BACKGROUND:Deep muscle stimulation has the effects of releasing muscle adhesion,relieving muscle spasm,improving and restoring muscle compliance and elasticity.Electromyographic biofeedback therapy can promote nerve recovery and improve lower limb motor function and gait. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of the effect of deep muscle stimulation combined with electromyographic biofeedback therapy on the spasm of the triceps surae and gait changes after stroke by using a digital muscle detector and three-dimensional gait analysis system. METHODS:A total of 72 patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected from the Rehabilitation Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University from October 2020 to October 2023.And they were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups(n=36 per group):a control group and a combined group.The control group received routine rehabilitation therapies,electromyographic biofeedback and pseudo deep muscle stimulation,while the combined group received true deep muscle stimulation treatment on the basis of the control group,five times per week,for 4 consecutive weeks.The oscillation frequency and dynamic stiffness of the affected gastrocnemius muscle,active range of motion of the ankle dorsiflexion muscle,electromyographic signal of the tibialis anterior muscle,Fugl-Meyer assessment of the lower limbs,and three-dimensional gait analysis parameters were statistically analyzed before and after treatment in two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After treatment,oscillation frequency and dynamic stiffness values of the inner and outer sides of the affected gastrocnemius muscle in both groups of patients were significantly reduced compared with before treatment(P<0.05),and the combined group showed a more significant decrease compared with the control group(P<0.05).The active range of motion of the ankle dorsiflexion muscle,electromyographic signal of the tibialis anterior muscle,and Fugl-Meyer scores after treatment were significantly increased or improved compared with before treatment(P<0.05),while the combined group showed a more significant increase or improvement compared with the control group(P<0.05).In terms of gait parameters,the walking speed,frequency,and stride in both groups of patients were significantly increased compared with before treatment(P<0.05),while the combined group showed a more significant increase compared with the control group(P<0.05).The percentage time of support phase on the healthy side was shortened compared with before treatment(P<0.05),while the combined group showed a more significant decrease compared with the control group(P<0.05).In addition,there was no significant difference between the two groups except for the percentage of healthy side support(P>0.05).To conclude,the combination of deep muscle stimulation and electromyographic biofeedback can effectively alleviate triceps spasm in the short term after stroke,improve ankle dorsiflexion function,enhance lower limb motor function,and improve gait.The treatment effect is significant and worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Objectives: . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits high recurrence rates, particularly in cases of radioresistant HNSCC (RR-HNSCC). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) therapy effectively suppresses the progression of HNSCC. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of NTP therapy in treating RR-HNSCC are not well understood. In this study, we explored the regulatory role of NTP in the RR-HNSCC signaling pathway and identified its signature genes. Methods: . After constructing two RR-HNSCC cell lines, we prepared cell lysates from cells treated or not treated with NTP-activated media (NTPAM) and performed RNA sequencing to determine their mRNA expression profiles. Based on the RNA sequencing results, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a bioinformatics analysis to identify candidate molecules potentially associated with NTPAM therapy for RR-HNSCC. Results: . NTPAM reduced RR-HNSCC cell viability in vitro. RNA sequencing results indicated that NTPAM treatment activated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and induced ferroptosis in RR-HNSCC cell lines. Among the 1,924 genes correlated with radiation treatment, eight showed statistical significance in both the cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Only five genes—ABCC3, DUSP16, PDGFB, RAF1, and THBS1—showed consistent results between the NTPAM data sequencing and TCGA data. LASSO regression analysis revealed that five genes were associated with cancer prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 2.26. In RR-HNSCC cells, NTPAM affected DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 as activated markers within 6 hours, and this effect persisted for 12 hours. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that these three DEGs were associated with the extracellular matrix, transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor pathways. Conclusion . NTPAM therapy exerts cytotoxic effects in RR-HNSCC cell lines by inducing specific ROS-mediated ferroptosis. DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 were identified as crucial targets for reversing the radiation resistance induced by NTPAM therapy, providing insights into the mechanisms and clinical applications of NTPAM treatment in RR-HNSCC.

