Search

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron loss, which is related to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Endogenous peroxiredoxin-2 (Prdx-2) has potent anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects. Proteomics studies revealed plasma levels of Prdx-2 were significantly lower in PD patients than in healthy individuals. For further study of the activation of Prdx-2 and its role in vitro, SH-SY5Y cells and the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) were used to model PD. ROS content, mitochondrial membrane potential, and cell viability were used to assess the effect of MPP+ in SH-SY5Y cells. JC-1 staining was used to determine mitochondrial membrane potential. ROS content was detected using a DCFH-DA kit. Cell viability was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Western blot detected the protein levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), Prdx-2, silent information regulator of transcription 1 (SIRT1), Bax, and Bcl-2. The results showed that MPP+-induced accumulation of ROS, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduction of cell viability occurred in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, the levels of TH, Prdx-2, and SIRT1 decreased, while the ratios of Bax and Bcl-2 increased. Then, Prdx-2 overexpression in SH-SY5Y cells showed significant protection against MPP+ -induced neuronal toxicity, as evidenced by the decrease in ROS content, increase in cell viability, increase in the level of TH, and decrease in the ratios of Bax and Bcl-2. Meanwhile, SIRT1 levels increase with the level of Prdx-2. This suggests that the protection of Prdx-2 may be related to SIRT1. In conclusion, this study indicated that overexpression of Prdx-2 reduces MPP+-induced toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and may be mediated by SIRT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis (L.del) on vaginal microbiota (VM) dysbiosis and vaginal radiation injury in gynecologic cancer patients. The inhibitory effects of L.del on cervical cancer cells were also studied in vitro. Gynecologic cancer patients receiving radiotherapy were randomized into control and L.del intervention groups. The control group received radiotherapy, while the intervention group received radiotherapy and L.del intervention (1 capsule/day placed into the deep vagina from the first day of radiotherapy until the end of treatment). Vaginal swab samples were collected on the first day pre-treatment and the last day post-treatment. DNA from 54 patients was extracted and assessed by the 16S rRNA sequencing method. Radiotherapy resulted in vaginal microbiome dysbiosis characterized by increased phylogenetic diversity and increased abundance of Brevundimonas, Streptococcus and Prevotella, but a decreased abundance of Lactobacillus. Level 2 vaginal radiation injury was positively associated with the abundance of Brevundimonas and gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria. Administration of L.del attenuated the reduction of Lactobacillus while also inhibiting the abundance of Streptococcus and Prevotella, thereby ameliorating radiotherapy-related vaginal microbiota dysbiosis. CLD inhibited the in vitro proliferation of SiHa cells by altering the expression of BCL2, HPV16-E6, HPV16-E7, IL6, MAP7, BAX, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 and LTF. In conclusion, L. del application can alleviate radiation-induced vaginal dysbiosis and restore Lactobacillus dominance of the vaginal microbiome. Moreover, CLD was found to inhibit cell growth and promote the apoptosis of SiHa cells in vitro. The registration number for this clinical trial is ChiCTR1900021784. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switchable adhesives have attracted widespread attention due to their strong reusability and adaptability to operate stably in complex environments. However, the simple fabrication of adhesive structures and reliable control of adhesion remain challenging. Here, we developed a neodymium iron boron/polydimethylsiloxane (NdFeB/PDMS) magnetic composite with optimal mechanical and magnetic performance. Then we fabricated lamellar structures and setal arrays using a molding and magnetic field-induced process, imitating the multi-level adhesion system of gecko feet. The lamellar can be deformed under the action of a magnetic field to control the adhesion, and the setal array is used to enhance adhesion and provide self-cleanability to the adhering surface. Switchable adhesion was realized by applying an external magnetic field, where the maximum adhesion strength was 5.1 kPa, and the switchable range was within 40%. Through finite element analysis simulations and experimental verification, it was proved that the adhesion force variation was ascribed to the magnetic field-induced surface deformation. Finally, we installed the adhesive on the end of the robotic arm, realizing the transfer of the target object. This work provides a simple method to fabricate a gecko-like surface and a practical strategy to realize switchable adhesion, which sheds light on broad application potential in production lines, medical