Exposure to ionizing radiation intervenes in genomic stability and gene expression,resulting in the disruption of normal metabolic processes in cells and organs by causing complex biolog-ical responses.Altered genomic variations,gene expression and metabolite concentrations in blood or tissue samples reflect systemic radiation damage.With the application of new techniques and exten-sive study on the mechanisms for ionizing radiation damage,related indicators such as chromosomal variation,gene expression,lipid and metabolism are being recognized and promise to be the markers for early diagnosis and prognosis of radiation exposure.Therefore,this article reviews recent progress in and potential applications of biomarkers related to ionizing radiation injury.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most common malignant tumor in the world, with a 5-year survival rate of only about 50%. Thus, discovering more effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches is an urgent need. The metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells is a key feature in the development of HNSCC, which widely exhibits alterations in glycolytic metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism compared with normal cells. Metabolic reprogramming affects the energy supply and biosynthesis of tumor cells. It also participates in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment and promotes key biological processes such as proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HNSCC. With the progressive understanding of the complexity of tumor biology, targeted-therapy strategies against metabolic reprogramming in HNSCC are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach. These metabolically targeted therapies have performed well in preclinical studies, but their clinical application requires further validation. In the future, we need to deeply explore the more complex features of metabolic reprogramming and its biological significance in HNSCC, with the aim of discovering more effective diagnostic and therapeutic targets, as well as providing new strategies to improve the prognosis of HNSCC patients.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between moderate intensity aerobic exercise and cerebral blood flow regulation in patients with mild carotid artery stenosis.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to select 30 cases of patients with unilateral mild carotid artery stenosis and moderate intensity aerobic exercise for more than 1 year in the Central Hospital of Dalian University of Technology from July 2022 to November 2023 as the exercise group (study group), and 30 cases of patients with unilateral mild carotid artery stenosis without exercise habits matched by age, gender and other factors as the non-exercise group (control group). Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) examination was performed in both groups, and the recumbent-upright-test, breath holding test and breath exchange test were performed to calculate the occurrence rate of "w" wave in recumbent-upright position, the slope of "w" wave in recubitus position, the change rate of pulse index (PI) before and after breath holding, resistance index (RI), breath holding index (BHI), and cerebral blood flow velocity before and after breath exchange. The blood pressure and heart rate difference in the recumbent-upright position were calculated, and the correlation between moderate intensity aerobic exercise and cerebral blood flow regulation function in patients with mild carotid artery stenosis was evaluated by statistical analysis. The correlation analysis between the exercise years and BHI in the study group was carried out to explore the relationship between the exercise years and cerebrovascular reactivity.Results:The occurrence rate and slope of "w" wave in the study group were higher than those in the control group: 93.3%(28/30) vs. 86.7%(26/30), 2.27 ± 1.14 vs. 1.28 ± 0.23, 2.67 ± 0.63 vs. 1.41 ± 0.69, there were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The change rates of PI and RI before and after breath holding and ventilation in the study group were higher than those in the control group: 21.23 ± 7.67 vs. 13.89 ± 9.67, 14.62 ± 6.63 vs. 11.17 ± 1.78 and 26.26 ± 12.46 vs. 18.36 ± 12.13, 14.91 ± 4.91 vs. 10.83 ± 2.35, and the average cerebral blood flow velocity before and after ventilation was higher than that in the control group: (31.26 ± 4.92) cm/s vs. (24.89 ± 6.34) cm/s, there were statistically significant ( P<0.01). The exercise years of the study group was negatively correlated with the breath holding index. Conclusions:Moderate intensity exercise is associated with cerebral blood flow regulation in patients with mild carotid artery stenosis. Exercise years are negatively correlated with cerebral blood flow regulation. Impaired cerebral blood flow regulation may be one of the potential mechanisms of poor prognosis of stroke in carotid artery stenosis population.

