Objective To investigate the changes in eosinophil counts and the activation of microglial cells in the brain tissues of mice at different stages of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, and to examine the role of microglia in regulating the progression of angiostrongyliasis and unravel the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods Fifty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-day and 25-d infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. All mice in infection groups were infected with 30 stage III A. cantonensis larvae by gavage, and animals in the control group was given an equal amount of physiological saline. Five mice were collected from each of infection groups on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice were collected from the control group on the day of oral gavage. The general and focal functional impairment was scored using the Clark scoring method to assess the degree of mouse neurological impairment. Five mice from each of infection groups were sacrificed on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice from the control group were sacrificed on the day of oral gavage. Mouse brain tissues were sampled, and the pathological changes of brain tissues were dynamically observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Immunofluorescence staining with eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) was used to assess the degree of eosinophil infiltration and the counts of microglial cells in mouse brain tissues in each group, and the morphological parameters of microglial cells (skeleton analysis and fractal analysis) were quantified by using Image J software to determine the morphological changes of microglial cells. In addition, the expression of M1 microglia markers Fcγ receptor III (Fcgr3), Fcγ receptor IIb (Fcgr2b) and CD86 antigen (Cd86), M2 microglia markers Arginase 1 (Arg1), macrophage mannose receptor C-type 1 (Mrc1), chitinase-like 3 (Chil3), and phagocytosis genes myeloid cell triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), CD68 antigen (Cd68), and apolipoprotein E (Apoe) was quantified using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay in the mouse cerebral cortex of mice post-infection. Results A large number of A. cantonensis larvae were seen on the mouse meninges surface post-infection, and many neuronal nuclei were crumpled and deeply stained, with a large number of bleeding points in the meninges. The median Clark scores of mouse general functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 0 (interquartile range, 0.5), 6 (interquartile range, 1.0), 14 (interquartile range, 8.5) points and 20 (interquartile range, 9.0) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.45, P < 0.01), and the median Clark scores of mouse focal functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 2 (interquartile range, 2.5), 7 (interquartile range, 3.0), 18 (interquartile range, 5.0) points and 25 (interquartile range, 6.5) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.72, P < 0.01). The mean scores of mice general and focal functional impairment were all higher in the infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed a significant difference in the eosinophil counts in mouse brain tissues among the five groups (F = 40.05, P < 0.000 1), and the eosinophil counts were significantly higher in mouse brain tissues in the 14-d (3.08 ± 0.78) and 21-d infection groups (5.97 ± 1.37) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.28) (both P values < 0.05). Semi-quantitative analysis of microglia immunofluorescence showed a significant difference in the counts of microglial cells among the five groups (F = 17.66, P < 0.000 1), and higher Iba1 levels were detected in mouse brain tissues in 14-d (5.75 ± 1.28), 21-d (6.23 ± 1.89) and 25-d infection groups (3.70 ± 1.30) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.30) (all P values < 0.05). Skeleton and fractal analyses showed that the branch length [(162.04 ± 34.10) μm vs. (395.37 ± 64.11) μm; t = 5.566, P < 0.05] and fractal dimension of microglial cells (1.30 ± 0.01 vs. 1.41 ± 0.03; t = 5.266, P < 0.05) were reduced in mouse brain tissues in the 21-d infection group relative to the control group. In addition, there were significant differences among the 5 groups in terms of M1 and M2 microglia markers Fcgr3 (F = 48.34, P < 0.05), Fcgr2b (F = 55.46, P < 0.05), Cd86 (F = 24.44, P < 0.05), Arg1 (F = 31.18, P < 0.05), Mrc1 (F = 15.42, P < 0.05) and Chil3 (F = 24.41, P < 0.05), as well as phagocytosis markers Trem2 (F = 21.19, P < 0.05), Cd68 (F = 43.95, P < 0.05) and Apoe (F = 7.12, P < 0.05) in mice brain tissues. Conclusions A. cantonensis infections may induce severe pathological injuries in mouse brain tissues that are characterized by massive eosinophil infiltration and persistent activation of microglia cells, thereby resulting in progressive deterioration of neurological functions.