Objectives: . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits high recurrence rates, particularly in cases of radioresistant HNSCC (RR-HNSCC). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) therapy effectively suppresses the progression of HNSCC. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of NTP therapy in treating RR-HNSCC are not well understood. In this study, we explored the regulatory role of NTP in the RR-HNSCC signaling pathway and identified its signature genes. Methods: . After constructing two RR-HNSCC cell lines, we prepared cell lysates from cells treated or not treated with NTP-activated media (NTPAM) and performed RNA sequencing to determine their mRNA expression profiles. Based on the RNA sequencing results, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a bioinformatics analysis to identify candidate molecules potentially associated with NTPAM therapy for RR-HNSCC. Results: . NTPAM reduced RR-HNSCC cell viability in vitro. RNA sequencing results indicated that NTPAM treatment activated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and induced ferroptosis in RR-HNSCC cell lines. Among the 1,924 genes correlated with radiation treatment, eight showed statistical significance in both the cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Only five genes—ABCC3, DUSP16, PDGFB, RAF1, and THBS1—showed consistent results between the NTPAM data sequencing and TCGA data. LASSO regression analysis revealed that five genes were associated with cancer prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 2.26. In RR-HNSCC cells, NTPAM affected DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 as activated markers within 6 hours, and this effect persisted for 12 hours. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that these three DEGs were associated with the extracellular matrix, transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor pathways. Conclusion . NTPAM therapy exerts cytotoxic effects in RR-HNSCC cell lines by inducing specific ROS-mediated ferroptosis. DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 were identified as crucial targets for reversing the radiation resistance induced by NTPAM therapy, providing insights into the mechanisms and clinical applications of NTPAM treatment in RR-HNSCC.

Objectives: . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits high recurrence rates, particularly in cases of radioresistant HNSCC (RR-HNSCC). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) therapy effectively suppresses the progression of HNSCC. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of NTP therapy in treating RR-HNSCC are not well understood. In this study, we explored the regulatory role of NTP in the RR-HNSCC signaling pathway and identified its signature genes. Methods: . After constructing two RR-HNSCC cell lines, we prepared cell lysates from cells treated or not treated with NTP-activated media (NTPAM) and performed RNA sequencing to determine their mRNA expression profiles. Based on the RNA sequencing results, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a bioinformatics analysis to identify candidate molecules potentially associated with NTPAM therapy for RR-HNSCC. Results: . NTPAM reduced RR-HNSCC cell viability in vitro. RNA sequencing results indicated that NTPAM treatment activated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and induced ferroptosis in RR-HNSCC cell lines. Among the 1,924 genes correlated with radiation treatment, eight showed statistical significance in both the cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Only five genes—ABCC3, DUSP16, PDGFB, RAF1, and THBS1—showed consistent results between the NTPAM data sequencing and TCGA data. LASSO regression analysis revealed that five genes were associated with cancer prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 2.26. In RR-HNSCC cells, NTPAM affected DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 as activated markers within 6 hours, and this effect persisted for 12 hours. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that these three DEGs were associated with the extracellular matrix, transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor pathways. Conclusion . NTPAM therapy exerts cytotoxic effects in RR-HNSCC cell lines by inducing specific ROS-mediated ferroptosis. DUSP16, PDGFB, and THBS1 were identified as crucial targets for reversing the radiation resistance induced by NTPAM therapy, providing insights into the mechanisms and clinical applications of NTPAM treatment in RR-HNSCC.

