Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the leading cause of respiratory failure with high morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary surfactant (PS)-based complementary therapies have exhibited potential for ARDS healing and applied as an adjunctive therapy strategy. Coacervate (Coac) has the characteristics of softness, deformability and excellent molecular enrichment properties, and has attracted extensive attention in the biomedical field. Here PS and coacervate were combined for the potential ARDS treatment. The Coac, fabricated from polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by simple mixing, exhibited soft droplet property and high enrichment for dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP). To avoid the fusion effect of membraneless coacervate and endow it with biological functions of PS, liposomes with PS-biomimetic lipid components (PS-lipo) were further introduced to construct PS-biomimetic membranized coacervate (DSP@PS-Coac). The DSP@PS-Coac demonstrated high lung targeting effect and significant penetration efficiency after intravenous injection. Furthermore, PS-lipo replenished the endogenous PS pool and facilitated the distribution of DSP in inflammatory cells in the lung. In the ARDS mouse model, PS-Coac and DSP exerted synergetic anti-inflammatory functions, via reducing the recruitment of inflammatory neutrophils and modulating macrophages into anti-inflammatory phenotype. The overall results confirmed that DSP@PS-Coac may provide a promising delivery option for the treatment of ARDS.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effects of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training for promoting transdifferentiation of astrocytes into neurons in mice after cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Male C57/BL6J mice were subjected to intracerebral microinjection of an adeno-associated virus carrying the GFAP promoter for NeuroD1 and Ngn2 overexpression in the astrocytes, followed 3 or 12 days later by electrocoagulation of the distal middle cerebral artery. After modeling, the mice were randomly divided into model group without interventions and intervention group treated with electroacupuncture at the acupoints Baihui (GV20), left Hegu (LI4), Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36), and Yanglingquan (GB34) 24 h after surgery. The mice in the intervention group were housed individually in cages with running wheels, and their activity was recorded every 24 h. Neurological function scores of the mice were assessed on the 1st, 14th, and 21st days after modeling. Transdifferentiation of astrocytes in the target brain regions was observed using double immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Compared with those in the model group, the mice receiving eletroacupuncture and rehabilitation training showed significant improvement of neurological deficits at 14 and 21 days after modeling. The GFAP promoter of the AAV2/5 vector specifically labeled the local astrocytes, and compared with that that in the model group, the number of AAV-positive cells colabeled with the neuronal marker DCX significantly increased after 14 days of electroacupuncture and rehabilitation intervention, and the number of AAV-positive cells colabeled with the neuronal marker NeuN significantly increased after 21 days of intervention. CONCLUSIONS In mice with cerebral ischemia, electroacupuncture and rehabilitation training can promote transdifferentiation of astrocytes into neurons in the ischemic brain region, and the efficiency of transdifferentiation is positively correlated with the improvement of motor function.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Astrocytes/cytology* ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain Ischemia/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Neurons/cytology* ; Doublecortin Protein

INTRODUCTION: Visual impairment and obesity remain the major public health issues among school-age students in rural areas of China. Obesity is an underlying risk of vision problems. This study aimed to assess the association between visual impairment and body mass index (BMI) among school-age students in rural northwest China. METHODS: This study included 39,385 students from the 4 th to 9 th grade in rural northwest China. From 2018 to 2020, students underwent an assessment of visual acuity (VA) and completed a questionnaire on family demographics, and height and weight measurements. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The association between visual impairment and BMI groups was significant in the study population ( P = 0.002) and in different groups (at the different educational, provincial and national levels) ( P < 0.001, separately). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed a positive relationship between visual impairment and obesity in the study population, including those attending primary school, Han students and the residents of Ningxia autonomous region. CONCLUSION The association between visual impairment and obesity was significant among school-age students in rural northwest China. There should be implementation of policies to address the problem about visual impairment and obesity among school-age students in rural areas.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Body Mass Index ; Male ; Female ; Rural Population ; Vision Disorders/complications* ; Child ; Adolescent ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Logistic Models ; Obesity/complications* ; Visual Acuity ; Cross-Sectional Studies

