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Malus prunifolia Borkh. ‘Fupingqiuzi’ has significant ecological and economic value and plays a key role in germplasm development and resistance research. However, its long juvenile phase and high heterozygosity are barriers to the identification of ‘Fupingqiuzi’ progeny with excellent traits. In-vitro regeneration techniques and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation systems can efficiently produce complete plants and thus enable studies of gene function. However, optimal regeneration and genetic transformation systems for ‘Fupingqiuzi’ have not yet been developed. Here, we evaluated the factors that affect the in-vitro regeneration and transformation of ‘Fupingqiuzi’. The best results were obtained when transverse leaf sections were used as explants, and they were grown in dark culture for three weeks with their adaxial sides contacting the culture medium (MS basal salts, 30 g L−1 sucrose, 8 g L−1 agar, 5 mg L−1 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA), 2 mg L−1 thidiazuron (TDZ), and 1 mg L−1 1-naphthlcetic acid (NAA), pH 5.8). A genetic transformation system based on this regeneration system was optimized: after inoculation with A. tumefaciens solution for 8 min, 4 days of co-culture, and 3 days of delayed culture, the cultures were screened with cefotaxime (150 mg L−1) and kanamycin (15 mg L−1). We thus established an efficient regeneration and genetic transformation system for ‘Fupingqiuzi’, enabling the rapid production of transgenic material. These findings make a significant contribution to apple biology research.

Precocious puberty (PP) is a common condition among children. According to the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations, PP can be divided into central precocious puberty (CPP, gonadotropin dependent), peripheral precocious puberty (PPP, gonadotropin independent), and incomplete precocious puberty (IPP). Identification of the variations in key metabolites involved in CPP and their underlying biological mechanisms has increased the understanding of the pathological processes of this condition. However, little is known about the role of metabolite variations in the drug treatment of CPP. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the understanding of the crucial metabolites and pathways can help predict disease progression after pharmacological therapy of CPP. In this study, systematic metabolomic analysis was used to examine three groups, namely, healthy control (group N, 30 healthy female children), CPP (group S, 31 female children with CPP), and treatment (group R, 29 female children) groups. A total of 14 pathways (the top two pathways were aminoacyl–tRNA biosynthesis and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis) were significantly enriched in children with CPP. In addition, two short peptides (His-Arg-Lys-Glu and Lys-Met-His) were found to play a significant role in CPP. Various metabolites associated with different pathways including amino acids, PE [19:1(9Z)0:0], tumonoic acid I, palmitic amide, and linoleic acid–biotin were investigated in the serum of children in all groups. A total of 45 metabolites were found to interact with a chemical drug [a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog] and a traditional Chinese medicinal formula (DBYW). This study helps to understand metabolic variations in CPP after drug therapy, and further investigation may help develop individualized treatment approaches for CPP in clinical practice.

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cardiomyocyte injury in H9c2 cells. Methods. H9c2 cardiomyocytes cultivated with medium containing 10 μg/mL LPS were used to recapitulate the phenotypes of those in sepsis. Two sequential experiments were performed. The first contained a control group, a LPS group, and a LPS + NaHS group, with the aim to assure the protective effects of NaHS on LPS-treated cardiomyocytes. The second experiment added a fourth group, the LPS + NaHS + miR-133a-3p inhibition group, with the aim to preliminarily explore whether miR-133-3p exerts a protective function downstream of NaHS. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) kit was used to detect ATP content; real-time quantitative polynucleotide chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure the levels of mammalian targets of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), and miR-133a-3p, and Western blot (WB) was used to detect protein levels of mTOR, AMPK, myosin-like Bcl2 interacting protein (Beclin-1), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3I/II), and P62 (sequestosome-1, sqstm-1/P62). Results. Compared with the control group, the expressions of miR-133a-3p (P