To promote the development of extracellular vesicles of herbal medicine especially the establishment of standardization, led by the National Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles, research experts in the field of herbal medicine and extracellular vesicles were invited nationwide with the support of the Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles, Professional Committee on Extracellular Vesicle Research and Application, Chinese Society of Research Hospitals and the Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Chinese Herbal Vesicles. Based on the collation of relevant literature, we have adopted the Delphi method, the consensus meeting method combined with the nominal group method to form a discussion draft of "Consensus statement on research and application of Chinese herbal medicine derived extracellular vesicles-like particles (2023)". The first draft was discussed in online and offline meetings on October 12, 14, November 2, 2022 and April and May 2023 on the current status of research, nomenclature, isolation methods, quality standards and research applications of extracellular vesicles of Chinese herbal medicines, and 13 consensus opinions were finally formed. At the Third Academic Conference on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles, held on May 26, 2023, Kewei Zhao, convenor of the consensus, presented and read the consensus to the experts of the Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles. The consensus highlights the characteristics and advantages of Chinese medicine, inherits the essence, and keeps the righteousness and innovation, aiming to provide a reference for colleagues engaged in research and application of Chinese herbal vesicles at home and abroad, decode the mystery behind Chinese herbal vesicles together, establish a safe, effective and controllable accurate Chinese herbal vesicle prevention and treatment system, and build a bridge for Chinese medicine to the world.

Objective To investigate the radioactivity levels of gross α and gross β in foods around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant, China before operation. Methods Forty-nine samples from 33 kinds of foods in 5 categories of daily food around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant were collected, pretreated, dried, and ashed. The radioactivity levels of gross α and gross β were measured by the low-background α and β measuring instrument. The atomic absorption technique was employed to measure the level of potassium (K), and the radioactivity level of gross β (subtracting ⁴⁰K) was calculated with K concentrations in different foods consulted from the nutritional dietary system. Results The radioactivity levels of gross α in vegetables and fruits, grain, poultry and livestock, aquatic products, and tea around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant were < minimum detectable level (MDL)-7.97, < MDL-6.82, < MDL, < MDL-20.76, and 11.90-23.08 Bq/kg, respectively; the radioactivity levels of gross β were 34.56-122.81, 13.05-188.96, 56.00-108.34, 17.86-169.01, and 123.74-171.63 Bq/kg, respectively; the radioactivity levels of gross β (subtracting ⁴⁰K) were not detected (ND)-14.27, ND-27.86, ND-48.72, ND-45.85, and 6.69-13.79 Bq/kg, respectively. Conclusion The radioactivity of gross α and gross β in foods around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant before operation is basically at the same level as that in other areas of China.

Objective To measure the diameter of the corpus callosum in children aged 0-14 years using midsagittal high-resolution MRI,and to find the normal reference values of the diameter of the corpus callosum in children of different ages.Methods The imaging data of 967 children with normal brain MRI were retrospectively selected and grouped according to age.The anteroposterior diameter(APD),thickness of the genu(GT),thickness of the body(BT),thickness of the isthmus(IT),thickness of the splenium(ST)and fronto-occipital diameter(FOD)of the corpus callosum were measured on the midsagittal plane of the brain.The diameters of the corpus callosum on the midsagittal plane of the brain of children at different ages were measured.The correlation analysis between the diameter of the corpus callosum and age were performed.Results The APD,GT,BT,IT,ST and FOD were positively correlated with age(r=0.660,0.590,0.528,0.521,0.660,0.597,P<0.01).The IT variation was the greatest in the subregions of the corpus callosum.The growth peak of GT and ST of corpus callosum appeared before 2 years of age.Conclusion The establishment of the normal reference value of different subregions of the corpus callosum in children can help to accurately evaluate the development of the corpus callosum,which is conducive to the evaluation of the prognosis of diseases related to the corpus callosum.

BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)can release a large number of exosomes(Exos).The effect of Exos derived from BMSCs on hepatocyte apoptosis and the specific mechanism has not been fully clarified. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of miR-21-5p carried by Exos derived from BMSCs on apoptosis of rat liver cells and its mechanism. METHODS:Rat BMSCs were isolated and miR-21-5p NC or miR-21-5p inhibitor was transfected into BMSCs.The Exos were extracted by ultracentrifugation and named(BMSCs+miR-21-5p NC)-Exos and(BMSCs+miR-21-5p inhibitor)-Exos.BMSCs-derived Exos were co-cultured with rat hepatocytes to observe the effect of inhibiting miR-21-5p expression on the apoptosis of rat hepatocytes.The targeting relationship between miR-21-5p and PIK3R1 was verified by double luciferase reporter gene detection.TUNEL was used to detect the effect of miR-21-5p directly targeting PIK3R1 in Exos to activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway on hepatocyte apoptosis in BRL rats. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The double luciferase reporting system confirmed that when PI3KR1 wild type vector and miR-21-5p mimics co-transfected 293T cells,the luciferase activity decreased significantly compared with the PI3KR1 mutant vector co-transfected group,indicating that miR-21-5p could target PIK3R1.(2)TUNEL test results showed that compared with(BMSCs+miR-21-5p NC)-Exos group,(BMSCs+miR-21-5p inhibitor)-Exos treatment significantly increased the apoptosis rate.Compared with the(BMSCs+miR-21-5p NC)-Exos group,after the addition of AKT inhibitor LY294002,the apoptosis rate was significantly increased.(3)The results indicate that Exos may inhibit the apoptosis of BRL rat hepatocytes through miR-21-5p,in which miR-21-5p directly targets PIK3R1 to activate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the expressions of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer(EMMPRIN),matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),lysine demethylase 6B(KDM6B)proteins and their correlation with clinicopathologic features in invasive breast cancer,and analyze the correlation among the three proteins and their value in pathological diagnosis of invasive breast cancer.Methods The surgical biopsy specimens of 124 patients with invasive breast cancer who were admitted to the Department of Pathology,the Fifth Clinical Medical College of Henan University of Chinese Medicine/People's Hospital of Zhengzhou from January 2014 to December 2017 were selected as research subjects,and 20 low-grade intraductal carcinoma tissue specimens,27 high-grade intraductal carcinoma tissue specimens,and 22 adjacent tissue specimens＞1 cm away from the invasive breast cancer were selected as controls.The expressions of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B proteins in cancer-adjacent tissues,low-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues,high-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues and invasive breast cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry.The relationship between the relative expressions of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B proteins and clinicopathologic features of invasive breast cancer was analyzed,Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B proteins in breast cancer tissues,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was adopted to evaluate the diagnostic value of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B for invasive breast cancer.Results The relative expressions of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 proteins in high-grade intraductal carcinoma and invasive breast cancer tissues were significantly higher those in cancer-adjacent tissues and low-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues,and the relative expression of KDM6B protein was significantly lower than those in cancer-adjacent tissues and low-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues(P＜0.05);the relative expressions of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 proteins in invasive breast cancer tissues were significantly higher those in high-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues,and the relative expression of KDM6B protein was significantly lower than that in high-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the relative expressions of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B proteins between cancer-adjacent tissues and low-grade intraductal carcinoma tissues(P＞0.05).The relative expressions of EMMPRIN and KDM6B proteins were not related to the age,tumor location and tumor diameter of patients with invasive breast cancer(P＞0.05),and the relative expression of MMP-9 protein was not related to the age and tumor location of patients with invasive breast cancer(P＞0.05).Relative expressions of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B proteins were correlated with WHO grading,lymph node metastasis,and tumor,node and metastasis(TNM)staging of invasive breast cancer(P＜0.05),and the relative expression of MMP-9 protein was correlated with the tumor diameter(P＜0.05).In the WHO grades Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ of invasive breast cancer,the relative expressions of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 proteins increased sequentially,while the relative expression of KDM6B protein decreased