products, and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of application of biochar and microbial inoculants on the bioavailability of phosphorus and potassium, tomato growth, and the bacterial community in greenhouse soil. Materials and methods: The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with tomato mono-cropped for 21 years at Yongqing County of Hebei Province from November 2018 to June 2019. The treatments included conventional fertilization control (CF), 2 t/ha of biochar application (B, manufactured from apricot shell), 75 L/ha of microbial inoculants application (M, containing effective strains of Bacillus megaterium and Paenibacillus mucilaginosus), the mixture of microbial inoculants and biochar application (BM). Results: The results showed that the application of 75 L/ha microbial inoculants in greenhouse tomato could increase the yields of tomato by 23.41%, vitamin C (Vc) and soluble sugar concentrations by 14.41% and 13.62%, respectively. The microbial inoculants combined with 2 t/ha biochar enhanced the effects of microbial inoculants on the growth promotion of tomatoes. The application of microbial inoculants combined with biochar increased the P and K accumulation in tomato plants by 28.72–57.14% and 19.53–29.03%, respectively, during the whole growing stage. Moreover, the application of microbial inoculants significantly increased the relative abundance of Bacillus, Paenibacillus, and Flavobacterium and decreased the relative abundance of Acidobacterium. Conclusions: The application of microbial inoculants improved the bioavailability of phosphorus and potassium and tomato growth by altering the composition of soil bacterial community. These results show the potential of co-application of biochar and microbial inoculants as a potential tool to sustain longer-term production of monoculture vegetable systems in greenhouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been demonstrated to regulate RNA metabolism and various biological processes, including gametogenesis and embryogenesis. However, the landscape and function of m6A at single cell resolution have not been extensively studied in mammalian oocytes or during pre-implantation. In this study, we developed a single-cell m6A sequencing (scm6A-seq) method to simultaneously profile the m6A methylome and transcriptome in single oocytes/blastomeres of cleavage-stage embryos. We found that m6A deficiency leads to aberrant RNA clearance and consequent low quality of Mettl3Gdf9 conditional knockout (cKO) oocytes. We further revealed that m6A regulates the translation and stability of modified RNAs in metaphase II (MII) oocytes and during oocyte-to-embryo transition, respectively. Moreover, we observed m6A-dependent asymmetries in the epi-transcriptome between the blastomeres of two-cell embryo. scm6A-seq thus allows in-depth investigation into m6A characteristics and functions, and the findings provide invaluable single-cell resolution resources for delineating the underlying mechanism for gametogenesis and early embryonic development. Modification of RNA with N6-methyladenosine can regulate RNA metabolism. Here they developed scm6A-seq to profile the methylome and transcriptome in single cells, and reveal the functions of m6A modification during oocyte maturation and early embryo development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and freezing of gait (FOG) are prevalent non-motor and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), significantly impacting their quality of life. However, the correlation between EDS and FOG progression in de novo PD patients remains controversial.A total of 328 participants from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) were divided into two groups: 43 with EDS (EDS group) and 285 without EDS (nEDS group). The cumulative incidence of FOG was assessed at the 5-year follow-up using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of EDS on FOG progression in PD patients, with validation for robustness through sensitivity and subgroup analyses.The EDS group experienced a higher incidence of FOG throughout the 5-year follow-up than did the nEDS group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed significantly association between EDS severity and enhanced risk of developing FOG (HR = 1.076, 95% CI:1.007 ~ 1.149, P = 0.031). For sensitivity analysis, parallel analyses were performed by substituting the independent variable with categorical variables, which yielded analogous outcomes (HR = 1.837, 95% CI:1.063 ~ 3.174, P = 0.029). Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on sex, age, TD/PIGD classification, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, mean caudate nucleus uptake level, mean putamen nucleus uptake level and CSF Aβ-42 level revealed no significant interactions between subgroups (all P values for interaction were > 0.05).EDS is a potential prognosis factor for the progression of FOG in patients with PD.Methods: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and freezing of gait (FOG) are prevalent non-motor and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), significantly impacting their quality of life. However, the correlation between EDS and FOG progression in de novo PD patients remains controversial.A total of 328 participants from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) were divided into two groups: 43 with EDS (EDS group) and 285 without EDS (nEDS group). The cumulative incidence of FOG was assessed at the 5-year follow-up using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of EDS on FOG progression in PD patients, with validation for robustness through sensitivity and subgroup analyses.The EDS group experienced a higher incidence of FOG throughout the 5-year follow-up than did the nEDS group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed significantly association between EDS severity and enhanced risk of developing FOG (HR = 1.076, 95% CI:1.007 ~ 1.149, P = 0.031). For sensitivity analysis, parallel analyses were performed by substituting the independent variable with categorical variables, which yielded analogous outcomes (HR = 1.837, 95% CI:1.063 ~ 3.174, P = 0.029). Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on sex, age, TD/PIGD classification, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, mean caudate nucleus uptake level, mean putamen nucleus uptake level and CSF Aβ-42 level revealed no significant interactions between subgroups (all P values for interaction were > 0.05).EDS is a potential prognosis factor for the progression of FOG in patients with PD.Results: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and freezing of gait (FOG) are prevalent non-motor and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), significantly impacting their quality of life. However, the correlation between EDS and FOG progression in de novo PD patients remains controversial.A total of 328 participants from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) were divided into two groups: 43 with EDS (EDS group) and 285 without EDS (nEDS group). The cumulative incidence of FOG was assessed at the 5-year follow-up using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of EDS on FOG progression in PD patients, with validation for robustness through sensitivity and subgroup analyses.The EDS group experienced a higher incidence of FOG throughout the 5-year follow-up than did the nEDS group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed significantly association between EDS severity and enhanced risk of developing FOG (HR = 1.076, 95% CI:1.007 ~ 1.149, P = 0.031). For sensitivity analysis, parallel analyses were performed by substituting the independent variable with categorical variables, which yielded analogous outcomes (HR = 1.837, 95% CI:1.063 ~ 3.174, P = 0.029). Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on sex, age, TD/PIGD classification, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, mean caudate nucleus uptake level, mean putamen nucleus uptake level and CSF Aβ-42 level revealed no significant interactions between subgroups (all P values for interaction were > 0.05).EDS is a potential prognosis factor for the progression of FOG in patients with PD.Conclusion: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and freezing of gait (FOG) are prevalent non-motor and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), significantly impacting their quality of life. However, the correlation between EDS and FOG progression in de novo PD patients remains controversial.A total of 328 participants from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) were divided into two groups: 43 with EDS (EDS group) and 285 without EDS (nEDS group). The cumulative incidence of FOG was assessed at the 5-year follow-up using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of EDS on FOG progression in PD patients, with validation for robustness through sensitivity and subgroup analyses.The EDS group experienced a higher incidence of FOG throughout the 5-year follow-up than did the nEDS group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed significantly association between EDS severity and enhanced risk of developing FOG (HR = 1.076, 95% CI:1.007 ~ 1.149, P = 0.031). For sensitivity analysis, parallel analyses were performed by substituting the independent variable with categorical variables, which yielded analogous outcomes (HR = 1.837, 95% CI:1.063 ~ 3.174, P = 0.029). Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on sex, age, TD/PIGD classification, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, mean caudate nucleus uptake level, mean putamen nucleus uptake level and CSF Aβ-42 level revealed no significant interactions between subgroups (all P values for interaction were > 0.05).EDS is a potential prognosis factor for the progression of FOG in patients with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are currently the standard for energy storage in portable consumer electronic devices. They are also used in electric vehicles and in some large industrial settings and for grid power storage. The adverse consequences of a dramatic battery failure can be significant compared with the cost of timely replacement or maintenance. Consequently, accurate state-of-health (SOH) prediction is important to inform maintenance or replacement decisions. In this work, we address