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Herbivore insects deploy salivary effectors to manipulate the defense of their host plants. However, it remains unclear whether small RNAs from insects function as effectors in regulating plant-insect interactions. Here, we report that a microRNA (miR29-b) found in the saliva of phloem-feeding whitefly (Bemisa tabaci) can transfer into the host plant phloem during feeding and fine-tune the defense response of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The salivary gland-enriched BtmiR29-b was produced by BtDicer 1 and released into tobacco via salivary exosomes. Once inside the plant, BtmiR29-b hijacks tobacco Argonaute 1 to silence the defense gene Bcl-2-associated athanogene 4 (NtBAG4). In tobacco, NtBAG4 acts as the positive regulator of phytohormones (salicylic acid) SA and (jasmonic acid) JA, enhancing plant defense against whitefly attacks. Interestingly, we also found that miR29-b acts as a salivary effector in another Hemipteran insect, the aphid Myzus persicae, where it also inhibits tobacco resistance by degrading NtBAG4. Moreover, miR29-b is highly conserved not only in Hemiptera, but also across other insect orders such as Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, and Blattaria. Computational analysis suggests that miR29-b may target the evolutionarily conserved BAG4 gene in other plant species as well. We further provide evidence on BtmiR29-b mediated BAG4 cleavage and defense suppress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Taken together, our work demonstrated an insect-conserved miR29-b effector fine-tuning plant SA/JA-mediated defense by cross-kingdom silencing of the host BAG4 gene. These findings provide new insight into the defense and counter-defense mechanisms between herbivores and their host plants., (Copyright © 2025 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nicotiana benthamiana, a widely acknowledged laboratory model plant for molecular studies, exhibits lethality to certain insect pests and can serve as a dead-end trap plant for pest control in the field. However, the underlying mechanism of N. benthamiana's resistance against insects remains unknown. Here, we elucidate that the lethal effect of N. benthamiana on the whitefly Bemisia tabaci arises from the toxic glandular trichome exudates. By comparing the metabolite profiles of trichome exudates, we found that 51 metabolites, including five O-acyl sugars (O-AS) with medium-chain acyl moieties, were highly accumulated in N. benthamiana. Silencing of two O-AS biosynthesis genes, branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKD) and Isopropyl malate synthase-C (IPMS-C), significantly reduced the O-AS levels in N. benthamiana and its resistance against whiteflies. Additionally, we demonstrated that the higher expression levels of BCKD and IPMS-C in the trichomes of N. benthamiana contribute to O-AS synthesis and consequently enhance whitefly resistance. Furthermore, overexpression of NbBCKD and NbIPMS-C genes in the cultivated tobacco Nicotiana tabacum enhanced its resistance to whiteflies. Our study revealed the metabolic and molecular mechanisms underlying the lethal effect of N. benthamiana on whiteflies and presents a promising avenue for improving whitefly resistance., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The molecular mechanisms of plant responses to phytophagous insect eggs are poorly understood, despite their importance in insect-plant interactions. This study investigates the plant defense mechanisms triggered by the eggs of whitefly Bemisia tabaci , a globally significant agricultural pest. A transcriptome comparison of tobacco plants with and without eggs revealed that whitefly eggs may activate the response of defense-related genes, including those involved in the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway. SA levels are induced by eggs, resulting in a reduction in egg hatching, which suggests that SA plays a key role in plant resistance to whitefly eggs. Employing Agrobacterium -mediated transient expression, virus-induced gene silencing assays, DNA-protein interaction studies, and bioassays, we elucidate the regulatory mechanisms involved. Pathogenesis-related proteins NtPR1-L1 and NtPR5-L2, downstream of the SA pathway, also affect whitefly egg hatching. The SA-regulated transcription factor NtWRKY70a directly binds to the NtPR1-L1 promoter, enhancing its expression. Moreover, NtPR1-L1 promotes callose deposition, which may impede the eggs' access to water and nutrients. This study establishes the SA-WRKY70-PR-callose axis as a key mechanism linking plant responses and defenses against whitefly eggs, providing new insights into the molecular interactions between plants and insect eggs.

Background: Jasmonic acid (JA) is an important phytohormone used to defend against herbivores, but it does not respond to whitefly feeding. Conversely, another phytohormone, salicylic acid (SA), is induced when plants are fed upon by whiteflies. JA has a better anti-whitefly effect than SA; however, there is limited research on how to effectively improve plant resistance by utilizing the different responses of these phytohormones to whitefly feeding., Results: We discovered that protease inhibitors 8 (PI8) and terpene synthase 10 (TPS10) located downstream of the JA-regulated pathway in plants have anti-whitefly effects, but these two genes were not induced by whitefly feeding. To identify whitefly-inducible promoters, we compared the transcriptome data of tobacco fed upon by Bemisia tabaci with the control. We focused on pathogenesis-related (PR) genes because they are known to be induced by SA. Among these PR genes, we found that expression levels of pathogenes-related protein 1C-like (PR1) and glucose endo-1,3-beta-glucosidase (BGL) can be significantly induced by whitefly feeding and regulated by SA. We then engineered the whitefly-inducible promoters of BGL and PR1 to drive the expression of PI8 and TPS10. We found that compared with control plants that did not induce the expression of PI8 or TPS10, transformed plants expressing PI8 or TPS10 under the PR1 or BGL promoter showed a significant increase in the expression levels of PI8 and TPS10 after whitefly infection, significantly improving their resistance to whiteflies., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that using SA-inducible promoters as tools to drive the expression of JA-regulated defense genes can enhance plant resistance to whiteflies. Our study provides a novel pathway for the enhancement of plant resistance against insects. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Among refractive errors, astigmatism is the most common optical aberration, where refraction changes in different meridians of the eye. It causes blurred vision at any distance and includes corneal, lenticular, and retinal astigmatism. Cataract surgery used to cause a progressive increase in the pre-exisiting corneal astigmatism because of creating a surgically induced astigmatism, for example, a large size surgery incision. The development of surgical techniques during last decades has made cataract surgery interchange to treat preoperative corneal astigmatism at time of surgery. Nowadays, three surgical approaches can be used. By placing a sutureless clear corneal incision on the steep meridian of the cornea, a preoperative corneal astigmatism less than 1.0 D can be corrected. Single or paired peripheral corneal relaxing incisions (PCRIs) provide 1.0-3.0 D corneal astigmatism correction. PCRIs are typically used for treating 1.0-1.5 D of regular corneal astigmatism, if more than 2.0 D, the risk of overcorrection and irregular astigmatism is increased. When toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) are unavailable in markets, PCRIs are still a reasonable option for patients with up to 3.0 D of pre-existing corneal astigmatism. Toric IOLs implantation can correct 1.0-4.5 D of corneal astigmatism. Several IOLs are approved to correct a high degree of corneal astigmatism with cylinder power up to 12.0 D. These approaches can be used alone or in combination., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: Yin XL, None; Ji ZY, None; Li XX, None; Liang XM, None; Ji SX, None., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