Objective:To survey the child health service capacity of community health service institutions in Shenzhen city.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. An online survey was conducted among 559 community health service centers, stations and clinics in Shenzhen from January 23, 2024 to February 3, 2024. The questionnaire contents included the development of child health management, vaccination, diagnosis and treatment of common diseases in children, management of children′s chronic diseases, appropriate technology, availability of children′s special drug dosage forms, provision of special Chinese patent medicine and appropriate technology of traditional Chinese medicine for children, referral and remote consultation in 2019 and 2023. The reasons of unavailable service items were asked in the questionnaire and the questionnaire also contained an open-ended question about the suggestions for improving the capacity of child health services.Results:A total of 559 valid questionnaires were collected, accounting for 64.48% (559/867) of the community health service centers, stations and health clinics in Shenzhen in 2023. Compared to 2019, there was a significant increase in the rate of pediatric health services provided in 2023, including the diagnosis and treatment of common diseases in children under 6 years (96.06%, 537 institutions), nebulized inhalation therapy (96.60%, 540 institutions), influenza and other respiratory pathogen detection (90.70%, 507 institutions), rotavirus and other intestinal pathogen detection (34.53%, 193 institutions), allergen detection (81.75%, 457 institutions), blood oxygen saturation monitoring (84.44%, 472 institutions), pediatric-specific formulations of Western medicine (90.52%, 506 institutions), pediatric-specific formulations of traditional Chinese medicine (89.27%, 499 institutions), appropriate Chinese medicine techniques (88.19%, 493 institutions), relatively fixed referral hospitals (95.17%, 532 institutions), and remote consultation service (19.14%, 107 institutions); and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). The reasons for unavailable service items were lack of space and personnel for the basic public health services, lack of space, personnel and a deficiency in knowledge and technical capabilities for diagnostic tests, and lack of equipment and personnel for remote consultation service. Suggestions made by 394 respondent institutions (70.48%) for further improvement included: conducting and strengthening various training (44.42%, 175/394), consultation and teaching by expert visiting (18.53%, 73/394), increasing the space and equipment (9.39%, 37/394), and further study at higher-level units (98.88%, 35/394). Conclusions:The child health services have been greatly improved in community health service institutions in Shenzhen, but there are still rooms for further improvement such as the ability of child health management, vaccination, chronic disease managements and provision of remote consultation.

Objective:To investigate the association of polymorphisms at the matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-3-1612 position of the promotor region with the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in elderly patients with cerebral ischemic stroke.Methods:In this retrospective study, 129 elderly patients with cerebral infarction diagnosed and treated in our hospital between March 2019 and March 2021 were enrolled as the study group, and 110 healthy subjects were selected as the control group.Polymorphisms of the MMP-3-1612 position in the promotor region, the inflammatory response and oxidative stress were examined using appropriate parameters and the associations between them were analyzed. Results:Compared with the control group, the proportions of patients with hypertension, diabetes, and smoking history in the study group were significantly higher( χ2=16.05, 17.19, 14.19, all P<0.05), and the levels of fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein, and homocysteine were also significantly higher( t=6.22, 3.64, 2.69, all P<0.05).Meanwhile, compared with patients carrying the MMP-3-5A/6A or the MMP-3-6A/6A genotype, the levels of serum inflammatory markers such as high mobility group box-1 protein(HMGB1), fractalkine(FKN), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-17(IL-17)in patients carrying the MMP-3 gene 5A/5A genotype were significantly higher(all P<0.05).In addition, the expression of serum oxidative stress-related molecules Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1), nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor2(Nrf2), antioxidant response element(ARE), quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1), and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)was also significantly increased(all P<0.05), but there was no difference in these markers between patients carrying the MMP-3-5A/6A genotype and patients carrying the MMP-3-6A/6A genotype( P>0.05).Patients carrying the 5A/5A genotype and the 6A/6A genotype exhibited only one 97 bp band and one 120 bp band, respectively, while the patients carrying the 5A/6A genotype exhibited two 97 bp bands and two 120 bp bands.There was no statistical difference in the number of patients carrying the 5A/6A genotype in the cerebral infarction group compared with the control group( P>0.05), and the number of patients carrying the 5A/5A genotype in the cerebral infarction group was higher than that in the control group(69% or 53.49% vs.35% or 31.82%, χ2=11.34, P<0.05).Polymorphisms of the MMP-3 gene had a positive correlation with the risk of stroke( r=0.25, P<0.05). MMP-3-1612 gene polymorphism( OR=7.21, 95% CI: 1.13-1.83, P=0.01), elevated blood glucose( OR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.18-2.06, P<0.001), high homocysteine( OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.08-1.58, P<0.01), hypertension( OR=5.414, 95% CI: 1.140-4.46, P<0.01), elevated low-density lipoprotein( OR=4.03, 95% CI: 1.03-2.35, P=0.02), coronary heart disease( OR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.47-3.19, P<0.01)and diabetes( OR=8.52, 95% CI: 1.32-4.71, P<0.01)were risk factors for cerebral infarction. Conclusions:In elderly patients with cerebral infarction, polymorphisms of the MMP-3-1612 position in the promotor region is closely related to the risk of cerebral ischemic stroke, the inflammatory response and oxidative stress.MMP-3 gene polymorphisms are risk factors for stroke.

