1.Progress in ablation therapy of pulmonary nodules
Xu SHEN ; Cheng SHEN ; Congjia XIAO ; Haonan LIN ; Yunke ZHU ; Feng LIN ; Hu LIAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(03):401-405
In recent years, with the improvement of people's awareness of physical examination and the more accurate detection equipment, the detection rate of pulmonary nodules is getting higher and higher. Surgical resection is the first choice for the treatment of malignant pulmonary nodules, but multiple pulmonary nodules, nodules in complex areas and those with surgical contraindications are not suitable for surgery. As an effective, less invasive and low-cost treatment, ablation has developed rapidly in the treatment of multiple pulmonary nodules. This article introduces the progress of several common ablation techniques (radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, cryoablation) in the treatment of multiple pulmonary nodules, the indications and contraindications of ablation techniques, the efficacy evaluation and complications after ablation therapy, and the prospects of ablation techniques in the treatment of multiple pulmonary nodules.
2.Terms Related to The Study of Biomacromolecular Condensates
Ke RUAN ; Xiao-Feng FANG ; Dan LI ; Pi-Long LI ; Yi LIN ; Zheng WANG ; Yun-Yu SHI ; Ming-Jie ZHANG ; Hong ZHANG ; Cong LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):1027-1035
Biomolecular condensates are formed through phase separation of biomacromolecules such as proteins and RNAs. These condensates exhibit liquid-like properties that can futher transition into more stable material states. They form complex internal structures via multivalent weak interactions, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulations. However, the use of inconsistent and non-standardized terminology has become increasingly problematic, hindering academic exchange and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the terminology related to biomolecular condensates in order to clarify concepts, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, enhance research efficiency, and support the healthy development of this field.
3.Identification of unknown pollutants in drinking water based on solid-phase extraction and supramolecular solvent extraction
Zixin QIAN ; Yuhang CHEN ; Chao FENG ; Yuanjie LIN ; Qian XU ; Ziwei LIANG ; Xinyu WANG ; Dasheng LU ; Ping XIAO ; Zhijun ZHOU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(7):854-861
Background With the progression of industrialization, an increasing number of emerging contaminants are entering aquatic environments, posing significant threats to the safety of drinking water. Therefore, establishing a system for identifying unknown hazardous factors and implementing safety warning mechanisms for drinking water is of paramount importance. Among these efforts, non-target screening plays a critical role, but its effectiveness is largely constrained by the scope of coverage of sample pre-treatment methods. Objective To integrate modern chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques with advanced data mining methods to develop a non-discriminatory sample pre-treatment method for comprehensive enrichment of unknown contaminants in drinking water, laying a technical foundation for the discovery and identification of unknown organic hazardous factors in drinking water. Methods A non-discriminatory pre-treatment method based on supramolecular and solid-phase extraction was developed. The final target compounds including 333 pesticides, 194 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and 59 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were used for optimizing the pre-treatment method, confirming its coverage. The impacts of different eluents on the absolute recovery rates of target compounds were compared to select the conditions with the highest recovery for sample pre-treatment. The effects of different supramolecular solvents and salt concentrations on target compound recovery were also evaluated to determine the most suitable solvent and salt concentration. Results The solid-phase extraction elution solvents, supramolecular extraction solvents, and salt concentrations were optimized based on the target compound recovery rates. The optimal recovery conditions were achieved using 2 mL methanol, 2 mL methanol (containing 1% formic acid), 2 mL ethyl acetate, 2 mL dichloromethane, hexanediol supramolecular solvent, and 426 mg salt. The detection method developed based on these conditions showed a good linear relationship for all target compounds in the range of 0.1-100.0 ng·mL−1, with R² > 0.99. The method’s limit of detection ranged from 0.01 ng−1 to 0.95 ng−1, and 95% of target compounds were recovered in the range of 20%-120%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 30%, indicating good precision. Conclusion The combined pre-treatment method of solid-phase extraction and supramolecular solvent extraction can effectively enrich contaminants in drinking water across low, medium, and high polarities, enabling broad-spectrum enrichment of diverse trace contaminants in drinking water. It provides technical support for broad-spectrum, high-throughput screening and identification of organic pollutants in drinking water, and also serves as a reference for establishing urban drinking water public safety warning systems.