In insects, vision is crucial in finding host plants, but its role in nocturnal insects is largely unknown. Vision involves responses to specific spectra of photon wavelengths and opsins plays an important role in this process. Long-wavelength sensitive opsin (LW opsin) and blue-sensitive opsin (BL opsin) are main visual opsin proteins and play important in behavior regulation.We used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to mutate the long-wavelength-sensitive and blue wavelength-sensitive genes and explored the role of vision in the nocturnal invasive pest Tuta absoluta. Light wave experiments revealed that LW2 (-/-) and BL (-/-) mutants showed abnormal wavelength tropism. Both LW2 and BL mutations affected the preference of T. absoluta for the green environment. Mutations in LW2 and BL are necessary to inhibit visual attraction. The elimination of LW2 and BL affected the preference of leaf moths for green plants, and mutations in both induced a preference in moths for white plants. Behavioral changes resulting from LW2 (-/-) and BL (-/-) mutants were not affected by sense of smell, further supporting the regulatory role of vision in insect behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal that vision, not smell, plays an important role in the host-seeking behavior of nocturnal insects at night, of which LW2 and BL opsins are key regulatory factors. These study findings will drive the development of the "vision-ecology" theory., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

HIV/AIDS pandemic remains the world's most severe public health challenge, especially for HIV/AIDS immunological nonresponders (HIV/AIDS-INRs), who tend to have higher mortality. Due to the advantages in promoting patients' immune reconstitution, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become one of the mainstays of complementary treatments for HIV/AIDS-INRs. Given that effective TCM treatments largely depend on precise syndrome differentiation, there is an increasing interest in exploring biological evidence for the classification of TCM syndromes in HIV/AIDS-INRs. In our study, to identify the typical HIV/AIDS-INRs syndrome, an epidemiological survey was first conducted in the Liangshan prefecture (China), a high HIV/AIDS prevalence region. The key TCM syndrome, Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney (YDSK), was evaluated by using a tandem mass tag combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (TMT-LC-MS/MS). A total of 62 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of YDSK syndrome compared with healthy people were screened out. Comparative bioinformatics analyses showed that DEPs in YDSK syndrome were mainly associated with response to wounding and acute inflammatory response in the biological process. The pathway annotation is mainly enriched in complement and coagulation cascades. Finally, the YDSK syndrome-specific DEPs such as HP and S100A9 were verified by ELISA, and confirmed as potential biomarkers for YDSK syndrome. Our study may lay the biological and scientific basis for the specificity of TCM syndromes in HIV/AIDs-INRs, and may provide more opportunities for the deep understanding of TCM syndromes and the developing more effective and stable TCM treatment for HIV/AIDS-INRs., (© 2022 American Association for Anatomy.)

MYB transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in plant resistance to abiotic and biotical stresses. However, little is currently known about their involvement in the plant defense to piercing-sucking insects. Here, we studied the MYB TFs that responded to and resisted Bemisia tabaci whitefly in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana. Firstly, a total of 453 NbMYB TFs in N. benthamiana genome were identified and 182 R2R3-MYB TFs were analyzed for molecular characteristics, phylogenetic analysis, genetic structure, motif composition, and cis-elements. Then, six stress-related NbMYB genes were selected for further study. The expression pattern shows they were highly expressed in mature leaves and intensively induced upon whitefly attack. Combined with bioinformatic analysis, overexpression, β-Glucuronidase (GUS) assay, and virus-induced silencing tests, we determined the transcriptional regulation of these NbMYBs on the genes in lignin biosynthesis and SA-signaling pathways. Meanwhile, we tested the performance of whitefly on plants with increased or silenced NbMYB genes expression and found that NbMYB42, NbMYB107, NbMYB163, and NbMYB423 were resistant to whitefly. Our results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the MYB TFs in N. benthamiana. Furthermore, our findings will facilitate further studies on the role of MYB TFs in the interaction between plants and piercing-sucking insects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) immunological nonresponders (HIV/AIDS-INRs) whose CD4 + cell counts do not rebound after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment usually experience severely impaired immune function and high mortality. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has many advantages in the field of AIDS, especially its promotion of patients' immune reconstitution. Accurate differentiation of TCM syndromes is a prerequisite for guiding an effective TCM prescription. However, the objective and biological evidence for identification of the TCM syndromes in HIV/AIDS-INRs remains lacking. Lung and spleen deficiency (LSD) syndrome, a typical HIV/AIDS-INR syndrome, was examined on in this study., Methods: We first performed a proteomic study of LSD syndrome in INRs (INRs-LSD) using tandem mass tag combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (TMT-LC-MS/MS) and screened them against the healthy and undocumented identifiable groups. The TCM syndrome-specific proteins were subsequently validated based on bioinformatics analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)., Results: A total of 22 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were screened in INRs-LSD compared to the healthy group. Based on bioinformatic analysis, these DEPs were found to be mainly associated with the immunoglobin A (IgA)-generated intestinal immune network. In addition, we examined the TCM syndrome-specific proteins alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) and human selectin L (SELL) with ELISA and found that they were both upregulated, which was consistent with the proteomic screening results., Conclusions: A2M and SELL were finally identified as potential biomarkers for INRs-LSD, providing a scientific and biological basis for identifying typical TCM syndromes in HIV/AIDS-INRs and an opportunity to build a more effective TCM treatment system for HIV/AIDS-INRs., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-23-322/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