Retinal degenerative diseases are a major contributor to visual impairment worldwide, and research related to retinal degenerative diseases is increasingly becoming a hot topic.The sigma-1 receptor is a 223-amino-acid endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane protein, and its gene sequence is highly conserved throughout mammals.Sigma-1 receptors are widely distributed in various tissues and organs.Numerous studies have proved the protective role of sigma-1 receptors in retinal pathological processes, including anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory response, and anti-apoptosis.In addition, sigma-1 receptors have potential therapeutic roles in retinal diseases, especially diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa and glaucomatous neuropathy.In this paper, the molecular mechanisms of sigma-1 receptor-mediated retinal neuroprotection and its application in the treatment of retinal diseases were reviewed.

Objective:To explore the relationship between severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) Gc and its N-glycosylation site and viral infectivity, a recombinant pseudovirus containing SFTSV Gc glycosylation site mutant was constructed.Methods:The eukaryotic expression vectors pcDNA3.1(+ )-GC, PCDNA3.1(+ )-GC(N291Q), PCDNA3.1(+ )-GC(N352Q) and PCDNA3.1(+ )-GC (N374Q) were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and homologous recombination. After their successful expression in 293T cells, we infected VSVΔG-Fluc*G pseudovirus, constructed four recombinant pseudoviruses and tested their effects on the cell force of infection.Results:Double digestion identification and sequence determination confirmed the successful construction of eukaryotic expression vectors pcDNA3.1 (+ )-Gc, pcDNA3.1 (+ )-Gc(N291Q), pcDNA3.1 (+ )-Gc(N352Q) and pcDNA3.1 (+ )-Gc(N374Q). Indirect immunofluorescence and Western Blotting result indicated the successful expression of all the four recombinant plasmids. SFTSV Gc recombinant pseudoviruses are specific for infecting Vero cells. Pseudovirus infection capacity was decreased significantly after the glycosylation site mutation, and the mutant strain with the glycosylation site at position 352 had the lowest level of infectivity ( P<0.001, P=0.001). Conclusions:The glycosylation site of SFTSV Gc may be associated with the infectious effect of the viral infection, and the amino acid mutation at position 352 has the greatest effect on the viral infectivity.

The use of two inhibitors of Mek1/2 and Gsk3β (2i) promotes the generation of mouse diploid and haploid embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from the inner cell mass of biparental and uniparental blastocysts, respectively. However, a system enabling long-term maintenance of imprints in ESCs has proven challenging. Here, we report that the use of a two-step a2i (alternative two inhibitors of Src and Gsk3β, TSa2i) derivation/culture protocol results in the establishment of androgenetic haploid ESCs (AG-haESCs) with stable DNA methylation at paternal DMRs (differentially DNA methylated regions) up to passage 60 that can efficiently support generating mice upon oocyte injection. We also show coexistence of H3K9me3 marks and ZFP57 bindings with intact DMR methylations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that TSa2i-treated AG-haESCs are a heterogeneous cell population regarding paternal DMR methylation. Strikingly, AG-haESCs with late passages display increased paternal-DMR methylations and improved developmental potential compared to early-passage cells, in part through the enhanced proliferation of H19-DMR hypermethylated cells. Together, we establish AG-haESCs that can long-term maintain paternal imprints.

