RNA splicing is an essential cellular process in which a series of protein-nucleic acid complexes cut and splice the products of gene transcription to generate mature RNA， and it plays an important role in maintaining the normal life activities of cells. Extensive studies have shown that proteins and nucleic acids associated with RNA splicing undergo the pathological changes such as aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases， and inadequate RNA splicing is observed in lesions. Genetic alterations within RNA splicing-related genes can cause neurodegenerative diseases. All these findings suggest that abnormalities in RNA splicing pathways may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. This article reviews the research advances in the alterations of RNA splicing in common neurodegenerative diseases in terms of histopathology， biochemistry， and genetics， as well as related cell biology and animal models， in order to clarify their role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases.
Alzheimer Disease ; Parkinson Disease

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Shenqi Tangluo pill （SQTLP） on oxidative stress injury of skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） mice based on nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）/NAD（P）H quinone oxidoreductase 1 （NQO1） pathway. MethodA total of 60 7-week-old male db/db mice ［specific pathogen-free （SPF） grade］ were selected and fed for one week for adaption. They were divided into the model control group， SQTLP low-， medium- and high-dose （19， 38， and 76 g·kg^-1） groups and metformin group （0.26 g·kg^-1） by gavage. Each group consisted of 12 mice. Twelve male db/m mice of the same age were selected as the blank group. The intervention was implemented continuously for 8 weeks. Fasting blood glucose （FBG） was detected. Fasting serum insulin （FINS） levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） index and the homeostasis model assessment-insulin sensitivity index （HOMA-ISI） were calculated. Oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） and insulin tolerance test （ITT） were conducted. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） and the contents of malondialdehyde （MDA） and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH） in skeletal muscle tissues were detected by biochemical kits. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in skeletal muscle tissues. The levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS） and 4-hydroxynonenal （4-HNE） in skeletal muscle tissue were detected by immunofluorescence （IF）. The expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， NQO1 and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit （GCLC） proteins in skeletal muscle tissues were detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with those in the blank group， FBG， FINS and HOMA-IR in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while HOMA-ISI was decreased （P<0.05）. The results of OGTT and ITT showed that blood glucose was significantly increased at all time points （P<0.05）， and glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were significantly impaired. SOD and GSH-Px activities in skeletal muscle tissues were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and MDA and NADPH contents were significantly increased （P<0.05）. In skeletal muscle tissues， the arrangement of muscle fibers was loose， the nucleus was disordered， and inflammatory cells were infiltrated. The expression levels of ROS and 4-HNE in skeletal muscle tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05）. The protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， NQO1 and GCLC in skeletal muscle tissues were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the model group， FBG， FINS and HOMA-IR in the metformin group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while HOMA-ISI was increased （P<0.05）. The results of OGTT and ITT showed that blood glucose in the metformin group was significantly decreased at all time points （P<0.05）. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in skeletal muscle tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while the contents of MDA and NADPH were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. No obvious abnormality was found in the skeletal muscle tissue of the metformin group. The expressions of ROS and 4-HNE in skeletal muscle tissues were decreased （P<0.05）. The protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， NQO1 and GCLC in skeletal muscle tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the model group， FBG， FINS and HOMA-IR in the SQTLP medium- and high-dose groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while HOMA-ISI was increased （P<0.05）. The results of OGTT and ITT showed that the glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance of mice were improved in each dose group of SQTLP. The GSH-Px activity in the SQTLP low-dose group was significantly increased （P<0.05）， and the NADPH content was decreased （P<0.05）. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in the SQTLP medium- and high-dose groups were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while the contents of MDA and NADPH were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. The skeletal muscle tissue injury of mice in each dose group of SQTLP was ameliorated to different degrees. In the SQTLP medium- and high-dose groups， the expressions of ROS and 4-HNE were decreased （P<0.05）， and the protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， NQO1 and GCLC were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the SQTLP low-dose group， FBG and HOMA-IR in the SQTLP high-dose group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while HOMA-ISI was increased （P<0.05）. The results of OGTT and ITT showed that the SQTLP high-dose group significantly improved the glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance of mice. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in skeletal muscle tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while the contents of MDA and NADPH were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. No obvious abnormality was found in the skeletal muscle tissue， the expressions of ROS and 4-HNE were decreased （P<0.05）， and the protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， NQO1 and GCLC were significantly increased （P<0.05） in the skeletal muscle tissue of the SQTLP high-dose group. ConclusionSQTLP can significantly improve IR in T2DM mice， and the mechanism is related to SQTLP activating the Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1 signaling pathway， promoting the expression of antioxidant enzymes， and thus improving the oxidative stress injury in the skeletal muscle.