The first total synthesis of daphgraciline has been achieved, which also represents the first example of the synthesis of Daphniphyllum yuzurine-type alkaloids (∼50 members). The unique bridged azabicyclo[4.3.1] ring system in the yuzurine-type subfamily was efficiently and diastereoselectively assembled via a mild type II [5+2] cycloaddition for the first time. The compact tetracyclic [6-7-5-5] skeleton was installed efficiently via an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, followed by a benzilic acid-type rearrangement. The synthetically challenging spiro tetrahydropyran moiety in the final product was installed diastereoselectively via a Ti III -mediated reductive epoxide coupling reaction. Potential access to enantioenriched daphgraciline is presented.

Background: Tailgut cysts are defined as congenital cysts that develop in the rectosacral space from the residue of the primitive tail. As a congenital disease, caudal cysts are very rare, and their canceration is even rarer, which makes the disease prone to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. We describe a case of caudal cyst with adenocarcinogenesis and summarize in detail the characteristics of cases with analytical value reported since 1990., Case Summary: A 35-year-old woman found a mass in her lower abdomen 2 mo ago. She was asymptomatic at that time and was not treated because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Two weeks ago, the patient developed abdominal distension and right waist discomfort and came to our hospital. Except for the high level of serum carcinoembryonic antigen, the medical history and laboratory tests were not remarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-defined, slightly lobulated cystic-solid mass with a straight diameter of approximately 10 cm × 9 cm in the presacral space, slightly high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging, and moderate signal intensity on T1-weighted imaging. The mass was completely removed by laparoscopic surgery. Histopathological examination showed that the lesion was an intestinal mucinous adenocarcinoma, and the multidisciplinary team decided to implement postoperative chemotherapy. The patient recovered well, the tumor marker levels returned to normal, and tumor-free survival has been achieved thus far., Conclusion: The case and literature summary can help clinicians and researchers develop appropriate examination and therapeutic methods for diagnosis and treatment of this rare disease., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

As an invasive species, Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED) has notable potential to adapt to a wide range of environmental temperatures, which enables it to successfully spread after invasion and occupy habitats over a wide latitude range. It has been postulated that chromatin remodeling mechanisms are related to the rapid acquisition of adaptive traits and thermal resistance in invasive species; however, relevant experimental evidence is scarce. To identify the molecular characteristics and assess the role of chromatin remodelers in thermal stress within invasive MED and native Asia II 1 of the B. tabaci species complex, we identified 13 switching defective/sucrose non-fermenting (SWI/SNF) and 10 imitation switch (ISWI) family members in the B. tabaci genome, analyzed their molecular characteristics and structures, and identified key mutation sites between MED and Asia II 1, then cloned the catalytic subunits, and revealed the difference in thermal tolerance function. The results showed that the expression levels of Bt-BRM-1 and Bt-BRM-2 were significantly higher in MED than in Asia II 1 during heat stress, and Bt-BRM-2 expression was significantly higher during cold stress. In addition, RNA interference results indicated that the two target genes had similar temperature tolerance function in the both two cryptic species. This study is the first to identify and analyze the molecular characteristics of SWI/SNF and ISWI family members and reveal their potential key roles in temperature tolerance in poikilothermic ectotherms. The results will assist in understanding the underlying temperature adaptation mechanism of invasive insects and will enrich stress adaptation research systems from an epigenetic perspective., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ji, Wang, Lin, Wan, Lü and Liu.)

The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is one of the world's most destructive pests of tomato, and because of its severe economic impacts, as well as the development of pesticide resistance, the species has been intensively studied, especially in regard to the identification of targets for T. absoluta control. However, functional genomic studies of T. absoluta have been constrained by a lack of effective genetic tools. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to develop a CRISPR/Cas9 zygote microinjection protocol for generating heritable mutations in T. absoluta , using the ommochrome synthesis gene cinnabar as an easily evaluated target gene. The injection of fertilised eggs with Cas9 protein and four sgRNAs, which targeted cinnabar exon 3, resulted in a mutagenesis rate of 31.9% for eggs reaching adulthood, and cinnabar mutagenesis resulted in either red or mosaic eye colour phenotypes. As such, this study is the first to report a complete and detailed CRISPR/Cas9 workflow for the efficient genome editing of the globally important invasive pest T. absoluta . The application of this robust genome-editing tool to T. absoluta will greatly facilitate the discovery of suitable RNAi control targets and the subsequent development of novel control strategies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ji, Bi, Wang, Wu, Tang, Zhang, Wan, Lü and Liu.)

The tomato leaf miner ( Tuta absoluta ) is one of the top 20 plant pests worldwide. We cloned and identified the chromatin-remodelling ATPase genes ISWI and BRM by RACE and bioinformatic analysis, respectively; used RT-qPCR to examine their expression patterns during different life cycle stages; and elucidated their roles in insect reproduction using double-stranded RNA injections. The full-length cDNA of TaISWI was 3428 bp and it encoded a 1025-aa polypeptide. The partial-length cDNA of TaBRM was 3457 bp and it encoded a 1030-aa polypeptide. TaISWI and TaBRM were upregulated at the egg stage. Injection of TaISWI or TaBRM dsRNA at the late pupa stage significantly inhibited adult ovary development and reduced fecundity, hatchability, and longevity in the adult females. To the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to perform molecular characterisations of two chromatin-remodelling ATPase genes and clarify their roles in T. absoluta fecundity. Chromatin-remodelling ATPases are potential RNAi targets for the control of T. absoluta and other insect pests. The present study was also the first to demonstrate the feasibility of reproductive inhibitory RNAi as a putative approach for the suppression of T. absoluta and other Lepidopteran insect populations.

