synchronous-triplanar-reconstruction-integrated-with-color-doppler

Synchronous Triplanar Reconstruction Integrated with Color Doppler Mapping for Precise and Rapid Localization of Thyroid Lesions

This paper proposes a novel thyroid examination technique based on five-dimensional (5D) synchronous reconstruction of ultrasound data. The raw temporal ...

potential-role-pge2-ep4-ca2-signaling-axis-post-traumatic

Potential Role of the PGE<sub>2</sub>-EP4-Ca<sup>2+</sup> Signaling  Axis in Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a degenerative joint disease triggered by trauma or intense mechanical stress, leading to joint cartilage ...

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) shows the highest incidence among organ-specific autoimmune diseases and is the most common thyroid disease in humans, including Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). The susceptibility to autoimmune diseases is affected by increased autoantibody levels, susceptibility gene polymorphisms, environmental factors, and psychological factors, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. Various cytokines and related genes encoding them play important roles in the development and progression of AITD. CD152, an expression product of the CTLA-4 gene, downregulates T cell activation. The A/A genotype polymorphism in the CT60 locus may reduce the production of thyroid autoantibodies. The C1858T polymorphism of the PTNP22 gene reduces the expression of its encoded LYP, which increases the risk of GD and HT. GD is an organ-specific autoimmune disease involving increased secretion of thyroid hormone, whereas HT may be associated with the destruction of thyroid gland tissue and hypothyroidism. These two diseases exhibit similar pathogenesis but opposite trends in the clinical manifestations. In this review, we focus on the structure and function of these cytokines and related genes in AITD, as well as the association of polymorphisms with susceptibility to GD and HT, and attempt to describe their differences in pathogenesis and clinical manifestations.

General and Specific Genetic Polymorphism of Cytokines-Related Gene in AITD.

Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) is a traditional Chinese medicine injection with anticancer properties and is mainly composed of ginseng and astragalus. Its efficacy has been confirmed in clinical trials, but the mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effect of SFI on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and identified its possible mechanism of synergistic effects when combined with the chemotherapeutic drug interferon (IFN-) . An MTT assay was used to measure the inhibition effects of low-dose IFN- (6000 IU) with or without SFI (0.5 g/L) on the HCC cell line MHCC97. VEGF-silenced MHCC97L-mir200 cell lines were prepared using lentiviral vectors and evaluated by real-time PCR to determine the inhibition effect. We examined MHCC97L-mir200 and MHCC97L cells by MTT assay, using IFN- alone or in combination with SFI. The inhibition ratio of IFN- (6000 IU) was -29.5%, while that for IFN- (6000 IU) + SFI (0.5 g/L) was 17.0%, which was significantly higher than that for the IFN- group (P < 0.01). The VEGF gene was silenced successfully in MHCC97-L cells. After interference of VEGF, the inhibition by SFI and IFN- in MHCC97L-mir200 did not differ from that in MHCC97-L cells (P > 0.05). SFI can reduce the expression of VEGF in HCC, which can increase the efficacy of IFN-, providing a theoretical basis for clinical application.

Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) Enhances IFN- Inhibitory Effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Reducing VEGF Expression: Validation by Gene Silencing Technique.

To determine whether acupotomy ameliorates immobilization-induced muscle contracture and fibrosis via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Effects of Acupotomy on Immobilization-Induced Gastrocnemius Contracture and Fibrosis in Rats via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling.

To observe the effect of acupotomy on the expressions of p16 and p21 in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rabbits，so as to analyze whether acupotomy can treat KOA by inhibiting the cellular senescence of chondrocytes.

[Effect of acupotomy on expressions of cellular senescence markers p16Ink4a and p21Waf1/Cip1 in cartilage tissue of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis].

Plants have evolved to express some members of the nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF) to uptake and transport nitrate. However, little is known of the physiological and functional roles of this family in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Here, we characterized the vascular specific transporter OsNPF2.2. Functional analysis using cDNA-injected Xenopus laevis oocytes revealed that OsNPF2.2 is a low-affinity, pH-dependent nitrate transporter. Use of a green fluorescent protein tagged OsNPF2.2 showed that the transporter is located in the plasma membrane in the rice protoplast. Expression analysis showed that OsNPF2.2 is nitrate inducible and is mainly expressed in parenchyma cells around the xylem. Disruption of OsNPF2.2 increased nitrate concentration in the shoot xylem exudate when nitrate was supplied after a deprivation period; this result suggests that OsNPF2.2 may participate in unloading nitrate from the xylem. Under steady-state nitrate supply, the osnpf2.2 mutants maintained high levels of nitrate in the roots and low shoot:root nitrate ratios; this observation suggests that OsNPF2.2 is involved in root-to-shoot nitrate transport. Mutation of OsNPF2.2 also caused abnormal vasculature and retarded plant growth and development. Our findings demonstrate that OsNPF2.2 can unload nitrate from the xylem to affect the root-to-shoot nitrate transport and plant development.

