Aim To investigate the effect and role of neuronal restriction silencing factor(REST/NRSF)in epilepsy disorder.Methods Immunohistochemistry,immunofluorescence,Western blot and qPCR tech-niques were used to detect REST/NRSF expression levels in hippocampal tissues of mice induced by kainic acid and human brain tissue.Viral injections,EEG re-cordings and behavioral methods were used to test the effects on epileptic mice after knockdown and overex-pression of REST/NRSF in the hippocampal CA1 re-gion,respectively.Results The positive rate of REST/NRSF in the lesions of epileptic patients was significantly higher compared with that in the control group.The levels of REST/NRSF protein and mRNA in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of mice in the KA model group were significantly higher.Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 potassium channel mRNA expression levels were significantly down-regulated.Significant up-regu-lation of REST/NRSF expression levels was observed in mouse hippocampus after NMDA injection.Knock-down of REST/NRSF in the CA1 region of hippocam-pus significantly elevated the expression levels of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 potassium channel mRNAs.The fre-quency of EEG spiking and sharp-wave issuance and epileptic seizure grade were significantly lower.Over-expression of REST/NRSF in the CA1 region of hippo-campus significantly reduced the mRNA expression lev-els of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 potassium channels.The fre-quency of EEG spiking and sharp-wave issuance was significantly higher and epileptic symptoms were exac-erbated.Conclusion REST/NRSF in mouse hipp-ocampal brain regions is involved in epileptic disease development through transcriptional regulation of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 potassium channels.

Objective To investigate the changes and clinical significance of NOD like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)in-flammasomes and related factors in patients with spinal fractures complicated with acute spinal cord injury(SCI).Methods Eighty-six spinal fracture patients complicated with acute SCI admitted to hospital from June 2019 to March 2022 were selected as SCI group,There were 48 males and 38 females,with an average age of(43.48±6.58)years old.And 100 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examination during the same time were selected as control group,including 56 males patients and 44 females patients,with an average age of(45.13±6.43)years old.Peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC)were collected,and the mRNA expressions of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 were detected.Serum was collected and the levels of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-18 were detected.According to Frankel's grade,the SCI group was divided into complete injury patients and incomplete injury patients,and according to the Japanese Orthopedic Society(JOA)grade,the SCI group was divided into good prognosis group and poor prognosis group.The difference of NLRP3,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18 among groups were compared,the influ-encing factors for poor prognosis in SCI patients was analyzed by Logistic regression.Results The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3(1.41±0.33)and Caspase-1(1.44±0.35)in PBMC and the levels of IL-1β(45.34±13.22)pg·ml-1,IL-18(40.95±8.77)pg·ml-1 in serum of SCI group were higher than those of the control group[(1.00±0.19),(1.00±0.16),(16.58±4.24)pg·ml-1,(12.57±3.68)pg·ml-1](P＜0.05).The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3(1.63±0.34)and Caspase-1(1.67±0.27)in PBMC and the levels of IL-1β(51.09±11.10)pg·ml-1,IL-18(47.65±7.93)pg·ml-1 in serum of patients with complete injury in the SCI group were higher than those of patients with incomplete injury[(1.31±0.27),(1.34±0.33),(42.85±13.36)pg·ml-1,(38.05±7.48)pg·ml-1](P＜0.05).The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3(1.66±0.31)and Caspase-1(1.72±0.31)in PBMC and the levels of IL-1β(51.21±11.31)pg·ml-1,IL-18(45.70±7.25)pg·ml-1 in serum,the proportion of complete injury(21 patients),and the proportion of spinal cord edema or bleeding of patients(15 patients)with poor prognosis in the SCI group were higher than those of patients with good prognosis[(1.28±0.26),(1.37±0.36),(42.79±13.25)pg·ml-1、(38.90±8.63)pg·ml-1,5、20 cases](P＜0.05).Complete injury and the mRNA expression of NLRP3 in PBMC were the influencing fac-tors for poor prognosis in the SCI group(P＜0.05).Conclusion The activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in patients with spinal fractures complicated with acute SCI is associated with worsening injury and poor prognosis,and NLRP3 expression can serve as a marker for evaluating prognosis.