Purpose Many investigations on prognostic factors in lung cancer have been conducted; however, little is known regarding the outcomes of lung cancer cases complicated by deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This study aimed to determine the risk factors and impact on outcomes of lung cancer patients concurrent with DVT. Methods Lung cancer patients who underwent lower-extremity venous ultrasound were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into a DVT group and a non-DVT group. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and survival were analyzed by t-test, Wilcoxon test, chi-squared test, and logistic regression analysis. Results Of the 160 enrolled lung cancer patients, DVT was detected in 30 patients. Among the DVT group, adenocarcinoma was the most common histological type (27/30, 90.00%). Lung cancer complicated with DVT was associated with advanced stage, more severe myocardial injury, and a hypercoagulable state (P < .05). Differences in driver genes between the two groups were not significant. Radiologically, lung cancer patients with DVT were more likely to present with pericardial effusion and pleural effusion than patients without DVT (P < .05). Following multivariable logistic regression analysis, advanced stage (OR 5.368, [95%CI 1.871-18.165], P = .021), NT-proBNP >300 pg/ml (OR 5.575, [95%CI 1.733-3.722], P = .018), D-dimer >5 mg/L (OR 8.449, [95%CI 4.323-18.536], P = .004), CRP >12 mg/L (OR 6.687, [95%CI 1.967-13.617], P = .010), and serum CEA >25 ng/ml (OR 4.755, [95%CI 1.358-3.123], P = .029) were independent risk factors for adenocarcinoma complicated with DVT. Finally, survival analysis revealed that the occurrence of DVT resulted in a poorer prognosis despite anticoagulant therapy (P < .05). Conclusion DVT is a potential complication in patients with lung adenocarcinoma and could represent a prognostic marker for unfavorable outcome. It is essential to screen for DVT in high-risk adenocarcinoma patients.