Disruption of the rice nitrate transporter OsNPF2.2 hinders root-to-shoot nitrate transport and vascular development.

SAHH is an enzyme, playing a significant role in the catalyzation of the S-adenosyl homocysteine (SAH) into homocysteine (Hcy) and adenosine (Ado). However, little is known information of the enzyme in crustaceans. In the present study, SAHH cDNA was cloned from Litopenaeus vannamei (LvSAHH). The full length of the LvSAHH was found, containing a 5' UTR of 119 bp, an ORF of 1236 bp and a 3' UTR of 549 bp. The LvSAHH gene encoded a polypeptide of 411 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 45.55 kD and a predicted isoelectronic point (pI) of 5.63. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence showed that LvSAHH has high identity (70 %-82%) with other known species. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that LvSAHH mRNA was broadly expressed in all of the examined tissues, while the highest expression level was observed in muscle, followed by the expression in stomach, gill, pleopod, hepatopancreas, heart, eye and intestine. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that LvSAHH was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. LvSAHH mRNA expression levels in hepatopancreas and gill were significantly up-regulated from 6 to 48 h after V. alginolyticus injection and reached the highest level (15-fold and 8-fold, p < 0.01) at 24 h, respectively. Additionally, the Toll-like receptors (TLR) and interleukins-16 (IL-16) were detected in hepatopancreas and gill of LvSAHH-knockdown SAHH. LvRack1, LvToll1, LvToll2, LvToll3 and LvIL-16 transcripts were decreased significantly in LvSAHH-knockdown shrimp at 24 h post V. alginolyticus stimulation in hepatopancreas and gill. But LvToll3 was no significant difference in gill. In summary, these results indicated that LvSAHH may play a regulatory role in the invertebrate innate immune defense by regulating TLR and IL-16 expression.

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of S- adenosyl- L-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) during the pathogenic infection of Litopenaeus vannamei by Vibrio alginolyticus.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of small non-coding RNAs that have been reported to play a vital role in mediating host-pathogen interactions. High-throughput sequencing technology was applied to identify and illuminate mRNAs and miRNAs from grouper infected with Vibrio alginolyticus. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the most significate DEGs are associated with Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. We obtained 374 known miRNAs and 116 novel miRNAs. During them, there are 31 up-regulated miRNAs and 93 down-regulated miRNAs. miRNA-mRNA GO and KEGG analysis show that there are 90 miRNAs associated with the immune system. The target genes of immune-related miRNAs (miR-142, miR-146, miR-150, miR-155, miR-203, miR-205, miR-24, miR-31) and genes (CD80, IL-2, AMPK, PI3K) in Epinephelus coioddes were predicted and validated. This study provides an opportunity to further understanding the molecular mechanisms especially the immune system of miRNA regulation in Epinephelus coioddes host-pathogen interactions.

Integrative mRNA-miRNA interaction analysis associated with the immune response of Epinephelus coioddes to Vibrio alginolyticus infection.

Target of rapamycin (TOR) is an atypical of Ser/Thr protein kinase that plays an important role in many aspects such as cell growth, reproduction, differentiation, cell cycle regulation, autophagy and apoptosis. However, little information is known about the enzyme in crustaceans. Here, a novel TOR was identified from shrimp Penaeus vannamei (PvTOR) and its biological functions were investigated in response low temperature stress. The PvTOR gene encoded a polypeptide of 2464 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 279.4 kD and a predicted isoelectronic point (pI) of 7.30. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PvTOR shared high similarity with other known species. PvTOR mRNA was detected in all the tested tissues and highest transcription in muscle and hepatopancreas. PvTOR transcriptional level was up-regulated significantly at 1.5 h and 3 h, and down-regulated at 12 h and 24 h after low temperature stress. TEM and autophagy indicator system GFP-PvLC3 suggested that low temperature induced autophagy generation. ROS, Ca concentration and apoptosis rate were increased significantly in TOR-knockdown shrimp after low temperature stress. The autophagy associated gene ATG8II/I, PvBeclin-1, PvATG14, apoptosis gene PvPARP, Pvcasp-3, PvBAX and Pvp53 transcripts, and casp-3/8 activity in hemocyte were increased significantly in TOR-knockdown group shrimp at 3 h after low temperature stress. Additionally, THC counts of TOR-knockdown group were significantly higher than the dsGFP group. In summary, these results suggested that PvTOR plays an important role in the adaptation mechanisms of shrimp at low temperature by regulating autophagy and apoptosis.