To reveal the mechanism of temperature preference in Tuta absoluta , one of the top 20 plant pests in the world, we cloned and identified TaTRPA1 , TaPain , and TaPyx genes by RACE and bioinformatic analysis, and clarified their expression profiles during different development stages using real-time PCR, and revealed their function in preference temperature by RNAi. The full-length cDNA of TaPain was 3136 bp, with a 2865-bp open reading frame encoding a 259.89-kDa protein; and the partial length cDNA of TaPyx was 2326-bp, with a 2025-bp open reading frame encoding a 193.16-kDa protein. In addition, the expression of TaTRPA1 and TaPyx was significantly lower in larvae than other stages, and it was significantly higher in pupae and newly emerging males for TaPain . After feeding target double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), the preferred temperature decreased 2 °C more than the control group. In conclusion, the results firstly indicated the molecular characterization of TRPA subfamily genes and their key role in temperature perception in T. absoluta , and the study will help us to understand the temperature-sensing mechanism in the pest, and will provide some basis for study of other Lepidoptera insects' temperature preference. Moreover, it is of great significance in enriching the research progress of "thermos TRP".

The dynamics, duration, and nature of immunity produced during SARS-CoV-2 infection are still unclear. Here, we longitudinally measured virus-neutralising antibody, specific antibodies against the spike (S) protein, receptor-binding domain (RBD), and the nucleoprotein (N) of SARS-CoV-2, as well as T cell responses, in 25 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients up to 121 days post-symptom onset (PSO). All patients seroconvert for IgG against N, S, or RBD, as well as IgM against RBD, and produce neutralising antibodies (NAb) by 14 days PSO, with the peak levels attained by 15-30 days PSO. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and NAb remain detectable and relatively stable 3-4 months PSO, whereas IgM antibody rapidly decay. Approximately 65% of patients have detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 + or CD8 + T cell responses 3-4 months PSO. Our results thus provide critical evidence that IgG, NAb, and T cell responses persist in the majority of patients for at least 3-4 months after infection.

To explore the mechanism of Solanum lycopersicum rootstock function in enhancing salt tolerance of grafted seedlings, we examined the growth, Na + accumulation, amino acid contents and active oxygen metabolism (ROS) in three grafted seedlings treated with and without 175 mmol·L -1 NaCl conditions. RS grafted seedlings were formed by split grafting using salt-sensitive variety 'Zhongza 9'(S) as scion and salt-tolerant variety 'OZ-006'(R) as rootstock, while the other two experiment materials were the scion self-grafted (SS) and rootstock self-grafted (RR) seedlings. The results showed that NaCl stress significantly increased the salt damage index and Na + content, concomitantly with substantial decrease in growth rate and chlorophyll content of seedlings. More-over, there were significant differences among the grafting combinations, with an order of SS>RS>RR. NaCl stress significantly increased total amino acid content in the leaves and roots of the grafted seedlings. The amino acid contents were significantly higher than those in the control. There were 9 kinds of amino acid in RR and RS leaves, and 8 kinds in RR and RS roots, with the most significant change in proline. Only 2 and 4 kinds of amino acids in leaves and roots of SS were significantly higher than those in control, respectively. Amino acid contents among three grafted seedlings showed RR>RS>SS under NaCl stress. The contents of amino acid in RR and RS leaves increased by 32.8% and 16.6% compared with SS, and those in RR and RS roots increased by 53.1% and 32.5%, respectively. The changes of ROS were caused by NaCl stress, which enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, the production rate of O 2 -· and MDA content in both leaves and roots. Among different grafted seedlings, RR had the most prominent increase of antioxidant enzymes activities in leaves and roots, followed by RS, and SS showed the smallest. The active oxygen levels among the three grafted seedlings were show as SS>RS>RR. In summary, rootstock alleviated salt damage of grafted seedlings by inhibiting Na + transport upward, enhancing amino acid content and antioxidant enzyme activities. The salt tolerance ability showed remarkable difference among three different combinations of rootstock and scion, with a order of RR>RS>SS. Our results suggested that salt tolerance of S. lycopersicum grafted seedlings was mainly affected by the ability of rootstock salt tolerance, followed by scion, and also closely related to the regulation of both amino acid and active oxygen metabolism in seedlings.

Data concerning the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic patients are lacking. We report a 3-family cluster of infections involving asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic transmission. Eight of 15 (53%) members from 3 families were confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of 8 patients, 3 were asymptomatic and 1 was paucisymptomatic. An asymptomatic mother transmitted the virus to her son, and a paucisymptomatic father transmitted the virus to his 3-month-old daughter. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in the environment of 1 household. The complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 from the patients were > 99.9% identical and were clustered with other SARS-CoV-2 sequences reported from China and other countries., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Invasive species often encounter rapid environmental changes during invasions and only the individuals that successfully overcome environmental stresses can colonize and spread. Chromatin remodeling may be essential in environmental adaptation. To assess the functions of imitation switch (ISWI) in invasive Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) cryptic species, we cloned and characterized the MEAM1 BtISWI gene and determined its functions in response to thermal stress. The full-length cDNA of BtISWI was 3712 bp, with a 3068 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 118.86 kDa protein. BtISWI mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated after exposure to heat shock or cold shock conditions, indicating that BtISWI expression can be induced by thermal stress. After feeding double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), specifically for BtISWI , resistance to both heat and cold decreased significantly, suggesting that BtISWI may function directly in the thermal tolerance of MEAM1. Moreover, the preferred temperature of MEAM1 adults fed dsRNA was 1.9-3.5 °C higher than the control groups. Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of epigenetic gene regulation in the thermal response or thermal adaptation of invasive Bemisia tabaci ( B. tabaci ), and provide a new potential target for establishing sustainable control strategies for B. tabaci ., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with dementia and cognition decline. However, there is currently no effective treatment for diabetes-induced cognitive dysfunction. The neuroprotective effect of L-3-n-butylphthalide (L-NBP) has been demonstrated in vascular dementia animal models. The purpose of this study was to determine whether L-NBP can ameliorate cognitive deficits in db/db mice, a model of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The mice were administered with vehicle or L-NBP (120 mg/kg) by gavage daily for 6 weeks. Then, Morris water maze tasks were performed, and hippocampal LTP was recorded in vivo. Next, the synaptic structure of the CA1 hippocampus region was investigated via electron microscopy. Finally, the expression levels of MDA, SOD, 8-OHdG, and NADPH oxidase subunits gp91 and p67, as well as the expression of NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β and caspase-3 were measured by Western blot, RT-PCR and ELISA. Treatment with L-NBP significantly attenuated the learning and memory deficits in db/db mice. Concomitantly, L-NBP also increased hippocampus synaptic plasticity, characterized by an enhanced in vivo LTP, and suppressed oxidative stress, as indicated by increased SOD activity and decreased MDA, 8-OHdG, and NADPH oxidase subunits p67 and gp91. L-NBP also significantly decreased NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1βand caspase-3 levels in the hippocampus. L-NBP significantly ameliorated cognitive decline in type 2 diabetic mice, and this effect was accompanied by an improvement in hippocampal plasticity and an amelioration of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis cascades. Thus, L-NBP may be a promising therapeutic agent against DM-mediated cognitive dysfunction.