Objective: To evaluate the incremental vaccine effectiveness (VE) of two dose of the mumps containing vaccine (MuCV) in chidren, so as to provide a basis for optimizing mumps immunization strategies. Methods: A 1∶2 frequency matched case-control study was conducted by using reported mumps cases in childcare centers or schools from Lu an, Hefei, Ma anshan and Huainan cities of Anhui Province from September 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, as a case group(383 cases). And healthy children in the same classroom were selected as a control group(766 cases). The MuCV immunization histories of participants were collected to estimate the incremental VE of the second dose of MuCV against mumps. Group comparisons were performed using the Chi square test or t-test. For matched case-control pairs, the Cox regression model was employed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for two dose MuCV vaccination and to estimate the incremental vaccine effectiveness (VE). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the case and control groups regarding gender, age, dosage of MuCV vaccination and the time interval since the last dose vaccination( χ 2/t=0.05, 0.20, 0.94, -0.02, P >0.05). The proportions of the case and control groups vaccinated with two doses of MuCV were 26.63% and 29.37%, respectively, and the overall incremental VE of the second dose of MuCV was 40.73% (95% CI=3.03%-63.77%, P <0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that the incremental VE for children with a period of ≥1 year between the two doses of MuCV was 54.13% (95% CI=1.90%-78.56%, P <0.05), while for children with a period of <1 year, it was 30.63% (95% CI=-28.59%-62.58%, P >0.05). The incremental VE of the second dose of MuCV was 30.36% (95% CI=-25.95%-61.50%, P >0.05) in kindergarten children and 66.73% (95% CI=14.92%-86.99%, P <0.05) in elementary and secondary school students. The incremental VE was 28.78% (95% CI=-27.46%-60.21%, P >0.05) within five years of the last dose of MuCV vaccination and 66.07% (95% CI=-41.56%-91.87%, P >0.05) for vaccinations administered beyond five years. Conclusions The second dose of MuCV may offer additional protection for children; however, extending the interval between two dose of MuCV (<1 year) has shown limited incremental protective effects. Therefore, it is crucial to consider optimizing current immunization strategies for mumps.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.06.016.].

Background Salidroside (SAL) has a protective effect on multiple organ systems. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) in the atmosphere may lead to disruptions in gut microbiota and impact intestinal health. The regulatory effect of SAL on the gut microbiota of mice exposed to PM_2.5 requires further investigation. Objective To evaluate gut microbiota disruption in mice after being exposed to PM_2.5 and the potential effect of SAL. Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6 to 8 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, an SAL group, a PM_2.5 group, and an SAL+PM_2.5 group, each containing 10 mice. In the SAL group and the SAL+PM_2.5 group, the mice were administered SAL (60 mg·kg⁻¹) by gavage, while in the control group and the PM_2.5 group, sterile saline (10 mL·kg⁻¹) was administered by gavage. In the PM_2.5 group and the SAL+PM_2.5 group, PM_2.5 suspension (8 mg·kg⁻¹) was intratracheally instilled, and in the control group and SAL group, sterile saline (1.5 mL·kg⁻¹) was intratracheally administered. Each experiment cycle spanned 2 d, with a total of 10 cycles conducted over 20 d. Histopathological changes in the ileum tissue of the mice were observed after HE staining. Colon contents were collected for gut microbiota sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) measurements. Results The PM_2.5 group showed infiltration of inflammatory cells in the ileum tissue, while the SAL+PM_2.5 group exhibited only a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared to the control group, the PM_2.5 group showed decreased Shannon index (P<0.05) and increased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in this group was decreased; the SAL+PM_2.5 group showed increased Shannon index compared to the PM_2.5 group (P<0.05) and decreased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in mice intervened with SAL was increased. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed a significant separation between the PM_2.5 group and the control group, while the separation trend was less evident among the control group, the SAL group, and the SAL+PM_2.5 group. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) clustering tree results showed that the control group and the SAL group clustered together first, followed by clustering with the SAL+PM_2.5 group, and finally, the three groups clustered with the PM_2.5 group. The PCoA and UPGMA clustering results indicated that the uniformity and similarity of the microbiota in the PM_2.5 group were significantly decreased. Compared to the control group, the PM_2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05) and increased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, genus Escherichia, genus Bacteroides, genus Prevotella, genus Enterococcus, and genus Proteus (P<0.05). Compared to the PM_2.5 group, the SAL+PM_2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, phylum Actinobacteria, genus Prevotella, and genus Proteus (P<0.05), and increased abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05). The PM_2.5 group showed reduced levels of propionic acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the control group (P<0.05), while the SAL+PM_2.5 group showed increased levels of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the PM_2.5 group (P<0.05). Conclusion Exposure to PM_2.5 can cause pathological alterations, microbial dysbiosis, and disturbing production of SCFAs in intestinal tissue in mice. However, SAL can provide a certain degree of protective effect against these changes.