Objective To design a novel oxygenator to solve the existing problems of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)machine in high transmembrane pressure difference,low efficiency of blood oxygen exchange and susceptibility to thrombosis.Methods The main body of the oxygenator vascular access flow field was gifted with a flat cylindrical shape.The topology of the vascular access was modeled in three dimensions,and the whole flow field was cut into a blood inlet section,an inlet buffer,a heat exchange zone,a blood oxygen exchange zone,an outlet buffer and a blood outlet section.The oxygenator was compared with Quadrox oxygenator by means of ANSYS FLUENT-based simulation and prototype experiments.Results Simulation calculations showed the oxygenator designed was comparable to the clinically used ones in general,and gained advantages in transmembrane pressure difference,blood oxygen exchange and flow uniformity.Experimental results indicated that the oxygenator behaved better than Quadrox oxygenator in transmembrane pressure difference and blood oxygen exchange.Conclusion The oxygenator has advantages in transmem-brane pressure difference,temperature change,blood oxygen ex-change and low probability of thrombosis.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(3):23-28]

Drug resistance presents a significant challenge to achieving positive clinical outcomes in anti-tumor therapy.Prior research has illuminated reasons behind drug resistance,including increased drug efflux,alterations in drug targets,and abnormal activation of oncogenic pathways.However,there's a need for deeper investigation into the impact of drug-resistant cells on parental tumor cells and intricate crosstalk between tumor cells and the malignant tumor microenvironment(TME).Recent studies on extracellular vesicles(EVs)have provided valuable insights.EVs are membrane-bound particles secreted by all cells,mediating cell-to-cell communication.They contain functional cargoes like DNA,RNA,lipids,proteins,and metabolites from mother cells,delivered to other cells.Notably,EVs are increasingly recognized as regulators in the resistance to anti-cancer drugs.This review aims to summarize the mechanisms of EV-mediated anti-tumor drug resistance,covering therapeutic approaches like chemo-therapy,targeted therapy,immunotherapy and even radiotherapy.Detecting EV-based biomarkers to predict drug resistance assists in bypassing anti-tumor drug resistance.Additionally,targeted inhibition of EV biogenesis and secretion emerges as a promising approach to counter drug resistance.We highlight the importance of conducting in-depth mechanistic research on EVs,their cargoes,and functional ap-proaches specifically focusing on EV subpopulations.These efforts will significantly advance the devel-opment of strategies to overcome drug resistance in anti-tumor therapy.

BACKGROUND:High ankle sprain is easily missed and leads to ankle dysfunction.Arthroscopy can detect hidden high ankle sprain.Suture-button elastic fixation can restore the biomechanical stability of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis. OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical efficacy of Suture-button elastic fixation for high ankle sprain under ankle arthroscopy. METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed on 40 cases of high ankle sprain patients treated with Suture-button elastic fixation under ankle arthroscopy from August 2019 to August 2021 in the Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery,Wuhan Fourth Hospital.All patients underwent Suture-button elastic fixation.The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society function score,Visual Analog Scale pain score,ankle range of motion,preoperative imaging data,and arthroscopic tibiofibular syndesmosis separation degree were recorded.Meislin criteria were used to evaluate the curative effect and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)40 patients were followed up for 16-48 months after operation.(2)At the last follow-up,American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society score was(88.95±6.64 points).Visual Analog Scale score was(1.78±1.23 points).Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion was(33.50±5.79 degrees).Ankle plantarflexion range of motion was(34.50±5.97 degrees).There were statistically significant differences before and after surgery(P<0.05).(3)There was a low positive correlation between the radiographic separation index and the degree of arthroscopic separation(r=0.612,P<0.01).(4)The curative effect was evaluated by Meislin standard,with an excellent and good rate of 95%(38/40).Postoperative ankle joint pain was relieved,and ankle joint activities were significantly improved.(5)During the follow-up period,all patients had no nerve injury or incision infection.In 1 patient,the internal fixation was removed due to skin irritation and squatting sensation after operation.(6)It is concluded that Suture-button elastic fixation for high ankle sprain is effective under ankle arthroscopy in restoring ankle function and maintaining joint stability without the need for secondary removal,and it is worth clinical application.