Objective:To investigate the clinically curative effect of composite dressing of adipose mesenchymal stem cell exosomes and chitosan hydrogel in treating deep Ⅱ burn wound.Methods:A total of 108 patients with superficially deep Ⅱ burns,who admitted to Tangdu Hospital,Air Force Medical University within 48 hours during March 2022 and October 2024,were selected.Patients were randomly divided into conventional treatment group and the combined treatment group by using a random number table,with 54 patients in each group.All patients underwent enzymatic debridement(collagenase ointment)to conduct conventional treatment.The combined treatment group received treatment with composite dressings of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosomes(ADSCs-Exo)combined with chitosan hydrogel,while the conventional treatment group received treatment with silver sulfadiazine dressings(SSD)on the basis of conventional treatment.The healing rates of wound,Vancouver Scar Scale(VSS)scores,the levels of serum inflammatory factors included interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),C-reactive protein(CRP),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),as well as curative efficacy rates,and adverse reactions between two groups were compared at different time points after treatment.Results:There was not statistically significant difference in healing rates of wound between the two groups at the 7th day after treatment(P>0.05).At the 14th day and the 21th day after treatment,the average healing rates of wound in the combined treatment group were respectively(67.69±8.57)%and(89.46±7.54)%,which were higher than(59.50±4.93)%and(75.52±9.11)%in the conventional treatment group,and the differences were statistically significant(t=6.087,8.662,P<0.05).The average VSS score was(6.42±1.20)points in the combined treatment group after treatment,which was lower than that in the conventional treatment group(8.94±1.58),and the difference was statistically significant(t=9.33,P<0.05).Before treatment,there were not statistically significant difference in VAS scores and the levels of serum inflammatory factor between the two groups(P>0.05).At the 7th day,the 14th day and the 21th day after treatment,the VAS scores in the combined treatment group were significantly lower than those in the conventional treatment group(t=10.008,12.004,13.899,P<0.05),respectively.At the 21th day after treatment,the levels of IL-6,IL-1β,CRP,and TNF-α of the combined treatment group were significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group(t=3.400,4.490,7.293,5.900,P<0.05).The efficacy rate of clinical treatment in the combined treatment group was 96.30%,which was higher than 83.33%of the conventional treatment group,with a statistical significance(x2=7.942,P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reaction in the combined treatment group was 14.81%,which was lower than 24.07%of the conventional treatment group,without statistical significance(P>0.05).Conclusion:Compared with conventional silver sulfadiazine dressing,the composite dressing of adipose mesenchymal stem cell exosomes and chitosan hydrogel can quickly promote the re-epithelialization process in treating patients with superficially deep Ⅱ burns at the middle to late stage,and improve the healing rate,and relieve the inflammatory reaction and pain perception of patients for wound,and enhance efficiency and safety.

Objective:To investigate the clinically curative effect of composite dressing of adipose mesenchymal stem cell exosomes and chitosan hydrogel in treating deep Ⅱ burn wound.Methods:A total of 108 patients with superficially deep Ⅱ burns,who admitted to Tangdu Hospital,Air Force Medical University within 48 hours during March 2022 and October 2024,were selected.Patients were randomly divided into conventional treatment group and the combined treatment group by using a random number table,with 54 patients in each group.All patients underwent enzymatic debridement(collagenase ointment)to conduct conventional treatment.The combined treatment group received treatment with composite dressings of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosomes(ADSCs-Exo)combined with chitosan hydrogel,while the conventional treatment group received treatment with silver sulfadiazine dressings(SSD)on the basis of conventional treatment.The healing rates of wound,Vancouver Scar Scale(VSS)scores,the levels of serum inflammatory factors included interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),C-reactive protein(CRP),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),as well as curative efficacy rates,and adverse reactions between two groups were compared at different time points after treatment.Results:There was not statistically significant difference in healing rates of wound between the two groups at the 7th day after treatment(P>0.05).At the 14th day and the 21th day after treatment,the average healing rates of wound in the combined treatment group were respectively(67.69±8.57)%and(89.46±7.54)%,which were higher than(59.50±4.93)%and(75.52±9.11)%in the conventional treatment group,and the differences were statistically significant(t=6.087,8.662,P<0.05).The average VSS score was(6.42±1.20)points in the combined treatment group after treatment,which was lower than that in the conventional treatment group(8.94±1.58),and the difference was statistically significant(t=9.33,P<0.05).Before treatment,there were not statistically significant difference in VAS scores and the levels of serum inflammatory factor between the two groups(P>0.05).At the 7th day,the 14th day and the 21th day after treatment,the VAS scores in the combined treatment group were significantly lower than those in the conventional treatment group(t=10.008,12.004,13.899,P<0.05),respectively.At the 21th day after treatment,the levels of IL-6,IL-1β,CRP,and TNF-α of the combined treatment group were significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group(t=3.400,4.490,7.293,5.900,P<0.05).The efficacy rate of clinical treatment in the combined treatment group was 96.30%,which was higher than 83.33%of the conventional treatment group,with a statistical significance(x2=7.942,P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reaction in the combined treatment group was 14.81%,which was lower than 24.07%of the conventional treatment group,without statistical significance(P>0.05).Conclusion:Compared with conventional silver sulfadiazine dressing,the composite dressing of adipose mesenchymal stem cell exosomes and chitosan hydrogel can quickly promote the re-epithelialization process in treating patients with superficially deep Ⅱ burns at the middle to late stage,and improve the healing rate,and relieve the inflammatory reaction and pain perception of patients for wound,and enhance efficiency and safety.