BACKGROUND:Bone is a remarkable natural material possessing piezoelectric properties.By harnessing the biomimetic piezoelectric effect,tissue engineering materials can be employed to effectively address bone tissue defects and facilitate their repair. OBJECTIVE:Using a solid-phase force chemistry technique,a piezoelectric scaffold with inherent osteogenic properties was meticulously fabricated.This unique scaffold was then assessed for its impact on osteoblast adhesion,proliferation,and osteogenic differentiation. METHODS:Polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)powders,along with commercially available NaCl(mass ratios are 60:40,50:50,40:60,and 30:70,respectively),were subjected to solid-phase shear milling technology,resulting in a homogenous mixture.Through a melting process,a substantial material was formed,and subsequent treatment with a pure water solution effectively eliminated the NaCl.Consequently,PVDF piezoelectric foam scaffolds with varying pore sizes were successfully prepared.These materials were categorized as PVDF-40,PVDF-50,PVDF-60,and PVDF-70,denoting the respective mass percentages of NaCl during preparation.The surface morphology,crystal phase composition,thermodynamic behavior,mechanical properties,and piezoelectric properties of each group were meticulously characterized.The four kinds of piezoelectric foam scaffolds were co-cultured with the MG63 osteoblast cell line to evaluate its biocompatibility and potential to promote bone differentiation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The scanning electron microscopy,four groups of scaffolds had multi-level pores.As the NaCl mass fraction in the mixed powder increased,the porosity of the scaffolds increased.X-ray energy dispersion spectrum,X-ray diffraction,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,and thermogravimetric analysis collectively revealed the scaffold predominantly comprised the α phase,which inherently lacked piezoelectric properties.However,the application of solid-phase force chemistry successfully stimulated the formation of the β phase,thereby enhancing the scaffold's piezoelectric properties.Notably,the PVDF-60 group exhibited the highest proportion of the β phase among all the tested groups.The results of cyclic compression testing and piezoelectric performance assessment demonstrated that the PVDF-60 group exhibited superior compressive strength and piezoelectric performance compared to the other groups.(2)The findings from scanning electron microscopy and laser confocal microscopy exhibited that MG63 cells adhered well to the surface of the four groups of scaffolds,with good morphology,extended more pseudopods,and secreted a large amount of extracellular matrix.CCK-8 assay revealed that the proliferative absorbance of PVDF-60 cells cultured for 4 days was higher than that of the other three groups(P<0.000 1).Alkaline phosphatase staining and alizarin red staining showed that the expression of alkaline phosphatase and the number of calcified nodules in the PVDF-60 group were higher than those in the other three groups(P<0.01,P<0.000 1).(3)The piezoelectric PVDF foam-based scaffolds demonstrated favorable cytocompatibility.Notably,the PVDF-60 group showed superior mechanical properties,piezoelectric performance,and bone-inducing capabilities.

