Objective To study the brain functional connectivity(FC)changes in patients with normal tension glau-coma(NTG)and healthy volunteers using FC technique of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)based on V1 region seed point(ROI),so as to explore the pathogenesis and early diagnosis of NTG.Methods Fourteen NTG patients(NTG group)who met the inclusion criteria and 14 healthy controls(HCs group)were enrolled.The clinical data of all subjects were collected,and rs-fMRI was performed in both groups.The magnetic resonance data was pre-pro-cessed by software,and bilateral A1 regions were taken as the ROI to analyze their correction with the whole brain voxel time series and obtain the FC value between the ROI and the whole brain by comparison of FC values in resting state be-tween the groups.Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between FC value in the brain regions with significant differences with the ROI and clinical variables in the NTG group.Results Compared with the subjects in the HCs group,there were no statistically significant differences in age,gender,body weight,cup-disc ratio and 24 h mean intraocular pressure of patients in the NTG group(all P＞0.05),and there were statistically significant differences in the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)of both eyes and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(RNFLT)(all P＜0.05).The Pearson correlation analysis showed that FC value of the brain regions with abnormal FC to V1 region were cor-related with RNFLT in the NTG group(P＜0.05).ROI1-left superior frontal gyrus,ROI1-right superior frontal gyrus,ROI2-left cingulate gyrus and ROI2-right middle frontal gyrus were significantly positively correlated with RNFLT(all P＜0.05).Compared with the HCs group,the brain regions with reduced FC to the right ROI in the NTG group were the left superior frontal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus;the brain regions with reduced FC to the left ROI were the left cingulate gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus.Conclusion Compared to healthy individuals,NTG patients have significant changes in the functional connections between certain specific brain regions and V1 region,including bilateral superior frontal gyrus,left cingulate gyrus,and middle frontal gyrus.The changes in brain functional activity may be caused by visual dysfunction caused by NTG,leading to functional impairment of the visual and cognitive emotion processing brain regions,which may be one of the potential neuropathological mechanisms in NTG patients.

Objective To explore the changes in macular microcirculation status and visual function in patients with normal tension glaucoma(NTG)using the optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)and microperimeter MP-3 and analyze the correlation between the two.Methods In this cross-sectional observational study,17 NTG patients(30 eyes)were collected as the NTG group and then divided into mild,moderate and severe NTG subgroups according to the severity of the disease.During the same period,13 healthy subjects(23 eyes)with the same age and gender distribution were selected as the control group.OCTA was used to obtain linear density(LD)and perfusion density(PD)of superficial retinal vessels in the macular area.The microperimeter MP-3 was used to measure retinal sensitivity(RS)within 10° and fixation rate at 2° and 4° of the macular area.The OCTA parameters and microperimeter MP-3 parameters were compared among all groups,and the correlation between OCTA parameters and microperimeter MP-3 parameters in NTG patients was analyzed.Results There were no significant differences in LD and PD between the control group and the mild NTG sub-group in the central and nasal sides of the macula;the LD and PD in the remaining regions and overall average LD and PD showed a gradual downward trend in the control group and the mild,moderate and severe NTG subgroups.Compared with the control group,the RS of the mild NTG subgroup was lower in the inferior and temporal regions of the macular area.The RS of each region and overall average RS in the macular area decreased with the aggravation of the NTG.In the NTG group,LD and PD were significantly positively correlated with RS in each region and overall average RS in the macular area(all P＜0.05).In the NTG group,LD and PD were positively correlated with P2 in some regions of the macular area.Con-clusion Compared with the control group,the macular microcirculation status and visual function of NTG patients signif-icantly decreased with the progression of the disease;there is a significant correlation between macular LD and RS in NTG patients.

