Pathological vascular remodeling is a hallmark of various vascular diseases. Previous research has established the significance of andrographolide in maintaining gastric vascular homeostasis and its pivotal role in modulating endothelial barrier dysfunction, which leads to pathological vascular remodeling. Potassium dehydroandrographolide succinate (PDA), a derivative of andrographolide, has been clinically utilized in the treatment of inflammatory diseases precipitated by viral infections. This study investigates the potential of PDA in regulating pathological vascular remodeling. The effect of PDA on vascular remodeling was assessed through the complete ligation of the carotid artery in C57BL/6 mice. Experimental approaches, including rat aortic primary smooth muscle cell culture, flow cytometry, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay, Boyden chamber cell migration assay, spheroid sprouting assay, and Matrigel-based tube formation assay, were employed to evaluate the influence of PDA on the proliferation and motility of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Molecular docking simulations and co-immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to examine protein interactions. The results revealed that PDA exacerbates vascular injury-induced pathological remodeling, as evidenced by enhanced neointima formation. PDA treatment significantly increased the proliferation and migration of SMCs. Further mechanistic studies disclosed that PDA upregulated myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) expression in SMCs and interacted with T-cadherin (CDH13). This interaction augmented proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix deposition, culminating in pathological vascular remodeling. Our findings underscore the critical role of PDA in the regulation of pathological vascular remodeling, mediated through the MyD88/CDH13 signaling pathway.
Mice ; Rats ; Animals ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Vascular Remodeling ; Cell Proliferation ; Vascular System Injuries/pathology* ; Carotid Artery Injuries/pathology* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Cell Movement ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction ; Succinates/pharmacology* ; Potassium/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Diterpenes ; Cadherins

Objective:The activation of astrocytes is an important process in the formation of chronic pain.This study aims to observe the activation of A1 reactive astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn in the rat model of trigeminal neuralgia,and to explore the mechanism of central sensitization caused by A1 reactive astrocyte. Methods:The adult male rats were randomly divided into a sham group and a chronic constriction injury of infraorbital nerve(ION-CCI)group.The facial mechanical pain threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were measured before the operation and on the 1st,3rd,7th,10th,and 14th day after the operation.After pain behavior observation,the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)in the medullary dorsal horn was observed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence colocalization of GFAP,complement 3(C3)/S100A10,and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole(DAPI)was analyzed.Primary astrocytes were cultured and randomly divided into a naive group and a DHK group.The DHK group was treated with 1 mmol/L of astrocyte activation inhibitor dihydrokainic acid(DHK).Fura-2/AM was used to stain the astrocytes and the calcium wave of the 2 groups under the stimulation of high potassium was recorded and compared.The expression of C3 was detected by Western blotting. Results:The facial mechanical pain threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of the ION-CCI group were significantly lower than those of the sham group(both P<0.05).There were a large number of GFAP positive astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn of the ION-CCI group.The fluorescence intensity of GFAP in the ION-CCI group was higher than that in the sham group(P<0.05).GFAP and C3/S100A10 were co-expressed in astrocytes.Compared with the sham group,the fluorescence intensity of C3 and the protein expression of C3 in the ION-CCI group were increased(both P<0.05).The expression of C3 in ION-CCI group was significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with the naive group,the C3 protein expression was significantly decreased in the DHK group(P<0.05).The intensity of calcium fluorescence was increased after high potassium stimulation in both groups.Furthermore,the peak and increase amplitude of calcium fluorescence in the naive group were much higher than those in the DHK group(both P<0.05). Conclusion:A1 reactive astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn of trigeminal neuralgia model rats are increased significantly,which may participate in central sensitization of trigeminal neuralgia by impacting astrocyte calcium wave.

Trichinosis is a global food-borne zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Trichinella spiralis(T.spiralis),which causes serious harm to animal production,and the public health safety of humans and animals.T.spiralis has a complex devel-opment history,and its entire life cycle is completed in the same host.To coexist with the host,it has evolved various immune escape mechanisms for avoiding immune clearance by the host,thus establishing long-term chronic infection.In this study,to aid in understanding the pathogenic mechanism of T.spiralis,the immune escape mechanism of Trichinella is discussed from three aspects:the molecular role of antigens in various stages,the immune regulatory effect on the host,and the formation of cysts to generate immune isolation.