To obtain improved efficacy against pancreatic cancer, we investigated the efficacy and safety of a locally-applied 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded polymeric patch on pancreatic tumors in an orthotopic nude-mouse model. The 5-FU-releasing polymeric patch was produced by 3D printing. After application of the patch, it released the drug slowly for 4 weeks, and suppressed BxPC-3 pancreas cancer growth. Luciferase imaging of BxPC3-Luc cells implanted in the pancreas was performed longitudinally. The drug patch delivered a 30.2 times higher level of 5-FU than an intra-peritoneal (i.p.) bolus injection on day-1. High 5-FU levels were accumulated within one week by the patch. Four groups were compared for efficacy of 5-FU. Drug-free patch as a negative control (Group I); 30% 5-FU-loaded patch (4.8 mg) (Group II); 5-FU i.p. once (4.8 mg) (Group III); 5-FU i.p. once a week (1.2 mg), three times (Group IV). The tumor growth rate was significantly faster in Group I than Group II, III, IV (p=0.047 at day-8, p=0.022 at day-12, p=0.002 at day-18 and p=0.034 at day-21). All mice in Group III died of drug toxicity within two weeks after injection. Group II showed more effective suppression of tumor growth than Group IV (p=0.018 at day-12 and p=0.017 at day-21). Histological analysis showed extensive apoptosis in the TUNEL assay and by Ki -67 staining. Western blotting confirmed strong expression of cleaved caspase-3 in Group II. No significant changes were found hematologically and histologically in the liver, kidney and spleen in Groups I, II, IV but were found in Group III.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate food impaction on three‐dimensional (3D) printed models with periodontal ligament simulation. Materials and Methods: Based on a commercial typodont pair, 3D maxillary and mandibular models were created with no teeth and with tooth sockets that were 1 mm wider than the original ones from 24 to 27 or 34 to 37 for periodontal ligament simulation with vinyl polysiloxane impression material. In total, 35 pairs of 7 combinations, including maxillary/mandibular typodonts in occlusion with maxillary/mandibular 3D models with/without a distal gap of canines on 3D models (tooth 23 or 33) were mounted on hinge articulators and divided into seven groups (n = 5). Each sample experienced the same manual chewing simulation on a customized device. The proximal surfaces were photographed to measure the percentage of food impaction area using ImageJ software. Results: Group with fixed maxillary and mandibular teeth showed more food impaction than other groups with significant differences in the average of maxilla and the average of all proximal areas. Conclusion: The flexibility of the periodontal ligament and the degree of freedom of the teeth in their sockets may contribute to the extent of food impaction in proximal spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to propose a novel method to identify individuals by recognizing dentition change, along with human identification process using deep learning. Recent and past images of adults aged 20–49 years with more than two dental panoramic radiographs (DPRs) were assumed as postmortem (PM) and antemortem (AM) images, respectively. The dataset contained 1,029 paired PM-AM DPRs from 2000 to 2020. After constructing a database of AM dentition, the degree of similarity was calculated and sorted in descending order. The matched rank of AM identical to an unknown PM was measured by extracting candidate groups (CGs). The percentage of rank was calculated as the success rate, and similarity scores were compared based on imaging time intervals. The matched AM images were ranked in the CG with success rates of 83.2%, 72.1%, and 59.4% in the imaging time interval for extracting the top 20.0%, 10.0%, and 5.0%, respectively. The success rates depended on sex, and were higher for women than for men: the success rates for the extraction of the top 20.0%, 10.0%, and 5.0% were 97.2%, 81.1%, and 66.5%, respectively, for women and 71.3%, 64.0%, and 52.0%, respectively, for men. The similarity score differed significantly between groups based on the imaging time interval of 17.7 years. This study showed outstanding performance of convolutional neural network using dental panoramic radiographs in effectively reducing the size of AM CG in identifying humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the heat-induced damage evolution of GAP/AP/RDX/AI composite solid propellants under heating conditions, two GAP-based propellants with different RDX/AP contents were prepared, and the thermal decomposition proper¬ties of the samples were characterized by TG-DSC-IR technology. The samples were heated with a heating device, and the CT profile image, 3D pore distribution map, porosity and pore size distribution of the two propellant samples were obtained under different heating temperatures (50--130°C ), heating times (5--35min) and heating areas (25%, 50% and 87. 5% surface area) through micro-CT imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction of scanning images. The results show that the pores in the initial sample of GAP propellant are mainly the initial pores inside solid particles such as AP and RDX, and the thermal damage pores are mainly the interface dewedding pores between solid particles and the adhesive matrix, the pores generated after the matrix decomposition, and the initial structural defects. The pore damage size of GAP propellant after heating at 130°C increases significantly compared with the initial sample, and the higher the RDX content, the greater the damage degree of the sample after thermal stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and PurposeTemporomandibular disorders (TMD), especially pain-related TMD, are closely related to social and psychological factors. We aimed to measure changes in spontaneous brain activity and its related functional connectivity (FC), as well as FC characteristics within the mood-regulating circuits (MRC) in TMD patients by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI), and to analyze the relationship between these parameters and emotional symptoms.Materials and MethodsTwenty-one adult TMD patients and thirty demographically matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent clinical scale evaluation and RS-fMRI scanning. After processing RS-fMRI data, the values of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) between the two groups were compared. Regions with abnormal ALFF values were selected as areas of interest (ROIs) to compare the differences of whole-brain seed-based FC between groups. The FCs between regions within MRC were also analyzed and compared. In addition, the relationships between RS-fMRI characteristics and pain and mood were explored by correlation and mediation analyses.ResultsCompared with HCs, TMD patients showed increased ALFF in the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), the right supplementary motor area, and the bilateral precentral gyrus, with decreased ALFF in the right cerebelum_crus2. Patients showed enhanced right PHG-related FC in the vermis and posterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-related FC in the striatal-frontal regions, while decreased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex-related FC in the amygdala. In TMD patients, ALFF values in the right PHG and FC values between the right PHG and the vermis were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Abnormal FCs in the left striatal-orbitofrontal pathway were correlated with pain and depressive symptoms. More importantly, mediation analysis revealed that chronic pain mediates the relationship between FC of right PHG with vermis and depressive symptoms, and abnormal FC in the left striatal-orbitofrontal pathway can mediate the association between pain and depressive symptoms.ConclusionTMD patients have dysregulated spontaneous activity and FC in the default mode network, sensorimotor network and pain-related regions, as well as dysfunction of the fronto-striatal-limbic circuits. The development of negative emotions in TMD may be related to the dysfunction of components within the reward system (especially hippocampus complex, OFC, striatum) due to chronic pain.

