;however,the potential involvement of anaerobic bacteria should not be overlooked.Vancomycin exhibits sensitivity against gram-positive bacteria,yet the overall rationality of antibiotic usage remains suboptimal.Enhanced clinical testing for pathogenic microorganisms is imperative in the management of biliary stones accompanied by acute biliary tract infection.In contrast,clinical pharmacists should provide comprehensive training on anti-infective drugs to clinicians to facilitate their judicious selection of antibiotics based on drug sensitivity results and prevent the e-mergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Objective:To explore the association between changes in brain structural network during the early stage of stroke recovery and the onset of post-stroke depression (PSD).Methods:A total of 87 acute ischemic stroke patients scheduled for discharge, who were admitted to the Yixing Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University from March 2020 to May 2021, were prospectively collected. During the same period, 34 healthy control subjects matched with the stroke patients were also collected. All participants underwent systematic magnetic resonance imaging scans and scale assessments, and were followed up longitudinally for 2 years. Based on the occurrence of depression during follow-up, the stroke patients were divided into PSD group and post-stroke non-depression (PSND) group. Graph theoretical analysis was used to analyze the topological characteristics of brain structural network. Analysis of variance was used to explore the differences in brain structural network attributes among groups. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the predictive power of differential brain network attributes for PSD. Linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between the synergism of non-rich-club regions and changes in rich-club connectivity.Results:The rich-club connectivity and synergism of the non-rich-club regions were significantly lower in the PSD group than in the PSND group (rich-club connectivity, P<0.01; synergism of feeder/local, P<0.001). The regression model demonstrated that the synergism of non-rich-club regions had a good predictive power for the occurrence of PSD ( OR=1.195, 95%CI 1.073-1.471, P<0.001). Furthermore, linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between the synergism of non-rich-club regions and Δrich-club connectivity ( r=-0.691, P<0.001). Conclusion:The good synergism of non-rich-club regions during the early stage of stroke recovery promotes the repair of rich-club connectivity and inhibits the onset of PSD.

Objective:To investigate the features of the brain structural network in patients with postpartum depression (PPD).Methods:This cross-sectional study included PPD patients who visited the mental health counseling clinic after delivery at the Jiangsu University Affiliated Yixing Hospital from June 2013 to September 2022 (PPD group). Matched non-PPD postpartum women based on age, years of education, and body mass index who came for postpartum follow-up (non-PPD postpartum group), and non-pregnant women who visited the hospital or underwent physical examinations during the same period (non-pregnant group) were also included. Demographic data and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were collected for all three groups. The brain was partitioned into 90 regions using an anatomical template to construct the brain structural network. Network-based statistics (NBS) were applied to further screen and construct subnetworks. The efficacy of the subnetworks in identifying PPD was evaluated through multivariable logistics regression models and receiver operating characteristic curves. A comparison of the connectivity strength of white matter tracts and topological attributes of brain structural network parameters was conducted using independent samples t-tests, and the results were corrected using the false discovery rate (FDR) method. Results:(1) A total of 116 subjects were included, with 40 in the non-pregnant group, 40 in the non-PPD postpartum group, and 36 in the PPD group. PPD group had higher Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores than the non-pregnant and non-PPD postpartum groups [(18.0±4.1) scores vs. (2.5±1.2) and (6.1±2.1) scores, F=340.40; t=24.65,10.60 and 16.16 in pairwise comparison; all P<0.001]. (2) Compared to the non-pregnant group, there was a decrease in the connectivity strength of nine white matter tracts within the brain structural network of the postpartum group (including left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus-left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus, left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus-right amygdala, left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus-left insula, left insula-left lentiform nucleus, left insula-left hippocampus, left hippocampus-right amygdala, left hippocampus-left precuneus, left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus-right amygdala, and right amygdala-right hippocampus) (all P<0.05, FDR corrected). No increased connection strengths were observed. There were no significant differences in the connection strengths of these nine tracts between the non-PPD and PPD groups. (3) A characteristic subnetwork for the maternal group was successfully constructed based on the nine tracts, which exhibited typical small-world properties (σ>1). Compared to the non-PPD maternal group, the characteristic path length in the PPD group was increased [(3.904±0.328) vs. (4.130±0.433), t=－2.58], and global efficiency was decreased [(0.361±0.036) vs. (0.331±0.053), t=2.91] (both P<0.05). Local property comparisons showed that the node efficiency values for the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, left insula, left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus, left hippocampus, right hippocampus, right amygdala, left precuneus and left putamen in the PPD group were significantly reduced [(0.273±0.023) vs. (0.267±0.030), t=0.98; (0.299±0.035) vs. (0.276±0.041), t=2.64; (0.265±0.019) vs. (0.258±0.025), t=1.38; (0.318±0.028) vs. (0.305±0.031), t=1.92; (0.312±0.027) vs. (0.302±0.031), t=1.50; (0.322±0.030) vs. (0.298±0.026), t=3.71; (0.356±0.040) vs. (0.338±0.056), t=1.62; (0.346±0.028) vs. (0.331±0.036), t=1.74; all P<0.05]. However, only the differences in node efficiency values for the left insula and right amygdala remained significant after FDR correction (corrected P=0.041 and 0.003). (4) Global efficiency, as well as node efficiency for the left insula and right amygdala, demonstrated good value for identifying PPD [areas under the curve (AUC) and their 95% CI were 0.827 (0.732-0.922), 0.741 (0.628-0.854), and 0.761 (0.653-0.867), respectively], with even better performance when combined [0.897 (0.828-0.969)]. (5) In the PPD group, global efficiency ( r=－0.43, P=0.008), node efficiency for the left insula ( r=－0.39, P=0.019), and node efficiency for the right amygdala ( r=－0.42, P=0.011) were all negatively correlated with EPDS scores. Conclusion:Aberrations in global efficiency, node efficiency for the left insula, and node efficiency for the right amygdala may serve as characteristic neuroimaging biomarkers for PPD.

Iron (Fe) deficiency and excess cadmium (Cd) in rice grain are important problems to be solved in agricultural production. Previous studies have shown that OsVIT1 and OsVIT2 are vacuolar iron transporters. In this study, wild-type ZH11 was selected as the background material and OsVIT1 and OsVIT2 were overexpressed in endosperm by using endosperm specific promoter Glb-1. Field experiments were conducted to study the effect of OsVIT1 and OsVIT2 overexpression on Fe and Cd accumulation in different parts of rice. The results showed that OsVIT1 overexpression in endosperm significantly reduced Fe content in grain by about 50%, while significantly increased zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) contents in straw and Cu content in grain. OsVIT2 overexpression in endosperm significantly decreased Fe and Cd contents in grain by about 50%, and significantly increased Fe content in straw by 45%-120%. Overexpression of OsVIT1 and OsVIT2 in endosperm did not affect the agronomic traits of rice. In conclusion, OsVIT1 and OsVIT2 overexpression in endosperm reduced Fe accumulation in rice grain, which did not achieve the expected effect. OsVIT2 overexpression in endosperm also decreased Cd accumulation in grain and increased Fe accumulation in straw, which provided reference for iron biofortification and cadmium reduction in rice.
Cadmium ; Endosperm/chemistry* ; Oryza/genetics* ; Iron ; Zinc ; Edible Grain ; Soil Pollutants