Flagella are important protein structures on the cell surface of bacteria and the main appendage for bacterial swimming. Flagella play a crucial role in bacterial motility, chemotaxis, pathogenicity, and environmental sensing. With the development of microscopic tracking technology and flagellum visualization tools, new forms of flagellar motility and increasing roles of flagella in the physiological activities of bacteria have been discovered. This review introduces the visualization methods of flagella and the applications of these methods in studying flagellar functions, giving insights into exploring the functions of flagella and laying a theoretical foundation for its future applications in inhibiting bacterial transmission and treating bacterial infections.
Flagella/physiology* ; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena ; Chemotaxis/physiology* ; Bacteria

Objective To explore the effect of physical exercise on semen quality in order to provide basic data and theoretical basis for the improvement of male reproductive health.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1 059 males who visited the Reproductive Medicine Center of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Hospital for medical treatment and physical examination during July 2022 and April 2023.Their demographic data and physical exercise data were surveyed with questionnaires.Total sperm count,sperm concentration,total sperm motility,forward movement and normal sperm morphology were analyzed with computer aided analysis.Logistic regression model and multiple linear regression model were applied to analyze the effects of physical exercise on semen quality.Results After adjustment for confounding factors such as age,body mass index,alcohol consumption and smoking,logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of abnormal semen quality was increased in patients with moderate and heavy exercise intensity(OR=2.103,OR=2.229).Compared with the participants with physical exercise ≤10 min per session,those with＞20 min per session had a lower risk of abnormal semen quality(OR=0.357,0.256,0.289 for exercise time for＞20～30,＞30～60,＞60 min,respectively).There was no statistical significance between physical exercise frequency and semen quality(P＞0.05).The participants having exercise well were at a lower risk for abnormal semen quality(OR=0.711).Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of physical exercise was an influencing factor of sperm concentration(β=7.474,95％CI:4.800～10.149,P＜0.05);the time of physical exercise per session was an influencing factor for total sperm count(β=20.632,95％CI:7.634～33.629);the intensity of physical exercise(β=-1.461,95％CI:-2.392～-0.530)and time of physical exercise per session(β=2.608,95％CI:1.404～3.812,P＜0.05)were influencing factors for percentage of forward motility sperm(P＜0.05);and physical exercise intensity(β=-1.934,95％CI:-3.238～-0.630),time of physical exercise per session(β=4.211,95％CI:2.525～5.897)and frequency of physical exercise(β=-2.008,95％CI:-3.480～-0.536)were influencing factors of total sperm motility(P＜0.05).Conclusion Physical exercise may affect semen quality,greater intensity of physical exercise may be a risk factor for abnormal semen quality,and longer physical exercise time may be related to improving semen quality.Therefore,proper physical exercise can help improve semen quality.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence and potential risk factors associated with postoperative spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) following anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients who underwent ACSS for cervical spondylosis at Peking University Third Hospital between March 2013 and February 2022. Patients who developed postoperative SEH were categorized as the SEH group, while those in the cohort without SEH were randomly selected as the non-SEH group by individually matching with the same operator, same gender, same surgery year, and similar age (±5 years) at a ratio of 4 ∶ 1. The general condition, preoperative comorbidities, anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy, preoperative coagulation and platelet counts, American society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, cervical spondylosis classification, preoperative modified Japanese Orthopaedic Society score and cervical disability index score, surgical modality, surgical segment levels, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament among the surgical level, surgery duration, estimated blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, preoperative mean arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure during postoperative awakening periods, hospital stay and hospitalization cost were compared between the two groups. A bivariate Logistic regression model was applied to screen out the independent risk factors and calculate the odds ratios of indicators associated with SEH. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to describe the discrimination ability of the indicators. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients were enrolled in the study, including 17 patients in the SEH group and 68 patients in the non-SEH group. Seventeen patients with SEH underwent hematoma evacuation, and all of them were successfully treated and discharged from the hospital. Corpectomy (OR=7.247; 95%CI: 1.962-26.766; P=0.003) and the highest mean arterial pressure during awakening (OR=1.056; 95%CI: 1.002-1.113; P=0.043) were independent risk factors for SEH. The AUC values were 0.713 (95%CI: 0.578-0.848) and 0.665 (95%CI: 0.51-0.82) respectively. The patients with SEH had longer hospital stays (P < 0.001) and greater hospitalization costs (P=0.035). CONCLUSION Corpectomy and elevated maximum mean arterial pressure during awakening are independent risk factors for the development of postoperative SEH following ACSS. High-risk patients should be closely monitored during the perioperative period.
Humans ; Risk Factors ; Cervical Vertebrae/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Male ; Female ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Spondylosis/surgery* ; Logistic Models ; Length of Stay ; Middle Aged