Objective To describ the audiologic profile of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Methods This comparative cross-sectional study on the auditory evaluations was carried out with 24 patients and 25 controls including the pure tone audiometry, tympanometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) to identify the prevalence, type of hearing loss in diagnosed ankylosing spondylitis patients. Results The prevalence of hearing loss in patient group was 29%, sensorineural hearing loss was 21%, and conductive hearing loss was 8%, which were all significantly higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05). Tympanic pressure curve type“As” was significantly higher than that of control group (P＜0.05). The cochlea was mainly involved in sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing loss affected female more often. Conclusions The prevalence of hearing loss is high, especially in female patients. Hearing loss may be an extra-articular feature of ankylosing spondylitis. Conductive hearing loss may be resulted from the arthritis of the ossicular chain.

Dopamine plays numerous physiological roles in plants. We explored its role in the regulation of growth, nutrient absorption, and response to nitrogen (N) deficiency in Malus hupehensis Rehd. Under low N condition, plant growth slowed, and the net photosynthetic rates, chlorophyll contents, and maximal quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) decreased significantly. However, the application of 100 μmol L−1 exogenous dopamine significantly reduced the inhibition of low N stress on plant growth. In addition to modifying root system architecture under low N supply, exogenous dopamine also changed the uptake, transport, and distribution of N, P, and K. Furthermore, exogenous dopamine enhances the tolerance to low nitrogen stress by increasing the activity of enzymes (nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamic acid synthase and glutamine synthetase) involved in N metabolism. We also found that exogenous dopamine promoted the expression of ethylene signaling genes (ERF1, ERF2, EIL1, ERS2, ETR1, and EIN4) under low N stress. Therefore, we hypothesized that ethylene might be involved in dopamine response to low N stress in M. hupehensis. Our results suggest that exogenous dopamine can mitigate low N stress by regulating the absorption of mineral nutrients, possibly through the regulation of the ethylene signaling pathway.

Objective To compare the teaching quality between traditional and SOP (standard operation procedure)-based orthopedic teaching rounds. Methods Postgraduates and clinical postdoctors who were enrolled into orthopedic standardized training in 2017 and 2018 grade were included in this study. Thirty postgraduates and 20 clinical post doctors were in each group, with traditional or SOP-based teaching rounds were used respectively. The two groups were evaluated subjectively and objectively. Results The subjective and Objective evaluation scores of SOP-based teaching rounds were significantly higher than those of the traditional teaching group (P＜0.01,P＜0.05). Conclusions SOP-based method significantly improves the quality of teaching rounds.