Objective:To analyze the trends in refractive error and ocular biological parameters in elementary school students over 5 years, and to investigate the patterns of change before and after myopia onset.Methods:A cohort study was adopted.A total of 1 986 first-grade students from the Anyang Childhood Eye Study were enrolled in this cohort study and their right eye data were taken for analysis, including 1 126 boys and 860 girls.Every year, cycloplegic autorefraction was performed with 1% cyclopentolate eyedrops to obtain the spherical equivalent (SE).The axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, mean corneal curvature (Km) and other parameters were obtained by ocular biometry.The lens refractive power (LP) was calculated using the Bennett formula.The subjects were assigned to persistent myopia group, non-myopia group and new onset myopia group.According to the age of myopia onset, the new onset myopia group was subdivided into the 8-, 9-, 10-, 11- and 12-year-old myopia groups to compare the differences in refractive error and ocular bioparameters among groups at different time points of follow-up.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University (No.TRECKY2018-030).Written informed consent form was obtained from the guardians of each subject.Results:All children had a gradual SE drift toward myopia and a gradual increase in the AL with age, and there were significant differences in SE and AL between adjacent follow-up ages within the three groups (all at P<0.05).The earlier the onset of myopia, the higher the myopia SE and the longer the AL of the eye at the same follow-up age, the differences in SE between adjacent groups were statistically significant (all at P<0.05), and the differences in AL between adjacent groups at the follow-up age of 8 to 12 years were statistically significant (all at P<0.05).In the nonmyopia group, SE drifted toward emmetropia at a slow and steady rate of (-0.23±0.27)D/year, and AL also increased slowly and steadily at (0.18±0.13)mm/year.In the new onset myopia group, the changes in SE in the third, second, and first years before myopia onset were (-0.32±0.25), (-0.45±0.33), and (-0.98±0.44)D, and the increases in AL were (0.25±0.12), (0.32±0.15), and (0.48±0.19)mm, respectively.Both SE and AL change rates began to accelerate before myopia onset and slowed down after myopia onset, with statistically significant differences in the overall comparison of SE and AL change rates at different time intervals before and after myopia onset (all at P<0.001).The AL at myopia onset in boys was (24.11±0.70)mm, which was longer than (23.60±0.66)mm in girls ( t=159.71, P<0.01).LP decreased with age in all groups, with a faster rate before the age of 9 years and a slower rate after the age of 9 years.The mean decrease rate in LP was (-0.48±0.19), (-0.44±0.20), (-0.49±0.16), (-0.51±0.18), and (-0.48±0.19)D/year in the persistent myopia group and 8~11-year-old myopia group, respectively, which were significantly faster than -0.42±0.17 D/year in 12-year-old myopia group and (0.37±0.15)D/year in nonmyopia group (all at P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in Km among groups at different follow-up ages (all at P>0.05). Conclusions:The AL begins to grow at an accelerated rate 3 years before myopia onset, and the increase rate of the AL slows down after the onset of myopia, but it is still significantly faster than that of non-myopic children.In this process, the decrease in LP plays a compensatory role; there is no significant change in corneal curvature.The AL of males at the onset of myopia is longer than that of females at the same age.AL is an important indicator for the prevention and control of myopia.It is important to consider gender differences and to pay more attention to the growth rate when assessing AL.