Objective:To analyze the efficacy and safety of nalbuphine for analgesia in patients with non-mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:From December 2018 to August 2021, a multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted to select non-mechanical ventilation patients with analgesic needs admitted to ICU of four hospitals in Henan Province and Guizhou Province. Patients were randomly assigned to nalbuphine group and fentanyl group. The nalbuphine group was given continuous infusion of nalbuphine [0.05~0.20 mg/(kg·h)], and the fentanyl group was given continuous infusion of fentanyl [0.5~2.0 μg/(kg·h)]. The analgesic target was critical-care pain observation tool (CPOT) score<2. The observation time was 48 hours. The primary endpoint was CPOT score, the secondary endpoints were Richmond agitation-sedation score (RASS), ICU length of stay, adverse events, and proportion of mechanical ventilation. The quantitative data of the two groups were compared by t test or Mann-Whitney U test. The enumeration data were compared by chi square test or Fisher exact probability method. The data at different time points between groups were compared by repeated measures analysis of variance. Results:A total of 210 patients were enrolled, including 105 patients in the nalbuphine group and 105 patients in the fentanyl group. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in CPOT score between nalbuphine group and fentanyl group at each time point after medication ( P>0.05), the CPOT score of both groups at each time point after medication was significantly lower than that before medication, and the analgesic target could be achieved and maintained 2 hours after medication. There was no significant difference in RASS between the two groups at each time point after medication ( P>0.05), which was significantly lower than that before medication, and the target sedative effect was achieved 2 hours after medication. There was no significant difference in ICU length of stay between nalbuphine group and fentanyl group [5.0(4.0,7.5) d vs. 5.0(4.0,8.0) d, P=0.504]. The incidence of delirium, nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, pruritus, vertigo and other adverse events in the nalbuphine group was lower than that in the fentanyl group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of other adverse events such as deep sedation, hypotension and bradycardia between the two groups (all P>0.05). The incidence of respiratory depression in nalbuphine group was not significantly different from that in fentanyl group ( P>0.05), but the proportion of mechanical ventilation was significantly lower than that in the fentanyl group [1.9% (2/105) vs. 8.6%(9/105), P=0.030]. Conclusions:Nalbuphine could be used for analgesia in ICU patients with non-mechanical ventilation. The target analgesic effect could be achieved within 2 hours, and it had a certain sedative effect with a low incidence of adverse reactions.

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors and cumulative risk of myopia in children and adolescents, providing a basis for identifying cumulative risk factors in preventing and controlling myopia.Methods:Baseline data from the mental and physical health cohort of children and adolescents established in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were used. A stratified random cluster sampling method was adopted to select 138 974 students from fourth to twelfth grade as participants. Distance visual exams, refractive assessments, and questionnaires were conducted on the included students. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate each risk factor's impact on myopia's prevalence. The number of risk factors was summed to form a cumulative risk score, and logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between the cumulative risk score and the prevalence of myopia. Additionally, the association between the cumulative risk score of myopic students and their degree of refractivity was analyzed using a generalized estimating equation.Results:The study found a high prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents at baseline (70.2%). Girls exhibited a higher prevalence (74.8%) than boys (65.6%), urban areas (74.3%) surpassed suburban ones (68.6%), and the incidence was greater in high schools (80.3%) compared to middle schools (75.3%), which, in turn, was higher than in elementary schools (57.7%) (all P<0.05). Analysis of risk factors revealed that children and adolescents experiencing improper reading and writing distances ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13), excessive homework ( OR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.12), insufficient sleep ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13), having myopic father ( OR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.91-2.05), having myopic mother ( OR=2.04, 95% CI: 1.97-2.10), or using classroom chairs not matched to their height faced ( OR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07) increased myopia risks. Additionally, the prevalence and significant odds ratio of myopia increased with the increase in cumulative risk score, with every additional unit of cumulative risk score increasing the right eye's refractive error by -0.10 D. Conclusion:The presence of multiple factors and their comprehensive score increases the prevalence of myopia in children and adolescents.