Objective:To explore the application effect of integrated Chinese and Western medicine nursing based on the individual and family self-management theory (IFSMT) in patients with urinary incontinence after stroke, and provide reference for clinical nurses to effectively rehabilitate these patients.Methods:This was a quasi-experimental study. A total of 136 patients with urinary incontinence after stroke who were hospitalized in the Department of Encephalopathy of Shanxi Acupuncture and Moxibology Hospital from February 2022 to May 2023 were selected as the study objects by convenience sampling method. The subjects were divided into the control group and the experimental group with 68 cases in each group by random number table method. The control group received routine rehabilitation nursing, and the experimental group received integrated Chinese and western medicine nursing based on IFSMT on the basis of routine rehabilitation nursing. Urinary status, activities of daily living and quality of life of 2 groups were compared.Results:Ultimately, there were 68 cases were admitted in each group. In the control group, male 45 cases, female 23 cases, aged (62.35 ± 4.94) years old. In the experimental group, male 49 cases, female 19 cases, aged (61.94 ± 5.02) years old. There was no statistical significance in urinary status, activities of daily living and quality of life scores between the 2 groups before the intervention (all P>0.05). After the intervention, the average daily urination frequency of experimental group was (7.94 ± 1.08) times, which was lower than that of control group (9.88 ± 1.09) times; the average daily frequency of incontinence in the experimental group was (3.63 ± 1.65) times, lower than (5.03 ± 3.35)times in the control group; the average daily urine volume of experimental group was (107.34 ± 4.15) ml, higher than (89.62 ± 19.71) ml of control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=10.46,3.09, -7.23, all P<0.05). The scores of activities of daily living in the experimental group was (60.44 ± 3.65) points, which were higher than (46.24 ± 3.29) points in the control group; the Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire score of experimental group was (80.38 ± 4.65) points, which was higher than (64.62 ± 5.62) points of control group; Insomnia Severity Index-Short Form score of the experimental group was (10.94 ± 5.17) points, which was lower than (12.85 ± 4.30) points of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=23.85, -17.86, 2.34, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Integrated Chinese and western medicine nursing intervention based on IFSMT has a positive effect on patients with urinary incontinence after stroke, and can significantly improve patients' urination and daily living activities, thus improving patients' quality of life.

Objective To construct a prokaryotic expression vector of of the long QT syndrome(LQTS)associated C-terminal lobe of calmodulin(CaM)mutant E141G(C-lobeE141G)and to identify the expression,purification,and activity of C-lobeE141G.Methods A cDNA fragment was inserted into a PGEX-6p-3 plasmid vector and transferred into Escherichia coli BL21 receptor cells,and glutathione-S-trans-ferase(GST)fusion protein was induced by isopropyl thio-β-D galactoside(IPTG).Glutathione-Sepharose 4B beads were used to separate and purify GST-C-lobeE141G.After removing the GST label with protease,the purity and concentration of purified C-lobeE141G were detected using SDS-PAGE and BCA,respectively.The activity of purified C-lobeE141G was detected using the GST pull-down method and patch clamp technique.Results GST-C-lobeE141G fusion protein was highly expressed,and C-lobeE141G with high purity and concentration was obtained.The purified C-lobeE141G protein not only bound to CaV1.2 calcium channels,but also rescued the channel activity from run-down in the ventricular myocytes of rat hearts.Conclusion This study successfully constructed a prokaryotic expression vector of C-lobeE141G,which provides a material basis for the study of the mechanism of LQTS mediated by C-lobe mutations in CaM.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Fat accumulation "sensitizes" the liver to insult and leads to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) is involved in metabolic stresses, but its role in NAFLD is unknown. We report that hepatocyte GPR35 mitigates NASH by regulating hepatic cholesterol homeostasis. Specifically, we found that GPR35 overexpression in hepatocytes protected against high-fat/cholesterol/fructose (HFCF) diet-induced steatohepatitis, whereas loss of GPR35 had the opposite effect. Administration of the GPR35 agonist kynurenic acid (Kyna) suppressed HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis in mice. Kyna/GPR35 induced expression of StAR-related lipid transfer protein 4 (STARD4) through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, ultimately resulting in hepatic cholesterol esterification and bile acid synthesis (BAS). The overexpression of STARD4 increased the expression of the BAS rate-limiting enzymes cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1 (CYP7A1) and CYP8B1, promoting the conversion of cholesterol to bile acid. The protective effect induced by GPR35 overexpression in hepatocytes disappeared in hepatocyte STARD4-knockdown mice. STARD4 overexpression in hepatocytes reversed the aggravation of HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis caused by the loss of GPR35 expression in hepatocytes in mice. Our findings indicate that the GPR35-STARD4 axis is a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD.