In China, a rapid expansion of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreaks has occurred since 2004, and HFMD has become an important issue in China. There are more than 20 types of enterovirus causing HFMD, of which coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71) are the most common. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD caused by EV71 and CA16 in Linyi, Shandong province, China, from 2009 to 2017. The stool specimens and throat samples of 5,324 patients with HFMD were obtained for nucleic acid detection of enterovirus. A total of 4,040 HFMD cases were caused by viral pathogens. Of these, 1,706 cases were positive for EV71 and 1,266 were positive for CA16. These 2 virus strains appeared alternately in Linyi city. The incidence of EV71-positive and CA16-positive cases was highest in children aged 0-5 years, with male patients being predominant. This outbreak of HMFD caused by EV71 and CA16 mainly occurred between April and July and appeared alternately between the years 2011 and 2017. These results demonstrated that the epidemiological analysis of EV71 and CA16 can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of the disease.

Rationale: Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract is a common complication of oral anticoagulant therapy (AT), and it usually appears as mucosal erosion or ulcer; however, intestinal submucosal hematoma (ISH) is an uncommon cause of hemorrhage., Patient Concerns: This report presents the case of a 70-year-old woman with acute hematochezia induced by AT. She underwent computed tomography and endoscopy., Diagnoses: Colon submucosal hematoma., Interventions: Conservative treatment had no effect, and the patient underwent emergency surgery., Outcomes: Surgical resection showed hemorrhage and necrosis in the left colon, and the patient recovered 24 hours after surgery and continued AT., Lessons: The present case indicates that the ISH should be kept in mind as a complication of AT. It can be managed conservatively in some stable patients, but emergency surgery may be needed in some serious situations.

The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is established to find the geographic origins of Chinese wolfberry quickly. In the paper, the 45 samples of Chinese wolfberry from different places of Qinghai Province are to be surveyed by FTIR. The original data matrix of FTIR is pretreated with common preprocessing and wavelet transform. Compared with common windows shifting smoothing preprocessing, standard normal variation correction and multiplicative scatter correction, wavelet transform is an effective spectrum data preprocessing method. Before establishing model through the artificial neural networks, the spectra variables are compressed by means of the wavelet transformation so as to enhance the training speed of the artificial neural networks, and at the same time the related parameters of the artificial neural networks model are also discussed in detail. The survey shows even if the infrared spectroscopy data is compressed to 1/8 of its original data, the spectral information and analytical accuracy are not deteriorated. The compressed spectra variables are used for modeling parameters of the backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model and the geographic origins of Chinese wolfberry are used for parameters of export. Three layers of neural network model are built to predict the 10 unknown samples by using the MATLAB neural network toolbox design error back propagation network. The number of hidden layer neurons is 5, and the number of output layer neuron is 1. The transfer function of hidden layer is tansig, while the transfer function of output layer is purelin. Network training function is trainl and the learning function of weights and thresholds is learngdm. net. trainParam. epochs=1 000, while net. trainParam. goal = 0.001. The recognition rate of 100% is to be achieved. It can be concluded that the method is quite suitable for the quick discrimination of producing areas of Chinese wolfberry. The infrared spectral analysis technology combined with the artificial neural networks is proved to be a reliable and new method for the identification of the original place of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the estrogenic effects and mechanisms of three flavonoid components in Xiaoyao powder: quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. The drugs were used to treat estrogen receptor (ER)-positive human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, and proliferation was measured using the MTT method. The expression of proteins and mRNA of the ER subtype were measured using western blotting and real time polymerase chain reaction. The quercetin (10(-2) μM, 10(-3) μM), kaempferol (100 μM, 10(-2) μM), and isorhamnetin (10(-3) μM) promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and the expression of ERα and ERβ proteins and mRNA were all increased significantly (P < 0.05). These effects were reversed by treatment with 0.1 μM estrogen antagonist ICI182780. Three flavonoid components in Xiaoyao powder increased the expression of proteins and mRNA of ERα and ERβ and promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. These estrogenic effects were mediated by the ER.

