BACKGROUND:Traumatic brain injury is a condition in which the normal function of the brain is disrupted by a bump or impact to the head.It is necessary to find effective treatments and objective targets that can help doctors diagnose the injury status and restore the brain function of patients. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of electroacupuncture combined with low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation on the electroencephalographic signals of rats with traumatic brain injury. METHODS:Forty 6-week-old SPF male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups:sham group,model group,electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group and combined group(electroacupuncture+low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation),with eight rats in each group.Feeney weight-drop method was used to establish the animal model of traumatic brain injury.In the sham group,the bone window was only opened without impact.Interventions were started at 1 day after modeling.Electroacupuncture in the electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation in the low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group,and electroacupuncture+low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation in the combined group were performed for days in total.The modified neurological severity scale score for assessing rats'neurological deficits was performed at 8 hours after modeling.The percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior in the Y-maze was measured at 7 days after modeling.Then,the electroencephalographic signals were collected and electroencephalographic data of α,β,θ,and δ waves were extracted by fast Fourier transform,and the value of oscillation amplitude and energy ratio were calculated in α,β,θ,and δ waves,as well as the Lempel-Ziv complexity and sample entropy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham group,the modified neurological severity scale scores in the model group,electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group and combined group were significantly increased at 8 hours after modeling(P<0.05).Compared with the sham group,the value of oscillation amplitude in δ wave and the value of δ energy ratio were significantly increased in the model group at 7 days after modeling,meanwhile the percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior in Y-maze,and the value of α/β energy ratio,Lempel-Ziv complexity,and sample entropy were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the value of oscillation amplitude in α and δ waves was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05),while the value of α/β energy ratio was significantly increased(P<0.05)and the value of δ energy ratio was significantly decreased(P<0.05)in the electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group and combined group.Compared with the electroacupuncture group and low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group,the value of δ energy ratio was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05),while the percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior,the value of α/β energy ratio,the Lempel-Ziv complexity,and the sample entropy were significantly increased(P<0.05).To conclude,abnormal electroencephalographic signals can appear in rats with traumatic brain injury,while the electroacupuncture combined with low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation can alleviate the abnormal electroencephalographic signals in rats,which suggests the electroencephalographic frequency domain value and nonlinear features can be used to assess the severity of traumatic brain injury.

Objective To investigate the influence of infertility duration on the outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer(FET)in women under 30 years old.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 540 FET cycles at reproductive center.The cycles were categorized into clinical pregnancy and non-clinical pregnancy groups based on the occurrence of clinical pregnancy.Furthermore,patients were stratified into four groups based on infertility duration:Group A(1-2 years),Group B(3-4 years),Group C(5-6 years),and Group D(7-8 years).Differences in baseline characteristics and clinical pregnancy outcomes among the groups were analyzed.Results Baseline characteristics showed statistical significance only in age differences among the groups(P＜0.05),with no other significant differences.The clinical pregnancy rate(33.93％)and embryo implantation rate(25％)in group C were the lowest,but only the difference in clinical pregnancy rate was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Early miscarriage rates did not show significant differences among the four groups.Conclusion Infertility duration has a discernible impact significant impact on clinical pregnancy rate of FET in women under 30 years old.However,the effect does not linearly increase with longer infertility duration.

Background::Histological healing is closely associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes and lowered relapses in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we developed a novel diagnostic criterion for assessing histological healing in UC patients.Methods::We conducted a retrospective cohort study in UC patients, whose treatment was iteratively optimized to achieve mucosal healing at Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University from January 2017 to May 2022. We identified an inflammatory cell enumeration index (ICEI) for assessing histological healing based on the proportions of eosinophils, CD177 + neutrophils, and CD40L + T cells in the colonic lamina propria under high power field (HPF), and the outcomes (risks of symptomatic relapses) of achieving histological remission vs. persistent histological inflammation using Kaplan-Meier curves. Intrareader reliability and inter-reader reliability were evaluated by each reader. The relationships to the changes in the Nancy index and the Geboes score were also assessed for responsiveness. The ICEI was further validated in a new cohort of UC patients from other nine university hospitals. Results::We developed an ICEI for clinical diagnosis of histological healing, i.e., Y = 1.701X 1 + 0.758X 2 + 1.347X 3 - 7.745 (X 1, X 2, and X 3 represent the proportions of CD177 + neutrophils, eosinophils, and CD40L + T cells, respectively, in the colonic lamina propria under HPF). The receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis revealed that Y <-0.391 was the cutoff value for the diagnosis of histological healing and that an area under the curve (AUC) was 0.942 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.905-0.979) with a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 83.6% ( P <0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the intrareader reliability was 0.855 (95% CI: 0.781-0.909), and ICEI had good inter-reader reliability of 0.832 (95% CI: 0.748-0.894). During an 18-month follow-up, patients with histological healing had a substantially better outcome compared with those with unachieved histological healing ( P <0.001) using ICEI. During a 12-month follow-up from other nine hospitals, patients with histological healing also had a lower risk of relapse than patients with unachieved histological healing. Conclusions::ICEI can be used to predict histological healing and identify patients with a risk of relapse 12 months and 18 months after clinical therapy. Therefore, ICEI provides a promising, simplified approach to monitor histological healing and to predict the prognosis of UC.Registration::Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, No. ChiCTR2300077792.

