Constructing an efficient and easy-to-operate multigene expression system is currently a crucial part of plant genetic engineering. In this study, a fragment carrying three independent gene expression cassettes and the expression unit of the gene-silencing suppressor protein(RNA silencing suppressor 19 kDa protein, P19) simultaneously was designed and constructed. This fragment was cloned into the commonly used plant expression vector pCAMBIA300, and the plasmid pC1300-TP2-P19 was obtained. Each gene expression cassette consists of different promoters, fusion tags, and terminators. The target gene can be flexibly inserted into the corresponding site through enzymatic digestion and ligation or recombination and fused with different protein tags, which provides great convenience for subsequent detection. The enhanced green fluorescent protein(eGFP) reporter gene was individually constructed into each expression cassette to verify the feasibility of this vector system. The results of tobacco transient expression and laser-confocal microscopy showed that each expression cassette presented independent and normal expression. Meanwhile, the three key enzyme genes in the betanin synthesis pathway, BvCYP76AD, BvDODA1, and DbDOPA5GT, were constructed into the three expression cassettes. The results of tobacco transient expression phenotype, protein immunoblotting(Western blot), and chemical detection of product demonstrated that the three exogenous genes were highly expressed, and the target compound betanin was successfully produced. The above results indicated that the constructed multigene expression system for plants in this study was efficient and reliable and can achieve the co-transformation of multiple plant genes. It can provide a reliable vector platform for the analysis of plant natural product synthesis pathways, functional verification, and plant metabolic engineering.
Nicotiana/metabolism* ; Genetic Vectors/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism* ; Genetic Engineering/methods* ; Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression

OBJECTIVE: To review the current research status on the diagnosis and treatment of fracture-related infection (FRI). METHODS: The research literature in the field of FRI both domestically and internationally in recent years were widely reviewed, and the research progress of FRI from the aspects of definition and classification, epidemiological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment elaborated, in order to provide reference for clinical practices. RESULTS: In recent years, specific classifications for FRI have gradually emerged. FRI is characterized by high incidence, high recurrence, high disability rates, and significant economic costs. Key diagnostic points include clinical signs and symptoms, imaging tests, serological biomarkers, pathogen identification, and histopathological examination. Treatment principles encompass debridement, management of implants (retention or removal), systemic and local antibiotic use, reconstruction of bone and soft tissue defects, and functional and psychological rehabilitation. CONCLUSION Although FRI is a catastrophic complication following limb bone trauma, early precise diagnosis and standardized treatment are key to improving cure rates, reducing recurrence, and enhancing patients' quality of life.
Humans ; Fractures, Bone/complications* ; Bone Diseases, Infectious/therapy* ; Debridement/methods* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Orthopedic Procedures/methods*

Diabetic foot (DF) is one of the most serious chronic complications of diabetes. The incidence rate among global diabetes patients is as high as 15% to 25%, and about 50% of patients will develop contralateral foot ulcers within 5 years after the first unilateral ulcer. As a non-invasive prevention and control solution, the application progress of functional insoles is mainly reflected in the following aspects:(1) Material innovation. The application of new composite materials and smart materials has significantly enhanced the pressure reduction effect and comfort. (2) Structural optimization. The development of multi-layer design and local pressure reduction structure has achieved more precise pressure distribution regulation. (3) Manufacturing process. 3D printing and parametric design have enabled the personalized customization of functional insoles. (4) Intelligent monitoring. It integrates functions such as pressure sensing and temperature monitoring, achieving real-time monitoring and early warning of foot conditions. Clinical research has confirmed that personalized functional insoles could reduce the incidence of foot ulcers and shorten the healing time of ulcers. At present, the research hotspots mainly focus on the development of smart materials, the construction of multi-functional integration and remote monitoring systems. However, in-depth research is still needed in the aspects of biomechanical mechanisms, standardized evaluation systems and long-term efficacy assessment. The development of future functional insoles should focus on the coordinated advancement of "personalization-intelligence-standardization", with the aim of providing more effective solutions for the prevention and treatment of DF.
Humans ; Diabetic Foot/therapy* ; Foot Orthoses

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, and its pathogenesis is largely modulated by abnormal angiogenesis. Previous research has indicated that AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), an important demethylase affecting N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification, plays a role in regulating angiogenesis in cardiovascular and eye diseases. Our present study found that ALKBH5 was upregulated and co-localized with cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) in the skin of IMQ group compared with control group. ALKBH5-deficient mice decreased IMQ-induced psoriatic dermatitis and exhibited histological improvements, including decreased epidermal thickness, hyperkeratosis, numbers of dermal capillary vessels and inflammatory cell infiltration. ALKBH5-KO mice alleviated angiogenesis in psoriatic lesions by downregulating the protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Additionally, the expression of ALKBH5 was significantly upregulated in IL-17A-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), which further promoted the expression of angiogenesis-related cytokines and endothelial cell proliferation. Cell proliferation and angiogenesis were suppressed in ALKBH5 knockdown group, whereas ALKBH5 overexpression promoted these processes. The regulation of angiogenesis in HUVECs by ALKBH5 was facilitated through the AKT-mTOR pathway. Collectively, ALKBH5 plays a pivotal role in psoriatic dermatitis and angiogenesis, which may offer a new potential targets for treating psoriasis.
Animals ; Psoriasis/chemically induced* ; Mice ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation ; Mice, Knockout ; Disease Models, Animal ; Signal Transduction ; Male ; Skin/blood supply* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Angiogenesis