Objective:To investigate the current situation of the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for portal hypertension, which should aid the development of TIPS in China.Methods:The China Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) initiated this study that comprehensively investigated the basic situation of TIPS for portal hypertension in China through network research. The survey included the following: the number of surgical cases, main indications, the development of Early-TIPS, TIPS for portal vein cavernous transformation, collateral circulation embolization, intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurement, commonly used stent types, conventional anticoagulation and time, postoperative follow-up, obstacles, and the application of domestic instruments.Results:According to the survey, a total of 13 527 TIPS operations were carried out in 545 hospitals participating in the survey in 2021, and 94.1% of the hospital had the habit of routine follow-up after TIPS. Most hospitals believed that the main indications of TIPS were the control of acute bleeding (42.6%) and the prevention of rebleeding (40.7%). 48.1% of the teams carried out early or priority TIPS, 53.0% of the teams carried out TIPS for the cavernous transformation of the portal vein, and 81.0% chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation. Most of them used coils and biological glue as embolic materials, and 78.5% of the team routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements. In selecting TIPS stents, 57.1% of the hospitals woulel choose Viator-specific stents, 57.2% woulel choose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS, and the duration of anticoagulation was between 3-6 months (55.4%). The limitation of TIPS surgery was mainly due to cost (72.3%) and insufficient understanding of doctors in related departments (77.4%). Most teams accepted the domestic instruments used in TIPS (92.7%).Conclusions:This survey shows that TIPS treatment is an essential part of treating portal hypertension in China. The total number of TIPS cases is far from that of patients with portal hypertension. In the future, it is still necessary to popularize TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications, routine operations, and instrument application.

Objective:To report the results of national surveillance on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical Gram-negative bacteria isolates from bloodstream infections in China in 2022.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from blood cultures in member hospitals of national bloodstream infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System（BRICS）were collected during January 2022 to December 2022. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted by agar dilution or broth dilution methods recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute（CLSI）. WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software were used to analyze the data.Results:During the study period，9 035 strains of Gram-negative bacteria were collected from 51 hospitals，of which 7 895（87.4%）were Enterobacteriaceae and 1 140（12.6%）were non-fermenting bacteria. The top 5 bacterial species were Escherichia coli（ n=4 510，49.9%）， Klebsiella pneumoniae（ n=2 340，25.9%）， Pseudomonas aeruginosa（ n=534，5.9%）， Acinetobacter baumannii complex（ n=405，4.5%）and Enterobacter cloacae（ n=327，3.6%）. The ESBLs-producing rates in Escherichia coli， Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus spp. were 47.1%（2 095/4 452），21.0%（427/2 033）and 41.1%（58/141），respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli（CREC）and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae（CRKP）were 1.3%（58/4 510）and 13.1%（307/2 340）；62.1%（36/58）and 9.8%（30/307）of CREC and CRKP were resistant to ceftazidime/avibactam combination，respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii（CRAB）complex was 59.5%（241/405），while less than 5% of Acinetobacter baumannii complex was resistant to tigecycline and polymyxin B. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa（CRPA）was 18.4%（98/534）. There were differences in the composition ratio of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections and the prevalence of main Gram-negative bacteria resistance among different regions，with statistically significant differences in the prevalence of CRKP and CRPA（ χ2=20.489 and 20.252， P<0.001）. The prevalence of CREC，CRKP，CRPA，CRAB，ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were higher in provinicial hospitals than those in municipal hospitals（ χ2=11.953，81.183，10.404，5.915，12.415 and 6.459， P<0.01 or <0.05），while the prevalence of CRPA was higher in economically developed regions（per capita GDP ≥ 92 059 Yuan）than that in economically less-developed regions（per capita GDP <92 059 Yuan）（ χ2=6.240， P=0.012）. Conclusions:The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections shows an increasing trend，and Escherichia coli is ranked in the top，while the trend of CRKP decreases continuously with time. Decreasing trends are noted in ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Low prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Escherichia coli and high prevalence in CRAB complex have been observed. The composition ratio and antibacterial spectrum of bloodstream infections in different regions of China are slightly different，and the proportion of main drug resistant bacteria in provincial hospitals is higher than those in municipal hospitals.

Humans ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Apoptosis ; Myocardial Ischemia

Humans ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Apoptosis ; Myocardial Ischemia

AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasonic cycloplasty(UCP)combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)+ panretinal photocoagulation(PRP)in the treatment of advanced neovascular glaucoma(NVG).METHODS: Retrospective study. A total of 45 patients(45 eyes)with advanced NVG who received surgery in our hospital from August 2020 to September 2022 were collected and divided into UCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group(16 patients, 16 eyes), transscleral cyclophotocoagulation(TCP)+anti-VEGF+PRP group(20 patients, 20 eyes), UCP alone group(9 patients, 9 eyes). The intraocular pressure, pain scores, postoperative medication, effective rate, total success rate and the incidence of complications of the patients in the three groups were compared before surgery and at 1 d, 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery.RESULTS: There was no significant difference in preoperative intraocular pressure, pain scores and preoperative medication of patients in the three groups(all P>0.05). While there were statistical significance in the intraocular pressure and pain scores at 1 d, 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery(all P<0.01). The intraocular pressure of the UCP alone group(31.78±10.23 mmHg)was found to be higher than that of both the UCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group(19.44±8.23 mmHg)and the TCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group(20.80±10.27 mmHg)at 1 mo postoperatively(all P<0.017). The pain score of the TCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group at 1 d and 1 wk postoperatively was higher than both the UCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group and the UCP alone group(all P<0.017). The effective rates of UCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group, TCP+ anti-VEGF +PRP group and UCP alone group were 81%(13/16), 75%(15/20)and 67%(6/9), respectively,(P=0.675), and the success rates were 69%(11/16), 50%(10/20), and 0(0/9), respectively(P=0.003). There was no significant difference in complications of patients in the three groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: UCP combined with anti-VEGF +PRP and TCP combined with anti-VEGF +PRP showed comparable efficacy in reducing intraocular pressure in advanced NVG. UCP combined with anti-VEGF+PRP was more effective in relieving pain and with no serious complications in advanced NVG. UCP alone can effectively control intraocular pressure and alleviate the pain of patients in the early postoperative period, but long-term control still requires anti-VEGF+PRP.

Objective Viral encephalitis is an infectious disease severely affecting human health.It is caused by a wide variety of viral pathogens,including herpes viruses,flaviviruses,enteroviruses,and other viruses.The laboratory diagnosis of viral encephalitis is a worldwide challenge.Recently,high-throughput sequencing technology has provided new tools for diagnosing central nervous system infections.Thus,In this study,we established a multipathogen detection platform for viral encephalitis based on amplicon sequencing. Methods We designed nine pairs of specific polymerase chain reaction(PCR)primers for the 12 viruses by reviewing the relevant literature.The detection ability of the primers was verified by software simulation and the detection of known positive samples.Amplicon sequencing was used to validate the samples,and consistency was compared with Sanger sequencing. Results The results showed that the target sequences of various pathogens were obtained at a coverage depth level greater than 20×,and the sequence lengths were consistent with the sizes of the predicted amplicons.The sequences were verified using the National Center for Biotechnology Information BLAST,and all results were consistent with the results of Sanger sequencing. Conclusion Amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing technology is feasible as a supplementary method for the pathogenic detection of viral encephalitis.It is also a useful tool for the high-volume screening of clinical samples.

Objective To investigate the biocompatibility of new gadolinium-doped hydroxyapatite(Gd-HA)composite scaffolds and to explore their feasibility as cell culture materials and bone tissue engineering scaffolds.Methods The Gd-HA composite scaffolds were chemically synthesized and placed under the electron microscope for observation.The experiment was divided into three groups,the HA group,the Gd-HA group,and the control group.Rabbit adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(ADSCs)were isolated,cultured and characterized,and the Gd-HA composite scaffold extract was added to the ADSCs in vitro culture system.Cell survival and cytotoxicity were assessed by live-dead cell staining,cell proliferation ability within the scaffolds was assessed by CCK-8 assay,and the scaffolds were assessed by alizarin red staining for cell osteogenic differentiation.The toxic reactions of the scaffold materials were observed by skin irritation test,systemic acute toxicity test and muscle tissue and liver and kidney pathology at the site of intramuscular implantation of the scaffolds.Results The Gd-HA composite scaffold showed irregular void structure under electron microscope.Cell morphology observation showed that ADSCs grew adherently to the wall and were long shuttle-shaped.The positivity rate of CD29 was 96.94％,CD44 was 97.90％,CD45 was 0.10％,and CD34 was 0.46％,which was obtained using flow cytometry.Live-dead cell staining showed that the amount of live cells in the Gd-HA group was significantly better than that in the hydroxyapatite(HA)group after 5 days of co-culture.CCK-8 assay showed no significant difference in cell proliferation within 0-3 days.After 3 days,the Gd-HA group was significantly better than the HA group and the control group(P＜0.05).Calcium nodule deposition after alizarin red staining was significantly better in the Gd-HA group than in the HA and control groups,showing a deeper red color.No skin irritation was observed in gross and skin tissue HE observations after the contact of the extract with the skin.The general condition of the experimental groups was good after the infusion of the extract into the abdominal cavity,and the body mass tended to increase steadily(P＞0.05).HE staining showed that inflammatory reaction at the interface between the material and muscle tissue of the stent intramuscular implantation site in Gd-HA group was significantly higher than that of the control group,and the inflammatory cell infiltration was gradually reduced with the prolongation of implantation time.At the 8th weeks the morphology of the tissue around the material was close to normal muscle tissue,and no pathological changes were observed in the HE staining of liver and kidney at the 12th week.Conclusion Gd-HA composite scaffolds exhibit good biocompatibility and facilitate cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation,and they are expected to serve as good carriers for stem cell transplantation in tissue engineering.