Objective To modify the method for establishing mouse models of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)-induced focal cerebral ischemia using electrocoagulation.Methods Forty-six C57/BL6J male mice were divided into MCAO model group(n=34)and sham-operated group(n=12).In the model group,MCAO was induced by permanent coagulation of the right middle cerebral artery(MCA)using a coagulator,and cerebral blood flow perfusion was monitored before and at 20 min and 1 day after modeling.Neurological deficits of the mice at 1,7,and 14 days after modeling were evaluated using Longa score,mNSS score,beam walking test,cylinder test and corner test.TTC staining was used to measure the cerebral infarct size,and Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of BDNF,GFAP and DCX proteins in the ischemic cortex.Results The mice in the model group showed significantly reduced cerebral blood flow in the MCA on the ischemic side and obvious neurological deficits with increased forelimb use asymmetry on days 1,7 and 14 after modeling(P<0.05).In the cerebral cortex on the ischemic side of the model mice,the expressions of GFAP and DCX increased significantly at 1,7,and 14 days(P<0.05)and the expression of BDNF increased at 1 day after modeling ischemia(P<0.05).Conclusion We successfully prepared mouse models of MCAO using a modified method by changing the electrocoagulation location from the distal location of the junction between the MCA and the inferior cerebral vein to a 2 mm segment medial to the junction between the MCA and the olfactory bundle.

Tendon-bone healing is a complex biological process. Multiple signaling pathways are involved in tendon-bone healing， including transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway， bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway， Wnt signaling pathway， fibroblast growth factor signaling pathway and nuclear transcription factor-κB signaling pathway. This paper summarizes the research status of traditional Chinese medicine regulating related signaling pathways to promote tendon-bone healing. It is found that a variety of traditional Chinese medicine monomers or herbal extracts （such as baicalein， icariin， total flavonoids of Drynaria fortunei， parthenolide， total saponins of Panax notoginseng， etc.） and traditional Chinese medicine compounds （such as Taohong siwu decoction， Liuwei dihuang pill， Xujin jiegu liquid， etc.） can promote bone formation， anti-inflammatory， anti-oxidation， by regulating the above signaling pathways， thereby effectively promoting tendon-bone healing.

Objective To modify the method for establishing mouse models of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)-induced focal cerebral ischemia using electrocoagulation.Methods Forty-six C57/BL6J male mice were divided into MCAO model group(n=34)and sham-operated group(n=12).In the model group,MCAO was induced by permanent coagulation of the right middle cerebral artery(MCA)using a coagulator,and cerebral blood flow perfusion was monitored before and at 20 min and 1 day after modeling.Neurological deficits of the mice at 1,7,and 14 days after modeling were evaluated using Longa score,mNSS score,beam walking test,cylinder test and corner test.TTC staining was used to measure the cerebral infarct size,and Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of BDNF,GFAP and DCX proteins in the ischemic cortex.Results The mice in the model group showed significantly reduced cerebral blood flow in the MCA on the ischemic side and obvious neurological deficits with increased forelimb use asymmetry on days 1,7 and 14 after modeling(P<0.05).In the cerebral cortex on the ischemic side of the model mice,the expressions of GFAP and DCX increased significantly at 1,7,and 14 days(P<0.05)and the expression of BDNF increased at 1 day after modeling ischemia(P<0.05).Conclusion We successfully prepared mouse models of MCAO using a modified method by changing the electrocoagulation location from the distal location of the junction between the MCA and the inferior cerebral vein to a 2 mm segment medial to the junction between the MCA and the olfactory bundle.

Methcathinone (MCAT) belongs to the designer drugs called synthetic cathinones, which are abused worldwide for recreational purposes. It has strong stimulant effects, including enhanced euphoria, sensation, alertness, and empathy. However, little is known about how MCAT modulates neuronal activity in vivo. Here, we evaluated the effect of MCAT on neuronal activity with a series of functional approaches. C-Fos immunostaining showed that MCAT increased the number of activated neurons by 6-fold, especially in sensory and motor cortices, striatum, and midbrain motor nuclei. In vivo single-unit recording and two-photon Ca²⁺ imaging revealed that a large proportion of neurons increased spiking activity upon MCAT administration. Notably, MCAT induced a strong de-correlation of population activity and increased trial-to-trial reliability, specifically during a natural movie stimulus. It improved the information-processing efficiency by enhancing the single-neuron coding capacity, suggesting a cortical network mechanism of the enhanced perception produced by psychoactive stimulants.
Mice ; Animals ; Reproducibility of Results ; Neurons ; Sensation ; Perception