current challenges related to accuracy and interpretability in data-driven SOH prediction for LIBs by devising a novel physics-informed machine learning prognostic model, termed PIDDA. PIDDA includes three elements: an autoencoder, a physics-informed model training, and a physics-based prediction adjustment. We examine and benchmark our model against alternative data-driven SOH prediction models using the NASA battery prognostic dataset. The computational experiments demonstrate that PIDDA (1) provides significantly higher prediction accuracy; (2) requires less prior data for its predictions; (3) produces more informative and interpretable predictions than alternative models. We conclude with an ablation study of PIDDA to analyze the relative effectiveness of two of its elements, the physics equations in the model training and the physics-based prediction adjustment. The results show that the former (training) provides the heavy lifting in accuracy improvement, roughly two-thirds, and the latter (adjustment) the remaining incremental improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotating machinery is essential to modern life, from power generation to transportation and a host of other industrial applications. Since such equipment generally operates under challenging working conditions which can lead to untimely failures, accurate remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is essential for maintenance planning and prevention of catastrophic failures. In this work, we address current challenges in data-driven RUL prediction for rotating machinery. The challenges revolve around the accuracy and uncertainty quantification of the prediction, and the non-stationarity of the system degradation and RUL estimation given sensor data. We devise a novel computational architecture and RUL prediction model with uncertainty quantification, termed VisPro, which integrates time–frequency analysis, deep learning image recognition, and nonstationary Gaussian process regression. We analyze and benchmark the results obtained with our model against those of other advanced data-driven RUL prediction models using the PHM12 bearing vibration dataset. The computational experiments show that (1) the VisPro predictions are highly accurate and provide significant improvements over existing prediction models (three times more accurate than the second-best model), and (2) the RUL uncertainty bounds are valid and informative. We identify and discuss the architectural and modeling choices made that explain this predictive performance of VisPro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid rise of the Internet of things (IoT) have brought the progress of electronic skin (e-skin). E-skin is used to imitate or even surpass the functions of human skin. Thermoregulating is one of the crucial functions of human skin, it is significant to develop a universal way to realize e-skin thermoregulating. Here, inspired by the sweat gland structure in human skin, we report a simple method for achieving dynamic thermoregulating, attributing to the temperature of microencapsulated paraffin remains unchanged when phase change occurs. Combining with the principle of triboelectric nanogenerator, a deep learning model is employed to recognize the output signals of handwriting different letters on ME-skin, and the recognition accuracy reaches 98.13%. Finally, real-time recognition and display of handwritings are successfully implemented by the ME-skin, which provides a general solution for thermoregulating e-skin and application direction for e-skin in the field of IoT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient invasion of trophoblast cells into the uterine decidua is associated with preeclampsia (PE). G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is a membrane estrogen receptor involved in non-genomic estrogen signaling. GPER is expressed in human trophoblast cells and downregulated GPER levels are noted in PE. However, to date, the role of GPER in trophoblast cells remains largely unknown. Here, we applied RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to HTR-8/SVneo human trophoblast cells in response to G1, an agonist of GPER, and identified angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) as a target gene of GPER. Treatment of trophoblast cells with G1 or 17β-estradiol (E2) activated Yes-associated protein (YAP), the major downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, via GPER but in a mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 1 (MST1)-independent manner. Using pharmacological inhibitors as well as loss- and gain-of-function approaches, our results revealed that YAP activation was required for GPER-stimulated ANGPTL4 expression. Transwell invasion assays demonstrated that activation of GPER-induced ANGPTL4 promoted cell invasion. In addition, the expression levels of GPER, YAP, and ANGPTL4 were downregulated in the placenta of patients with PE. Our findings reveal a mechanism by which GPER exerts its stimulatory effect on human trophoblast cell invasion by upregulating YAP-mediated ANGPTL4 expression. Cheng, Fan, Li et al. identified ANGPTL4 as a G1-induced target gene of