Although epidemiological studies suggest that periodontitis is tightly associated with ischemic stroke, its impact on ischemic stroke and the underlysing mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that alteration in gut microbiota composition influences the outcomes of ischemic stroke. In the state of periodontitis, many oral pathogenic bacteria in the saliva are swallowed and transmitted to the gut. However, the role of periodontitis microbiota in the pathogenesis and progression of ischemic stroke is unclear. Therefore, we hypothesized that the periodontitis salivary microbiota influences the gut immune system and aggravates ischemic stroke. Mice receiving gavage of periodontitis salivary microbiota showed significantly worse stroke outcomes. And these mice also manifested more severe neuroinflammation, with higher infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of inflammatory cytokines in the ischemic brain. More accumulation of Th17 cells and IL-17+ γδ T cells were observed in the ileum. And in Kaede transgenic mice after photoconversion. Migration of CD4+ T cells and γδ T cells from the ileum to the brain was observed after ischemic stroke in photoconverted Kaede transgenic mice. Furthermore, the worse stroke outcome was abolished in the IL-17A knockout mice. These findings suggest that periodontitis salivary microbiota increased IL-17A-producing immune cells in the gut, likely promoted the migration of these cells from the gut to the brain, and subsequently provoked neuroinflammation after ischemic stroke. These findings have revealed the role of periodontitis in ischemic stroke through the gut and provided new insights into the worse outcome of ischemic stroke coexisting with periodontitis in clinical trials.

AimNeural network oscillation at gamma frequency band (γ oscillation, 30–80 Hz) is synchronized synaptic potentials important for higher brain processes and altered in normal aging. Recent studies indicate that activation of dopamine 4 receptor (DR4) enhanced hippocampal γ oscillation of young mice and fully recovered the impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity of aged mice, we determined whether this receptor is involved in aging-related modulation of hippocampal γ oscillation.MethodsWe recorded γ oscillations in the hippocampal CA3 region from young and aged C57bl6 mice and investigated the effects of dopamine and the selective dopamine receptor (DR) agonists on γ oscillation.ResultsWe first found that γ oscillation power (γ power) was reduced in aged mice compared to young mice, which was restored by exogenous application of dopamine (DA). Second, the selective agonists for different D1- and D2-type dopamine receptors increased γ power in young mice but had little or small effect in aged mice. Third, the D4 receptor (D4R) agonist PD168077 caused a large increase of γ power in aged mice but a small increase in young mice, and its effect is blocked by the highly specific D4R antagonist L-745,870 or largely reduced by a NMDAR antagonist. Fourth, D3R agonist had no effect on γ power of either young or aged mice.ConclusionThis study reveals DR subtype-mediated hippocampal γ oscillations is aging-related and DR4 activation restores the impaired γ oscillations in aged brain, and suggests that D4R is the potential target for the improvement of cognitive deficits related to the aging and aging-related diseases.

BackgroundAsthma and cardiovascular disease (CVD) share many risk factors. Previous meta-analyses indicated that asthma is associated with an increased risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, but these studies were limited by unstandardized search strategies and the number of articles included.ObjectiveWe sought to systematically synthesize evidence investigating the impact of asthma on all-cause mortality and CVD morbidity and mortality.MethodsWe searched in PubMed and EMBASE for observational cohort studies (inception dates to November 10, 2021) that had both asthma groups and control groups. We also manually searched the reference lists of correlative articles to include other eligible studies. Data for associations between asthma and all-cause mortality and CVD morbidity and mortality were needed.ResultsWe summarized the findings from 30 cohort studies comprising 4,157,823 participants. Asthma patients had increased CVD morbidity [relative risk (RR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16–1.40] and increased CVD mortality (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.14–1.38). Asthma patients also had increased risk of all-cause mortality (RR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.07–1.77). In subgroup analyses, female asthma patients had a higher risk of CVD morbidity and all-cause mortality than male asthma patients, and late-onset asthma patients had a higher risk of CVD morbidity than early-onset asthma patients.ConclusionAsthma patients have increased risk of all-cause mortality and CVD morbidity and mortality. This information reminds clinicians to be aware of the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in asthma patients.Systematic Review Registrationhttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, PROSPERO, identifier: CRD 42021290082.