4. Retinal microstructure and developmental characteristics in Zebrafish
Li-Ping FENG ; Jun-Yong WANG ; Jin-Xing LIN ; Yi-Lin XU ; Xun CHEN ; Xiao-Ying WANG ; Yi-Lin XU ; Xun CHEN ; Xiao-Ying WANG ; Yi-Lin XU ; Xun CHEN ; Da-Hai LIU
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(1):105-112
Objective To study the microscopic structure and morphological characteristics of Zebrafish eyeball and retina at different developmental stages, and to lay a foundation for visual research model. Methods Select eight groups of zebrafish at different ages, with six fish in each group, 48 fish in total. Optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the eyeball structure of Zebrafish at different developmental stages, and the thickness of retinal each layer was measured to analyze the temporal and spatial development pattern. The morphological characteristics of various cells in the retina and the way of nerve connection were observed from the microscopic and ultrastructural aspects, especially the structural differences between rod cells and cone cells. Results The retina of Zebrafish can be divided into ten layers including retinal pigment epithelial layer, rod cells and cone cells layer, outer limiting membrane, outer nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer, ganglion cell layer, nerve fiber layer, inner limiting membrane. Rod cells had a smaller nucleus and a higher electron density than cone cells. Photoreceptor terminals were neatly arranged in the outer plexiform layer, forming neural connections with horizontal cells and bipolar cells, and several synaptic ribbons are clearly visible within them. In Zebrafish retina, ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer are the earliest developed. With the growth and development of Zebrafish, the thickness of rod cells and cone cells layer and retinal pigment epithelial layer gradually increases, and the retinal structure was basically developed in about 10 weeks. Conclusion The retinal structure of Zebrafish is typical, with obvious stratification and highly differentiated nerve cells. There are abundant neural connections in the outer plexiform layer. The ocular development characteristics of Zebrafish are similar to those of most mammals.
5.C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1/C-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1 pathway in the recovery of memory function in hemorrhagic shock/resuscitation rats
Xiao-Jun WU ; Ri-Xing WANG ; Fang-Chong LIN ; You-Kai LÜ ; Qi-Tao FENG ; Tian-Qi YUN
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(2):158-166
Objective To investigate the effect of microglia activation regulated by C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1(CX3CL1)-C-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1(CX3CR1)pathway on memory function in hemorrhagic shock/resuscitation rats.Methods The experiment was divided into two parts.In the first part,the rats were randomly divided into sham group,model-0.5 hour group,model-1.5 hour group,model-3 hour group,10 rats in each group.There were differences in the time of hemorrhagic shock among each group.In the second part,rats were randomly divided into control group and CX3CL1 group,10 rats in each group.The rats in CX3CL1 group were treated with CX3CL1 protein factor(intraventricular injection),and the rats in control group were treated with saline.All rats were trained in Morris water maze experiments before model construction,and tests of Morris water maze experiments were carried out after 4 days of model construction.After completion,the whole brains were taken for HE staining and immunohistochemical staining.Cerebrospinal fluid was taken for detection of inflammatory cytokines,and hippocampus tissues were taken for Real-time PCR detection and Western blotting detection.Results Compared with the sham group,the escape latency of rats in model group increased,the number of platform crossings and the resident time in the third quadrant decreased.The neuronal state was impaired in HE staining in model group.In addition,compared with the sham group,the expression of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1(Iba1)in the brain of the rats in model group increased,the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin(IL)-6 in the cerebrospinal fluid increased,and the M1-type microglia markers CD16,TNF-α,IL-1β and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)mRNA content increased.At the same time,compared with the sham group,the expressions of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 in the brain of model group decreased,and the expressions of phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB(p-NF-κB)and nucleotide binding oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)increased.However,compared with the control group,rats in CX3CL1 group had reduced escape latency,increased platform crossing times and quadrantⅢresident time,and recovered neuronal states.In addition,the expression of Iba1 in the brain of CX3CL1 group decreased,the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in the cerebrospinal fluid decreased,the mRNA contents of M1-type microglia markers like CD16,TNF-α,IL-1β and iNOS decreased,and the mRNA contents of markers of M2-type microglia glial like CD206,transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β),arginase-1(Arg1),Chitinase 3-like protein 1(Ym 1)increased.Conclusion CX3CL1 can help inhibit the excessive activation of microglia,induce the polarization of microglia to M2 type,inhibit the polarization of M1 type,reduce the release of inflammatory cytokines,and alleviate the memory function damage induced by hemorrhagic shock/resuscitation.
6.Research advances in animal models of tricuspid regurgitation
Da-Wei LIN ; Xiao-Chun ZHANG ; Feng ZHANG ; Wen-Zhi PAN ; Da-Xin ZHOU
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2024;51(2):257-261
Tricuspid regurgitation(TR)cases are widely distributed in China.Poor clinical drug efficacy,high surgical risk,and poor prognosis for right heart failure are found in patients with moderate or severe TR.In recent years,with the innovation of valve instruments and the development of technology,transcatheter tricuspid valve treatment could be a new choice for high-risk TR patients in surgery.Many TR animal models have emerged these years for the research of the mechanism of TR and for the clinical verification of instruments.Therefore,this review focuses on how to develop an animal model of TR and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques.