GPER/YAP in HRT8 cells using RNA-seq and highlighted its importance in regulating trophoblast cell invasion. The authors also reported GPER downregulation in the placenta and lower estradiol levels in patients who developed preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Corneal epithelial cells (CECs) are required for corneal transparency and visual function, and corneal injuries may cause corneal blindness. Skin epidermal stem cells (SESCs), which share the same origin with CECs and have the potential of multi-directional differentiation are ideal seed cells for tissue engineered corneal construction to treat corneal blindness. Objective: This study aims to investigate critical genes and pathways that may modulate the transdifferentiation from SESCs to CECs. Methods: Isolated SESCs and CECs were used for gene expression analysis by microarray. GO and KEGG pathway of differently expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched using DAVID. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network were then constructed using Cytoscape and highly interconnected module was subsequently isolated from the network by Molecular Complex Detection. Expression of the hub genes and other selected genes were then verified by qRT-PCR. Results: We found 112 upregulated and 105 downregulated genes in CECs compared with SESCs. These DEGs were significantly enriched in focal adhesion, PI3K–Akt and TNF signaling pathway. Highly interconnected module of PPI network contains ten genes. Further regulatory network of these genes showed that ESR1 and SLC2A4 were hub genes. Conclusion: Our study identified gene expression in SESCs and CECs and suggested that several crucial genes and pathways may play critical roles in transdifferentiation from SESCs to CECs. It may help uncover molecular mechanisms and offer a foundation for promoting tissue-engineered cornea into clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the in vitro experiments about biological mechanisms of curcumin were conducted using the gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901 and BGC-823. After 24-h exposure to curcumin at the concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 40 μmol/L, two cells showed the decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis abilities. Real-time PCR, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, western blotting, and cell apoptosis assay were used to further study the underlying mechanisms of curcumin. The first stage of our studies showed that curcumin affected the expression of miR-33b, which, in turn, affected the expression of the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) messenger RNA (mRNA). Next, curcumin was also identified to regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells. Further bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays proved that XIAP was one of the target genes of miR-33b. In the next stage, SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells were treated with 20 μL curcumin, miR-33b mimics, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) of XIAP, respectively. The results showed that curcumin had similar effects on cell growth and apoptosis as the upregulation of miR-33b and the upregulation of the siRNA of XIAP. The results that followed from the restore experiments showed that curcumin affected cell growth and apoptosis presumably by upregulating the XIAP targeting in gastric cancer. Collectively, our results indicate that curcumin-miR-33b-XIAP coupling might be an important mechanism by which curcumin induces the apoptosis of SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been demonstrated that naïve and primed pluripotency are determined by different extracellular signals. In this study, we investigated whether intermediate pluripotent states could be available by manipulating the culture condition during the process of generating pig induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSCs). By optimizing the culture condition that efficiently promotes mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET), we found that combination of three growth factors ( LIF, FGF2 and BMP4) and two inhibitors (2i: CHIR99021 and SB431542) could generate an intermediate pluripotent state of piPSCs, which were named as LFB2i-piPSCs. The LFB2i-piPSCs are stable and fulfill all the criteria of pluripotency, including expression of pluripotent genes, differentiation into three germ layers via embryoid bodies in vitro and teratoma in vivo. More importantly, the mRNA-sequencing data showed that LFB2i-piPSCs had a mixed transcriptome of naïve and primed pluripotency, which featured by expressing high levels of SOX2, L- MYC and ESRRB and relatively low levels of POU5F1, KLF4 and NANOG. Small RNA sequencing also demonstrated that LFB2i-piPSCs had a mixed microRNA profile of naïve and primed pluripotency, which featured by expressing high levels of miR-302b/367 cluster and miR-106a/363 cluster, and low levels of most let-7 family members and miR-17/92 cluster. Altogether, the LFB2i-piPSCs represent a stable intermediate pluripotent state with unique transcriptome and microRNA signatures. The LFB2i-piPSCs will provide