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Social behavior is extremely important for the physical and mental health of individuals, their growth and development, and for social development. Social behavioral disorders have become a typical clinical representation of a variety of psychiatric disorders and have serious adverse effects on the development of individuals. The prefrontal cortex, as one of the key areas responsible for social behavior, involves in many advanced brain functions such as social behavior, emotion, and decision-making. The neural activity of prefrontal cortex has a major impact on the performance of social behavior. Numerous studies demonstrate that neurons and glial cells can regulate certain social behaviors by themselves or the interaction which we called neural microcircuits; and the collaboration with other brain regions also regulates different types of social behaviors. The prefrontal cortex (PFC)-thalamus projections mainly influence social dominance and social preference; the PFC-amygdala projections play a key role in fear behavior, emotional behavior, social exploration, and social identification; and the PFC-nucleus accumbens projections mainly involve social preference, social memory, social cognition, and spatial-social associative learning. Based on the above neural mechanism, many studies have focused on applying the non-invasive neurostimulation to social deficit-related symptoms, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) and focused ultrasound stimulation (FUS). Our previous study also investigated that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can improve the social behavior of mice and low-intensity focused ultrasound ameliorated the social avoidance behavior of mice by enhancing neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex. In this review, we summarize the relationship between neurons, glial cells, brain projection and social behavior in the prefrontal cortex, and systematically show the role of the prefrontal cortex in the regulation of social behavior. We hope our summarization will provide a reference for the neural mechanism and effective treatment of social disorders.

Objective:To analyze the methylation characteristics of the lymphocyte-specific protein-tyrosine kinase (LCK) promoter region in the peripheral blood circulation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and its correlation with clinical indicators.Methods:Targeted methylation sequencing was used to compare the methylation levels of 7 CpG sites in the LCK promoter region in the peripheral blood of RA patients with healthy controls (HC) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Correlation analysis and ROC curve construction were performed with clinical information.Results:Non-parametric tests revealed that compared with HC [0.53(0.50, 0.57)] and OA patients [0.59(0.54, 0.62), H=47.17, P<0.001], RA patients [0.63(0.59, 0.68)] exhibited an overall increase in methylation levels. Simultaneously, when compared with the HC group [0.38(0.35, 0.41), 0.59(0.55, 0.63), 0.60(0.55, 0.64), 0.59(0.55, 0.63), 0.58(0.53, 0.62), 0.45(0.43, 0.49), 0.57(0.54, 0.61)], the RA group [0.46(0.42, 0.49), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.70(0.66, 0.76), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.69(0.64, 0.74), 0.55(0.51, 0.59), 0.68(0.63, 0.73)] showed a significant elevation in methylation levels at CpG sites cg05350315_60, cg05350315_80, cg05350315_95, cg05350315_101, cg05350315_104, cg05350315_128, and cg05350315_142, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-5.63, -5.89, -5.91, -5.89, -5.98, -5.95, -5.95, all P<0.001). Compared with the OA group [0.65(0.59, 0.69), 0.65(0.60, 0.69), 0.64(0.58, 0.68), 0.50(0.45, 0.54), 0.63(0.58, 0.67)], the RA group [0.70(0.66, 0.76), 0.70(0.65, 0.75), 0.69(0.64, 0.74), 0.55(0.51, 0.59), 0.68(0.63, 0.73)] exhibited a significant increase in methylation levels at CpG sites cg05350315_95, cg05350315_101, cg05350315_104, cg05350315_128, and cg05350315_142, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-3.56, -3.52, -3.60, -3.67, -3.62; P=0.036, 0.042, 0.031, 0.030, 0.030). Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed a positive correlation between the overall methylation level in this region and C-reactive protein (CRP) ( r=0.19, P=0.004) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( r=0.14, P=0.035). The overall methylation level of the LCK promoter region in the CRP (low) group [0.63 (0.58, 0.68)] was higher than that in the CRP (high) group [0.65(0.61, 0.70)], with statistically significant differences ( Z=2.60, P=0.009). Finally, by constru-cting a ROC curve, the discriminatory efficacy of peripheral blood LCK promoter region methylation levels for identifying RA patients, especially seronegative RA patients, from HC and OA groups was validated, with an AUC value of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.93). Conclusion:This study provides insights into the methylation status and methylation haplotype patterns of the LCK promoter region in the peripheral blood of RA patients. The overall methylation level in this region is positively correlated with the level of inflammation and can be used to differentiate seronegative RA patients from the HC and OA patients.