ObjectiveDetection and quantification of RNA synthesis in cells is a widely used technique for monitoring cell viability, health, and metabolic rate.After exposure to environmental stimuli, both the internal reference gene and target gene would be degraded. As a result, it is imperative to consider the accurate capture of nascent RNA and the detection of transcriptional levels of RNA following environmental stimulation. This study aims to create a Click Chemistry method that utilizes its property to capture nascent RNA from total RNA that was stimulated by the environment. MethodsThe new RNA was labeled with 5-ethyluridine (5-EU) instead of uracil, and the azido-biotin medium ligand was connected to the magnetic sphere using a combination of “Click Chemistry” and magnetic bead screening. Then the new RNA was captured and the transcription rate of 16S rRNA was detected by fluorescence molecular beacon (M.B.) and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). ResultsThe bacterial nascent RNA captured by “Click Chemistry” screening can be used as a reverse transcription template to form cDNA. Combined with the fluorescent molecular beacon M.B.1, the synthesis rate of rRNA at 37℃ is 1.2 times higher than that at 15℃. The 16S rRNA gene and cspI gene can be detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR,it was found that the measured relative gene expression changes were significantly enhanced at 25℃ and 16℃ when analyzed with nascent RNA rather than total RNA, enabling accurate detection of RNA transcription rates. ConclusionCompared to other article reported experimental methods that utilize screening magnetic columns, the technical scheme employed in this study is more suitable for bacteria, and the operation steps are simple and easy to implement, making it an effective RNA capture method for researchers.