Objective:To investigate the expression of circ_0063865 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)tissues and cells and its effect on the biological properties of the cells.Methods:The loop structure and stability of circ_0063865 were identified by Sanger sequencing, back-to-back primer validation and the ribonuclease R(Rnase R)tolerance assay.The expression of circ_0063865 was detected by RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization in an ESCC tissue microarray and its clinical relevance was analyzed.The expression levels of circ_0063865 in a normal esophageal epithelial cell line and ESCC cell lines were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR). Cell counting Kit-8, the colony formation assay, the scratch assay, the transwell invasion assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of circ_0063865 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion abilities and apoptosis, respectively.Results:The loop formation of circ_0063865 was verified by Sanger sequencing, back-to-back primer and Rnase R tolerance assays.The results of RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the mean fluorescence intensity of circ_0063865 expressed in ESCC tissues was significantly higher than in its paired paracancerous normal tissues( t=2.267, P<0.05). The expression of circ_0063865 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis( χ2=4.356, P<0.05). The average overall survival time of patients with high circ_0063865 expression ESCC was lower than that of patients with low circ_0063865 expression ESCC.RT-qPCR results demonstrated that, compared with HEEC, circ_0063865 expression was elevated in ESCC cell lines( F=18.413, P<0.05). In addition, after circ_0063865 knockdown, the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of KYSE-30 and KYSE-150 cells were significantly decreased, and the level of apoptosis was significantly increased(both P<0.05). Conclusions:The expression of circ_0063865 in ESCC is high, and changes in its expression are significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis.Additionally, circ_0063865 can promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of ESCC cells.

In the last decade, it has become increasingly recognized that a balanced gut microbiota plays an important role in maintaining the health of the host. Numerous clinical and preclinical studies have shown that changes in gut microbiota composition are associated with a variety of neurological diseases, e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and myasthenia gravis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are complex and remain unclear. Behavioral phenotypes can be transmitted from humans to animals through gut microbiota transplantation, indicating that the gut microbiota may be an important regulator of neurological diseases. However, further research is required to determine whether animal-based findings can be extended to humans and to elucidate the relevant potential mechanisms by which the gut microbiota regulates neurological diseases. Such investigations may aid in the development of new microbiota-based strategies for diagnosis and treatment and improve the clinical management of neurological disorders. In this review, we describe the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and the corresponding mechanisms in common neurological diseases, and discuss the potential roles that the intestinal microbiome may play in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders.
Animals ; Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Nervous System Diseases ; Parkinson Disease ; Microbiota ; Brain

Objective:To investigate the genetic risk factors and prognosis of 190 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS). Methods:The clinical data of 190 patients with MDS admitted to the Department of Hematology,The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2015 to October 2020 were analyzed retrospectively,and the genetic background and survival curve of the patients were also analyzed. Results:MDS patients with higher risk according to International Prognostic Score System(IPSS)stratification at the time of initial diagnosis had more frequent and complex types of gene mutation and chromosomal abnormalities,indicating poor prognosis.The choice of treatment is associated with the prognosis of MDS patients with intermediate risk(IPSS stratification),and the relative risk of the overall survival rate of patients treated with hypomethylating agents is higher than that of patients on concomitant medication. Conclusion:MDS patients with higher-risk(IPSS stratification)have more complex genetic risk factors and lower survival rate than those with lower-risk(IPSS stratification).MDS patients with multiple genetic risk factors have a poor prognosis,and the type of gene mutation is a predictor of prognosis.