Background: Nogo-A, a major myelin-associated inhibitor, can inhibit injured optic nerve regeneration. However, whether Amino-Nogo is the most important functional domain of Nogo-A remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the role of Amino-Nogo following optic nerve injury, and the mechanism of the Amino-Nogo-integrin αv signaling pathway in vivo., Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats with optic nerve crush injury were injected with Nogo-A siRNA (Nogo-A-siRNA), the Nogo-66 functional domain antagonist peptide of Nogo-A (Nep1-40) or a recombinant rat Amino-Nogo-A protein (∆20) into the vitreous cavity to knock down Nogo-A, inhibit Nogo-66 or activate the Amino-Nogo, resparately. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) density, axon regeneration and the pattern of NPN of visual electrophysiology (flash visual evoked potentials [F-VEP]) at different times post-injury were investigated., Results: Our study revealed a lower RGC survival rate; shorter axonal outgrowth; longer N1, P1 and N2 waves latencies; and lower N1-P1 and P1-N2 amplitudes in the Δ20 group, and Δ20 treatment significantly attenuated integrin αv expression and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) levels. In the Nep1-40 and Nogo-A siRNA groups, there were higher RGC survival rates, longer axonal outgrowth, shorter N1 and P1 wave latencies, and higher N1-P1 and P1-N2amplitudes. Nogo-A siRNA treatment significantly increased integrin αv expression and p-FAK levels. Nepl-40 treatment did not alter integrin αv expression. In addition, there was no significant change in integrin α5 in any group., Conclusion: These results suggest that the integrin signaling pathway is regulated by Amino-Nogo, which inhibits optic nerve regeneration and functional recovery, and that the integrin subunit involved might be integrin αv but not integrin α5., (© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) is a member of the leucine zipper family of DNA-binding proteins and is widely distributed in tissues including the liver, lung, spleen, and kidney. Like c-Jun and c-Fos, ATF2 responds to stress-related stimuli and may thereby influence cell proliferation, inflammation, apoptosis, oncogenesis, neurological development and function, and skeletal remodeling. Recent studies clarify the regulatory role of ATF2 in inflammation and describe potential inhibitors of this protein. In this paper, we summarize the properties and functions of ATF2 and explore potential applications of ATF2 inhibitors as tools for research and for the development of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs.

The complexity of natural triacylglycerols (TAGs) in various edible oils is high because of the hundreds of TAG compositions, which makes the profiling of TAGs quite difficult. In this investigation, a rapid and high-throughput method for online profiling of TAGs in plant oils by two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography using a single column coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry was reported. A novel mixed-mode 2D chromatographic column packed with silver-ion-modified octyl and sulfonic co-bonded silica was employed in this online 2D separation system. This novel 2D column combined the features of C8 column and silver-ion. In comparison with the traditional C18 column and silver-ion column, which are the two main columns used for the separation of complex TAGs in natural oil samples, this novel 2D column, could provide hydrophobic interactions as well as π-complexation interactions. It exhibited much higher selectivity for the separation of TAGs, and the separation was rapid. This online 2D separation system was successful in the separation of a large number of TAG solutes, and the TAG structures were evaluated by analyzing their APCI mass spectra information. This system was applied for the profiling of TAGs in peanut oils, corn oils, and soybean oils. 30 TAGs in peanut oils, 18 TAGs in corn oils, and 21 TAGs in soybean oils were determined and quantified. The highest relative content of TAGs was LLL, which was found in corn oil with the relative content up to 45.43 (%, w/w), and the lowest relative content of TAGs was LLS and OSS, which was found in soybean oil and corn oil respectively, with the relative content only 0.01 (%, w/w). In addition, the TAG data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). Results of PCA enabled a clear identification of different plant oils. This method provided an efficient and convenient chromatographic technology for the fast characterization and quantification of complex TAGs in plant oils at high selectivity. It has great potential as a routine analytical method for analysis of edible oil quality and authenticity control., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel carboxyl-bonded silica stationary phase was prepared by "thiol-ene" click chemistry. The resultant Thiol-Click-COOH phase was evaluated under hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) mobile phase conditions. A comparison of the chromatographic performance of Thiol-Click-COOH and pure silica columns was performed according to the retention behaviors of analytes and the charged state of the stationary phases. The results indicated that the newly developed Thiol-Click-COOH column has a higher surface charge and stronger hydrophilicity than the pure silica column. Furthermore, the chromatographic behaviors of five nucleosides on the Thiol-Click-COOH phase were investigated in detail. Finally, a good separation of 13 nucleosides and bases, and four water-soluble vitamins was achieved., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Nogo-A is a myelin-derived inhibitor playing a pivotal role in the prevention of axonal regeneration. A functional domain of Nogo-A, Amino-Nogo, exerts an inhibitory effect on axonal regeneration, although the mechanism is unclear. The present study investigated the role of the Amino-Nogo-integrin signaling pathway in primary retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with respect to axonal outgrowth, which is required for axonal regeneration. Immunohistochemistry showed that integrin αv, integrin α5 and FAK were widely expressed in the visual system. Thy-1 and GAP-43 immunofluorescence showed that axonal outgrowth of RGCs was promoted by Nogo-A siRNA and a peptide antagonist of the Nogo-66 functional domain of Nogo-A (Nep1-40), and inhibited by a recombinant rat Nogo-A-Fc chimeric protein (Δ20). Western blotting revealed increased integrin αv and p-FAK expression in Nogo-A siRNA group, decreased integrin αv expression in Δ20 group and decreased p-FAK expression in Nep1-40 group. Integrin α5 expression was not changed in any group. RhoA G-LISA showed that RhoA activation was inhibited by Nogo-A siRNA and Δ20, but increased by Nep1-40 treatment. These results suggest that Amino-Nogo inhibits RGC axonal outgrowth primarily through the integrin αv signaling pathway.

Epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk. However, the results remain conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MTHFRC677T polymorphism and POAG risk. All genetic association studies on MTHFR C677T polymorphism and POAG were systematically searched by the electronic databases PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. Study selection, data abstraction and study quality evaluation were conducted in duplicate independently. The strength of association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and POAG was measured by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was tested by Begg's funnel plot and Egger's regression test. A total of 10 studies including 1224 cases and 1105 controls were included in our final meta-analysis. There was no evidence of significant association of the overall population (for allelic model: OR=1.17, 95% CI=0.94-1.46; for additive model: OR=1.15, 95% CI=0.85-1.57; for dominant model: OR=1.19, 95% CI=0.92-1.55 and for recessive model: OR=1.11, 95% CI=0.83-1.49). Significant associations were found between MTHFR C677T polymorphisms and POAG in allelic model (OR=1.39, 95% CI=1.05-1.83) and additive model (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.04-3.43) for population-based (PB) subgroup. This meta-analysis suggested that there were significant associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and POAG in allelic model and additive model for PB subgroup which indicated that the T allele or TT genotype might increase the risk of POAG, whereas no evidence of significant association was shown of the overall studied population. However, this conclusion should be interpreted cautiously. More large sample-size and multi-ethnicity studies with well-defined POAG patients and well-study design are needed in the future study., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To characterize the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Chinese patients., Methods: Two hundred and three patients with uveitis associated with AS followed-up in the Third Military Medical University Daping Hospital between 2005 and 2010 were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Complete ophthalmological examinations were evaluated at baseline and during the follow-up period. The gender, age, follow-up time, mean frequency of uveitis onset, and accompanying eye examination findings, history, demographical parameters were reviewed. All the patients presented complete clinical and radiologic (sacroiliac, lumbar, dorsal and cervical spine, knee, ankle, shoulder, hip, elbow) evaluation. HLA-B27 typing was also searched., Results: There were 203 patients diagnosed with AS associated uveitis. All showed sacroiliac X-ray changes indicative of AS. There were 184 male and 19 female patients. The average age of patients was 35±12 (range 18-50). Mean follow-up period was 2.4 years (1-5 years). Acute anterior uveitis was the most common type of uveitis in both genders. 121 eyes presented unilateral involvement (55.2%), and 92 eyes presented bilateral involvement (45.3%) with onset alternately. 22 eyes occurred hypopyon, 16 eyes were found anterior vitreous cells, 7 eyes were noted reactive macular edema or exudation, 29 eyes presented posterior synechiae of iris, and 14 eyes presented cataract, 9 eyes presented secondary glaucoma, 2 eyes presented bend corneal degeneration and 1 eyes presented atrophy of eyeball. At the final visit, uveitis was well controlled in most patients., Conclusion: AS associated with uveitis in Chinese patients mainly manifests as acute anterior uveitis. A combination of corticosteroids with other mydriasis agents is effective for most AS associated with uveitis patients. In general, the prognosis is good in these cases.

Objective: To investigate the pathogen spectrum constitution of HEV related to acute meningitis/encephalitis syndrome (AMES) and to analyze the genetic characterization of the echovirus 30 (Echo30) isolates., Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid, stool, and/or throat swab specimens from 101 AMES cases were collected for virus isolation with RD and HEp-2 cell lines in Linyi city from April to December, 2010. After typing by neutralization test, the entire VP1 gene of the isolates were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Homologous comparison was carried out and phylogenetic analysis were performed., Results: HEVs were isolated from 47 specimens of 34 patients (4 from cerebrospinal fluid, 18 from throut swab and 25 from stool), with 11 Echo30 isolates identified by microneutralization assay and molecular typing method. In alignment of VP1 sequences with global Echo30 isolates, relative high nucleotide homologies (91.2% - 95.4%) with Taian, Zhangqiu and Jiangsu isolates and high divergences (17.9% -19.6%) with prototype strain were observed. Nucleotide divergences among Linyi isolates were 0 - 10.2%, and 3 lineages were revealed via phylogenetic analysis, reflecting 3 transmission chains of Echo30 co-circulated in Linyi city, 2010., Conclusion: Echo30 was the predominant serotype of AMES cases in Linyi city, 2010. These isolates possessed considerable divergence with Echo30 from other countries.

To investigate the genetic characteristics of poliovirus isolates from environmental sewage surveillance in Shandong province, we collected sewage samples in Jinan and Linyi City. Serotyping and VP1/ 3D sequencing were performed on polioviruses isolated from the concentrated sewage samples, and VP1 mutation and recombination were analyzed. Thirty-two of sewage samples were collected, and polioviruses were detected in 10 of the samples with a positive rate of 31.3%. Eighteen Sabin strains were isolated including three type 1, nine type 2, and six type 3 polioviruses, and the number of nucleotide substitutions in VP1 coding region varied from 0 to 4. Recombination was found in three Sabin 2 and four Sabin 3 polioviruses. Analysis of neurovirulence sites of VP1 revealed that one Sabin 1 vaccine strain had a nucleotide change of A to G at nt 2749, one Sabin 2 strain had a nucleotide change of A to G at nt 2908, three Sabin 2 strains had a nucleotide change of U to C at nt 2909, and all six Sabin 3 strains had a nucleotide change of C to U at nt 2493. Poliovirus vaccine strains could be isolated from environmental sewage with a high rate of gene recombination and back mutation of neuvirulence-associated sites. None of wild-type poliovirus or vaccine-derived poliovirus was detected.

We present a case of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH) in Sturge-Weber syndrome in a 30-year-old woman with congenital port-wine stains on the left side of face involving the upper eyelid, cheek and the nose, and she had undergone facial hemangioma surgery 3 years ago suggestive of Sturge-Weber syndrome. She presented with a 1-month history of rapidly decreased visual acuity (VA) to counting fingers in the left eye which had no prior history of visual problem. And there was no evidence of glaucoma. At 3 months after the treatment of the standard photodynamic therapy (PDT) the VA was 20/200. For some reasons, we have no idea about the changes of tumor thickness and subretinal fluid. We confirmed the curative effect of PDT treatment for CCH because of the significantly improved VA in the bad eye.

Aim: To investigate whether CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells play a role in the development of anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID)., Methods: The dynamic changes in the frequency of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells, CD4(+)CD25(+) FoxP3(+) T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+) PD-1(+) T cells from spleens of mice with ACAID were analyzed by flow cytometry. Foxp3 mRNA expression in purified CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells was analyzed using real-time PCR. The suppressive effect of purified CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells on the proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells was evaluated by [(3)H] thymidine incorporation. A blocking experiment was performed to further address the role of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells in ACAID. The expression of IL-10 in purified CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells was evaluated by ELISA., Results: Increased frequencies of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells, CD4(+)CD25(+) FoxP3(+) T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+) PD-1(+) T cells were observed in ACAID. The CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells from mice with ACAID showed enhanced suppressive effect on the proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. Treatment of BALB/c mice with anti-CD25 antibody after injection of OVA into the anterior chamber significantly inhibited the induction of ACAID. Furthermore, purified CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells from ACAID mice secreted IL-10., Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that Treg cells are induced in the mice undergoing ACAID. These Treg cells may play a role in the development of ACAID.