Objective Explore a non-contact physiological and psychological detection model based on facial video in simulations of weightlessness effects,research new methods for non-contact heart rate and negative mood state detection in long-term simulations of weightlessness effect analysis.Methods Construct a non-contact physiological and psychological data collection system for fusion analysis of visible light and thermal infrared videos.Collect physiological and psychological data of volunteers in the"Earth Star-Ⅱ"90-day head-down bed rest experiment.A non-contact heart rate detection model based on GCN facial multi-region feature fusion and a non-contact negative mood state detection model considering data reliability were constructed,and the effectiveness of the models were validated with finger clip heart rate and POMS-SF scale as labels.Results The experimental results show that the average difference in the Bland-Altman plot of the non-contact heart rate detection model is-1.26 bpm,and 96.3%of value error detection data falls within the 95%confidence interval,indicating a high consistency between the model detected heart rate and the finger clip heart rate.The non-contact negative mood state detection model achieves an accuracy of>0.85 for detecting tension,depression,anger,and fatigue.Features such as heart rate,AU06,eye gaze,and head pose were observed to be important to mood state detection.Conclusion Non-contact physiological and psychological detection methods not only can be utilized for long-term physiological analysis in simulations of weightlessness effects,but also provide a novel technical approach for on-orbit astronauts health assurance during long-term space flight in the future.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution and drug resistance of pathogens in oral mucositis associated with chemotherapy in hospitalized patients with malignant hematopathy, so as to provide scientific evidences for rational selection of antibiotics and infection prevention and control. METHODS: From July 2020 to June 2022, 167 patients with malignant hematopathy were treated with chemical drugs in the Department of Hematology, Hainan Hospital, and secretions from oral mucosal infected wounds were collected. VITEK2 COMPECT automatic microbial identification system (BioMerieux, France) and bacterial susceptibility card (BioMerieux) were used for bacterial identification and drug susceptibility tests. RESULTS: A total of 352 strains of pathogens were isolated from 167 patients, among which 220 strains of Gram-positive bacteria, 118 strains of Gram-negative bacteria and 14 strains of fungi, accounted for 62.50%, 33.52% and 3.98%, respectively. The Gram-positive bacteria was mainly Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, while Gram-negative bacteria was mainly Klebsiella and Proteus. The resistance of main Gram-positive bacteria to vancomycin, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin was low, and the resistance to penicillin, cefuroxime, ampicillin, cefotaxime, erythromycin and levofloxacin was high. The main Gram-negative bacteria had low resistance to gentamicin, imipenem and penicillin, but high resistance to levofloxacin, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, ampicillin and vancomycin. The clinical data of oral mucositis patients with oral ulcer (severe) and without oral ulcer (mild) were compared, and it was found that there were statistically significant differences in poor oral hygiene, diabetes, sleep duration less than 8 hours per night between two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Gram-positive bacteria is the main pathogen of oral mucositis in patients with malignant hematopathy after chemotherapy. It is sensitive to glycopeptide antibiotics and aminoglycosides antibiotics. Poor oral hygiene, diabetes and sleep duration less than 8 hours per night are risk factors for oral mucositis with oral ulcer (severe).
Humans ; Vancomycin/therapeutic use* ; Cefuroxime ; Levofloxacin ; Oral Ulcer/drug therapy* ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects* ; Ampicillin ; Penicillins ; Cefotaxime ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gentamicins ; Stomatitis/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the chronic injury and its possible mechanism of ionizing radiation on multipotent hematopoietic progenitor cells (MPPs) by determining the related indicators of MPPs in bone marrow of mice post-radiation. METHODS: Sixteen C57BL/6 adult mice were randomly divided into normal control and irradiation groups, 8 mice in each group. The mice in irradiation group were exposed to 6 Gy X-ray. The proportion of bone marrow MPPs, their apoptosis and proliferation 2 months after irradiation were detected by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial activity and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in each MPPs population were detected by Mitotracker Red and DCFDA probes, and the senescent state of MPPs in the bone marrow was analyzed. RESULTS: Ionizing radiation could reduce the proportion of MPPs in mouse bone marrow. The proportions and numbers of MPP1, MPP3 and MPP4 in the bone marrow were significantly decreased after whole-body irradiation with 6 Gy X-ray (P<0.05). In addition, radiation significantly reduced the colony-forming capacity of MPPs in bone marrow (P<0.05), the proportions of apoptotic cells in the MPP1 and MPP4 cell populations increased significantly in the bone marrow (P<0.05). The activity of mitochondria was significantly reduced in the bone marrow MPP2, MPP3 and MPP4 cell populations compared with that of the control group (P<0.05). It was also found that the radiation could significantly increase the ROS levels of MPPs in bone marrow, and the content of ROS in the MPP2, MPP3 and MPP4 cell population of the bone marrow was significantly increased(P<0.05). The senescent cells ratios of MPP1, MPP3 and MPP4 cells in the bone marrow after irradiation were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Ionizing radiation can cause chronic MPPs damage in mice, which is closely associated with persistent oxidative stress, cells apoptosis, and cellular senescence.
Mice ; Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Whole-Body Irradiation ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Bone Marrow Cells

The regulation of spermatogonial proliferation and apoptosis is of great significance for maintaining spermatogenesis. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of the testis was performed to identify genes upregulated in spermatogonia. Using scRNA-seq analysis, we identified the spermatogonia upregulated gene origin recognition complex subunit 6 (Orc6), which is involved in DNA replication and cell cycle regulation; its protein expression in the human and mouse testis was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. To explore the potential function of Orc6 in spermatogonia, the C18-4 cell line was transfected with control or Orc6 siRNA. Subsequently, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays, flow cytometry, and western blot were used to evaluate its effects on proliferation and apoptosis. It was revealed that ORC6 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of C18-4 cells. Bulk RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis indicated that Orc6 was involved in the activation of wingless/integrated (Wnt)/ β-catenin signaling. Western blot revealed that the expression of β-catenin protein and its phosphorylation (Ser675) were significantly decreased when silencing the expression of ORC6. Our findings indicated that Orc6 was upregulated in spermatogonia, whereby it regulated proliferation and apoptosis by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.