AIM:To construct a recombinant adenovirus vector carrying the mouse ubiquitin-like with plant homeodomain and RING finger domains 1(Uhrf1)gene,validate the expression of Uhrf1 in neonatal mouse cardiomyo-cytes and explored its role in hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)-induced DNA damage.METHODS:The mouse Uhrf1 gene cod-ing sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR),digested,and inserted into the pADM-CMV-C-FH vec-tor to create the recombinant adenoviral plasmid ADM-Uhrf1.Following transfection into HEK293T cells,we generated re-combinant adenoviral particles,amplified,purified,and determined the titer.Neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes were infect-ed at an multiplicity of infection(MOI)of 50,UHRF1 protein expression was validated via Western blot and immunofluo-rescence staining.H2O2-induced DNA damage was explored along with adenovirus-mediated Uhrf1 overexpression to inves-tigate its role in DNA damage repair.RESULTS:ADM-Uhrf1 virus titer,determined by capsid immunofluorescence as-say,was 1.8×1013 pfu/L.Western blot confirmed a significant increase in UHRF1 protein expression(P＜0.05),with im-munofluorescence indicating predominant nuclear localization.Uhrf1 overexpression effectively inhibited the expression of the DNA damage marker,phosphorylated H2AX protein(γH2AX)(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:We successfully con-structed a recombinant adenoviral vector carrying the mouse Uhrf1 gene,facilitating Uhrf1 overexpression in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes.Furthermore,this overexpression effectively alleviated DNA damage in cardiomyocytes.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of thumb-tack needling for subcutaeous embedding combined with joint mobilization in the treatment of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome.Methods A total of 80 patients with post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,with 40 patients in each group.Both groups were given arthrocentesis,the control group was given ordinary acupuncture on the basis of arthrocentesis,and the treatment group was combined with thumb-tack needling for subcutaeous embedding.One course of treatment was 4 weeks and a total of 4 weeks of treatment was given.After 1 month of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.The changes of Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)of pain scores and simplified Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA)scores,as well as the pain-free passive forward flexion and abduction of the shoulder joint of the affected limb were observed before and after treatment.The Simple Quality of Life Scale(SF-36)scores of the patients in the two groups were compared after treatment.The safety and the occurrence of adverse reactions in the two groups were also evaluated.Results(1)The total effective rate was 95.00%(38/40)in the treatment group and 80.00%(32/40)in the control group.The efficacy of the treatment group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the VAS scores and upper extremity FMA scores of the patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the treatment group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the VAS scores and upper extremity FMA scores,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the joint mobility of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the improvement of shoulder joint movement in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale scores of the treatment group were significantly superior to those of the control group in terms of physical function,psychological function,emotional health,and social function levels,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(5)There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the treatment group and the control group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Thumb-tack needling for subcutaeous embedding combined with joint mobilization exert certain effect in the treatment of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome.It can significantly improve the pain symptoms of patients,thus improving their quality of life,and the clinical effect is remarkable.

Objective To investigate the dosimetric effects of different calculation grid size(CGS)in helical tomotherapy(HT)planning system on stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)for non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods Nine NSCLC patients receiving radiation therapy for the first time at some hospital from March 2019 to December 2022 were selected as the subjects.SBRT planning was carried out through the HT system with three different CGS plans(Fine,Normal,and Coarse)and the same pitch,modulation factor(MF)and optimization conditions,and the target area indexes of the three CGS plans were compared including conformity index(CI),homogeneity index(HI),dosimetric parameters of the organ at risk(OAR),point dose verification pass rate,treatment time,number of monitor units and Sinograms.SPSS 22.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results For target area HI,there weres significant differences between CGS Fine plan and Coarse plan and between CGS Normal plan and Coarse plan(P＜0.05),while no statistical differences were found between CGS Fine plan and Normal plan(P＞0.05).For target area CI,there were significant differences between CGS Fine plan and Coarse plan(P＜0.05),while no statistical differences were found between CGS Fine plan and Normal plan and between CGS Normal plan and Coarse plan(P＞0.05).For OAR dosimetric parameters,CGS Fine plan and Coarse plan had significant differences in heart Dmax and Dmean,esophageal Dmax and Dmean,V5,V20,V30 and Dmean of the whole lung and affected lung,V5 and Dmax of the affected lung and heart V10 and V30(P＜0.05),CGS Normal plan and Coarse plan had obvious differences in esophageal Dmax(P＜0.05),and the remained dosimetric parameters were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Fine,Normal and Coarse plans had the point dose verifica-tion pass rates being 0.96％,1.50％and 1.77％,respectively.In terms of treatment time and number of monitor units,there were significant differences between Fine plan and Coarse plan(P＜0.05)while no statistical differences were found between Fine and Normal plans and between Normal and Coarse plans(P＞0.05).Sinograms analyses showed Fine plan had evenly distributed segment color gradient,Coarse plan had areas of very dark and very light color gradients and Normal plan was somewhere in between.Conclusion Low CGS has to be used as much as possible to obtain accurate dose distribution during SBRT planning for NSCLC patients,which contributes to the execution of the radiation therapy plan and the prevention of ad-verse effects.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(2):52-57]