Objective:To explore the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HAGLR in breast cancer and its effect on the prognosis of breast cancer, and to construct a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network.Methods:The Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology website was used to search for HAGLR chromosome gene mapping and transcript expression. The lnclocater website was used to predict the subcellular localization of HAGLR, and the differential expression of HAGLR in breast cancer tissues and adjacent tissues was analyzed by using lnCAR database. The patients in lnCAR database were divided into HAGLR high expression group and HAGLR low expression according to HAGLR expression. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the overall survival (OS) and metastasis-free survival, which was verified by using UCSC Xena database. lnCAR database was used to search the co-expressed genes of HAGLR. The top 200 co-expressed genes were submitted to the Metascape website for Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis, and protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed. Starbase, a bioinformatics online analysis website, was used to predict HAGLR targeting mircoRNA (miRNA) and mRNA that directly encoded proteins. ceRNA network of HAGLR was constructed with Cytoscape3.8 software.Results:HAGLR gene was localized in 2q31.1 and mainly distributed in cytoplasm. The expression level of HAGLR in breast cancer tissues was higher than that in adjacent tissues, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.001). lnCAR database and UCSC Xena database analysis showed that OS in HAGLR high expression group was worse than that in HAGLR low expression group (all P < 0.01). lnCAR database, the metastasis-free survival in HAGLR high expression group was worse than that in HAGLR low expression group ( P = 0.030). Among the top 200 HAGLR co-expressed genes, 129 genes were negatively correlated with HAGLR and 71 genes were positively correlated with HAGLR. KEGG pathway analysis showed that HAGLR was related to metabolic pathways, MAPK signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway and cancer pathway. GO annotation analysis showed that HAGLR was mainly enriched in cell cycle, centromeric complex assembly, mitotic progression, protein kinase binding, kinase activity regulation, cell response to DNA damage stimulation and other functions. hsa-miR-130b-3p, hsa-miR-1245b-5p, hsa-miR-182b-5p, hsa-miR-512-3p, hsa-miR-302b-3p, hsa-miR-185b-5p, hsa-miR-106b-5p were HAGLR targeting miRNA. Conclusions:HAGLR is highly expressed in breast cancer tissues, and it may be a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer.

Objective:To investigate the distribution of HIV-1 genotypes and drug resistance in newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients in Baoding in 2020.Methods:A self-developed method was used to amplify the pol gene sequence of HIV-1, and the sequencing results were analyzed by phylogenetic analysis and compared with the Stanford drug resistance database to determine the HIV-1 subtypes and gene mutations. Results:A total of 96 patients with HIV-1 infection were recruited in this study, and 83 pol gene sequences were successfully obtained. In the study population, 88 (91.7%) were male with an average age of 39 years and 54 (56.3%) were married. Most of the patients were infected through sexual contact (95.8%, 92/96), and 75.0% (72/96) were through homosexual transmission. Phylogenetic analysis showed that various HIV-1 subtypes were detected and among them, CRF01_AE (51.8%, 43/83), CRF07_BC (24.1%, 20/83) and B subtype (10.8%, 9/83) were the most epidemic strains. Moreover, the subtypes of newly identified recombinant strains in recent years accounted for 13.3% (11/83). Drug resistance test results showed that the pre-treatment drug resistance rate in newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients was 8.4% (7/83), and the drug resistance rates to protease inhibitor (PIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and integrase inhibitors (INIs) were 3.6% (3/83), 1.2% (1/83) and 3.6% (3/83), respectively. Conclusions:The HIV-1 subtypes in the newly diagnosed population in Baoding in 2020 were complex and diverse. There were many unique recombinant strains and drug-resistant strains. Therefore, it was necessary to strengthen drug resistance monitoring as well as the prevention and control of HIV-1 infection in this area.

The immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting on PD-1/PD-L1 has shown remarkable promise in treating cancers. However, the low response rate and frequently observed severe side effects limit its broad benefits. It is partially due to less understanding of the biological regulation of PD-L1. Here, we systematically and comprehensively summarized the regulation of PD-L1 from nuclear chromatin reorganization to extracellular presentation. In PD-L1 and PD-L2 highly expressed cancer cells, a new TAD (topologically associating domain) (chr9: 5,400,000-5,600,000) around CD274 and CD273 was discovered, which includes a reported super-enhancer to drive synchronous transcription of PD-L1 and PD-L2. The re-shaped TAD allows transcription factors such as STAT3 and IRF1 recruit to PD-L1 locus in order to guide the expression of PD-L1. After transcription, the PD-L1 is tightly regulated by miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins via the long 3'UTR. At translational level, PD-L1 protein and its membrane presentation are tightly regulated by post-translational modification such as glycosylation and ubiquitination. In addition, PD-L1 can be secreted via exosome to systematically inhibit immune response. Therefore, fully dissecting the regulation of PD-L1/PD-L2 and thoroughly detecting PD-L1/PD-L2 as well as their regulatory networks will bring more insights in ICB and ICB-based combinational therapy.

The p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is serine/threonine protein kinase that is critical for cancer progression. Guided by X-ray crystallography and structure-based optimization, we report a novel subseries of C-3-substituted 6-ethynyl-1H-indole derivatives that display high potential and specificity towards group II PAKs. Among these inhibitors, compound 55 exhibited excellent inhibitory activity and kinase selectivity, displayed superior anti-migratory and anti-invasive properties against the lung cancer cell line A549 and the melanoma cell line B16. Compound 55 exhibited potent in vivo antitumor metastatic efficacy, with over 80% and 90% inhibition of lung metastasis in A549 or B16-BL6 lung metastasis models, respectively. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that compound 55 mitigated TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Objective:To explore early predictive factors for outcomes of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in neonates.Methods:A total of 242 neonates diagnosed as CH in Shanxi Provincial Newborn Disease Screening Center from October 2009 to October 2014 were enrolled in the study. All CH children were treated with levothyroxine sodium (L-T 4) for 2-3 years and continued to follow up for more than 1 year after drug withdrawal. Seventy two cases dropped out during the follow-up; among 170 patients entering the final analysis, there were 61 cases of permanent congenital hypothyroidism (PCH group) and 109 cases of transient congenital hypothyroidism (TCH group). The clinical data and the L-T 4 dose during follow-up period were compared between two groups; and the predicting factors of clinical outcomes were analyzed. Results:There were significant differences in baseline thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH)level [127.0 (83.7,175.4) μIU/ml vs. 55.8(22.1,102.5)μIU/ml], initial treatment timing [26.0(20.5,34.5)d vs. 31.0(24.0,37.5)d], time required for TSH to return to normal [52.0(33.0,71.5)d vs.36.0(32.0,41.5)d], and thyroid ultrasound results [18.3%(11/60) vs. 94.0%(78/83)] between PCH group and TCH group. The initial screening TSH levels in children (optimal cut-off: 71.29 μIU/ml) and L-T 4 dose at 7 months after diagnosis (optimal cut-off: 24.4 μg/d) can be used for early differentiation between children with PCH and TCH. Conclusion:The initial TSH screening levels and the dose of L-T 4 during the follow-up period have predictive value for early differentiation of PCH and TCH in children.