8.The Application of Aptamers in The Diagnosis and Therapy of Bladder Cancer
Shu-Wei FENG ; Min-Xin ZHANG ; Xiao-Qiu WU ; Heng-Yi LIN ; Tao BING
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(7):1566-1575
Bladder cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with a high rate of recurrence and mortality, which is the ninth most common malignancy globally. Cystoscopy remains the gold standard for clinical bladder cancer diagnosis, but its invasive nature can lead to bacterial infection and inflammation. Urine cytology is a non-invasive and simple diagnostic method, but it has lower sensitivity in detecting low-grade bladder cancer and may yield false negative results. Therefore, identifying ideal diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of bladder cancer. Aptamers, characterized as single-stranded DNA or RNA with unique three-dimensional conformations, exhibit the ability to identify various targets, ranging from small molecules to tumor cells. Aptamers, also known as chemical antibodies, are generated by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) process and can function similarly to traditional antibodies. They hold numerous advantages over antibodies, such as ease of modification, low immunogenicity, and rapid tissue penetration and cell internalization due to their nucleic acid molecule structure. Since their discovery in the 1990s, aptamers have been widely used in biochemical analysis, disease detection, new drug research and other fields. This article provides an overview of aptamer selection and characterization for bladder cancer, discussing the research advancements involving aptamers in diagnosing and treating this disease. It covers aptamers obtained through different SELEX methods, including protein-SELEX, cell-SELEX, tissue-SELEX, and aptamers from other cancer SELEX; the detection in blood samples and urine samples; and application in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Currently, several aptamers capable of identifying bladder cancer have been generated, serving as molecular probes that have played a pivotal role in the early detection and treatment of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer perfusion therapy is well-suited for aptamer drug therapy because it does not require internal circulation, making it a suitable clinical indication for aptamer drug development. In addition, bladder cancer can be detected and monitored by collecting urine samples from patients, making it a preferred disease for clinical conversion of aptamers. While aptamers show promise, there is still much room for development compared with antibodies. There are still many clinically applied cancer biomarkers without corresponding aptamers, and more aptamers targeting different biomarkers should be selected and optimized to improve the sensitivity and accuracy for cancer detection and therapy. The field of aptamers urgently needs successful commercial products to promote its development, and home rapid detection/monitoring, imaging and targeted therapy of bladder cancer by infusion may be the breakthrough point for future application of aptamers.
9.Ku70 Functions as an RNA Helicase to Regulate miR-124 Maturation and Neuronal Cell Differentiation
Ai-Xue HUANG ; Rui-Ting LI ; Yue-Chao ZHAO ; Jie LI ; Hui LI ; Xue-Feng DING ; Lin WANG ; Can XIAO ; Xue-Mei LIU ; Cheng-Feng QIN ; Ning-Sheng SHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(6):1418-1433
ObjectiveHuman Ku70 protein mainly involves the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair of double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) through its DNA-binding properties, and it is recently reported having an RNA-binding ability. This paper is to explore whether Ku70 has RNA helicase activity and affects miRNA maturation. MethodsRNAs bound to Ku protein were analyzed by RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (RIP-seq) and bioinfomatic anaylsis. The expression relationship between Ku protein and miRNAs was verified by Western blot (WB) and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. Binding ability of Ku protein to the RNAs was tested by biolayer interferometry (BLI) assay. RNA helicase activity of Ku protein was identified with EMSA assay. The effect of Ku70 regulated miR-124 on neuronal differentiation was performed by morphology analysis, WB and immunofluorescence assays with or without Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. ResultsWe revealed that the Ku70 protein had RNA helicase activity and affected miRNA maturation. Deficiency of Ku70 led to the up-regulation of a large number of mature miRNAs, especially neuronal specific miRNAs like miR-124. The knockdown of Ku70 promoted neuronal differentiation in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) and SH-SY5Y cells by boosting miR-124 maturation. Importantly, ZIKV infection reduced the expression of Ku70 whereas increased expression of miR-124 in hNPCs, and led to morphologically neuronal differentiation. ConclusionOur study revealed a novel function of Ku70 as an RNA helicase and regulating miRNA maturation. The reduced expression of Ku70 with ZIKV infection increased the expression of miR-124 and led to the premature differentiation of embryonic neural progenitor cells, which might be one of the causes of microcephaly.

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