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies and the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in China. Icaritin (ICT), a prenyl flavonoid derived from the Epimedium Genus, has been proven to inhibit the proliferation and stemness of breast cancer cells. Our previous study demonstrated that IC2, a derivative of ICT, could induce breast cancer cell apoptosis by Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) inhibition. The present study further investigated the mechanism of the inhibitory effects of IC2 on breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Our results proved that IC2 could stimulate autophagy in breast cancer cells with the activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. Combination treatment of the AMPK inhibitor decreased IC2-induced autophagy while it markedly enhanced IC2-induced apoptosis. In common with IC2-induced apoptosis, SCD1 overexpression or the addition of exogenous oleic acid (OA) could also alleviate IC2-induced autophagy. In vivo assays additionally demonstrated that IC2 treatment markedly inhibited tumor growth in a mouse breast cancer xenograft model. Overall, our study was the first to demonstrate that IC2 induced cytoprotective autophagy by SCD1 inhibition in breast cancer cells and that the autophagy inhibitor markedly enhanced the anticancer activity of IC2. Therefore, IC2 was a potential candidate compound in combination therapy for breast cancer.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the marginal fit of metal-free crowns made by three different computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems.Materials and methodsThe maxillary left first premolar of a dentiform was prepared for all-ceramic crown restoration. Thirty all-ceramic premolar crowns were made, ten each manufactured by the Lava system, Cercon, and Cerec. Ten metal ceramic gold (MCG) crowns served as control. The marginal gap of each sample was measured under a stereoscopic microscope at 75x magnification after cementation. One-way ANOVA and the Duncan's post hoc test were used for data analysis at the significance level of 0.05.ResultsThe mean (standard deviation) marginal gaps were 70.5 (34.4) μm for the MCG crowns, 87.2 (22.8) μm for Lava, 58.5 (17.6) μm for Cercon, and 72.3 (30.8) μm for Cerec. There were no significant differences in the marginal fit among the groups except that the Cercon crowns had significantly smaller marginal gaps than the Lava crowns (P < 0.001).ConclusionsWithin the limitation of this study, all the metal-free restorations made by the digital CAD/CAM systems had clinically acceptable marginal accuracy.

Abstract. Background:. Traditional tissue engineering methods to fabricate urinary tract patch have some drawbacks such as compromised cell viability and uneven cell distribution within scaffold. In this study, we combined three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting and tissue engineering method to form a tissue-engineered urinary tract patch, which could be employed for the application on Beagles urinary tract defect mode to verify its effectiveness on urinary tract reconstruction. Methods:. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) were dropped into smooth muscle differentiation medium to generate induced microtissues (ID-MTs), flow cytometry was utilized to detect the positive percentage for CD44, CD105, CD45, and CD34 of hADSCs. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6) in hADSCs and MTs were identified by Western blotting. Then the ID-MTs were employed for 3D bioprinting. The bioprinted structure was encapsulated by transplantation into the subcutaneous tissue of nude mice for 1 week. After retrieval of the encapsulated structure, hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to demonstrate the morphology and reveal collagen and smooth muscle fibers, integral optical density (IOD) and area of interest were calculated for further semi-quantitative analysis. Immunofluorescent double staining of CD31 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were used to reveal vascularization of the encapsulated structure. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2), α-SMA, and smoothelin of the MTs in the implanted structure. Afterward, the encapsulated structure was seeded with human urothelial cells. Immunofluorescent staining of cytokeratins AE1/AE3 was applied to inspect the morphology of seeded encapsulated structure. Results:. The semi-quantitative assay showed that the relative protein expression of VEGFA was 0.355 ± 0.038 in the hADSCs vs. 0.649 ± 0.150 in the MTs (t = 3.291, P = 0.030), while TSG-6 expression was 0.492 ± 0.092 in the hADSCs vs. 1.256 ± 0.401 in the MTs (t = 3.216, P = 0.032). The semi-quantitative analysis showed that the mean IOD of IL-2 in the MT group was 7.67 ± 1.26, while 12.6 ± 4.79 in the hADSCs group, but semi-quantitative analysis showed that there was no statistical significance in the difference between the two groups (t = 1.724, P = 0.16). The semi-quantitative analysis showed that IOD was 71.7 ± 14.2 in non-induced MTs (NI-MTs) vs. 35.7 ± 11.4 in ID-MTs for collagen fibers (t = 3.428, P = 0.027) and 12.8 ± 1.9 in NI-MTs vs. 30.6 ± 8.9 in ID-MTs for smooth muscle fibers (t = 3.369, P = 0.028); furthermore, the mean IOD was 0.0613 ± 0.0172 in ID-MTs vs. 0.0017 ± 0.0009 in NI-MTs for α-SMA (t = 5.994, P = 0.027), while 0.0355 ± 0.0128 in ID-MTs vs. 0.0035 ± 0.0022 in NI-MTs for smoothelin (t = 4.268, P = 0.013), which indicate that 3D bioprinted structure containing ID-MTs could mimic the smooth muscle layer of native urinary tract. After encapsulation of the urinary tract patch for additional cell adhesion, urothelial cells were seeded onto the encapsulated structures, and a monolayer urothelial cell was observed. Conclusion:. Through 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering methods, we provided a promising way to fabricate tissue-engineered urinary tract patch for further investigation.