Objective: Bietti crystalline dystrophy is a rare form of tapetoretinal degeneration associated with retinal crystalline deposits. However, Bietti crystalline dystrophy is extremely unusually associated with macular hole formation. A 32-year-old man with Bietti crystalline dystrophy and bilateral macular holes is described., Design: Case report and literature review., Results: Clinical and angiographic features, optical coherence tomography results, electroretinographic findings, and visual evoked potentials are reported., Conclusion: Bietti crystalline dystrophy can occur with bilateral macular holes, but the cause is unclear.

Ten trace elements and macro elements in Jin He Nao Xue Kang capsules, such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results showed that there are comparatively rich macro element Mg, and profitable elements such as trace elements Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni etc in Jin He Nao Xue Kang capsules. The contents of poisonous elements (Cd and Pb) are comparatively low. The content sequence of metal elements is as follow: Fe>Mg>Zn>Mn>Cu>Ni>Cr>Pb>Co>Cd. It provided useful data for discussing the relationship between trace elements and macro elements in Tibetan traditional medicine, and the cure for vascular and cerebral vascular disease.

Objective: To explore the effects of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) on the pathogenesis of human keloid., Methods: CTGF antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) conjugated with isothiocyanate fluorescence was encapsulated by liposome, and then added into the human keloid fibroblast (HKF) culturing media. The intracellular distribution of CTGF ASODN was observed with fluorescence microscopy in the fixed HKF. The proliferation of HKF was measured by MIT test. The apoptosis of HKF was measured with a flow cytometer. The collagen synthesis of HKF was measured by using H3-proline incorporation method., Results: The CTGF ASODN inhibited the proliferation and collagen synthesis of the HKF, compared with the control, but it increased the apoptosis after the transfection (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: CTGF ASODN may has anti-fibrotic effects on human keloid in vitro, and the CTGF may play an important role in promoting the fibrosis of human keloid.

Objective: To study the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in the pathogenesis of human keloid., Methods: Human keloid fibroblasts (HKF) were isolated from human keloid and cultured in vitro. The cells were then divided into 3 groups according to different processing, i.e. ASODN treatment (AT), in which phosphorothioate CTGF antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) labeled by fluorescent isothiocyananate were transfected into the HKFs by liposome; liposome control (LC, with liposome only); control groups (without liposome or ASODN). The distribution of CTGF ASODN in all groups of cells was observed under fluorescent microscope. The CTGF mRNA index (RI) of HKF was assessed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method (RT-PCR). The collagen synthesis of HKF was assessed by (3)H-proline incorporation method., Results: A large amount of fluorescence could be observed in the cytoplasm of HKFs in AT 12 hours after transfection, but not in LC and C groups. The CTGF mRNA index of HKF in AT group 48 hours after transfection was significantly lower than that in LC and C groups (0.12 +/- 0.62 vs 0.51 +/- 0.18 vs 0.54 +/- 0.35, P < 0.01). The (3)H-proline incorporation rate in AT group (108.96 +/- 79.05) was lower than that in LC and C groups (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: The expression of CTGF gene and collagen synthesis of the cultured HKF could be inhibited by CTGF ASODN, implying that CTGF played a role in the development of excessive fibrosis of human keloid.

Objective: To explore the effect of connective tissue growth factor on the pathogenesis of human hypertrophic scar., Methods: Normal skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts were cultured in vitro. The collagen synthesis of fibroblasts were measured by H3-proline incorporation method. The expression of connective tissue growth factor protein and mRNA of fibroblasts were detected with immunocytochemistry staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods., Results: Compared with normal skin fibroblast, the collagen synthesis and the expression of connective tissue growth factor protein and mRNA in the hypertrophic scar fibroblast was higher (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Connective tissue growth factor may play an important role in promoting the fibrotic process of hypertrophic scar.

Objective: To explore the effect of connective tissue growth factor on the pathogenesis of hypertrophic scar and keloid tissue., Methods: The content of hydroxyproline was determined and the expression of connective tissue growth factor gene was detected by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and image analysis technique in 5 normal skins, 15 hypertrophic scars and 7 keloid tissues., Results: The contents of hydroxyproline in the hypertrophic scar (84.10 +/- 1.76) and keloid tissue (92.38 +/- 2.04) were significantly higher than that of normal skin tissue (26.52 +/- 4.10) (P < 0.01). The index of connective tissue growth factor mRNA in the hypertrophic scar (0.78 +/- 0.63) and keloid tissue (0.84 +/- 0.04) were higher than that of normal skin tissue (0.09 +/- 0.25) (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Connective tissue growth factor may play an important role in promoting the fibrotic process of hypertrophic scar and keloid tissue.

Objective: To observe the protective effects on acute myocardial infarction of QDYX in dog., Method: The corconary ciculation and cardial oxygen metabolism, the degree and range of myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarct size, and the changes of the enzymes in serum were determined by using the acute myocardial infarction model of ligation of LAD in the anaesthetized open-chest dogs., Result: The coronary resistance and cardial oxygen consumption were decreased and the myocardial blood flow was increased in dogs treated with QDYX of 1.0,2.0 mg.kg-1. The degree and range of myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarct size and the activity of serum CK, LDH were decreased in acute myocardial infarcion dogs treated with QDYX of 1.0,2.0 mg.kg-1., Conclusion: QDYX can decrease cardial oxygen consumption in dogs, thus having protective effect on myocardial ischemia.

A surgical method for bilateral retrocollis (BR) is presented: Selective resection of specific posterior cervical muscles for the treatment of bilateral retrocollis is described. The operative procedure includes partial resection of the upper part of the trapezius, part of the splenius muscles of both sides, part of the semispinalis capitis and semispinalis cervicis muscles of both sides. 15 cases were treated surgically during 1980-1989. Postoperative follow up (3-10 years) showed that the abnormal movements were abolished completely or for the greater part in 13 patients (87%) while preserving the normal posture and mobility.