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for the screening of fetal chromosome aneuploidies in twin pregnancies.Methods:A total of 2 745 women with twin-pregnancies were subjected for NIPT screening. Chromosomal karyotyping and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) were carried out on amniotic fluid samples from those with a high risk for fetal chromosome aneuploidies, and the diagnosis and pregnancy outcome were followed up. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and false positive rate of the NIPT were calculated.Results:Compared with other chromosomal abnormalities, NIPT had a higher efficacy for trisomy 21 and sex chromosomal aneuploidy (SCA) in twin pregnancies (with sensitivity being 100%, 100%, and specificity being 99.93%, 99.9%, respectively). It is difficult to evaluate the efficacy for trisomies 18 and 13 due to the limited data. For chromosome microdeletions and microduplications spanning 15 ~ 21 Mb, NIPT also had a certain detection rate. Compared with women with natural conception, NIPT had a higher detection rate for those with twin pregnancies by assisted reproduction ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:It is feasible to use NIPT for the detection of chromosome aneuploidies in women with twin pregnancies.

Objective:To observe and verify the changes of transcriptome in hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI), and to further clarify the changes of pathways in HALI.Methods:Twelve healthy male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normoxia group and HALI group according to the random number table, with 6 mice in each group. The mice in the normoxia group were fed normally in the room, and the mice in the HALI group was exposed to 95% oxygen to reproduce the HALI animal model. After 72 hours of hyperoxia exposure, the lung tissues were taken for transcriptome sequencing, and then Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed. The pathological changes of lung tissue were observed under light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to verify the key molecules in the signal pathways closely related to HALI identified by transcriptomics analysis.Results:Transcriptomic analysis showed that hyperoxia induced 537 differentially expressed genes in lung tissue of mice as compared with the normoxia group including 239 up-regulated genes and 298 down-regulated genes. Further KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified 20 most significantly enriched pathway entries, and the top three pathways were ferroptosis signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway and glutathione (GSH) metabolism signaling pathway. The related genes in the ferroptosis signaling pathway included the up-regulated gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and the down-regulated gene solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11). The related genes in the p53 signaling pathway included the up-regulated gene tumor suppressor gene p53 and the down-regulated gene murine double minute 2 (MDM2). The related gene in the GSH metabolic signaling pathway was up-regulated gene glutaredoxin 1 (Grx1). The light microscope showed that the pulmonary alveolar structure of the normoxia group was normal. In the HALI group, the pulmonary alveolar septum widened and thickened, and the alveolar cavity shrank or disappeared. RT-RCR and Western blotting confirmed that compared with the normoxia group, the mRNA and protein expressions of HO-1 and p53 in lung tissue of the HALI group were significantly increased [HO-1 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.16±0.17 vs. 1.00±0.00, HO-1 protein (HO-1/β-actin): 1.05±0.01 vs. 0.79±0.01, p53 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.52±0.13 vs. 1.00±0.00, p53 protein (p53/β-actin): 1.12±0.02 vs. 0.58±0.03, all P < 0.05], and the mRNA and protein expressions of Grx1, MDM2, SLC7A11 were significantly decreased [Grx1 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 0.53±0.05 vs. 1.00±0.00, Grx1 protein (Grx1/β-actin): 0.54±0.03 vs. 0.93±0.01, MDM2 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 0.48±0.03 vs. 1.00±0.00, MDM2 protein (MDM2/β-actin): 0.57±0.02 vs. 1.05±0.01, SLC7A11 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 0.50±0.06 vs. 1.00±0.00, SLC7A11 protein (SLC7A11/β-actin): 0.72±0.03 vs. 0.98±0.01, all P < 0.05]. Conclusions:HALI is closely related to ferroptosis, p53 and GSH metabolism signaling pathways. Targeting the key targets in ferroptosis, p53 and GSH metabolism signaling pathways may be an important strategy for the prevention and treatment of HALI.