italic>Anoectochilus roxburghii liquid (spray, a hospital preparation of Wu Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University) has shown a good clinical treatment effect during the COVID-19 pandemic, but its material basis and mechanism of action are still unclear. In this study, network pharmacology and molecular docking methods were used to predict the molecular mechanism of A. roxburghii liquid against COVID-19, and pharmacodynamic experiments in vitro were conducted to study the interaction between the current targets with clear preventive and therapeutic effects and the key components of A. roxburghii liquid. UPLC-MS and database were used to compare and analyze the active ingredients in the liquid, and 17 potential active ingredients with good drug-like properties were screened by in vivo pharmacokinetics process in SwissADME database. SwissTargetPrediction and GeneCards were searched to find 93 common targets. Cytoscape 3.8.2 software was used to construct the "component-target" network map, and the Metascape platform was used for gene function annotation and pathway enrichment analysis. It was found that the extract could regulate the positive response to external stimuli, inflammatory response, cytokine production and other biological processes by binding the active ingredients such as isorhamnetin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin and apigenin to the common targets (NOS3, MPO, MMP3, etc.), and play an anti-COVID-19 role. In the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity inhibition assay, it was found that the stock solution of A. roxburghii liquid (for spray), and the supernatant after removing polysaccharides (mainly containing flavonoids) could to some extent inhibit the activity of ACE2. Crucially, in the experiment of 2019-nCOV-S pseudovirus infecting HEK-293T-ACE2 cells, we found that A. roxburghii liquid may exert anti-COVID-19 effects by blocking the binding of SARS-CoV-S protein to ACE2.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of the therapy of soothing liver and strengthening spleen(shortened as Shugan Jianpi therapy)in the treatment of active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO)complicated with dry eye,and to provide a reference basis for clinical treatment.Methods A total of 108 patients with active TAO complicated with dry eye of liver depression and qi stagnation type were randomly divided into observation group and control group,54 patients in each group.Both groups were given conventional treatment for intervention of Graves'disease,and additionally the control group was given hormone shock therapy by intravenous injection of Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate,and the observation group was treated with Chinese medicine prescription for soothing liver and strengthening spleen orally and intravenous injection of Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate.The treatment period lasted for 12 weeks,and then the patients were followed up till to the 6th month.The changes of clinical activity score(CAS),proptosis,ocular surface disease index(OSDI),corneal fluorescein staining(FL),Schirmer I test(SIT)and tear film break-up time(BUT)in the two groups were observed before and after the treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)After 6 months of treatment,the total effective rate in the observation group was 94.44%(51/54)and that in the control group was 74.07%(40/54),and the intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy of the observation group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the CAS,OSDI score and proptosis of the patients in the two groups were all lower than those before treatment(P＜0.01),and the reduction in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the indicators of tear secretion function such as SIT,FL score and BUT of patients in the two groups were improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.01),and the improvement in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the differences being all statistically significant(P＜0.01).Conclusion Shugan Jianpi therapy exerts certain clinical efficacy in treating patients with active TAO complicated with dry eye of liver depression and qi stagnation type,which can effectively relieve the proptosis,prolong the tear film break-up time,promote the secretion of tears and the repair of corneal epithelium,improve the visual function,and enhance the quality of life of the patients.

BACKGROUND:Among the surface modification technologies of metal implants,micro-arc oxidation has been widely concerned for its convenience,low cost and ability to effectively adjust the microstructure and elements of surface coatings. OBJECTIVE:To summarize research advances in physical and chemical properties and biological activities of oxidation coatings prepared by micro-arc oxidation on different materials. METHODS:The articles about the effects of micro-arc oxidation on the biological activity of medical metals were searched in PubMed and Web of Science based on the English search terms"MAO,micro-arc oxidation,osseointegration,mechanical property,biological activity,angiogenesis,fibrogenesis".The search time was from January 2016 to December 2022.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,82 articles were finally retained for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Micro-arc oxidation is a potential surface modification technology,which can greatly improve the success rate of implantation,and can be widely used in other fields.The specific reasons are as follows:(1)Micro-arc oxidation technology forms special porous morphology on the surface of materials,which can optimize the mechanical properties such as wear resistance and corrosion resistance,contributing to the reduction of the degradation rate of magnesium alloys.(2)Micro-arc oxidation technology can significantly enhance the bioactivity and improve the bioinertness of titanium and titanium alloys through the addition of strontium,hydroxyapatite and other metallic or nonmetallic substances to its porous morphology for helping elevate its osteogenic differentiation,angiogenesis,fibrogenesis and other biological activities.

BACKGROUND:Micro-arc oxidation can effectively add bioactive elements to the metal surface and improve the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of biomedical metal materials,so this technology has become one of the hotspots of biomedical materials. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of surface coatings prepared by the combination of micro-arc oxidation and other surface modification technologies. METHODS:Articles from January 1996 to December 2022 were searched on CNKI,WanFang and PubMed databases using Chinese and English search terms"micro-arc oxidation,antibacterial properties,anti-inflammatory properties,metal implants".After preliminary screening according to inclusion and exclusion criteria,89 articles were retained and summarized. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The ceramic layer prepared by micro-arc oxidation can improve the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of titanium,magnesium and other alloys.Combination with other surface modification technologies can effectively solve the effect of pores on the surface properties of the alloy,and further improve the biological properties of the oxide film.It has a wide application prospect in orthopedics and dentistry.At present,most studies are limited to metal coatings,and most of them focus on metal elements with good antibacterial properties such as silver and copper,while only a few studies mention non-metallic coatings such as graphene oxide,hydroxyapatite and chitosan.In the future,extensive studies can be conducted on inorganic coatings and polymer coatings,and more combinations of different bioactive elements can also be adopted to improve antibacterial properties.Currently,studies on the inflammation of implant coatings prepared by micro-arc oxidation are mostly limited to the immune system and focused on macrophages,while studies on neutrophils and platelets are scarce.In the future,a variety of advanced technologies should be combined to explore the specific effects of micro-arc oxidation coating on other immune cells and inflammatory cells.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.

Nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostic methods are considered the gold standard for detecting infectious pathogens.However,when applied to portable or on-site rapid diagnostics,they still face various limitations and challenges,such as poor specificity,cumbersome operation,and portability difficulties.The CRISPR(Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/CRISPR-associated protein(Cas)-fluorescence detection method holds the potential to significantly enhance the specificity and signal-to-noise ratio of nucleic acid detection.In this study,we developed a portable grayscale reader detection system based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP)-CRISPR/Cas.On one hand,in the presence of CRISPR RNA(crRNA),the CRISPR/Cas12a system was employed to achieve precise fluorescent detection of self-designed LAMP amplification reactions for influenza A and influenza B viruses.This further validated the high selectivity and versatility of the CRISPR/Cas system.On the other hand,the accompanying independently developed portable grayscale reader allowed for low-cost collection of fluorescence signals and high-reliability visual interpretation.At the end of the detection process,it directly provided positive or negative results.Practical sample analyses using this detection system have verified its reliability and utility,demonstrating that this system can achieve highly sensitive and highly specific portable analysis of influenza viruses.

ObjectiveThis study aims to examine the effect of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma-Coptidis Rhizoma on reducing insulin resistance in db/db mice by regulating the adenylate activated protein kinase （AMPK）/UNC-51-like kinase 1 （ULK1）/key molecule of autophagy， benzyl chloride 1 （Beclin1） pathway and elucidate the underlying mechanism. MethodSixty 6-week-old male db/db mice were studied. They were randomly divided into the model group， metformin group （0.26 g·kg^-1）， and low-， middle-， and high-dose groups （2.25， 4.5， 9 g·kg^-1） of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma-Coptidis Rhizoma. A blank group of db/m mice of the same age was set， with 12 mice in each group. After eight weeks of continuous intragastric administration， the blank group and model group received distilled water intragastrically once a day. The survival status of the mice was observed， and fasting blood glucose （FBG） was measured using a Roche blood glucose device. Fasting serum insulin （FINS） was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay， and the insulin resistance index （HOMA-IR） was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the liver of the mice. The protein expression levels of AMPK， Beclin1， autophagy associated protein 5 （Atg5）， and p62 in liver tissue were determined by using Western blot. The protein expression levels of autophagy associated protein 1 light chain 3B （LC3B） and ULK1 in liver tissue were determined using immunofluorescence. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR） was used to measure mRNA expression levels of AMPK， Beclin1， Atg5， ULK1， and p62. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group exhibited a significant increase in body mass （P<0.01）. Additionally， the levels of FBG， FINS， and HOMA-IR significantly changed （P<0.01）. The structure of liver cells was disordered. The protein expression levels of AMPK， Beclin1， and Atg5 in liver tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， while the expression level of p62 protein was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of mRNA and proteins were consistent. Compared with the model group， the body mass of the metformin group and high and medium-dose groups of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma-Coptidis Rhizoma was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. FBG， FINS， and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. After treatment， the liver structure damage in each group was alleviated to varying degrees. The protein expressions of AMPK， Beclin1， Atg5， LC3B， and ULK1 were increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， while the protein expression of p62 was decreased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of mRNA and proteins were generally consistent. ConclusionThe combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma-Coptidis Rhizoma can effectively improve liver insulin resistance， regulate the AMPK autophagy signaling pathway， alleviate insulin resistance in db/db mice， and effectively prevent the occurrence and development of type 2 diabetes.

【Objective】 To compare the degree, efficacy and safety of testicular catch-up growth after inguinal and subinguinal surgery for adolescent varicocele. 【Methods】 Clinical data of 121 adolescent varicocele patients with secondary testicular atrophy treated during Sep.2014 and Jun.2021 at Huili People’s Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 40 cases treated with the inguinal incision approach, and 81 with the subinguinal approach. The characteristics of intraoperative, efficacy, surgical complications and prognosis were compared between the two groups. 【Results】 The inguinal group had significantly shorter microscope usage time (P=0.006), fewer number of preserved internal spermatic arteries (P<0.001), and significantly larger diameter of preserved internal spermatic arteries than the subinguinal group (P=0.005). The subinguinal group required ligation of more internal spermatic veins, and there were significantly more internal spermatic veins with a diameter of 4 mm or more (P<0.001). No recurrence occurred, and the incidences of scrotal edema and hydrocele were very low (P>0.05). Two years after surgery, the bilateral testicular volume of both groups was significantly larger than that before surgery (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the testicles (P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 In the treatment of adolescent varicocele patients with secondary testicular atrophy, the subinguinal approach significantly reduces the difficulty of microsurgical varicocele ligation, and has good efficacy and safety, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.