a new tool to explore the mechanisms of pluripotency and reprogramming on pig species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioconversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) by Klebsiella pneumoniae ( K. pneumoniae) can be characterized by an intricate metabolic network of interactions among biochemical fluxes, metabolic compounds, key enzymes and genetic regulation. Since there are some uncertain factors in the fermentation, especially the transport mechanisms of 1,3-PD across cell membrane, the metabolic network contains multiple possible metabolic systems. Considering the genetic regulation of dha regulon and inhibition of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde to the growth of cells, we establish a 14-dimensional nonlinear hybrid dynamical system aiming to determine the most possible metabolic system and the corresponding optimal parameter. The existence, uniqueness and continuity of solutions are discussed. Taking the robustness index of the intracellular substances together as a performance index, a system identification model is proposed, in which 1,395 continuous variables and 90 discrete variables are involved. The identification problem is decomposed into two subproblems and a parallel particle swarm optimization procedure is constructed to solve them. Numerical results show that it is most possible that 1,3-PD passes the cell membrane by active transport coupled with passive diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of other genes in a post-transcriptional manner. MiR-34a can induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and senescence. However, its role in tumor progress remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the role of miR-34a in lymphatic metastasis was investigated using mouse hepatocarcinoma cell lines Hca-F and Hepa1-6. MicroRNA profiling and Hairpin-RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression level of miR-34a was higher in Hepa1-6 cells (of no metastatic ability) than that in Hca-F cells (of high metastatic ability). Ectopic expression of miR-34a can inhibit cell growth and cell invasion in Hepa1-6 and Hca-F cells. Moreover, miR-34a triggers G1 arrest and down-regulates CyclinD1 and CDK6 in Hepa1-6 cells. Furthermore, we proved that miR-34a decreased adhesion of Hca-F cells to regional lymph node in vitro, reduced lymph nodes-metastasized burden, and inhibited tumor lymph node metastases in vivo. All these results suggest that miR-34a plays multiple tumor suppressive roles in murine hepatocarcinoma, not only inhibiting cell growth by cell cycle arrest, but also repressing metastasis, and may serve as a novel therapeutic target for hepatocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic administration, while facilitating clearance of targeted infections, also perturbs commensal microbial communities. Previous studies have all focused on the effects of short term use of antibiotics. Here, we focus on the effects of long term use of antibiotic on gut microbiota and immunity. BALB/c mice received saline or different doses of ceftriaxone sodium (100, 200 and 400 mg/mL) via daily gavage for 150 days. Alterations of fecal microbiota, small intestine histopathology, body weight, spleen index, serum IgG, mucus SIgA, IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio, CD4/CD8 ratio and CD4+CD25+ cells were evaluated. Long term ceftriaxone sodium administration resulted in gut microbiota dysbiosis, intestine histological lesions, growth inhibition, spleen index reducing. The immune defense ability reduced as serum IgG and mucus SIgA decreased significantly. Not only the immune defense, long term ceftriaxone administration also affected immune regulation. The IFN-γ/IL-4 and CD4/CD8 ratios increased, the CD4+CD25+ cells reduced on days 30 and 60 after ceftriaxone administration. However, after 90 days of ceftriaxone administration, the IFN-γ/IL-4, CD4/CD8 ratios and CD4+CD25+ cells restored, which indicated a new balance of immune regulation had been formed. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of long term antibiotic administration influencing gut microbiota and immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retro-odontoid cysts associated with chronic atlantoaxial subluxation are extremely rare. This article describes a case of retro-odontoid cystic mass associated with chronic atlantoaxial subluxation and its management with posterior C1 and partial C2 laminectomy and C1-C2 pedicle screw fixation without resection of the retro-odontoid cyst. A 64-year-old woman experienced a sudden onset of neck pain, hand and foot paresthesia. Atlantoaxial instability associated with a retro-odontoid cystic mass was found in the imaging. The patient underwent posterior C1 and partial C2 laminectomy and C1-C2 pedicle screws fixation without resection of the retro-odontoid cyst. During the 24 months followup period, the cyst disappeared completely and the patient remained symptom free and returned to independent daily living. These findings suggest that posterior laminectomy and fixation without resection of the retro-odontoid cyst is relatively simple and safe and the results are satisfactory.