Cartilage is solid connective tissue that recovers slowly from injury, and pain and dysfunction from cartilage damage affect many people. The treatment of cartilage injury is clinically challenging and there is no optimal solution, which is a hot research topic at present. With the rapid development of 3D printing technology in recent years, 3D bioprinting can better mimic the complex microstructure of cartilage tissue and thus enabling the anatomy and functional regeneration of damaged cartilage. This article reviews the methods of 3D printing used to mimic cartilage structures, the selection of cells and biological factors, and the development of bioinks and advances in scaffold structures, with an emphasis on how 3D printing structure provides bioactive cargos in each stage to enhance the effect. Finally, clinical applications and future development of simulated cartilage printing are introduced, which are expected to provide new insights into this field and guide other researchers who are engaged in cartilage repair.

Sepsis is a complex syndrome caused by multiple pathogens and involves multiple organ failure, particularly spleen dysfunction. In 2017, the worldwide incidence was 48.9 million sepsis cases and 11 million sepsis-related deaths were reported (Rudd et al., 2020). Inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis are the most common pathologies seen in sepsis. Liensinine (LIE) is a bisbenzylisoquinoline-type alkaloid extracted from the seed embryo of Nelumbo nucifera. Lotus seed hearts have high content of LIE which mainly has antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic pharmacological effects. It can exert anti-carcinogenic activity by regulating cell, inflammation, and apoptosis signaling pathways (Manogaran et al., 2019). However, its protective effect from sepsis-induced spleen damage is unknown. In this research, we established a mouse sepsis model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and investigated the protective effects of LIE on sepsis spleen injury in terms of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.
Mice ; Animals ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Spleen ; Inflammation ; Apoptosis ; Sepsis ; Oxidative Stress

Objective:To collect data on urinary flow rate in the elderly female population across the country and to analyze the range of reference values.Methods:This study enrolled 333 subjects from July 2020 to June 2022.The study implementation process was divided into two steps.In the first step, subjects completed an electronic questionnaire, which included basic information about the subject, a short form for urinary incontinence, and a scoring form for the symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome.In the second step, the staff introduced the use of a mobile uroflowmetric device and distributed the instrument and materials.Uroflow rate data were automatically uploaded to a cloud database via the mobile phone.Subsequently, two or more physicians specializing in urinary control performed Uroflow rate-qualifying screenings and conducted statistical analyses.Results:A total of 333 subjects were enrolled in the study, and the researchers collected 1375 qualified urine flow rate records using a mobile urine flow rate instrument.The age of the subjects ranged from 60 to 84 years, with a mean age of 69 years.The reference ranges for urinary flow rate were found to be 24.8-26.2 s, with a mean urinary flow rate of 12.2-12.9 ml/s, a maximum urinary flow rate of 22.2-23.4 ml/s, and a time to peak of 8.5-9.7 s. The study observed a tendency for both maximal and mean urinary flow rates to decrease in older women as their age increased(Pearson correlation coefficient: -0.1, P<0.001). Conclusions:The uroflow rate of older women decreases with aging.Specifically, the average uroflow rate of women over 80 years old is lower than that of other age groups.This study aims to establish normal uroflow parameters for uroflowmetry in healthy older women in China.

Baylisascaris schroederi,a roundworm(ascaridoid)parasite specific to the bamboo-feeding giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca),represents a leading cause of mortality in wild giant panda populations.Here,we present a 293-megabase chromosome-level genome assembly of B.schroederi to infer its biology,including host adaptations.Comparative genomics revealed an evolutionary trajectory accompanied by host-shift events in ascaridoid parasite lineages after host separations,suggesting their potential for transmission and rapid adaptation to new hosts.Genomic and anatomical lines of evidence,including expansion and positive selection of genes related to the cuticle and basal metabolisms,indicate that B.schroederi undergoes specific adaptations to survive in the sharp-edged bamboo-enriched gut of giant pandas by structurally increasing its cuticle thickness and efficiently utilizing host nutrients through gut parasitism.Additionally,we characterized the secretome of B.schroederi and predicted potential drug and vaccine targets for new control strategies.Overall,this genome resource provides new insights into the host adaptation of B.schroederi to the giant panda as well as the host-shift events in ascaridoid parasite lineages.Our findings on the unique biology of B.schroederi will also aid in the development of prevention and treatment measures to protect giant panda populations from roundworm parasitism.