Objective:To explore the possible mechanism of exacerbation of anxiety-like behavior in db/db mice after distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO).Methods:The db/db mice was used to establish a type 2 diabetes mellitus model. Meanwhile, heterozygous db/+ mice and C57 wild-type (WT) mice were chosen as double control groups. Then a permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion model was employed as an acute ischemic stroke model. The blood glucose levels before and post-dMCAO surgery on day1, day3, and day5 were detected. The brain tissue loss at 35 days after stroke was measured by immunofluorescent staining of MAP2. The open-field test was performed to estimate anxiety-like behavior and general motor and exploring ability of the animals. Axons and myelin were immunostained with non-phosphorylated neurofilaments (SMI32) and myelin basic protein (MBP), respectively, to evaluate differences in white matter integrity in WT, db/+ and db/db mice 35 days after stroke. The correlation between SMI32/MBP and open field test parameters (time in center and corner) was analyzed. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the amount of T cells and B cells, including regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the brain tissue.Results:Blood glucose levels in db/db mice were significantly higher than db/+ mice and WT mice in both sham and dMCAO groups ( P<0.01). There was no significant difference in brain tissue loss 35 days post-stroke among db/db mice, db/+ mice, and WT mice. In the open field test, there were significant differences in the total distance of db/db mice, db/+ and WT mice in the sham and dMCAO groups. Db/db mice shorter than db/+ mice ( P<0.05), WT mice ( P<0.01), and db/+ mice shorter than WT mice ( P<0.05). There were significant time differences in the center among db/db, db/+, and WT mice in sham and dMCAO groups. In both the sham and dMCAO groups, db/db mice spent less time in the center area of the open field than WT mice ( P<0.01). In the sham group, db/+ mice spent less time in the center area than WT mice ( P<0.05). In dMCAO group, db/db mice spent less time in the center area than db/+mice ( P<0.05), and db/+ mice spent less time in the center area than WT mice ( P<0.01). For the time in the corner, in both the sham and dMCAO groups, db/db mice and db/+ mice consumed more time than WT mice ( P<0.01 or <0.05). In the dMCAO group, db/db mice spent more time in the corner than db/+ mice ( P<0.05). Referring to white matter injury, an increased SMI32/MBP ratio in EC area and CTX area (data was not shown in this article) after dMCAO in db/db, db/+ and WT mice were detected. In EC area, db/db mice have a higher SMI32 ratio than db/+ mice and WT mice: 4.24 ± 0.37 vs. 1.96 ± 0.37, 1.80 ± 0.36, both have significant differences ( P<0.01). For db/db mice and WT mice, the SMI32/MBP ratio negatively correlates with time in center and positive correlation with time in the corner. Three days after dMCAO, the total cells of CD 3+ T cells, CD 8+ cells, Tregs, in db/db mice group have significantly decreased compared to WT group: 4 079 ± 1 345 vs. 70 055 ± 3 374, 141.30 ± 28.36 vs. 2 714.00 ± 463.20, 148.00 ± 61.15 vs. 3 007.00 ± 639.90 ( P<0.01), while B cell has no change between two groups. Conclusions:By comparing the severity of anxiety-like behavior of db/db mice, the severity of white matter injury, and the number of T cells and B cells in brain tissue after dMCAO, immune-mediated brain white matter injury may aggravate db/db mice′s post-dMCAO anxiety-like behavior. Due to the gene dose effect, db/+ mice are not suitable as a control group for db/db mice in animal experiments involving anxiety-like behavior assessment.