sequentially(P＜0.05);the relative expressions of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 proteins in the lymph node metastasis group were significantly higher than those in the non-lymph node metastasis group,and the relative expression of KDM6B protein was significantly lower than that in the non-lymph node metastasis group(P＜0.05);the relative expressions of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 proteins in TNM stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ were significantly higher than those in stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ(P＜0.05),while the relative expression of KDM6B protein was significantly lower than that in stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ(P＜0.05).In the group of invasive breast cancer with diameter≤2 cm,2 to 5 cm,and＞5 cm,the relative expression of MMP-9 protein increased sequentially(P＜0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that the expression of EMMPRIN was positively correlated with MMP-9 protein in invasive breast cancer tissues(r=0.990,P=0.000),the expression of EMMPRIN was negatively correlated with KDM6B protein(r=-0.606,P=0.000),and the expression of MMP-9 was negatively correlated with KDM6B protein(r=-0.612,P=0.000).ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of EMMPRIN protein for diagnosing invasive breast cancer was 0.875[95％confidence interval(CI):0.823-0.926,P＜0.05],with an optimal threshold of 10.043,sensitivity of 79.0％,and specificity of 76.8％;the AUC of MMP-9 protein in diagnosing invasive breast cancer was 0.863(95％CI:0.808-0.917,P＜0.05),with an optimal threshold of 10.070,sensitivity of 74.2％,and specificity of 76.8％;the AUC of KDM6B protein in diagnosing invasive breast cancer was 0.267(95％CI:0.196-0.338,P＜0.05),with an optimal threshold of 11.003,sensitivity of 71.0％,and specificity of 98.6％.Conclusion EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B are related to the occurrence and development of invasive breast cancer.Detection of the expressions of EMMPRIN,MMP-9 and KDM6B is helpful to the pathological diagnosis of invasive breast cancer and clinical judgment of invasion and metastasis of breast cancer.

AIM:To investigate the effect of cellular Sloan-Kettering Institute(c-SKI)protein expression on myocardial fibrosis in mice treated with andrgrapholide(Andr).METHODS:Male C57 mice were randomly divided into control group,model group[isoprenaline(ISO)group]and ISO+Andr group,with 6 mice per group.The mice in ISO and ISO+Andr groups were subcutaneously injected with ISO,while those in control group were injected with normal sa-line.The mice in ISO+Andr group was intragastrically given Andr,while those in ISO and control groups were given nor-mal saline.The histopathological characteristics of the heart tissue were detected by HE and Masson staining after 8 weeks of administration.The expression levels of c-SKI and extracellular matrix(ECM)-related proteins were detected by immu-nohistochemistry or Western blot.The c-SKI mRNA level was detected by qPCR.Human cardiac fibroblasts(HCFBs)were treated with different concentrations of Andr for 48 h.The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay,and the c-SKI and ECM-related protein levels were detected by Western blot.The transdifferentiated cell model was treated with the lowest effective dose of Andr.The cell morphology was observed under a microscope,the levels of c-SKI and ECM-related pro-teins were assessed by Western blot,and the c-SKI mRNA level was detected by qPCR.The transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)-treated HCFBs were treated with the combination of c-SKI knockdown and Andr.The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay,and the levels of c-SKI and ECM-related proteins were detected by Western blot.RESULTS:After the intervention of Andr,the myocardial fibers in mice were neatly arranged,the morphology of myocardial cells was basically normal,the cell membrane was intact,and the collagen volume fraction was significantly reduced(P＜0.01).The mRNA and protein levels of c-SKI were significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the protein levels of fibronectin 1(FN1),α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),vimentin and collagen type I(Col I)were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.01).After 50 μmol/L Andr treatment for 48 h,the viability of HCFBs was significantly decreased(P＜0.01),the pro-tein levels of Col I,α-SMA,vimentin and FN1 were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.01),and c-SKI expression was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.01).Compared with PBS group,the number of the HCFBs in TGF-β1 group increased with flattened and irregular morphological change,and the FN1,α-SMA,Col I and vimentin levels were significantly in-creased(P＜0.01),while c-SKI expression was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).After Andr intervention,the induction effect of TGF-β1 on HCFBs was reversed.Knockdown of c-SKI combined with Andr treatment in HCFBs significantly down-regulated c-SKI expression(P＜0.01),significantly up-regulated FN1,α-SMA,vimentin and Col I levels(P＜0.05),and significantly increased the cell viability.CONCLUSION:Andrgrapholide may affect the TGF-β1 signaling pathway by regulating c-SKI expression,and inhibit the proliferation of myocardial fibroblasts and ECM deposition,thus inhibiting myocardial fibrosis.