Objective: To investigate the neuroprotective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) combined with low⁃intensity transcranial ultrasound (LITUS) treatment on traumatic brain injury (TBI) . Methods: Seventy⁃two SD rats were randomly divided into four groups , namely , control group , TBI group , MSC injection group , and combined treatment group , with 18 rats in each group. TBI model was established by applying a pneumatic controlled cortical impingement instrument. Within 24 h after surgery , MSC was injected into the injury site by microinjector and microinjector pump using in situ injection. After injection , the injury site was treated with LITUS for 28 consecutive days using an ultrasound stimulator. The modified neurological functioning score ( mNSS) was performed on rats in each group at 1 , 3 , 7 , 14 , 21 and 28 days postoperatively , and then the brains were extracted to detect pathological changes at the injury site and the mRNA and protein expression of brain⁃derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) , growth associated protein⁃43 ( GAP⁃43) , postsynaptic density protein⁃95 ( PSD⁃95 ) and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) by HE staining , immunohistochemistry , Western blot and RT⁃PCR. Results: Compared with the control group , the mNSS score increased in the TBI group (P < 0. 05) , the expression of GAP⁃43 and PSD⁃95 decreased , and the expression of GFAP increased ( P < 0. 05 ) ; Compared with the TBI group , the mNSS score of MSC group was lower (P < 0. 05) , the expression of BDNF , GAP⁃43 , PSD⁃95 increased , and the expression of GFAP decreased (P < 0. 05) ; mNSS scores were lower in the combined treatment group than those in the MSC group (P < 0. 05) , the expression of BDNF , GAP⁃43 , PSD⁃95 increased , and the expression of GFAP decreased (P < 0. 05) . Conclusion The mechanism by which MSC combined with LITUS exerts neuroprotective effects in TBI may be related to the promotion of BDNF , GAP⁃43 , and PSD⁃95 expression and reduction of GFAP expression.

Anti-neurexin-3α antibody-associated encephalitis is rare in clinical practice. It often has a history of pre-infection. It is characterized by abnormal mental behavior, seizures, decreased consciousness, cognitive and sleep disorders, movement disorder, central hypoventilation and autonomic nervous dysfunction. Among them, dyskinesias are mainly involuntary movements of the mouth, face and limbs, dystonia, myoclonic seizures and other manifestations of increased movement. Parkinson′s symptoms manifested as decreased movement are rarely reported. A encephalitis patient with positive anti-neurexin-3α antibody is reported, who is a young female, mainly with parkinsonism such as slow movement, unsteady walking, difficulty in starting and turning around, and inability to hold things in both upper limbs, accompanied by abnormal mental behavior and cognitive dysfunction. After treatment with methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin, the prognosis is good.

An increasing number of studies have recently indicated the important effects of gut microbes on various functions of the central nervous system.However, the underlying mechanisms by which gut microbiota regulate brain functions and behavioral phenotypes remain largely unknown. We therefore used isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic analysis to obtain proteomic profiles of the hippocampus in germ-free (GF), colonized GF, and specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice. We then integrated the resulting proteomic data with previously reported mRNA microarray data, to further explore the effects of gut microbes on host brain functions. We identified that 61 proteins were upregulated and 242 proteins were downregulated in GF mice compared with SPF mice. Of these, 124 proteins were significantly restored following gut microbiota colonization. Bioinformatic analysis of these significant proteins indicated that the glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathway and inflammation-related pathways were the most enriched disrupted pathways. This study provides new insights into the pathological mechanisms of gut microbiota-regulated diseases.

Objective:The paper aims to analyze achievements and problems of interdisciplinary collaborative research between medicine and engineering carried out jointly by the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao and Yanshan University, to provide further reference for municipal hospitals.Methods:The data of scientific research of the medicine-engineering interdisciplinary collaboration in past 8 years were analyzed with specific focus on the characteristics, academic level and discipline distribution.Results:Academic level of the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao was significantly improved through such medicine-engineering interdisciplinary scientific research collaboration, especially in disciplines such as orthopaedics, rehabilitation medicine, medical imaging that are closely related to engineering disciplines.Conclusions:Deficiency of scientific research resources faced by municipal hospitals can be mitigated by medicine-engineering interdisciplinary collaboration with universities, and medicine-engineering interdisciplinary collaboration can be a possible way to improve academic level of municipal hospitals.