Abstract Background Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is the change in cerebral blood flow in response to a vaso-active stimulus, and may assist the treatment strategy of ischemic stroke. However, previous studies reported that a therapeutic strategy for stroke mainly depends on the degree of vascular stenosis with steady-state vascular parameters (e.g., cerebral blood flow and CVR). Hence, measurement of CVR by multimodal imaging techniques may improve the treatment of ischemic stroke. Methods/design This is a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial that aimed to examine the capability of multimodal imaging techniques for the evaluation of CVR to improve treatment of patients with ischemic stroke. A total of 66 eligible patients will be recruited from Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine. The patients will be categorized based on CVR into two subgroups as follows: CVR > 10% group and CVR

AIM: To investigate the protective effects of berberine on Sprague-Dawley(SD)rat retinal Müller cells with high concentration glucose in vitro.METHODS: The retinal Müller cells of SD rats were primary cultured by enzyme digestion. The second generation of Müller cells were randomly divided into 7 groups. They were normal glucose concentration(5mmol/L glucose)group, high glucose concentration(25mmol/L glucose)group, high glucose+ berberine group(5, 10, 25, 50 and 100μmol/L). After cultured for 24h, 48h and 72h, the cell proliferative viability was measured by CCK-8 method.RESULTS: After cultured for 24h, 48h and 72h, compared to the normal glucose concentration group, the absorbance of cells in the high glucose concentration group reduced significantly(All PPP>0.05).CONCLUSION: Berberine could reduce the inhibitory effect of high glucose on the proliferative viability of Müller cells to some extent. The intensity of effect was positively correlated with the berberine concentration.

Atherosclerosis is a risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases, and is linked to high rates of morbidity and mortality across the globe. Although numerous complex processes are involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, the exact mechanisms behind its pathogenesis remain unclear. Inflammation and endothelial cell damage exert a lasting effect on atherosclerosis, causing lipid and fibrous tissue accumulation in the intima of the artery to form plaques, and subsequently promoting atherosclerosis. Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammatory corpuscle is thought to be the link between lipid metabolism and inflammation. Long Potassium outflow is a vital activator of NLRP3, with a simultaneous effect as a start-up and adjustment. The majority of existing drugs for atherosclerosis targeting the NLRP3 signaling pathway target IL-1, whereas drugs targeting the critical link of potassium efflux are relatively new. This review discusses the NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle as a critical regulator of the immunological inflammatory pathway in atherosclerosis. Moreover, current knowledge on NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle start and activation pathways were integrated, emphasizing potassium-involved outflow-related proteins. We highlight potential treatment approaches for NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle pathways, specifically targeting potassium outflow channels of targeted drugs. Collectively, these insights indicate that targeting the NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle is a vital anti-inflammatory therapy for treating atherosclerosis.