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on M1 polarization of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in rats with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to explore the potential protective mechanism of EA.Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and three groups of EA pretreatment [including a Chize (LU5) group, a Zusanli (ST36) group and a Chize (LU5) plus Zusanli (ST36) group], with eight rats in each group. The model rats of ALI were established by instilling LPS [2 mg/(kg·bw)] into the trachea of rats for 3 h. The rats in each EA pretreatment group were pretreated with EA for 30 min per day at the corresponding bilateral acupoints 6 d before instilling LPS. Three hours after modeling, the pulmonary function of the rats was tested, and the lung tissue was taken to calculate the ratio of lung wet weight to dry weight (W/D). The pathological lung changes and the injury score were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The contents of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in rat's bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage markers clusters of differentiation 86 (CD86), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and its signaling pathway factor Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 in the alveoli were detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Results: After being induced by LPS, the pulmonary function of the model rats showed that the forced expiratory volume in 0.1 s (FEV0.1), forced expiratory volume in 0.3 s (FEV0.3), and their respective ratios of FEV to forced vital capacity (FVC) (including FEV0.1/FVC and FEV0.3/FVC) were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while the W/D of lung tissue was increased (P<0.01). The score of lung injury was significantly higher (P<0.01). The contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the mRNA and protein expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 in the lung tissue were significantly increased (P<0.01). After EA pretreatment, the FEV0.1, FEV0.3, FEV0.1/FVC, and FEV0.3/FVC were significantly increased, the lung injury score decreased significantly, and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 mRNAs and proteins in the alveoli decreased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the other two single acupoint groups, the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 mRNAs in the alveoli in the Chize (LU5) plus Zusanli (ST36) group were significantly lower (P<0.01). Conclusion: EA pretreatment at Chize (LU5) and Zusanli (ST36) can inhibit inflammation and reduce pulmonary injury in ALI rats induced by LPS. The effect of the combination of Chize (LU5) and Zusanli (ST36) is better than that of using these two acupoints separately, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of AMs' M1 polarization by down-regulation TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective:To explore the effect of online appointment system of standardized patients (SP) in cardiology practice teaching.Methods:The undergraduate students who entered the cardiology department of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine for clinical practice in 2018 and 2019 were selected as teaching objects, and they were divided into traditional teaching group ( n=30) and appointed SP teaching group ( n=30). After the teaching, SPSS 19.0 software was used for data analysis to compare the teaching effect of the two groups. Results:The scores of SP teaching group were higher than those of traditional teaching control group, with statistical significance ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Through constructing SP database and typical case database, online appointment system of SP for medical history inquiry and doctor-patient communication skills training can effectively solve the problems such as lack of clinical practice cases and doctor-patient contradiction, and greatly improve the teaching efficiency.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) on some inflammatory mediators during the progression of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) and its clinical significance. MethodsA total of 15 patients with HAE who underwent partial liver resection in Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital from June 2018 to September 2019 were enrolled, and the marginal zone of HAE lesion was resected as AE group; 15 normal liver tissue samples collected during the same period of time were selected as control group. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to measure the protein and mRNA expression of protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), caspase-12, and glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP-78), and q-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups; a Pearson correlation analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between two variables. ResultsCompared with the control group, the AE group had significantly higher protein expression levels of PERK, CHOP, caspase-12, and GRP78 (U=4.165, 3.461, 2.577, and 3.344, all P＜0.001) and their mRNA expression levels (t= 34003, 4.461, 53.573, and 55.224, all P＜0.001). The AE group had significantly higher mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF than the control group (t=6.090, 12.578, and 53.573, all P＜0.001). The protein expression levels of PERK, CHOP, caspase-12, and GRP-78 were positively correlated with the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF (all r＞0.700, all P≤0.05). ConclusionPositive correlation is observed between the activation of ERS and inflammatory mediators in HAE, and excessive activation of ERS can change the secretion of several inflammatory mediators to exacerbate liver injury, while further studies are needed to clarify the specific mechanism.