Functional analysis target of rapamycin (TOR) on the Penaeus vannamei in response to acute low temperature stress.

p70S6K is involved in cellular response, such as tumor metastases, the immune response and tissue repair in vertebrates. The role of p70S6K in these physiological processes in crustaceans remains, however, unknown. In this study, the Lvp70S6K was identified, containing a 5' UTR of 294 bp, an ORF of 1494 bp ad a 3' UTR of 211 bp, encoding 497 amino acids with a theoretical molecular weight of 70 kDa and an estimated isoelectric point of (pI) of 5.16. The multiple alignment found that Lvp70S6K was highly homologous with other invertebrates. Lvp70S6K mRNA was detected in all the tested tissues and the Lvp70S6K expression levels was significantly down-regulated and reached the lowest level (0.44-fold, p < 0.01) at 1.5 h after low temperature stress. The subcellular localization of Lvp70S6K could be detected in cytoplasm. ROS production was significantly up-regulation (1.19-fold, p < 0.01), total hemocyte count (THC) was significantly down-regulation (0.22-fold, p < 0.01), apoptosis rate was markedly increased (1.09-fold, p < 0.01), apoptosis-related genes of LvPDCD4 (1.61-fold, p < 0.01) and LvCyt.C (1.23-fold, p < 0.01) were up-regulated, and anti-apoptotic gene of LvBcl-2 (0.69-fold, p < 0.01), LvIAP1 (0.68-fold, p < 0.01) and LvIAP2 (0.45-fold, p < 0.01) were decreased after low temperature stress in hemolymph of Lvp70S6K-silenced shrimp at 1.5 h. Silencing of LvPTEN significantly increased Lvp70S6K, LvPI3K, LvAKT and LvmTOR expression. In summary, these results indicated that Lvp70S6K play a crucial role in oxidative and apoptosis, which was able to negatively regulate by PTEN.

A Litopenaeus vannamei p70S6K gene is involved in the antioxidative and apoptosis under low temperature.

Previous studies have shown that the visual word form area (VWFA) has structural and intrinsic functional connectivity with both language and attention networks. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how the functional connectivity pattern of the VWFA is regulated by processing demands induced by experimental tasks, and whether processing demands differentially regulate the posterior (VWFA-1) and anterior (VWFA-2) subregions of the VWFA. To address these questions, the present study adopted two tasks varying in processing demands (i.e., verbal and non-verbal tasks), and used generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) and dynamic causal modeling (DCM) analyses to explore the task-dependent functional connectivity patterns of the two subregions of the VWFA. Activation analysis revealed that the VWFA-2 showed higher activation for the verbal task than the non-verbal task, while there were no activation differences in the VWFA-1 after controlling for the stimulus driven effects. Functional and effective connectivity analyses revealed that, for both VWFA-1 and VWFA-2, the verbal task enhanced connections from VWFAs to the ventral language regions (e.g., the left orbital frontal cortex), while the non-verbal task enhanced connections from VWFAs to the dorsal visuospatial regions (e.g., the left intraparietal sulcus). Results of the present study indicate that processing demands induced by tasks modulate both the local activity and functional connectivity patterns of the VWFA, providing new insights for understanding its domain-general function.

Processing demands modulate the activities and functional connectivity patterns of the posterior (VWFA-1) and anterior (VWFA-2) VWFA.

Declining levels of physical activity and fitness in children and youth are linked to negative health outcomes. This study investigates whether maternal exercise can enhance offspring's physical fitness. Our results demonstrate that maternal exercise improves offspring's endurance by changing muscle fiber composition and promoting mitochondrial biogenesis, with benefits lasting across generations. This improvement is associated with changes in DNA methylation, specifically the demethylation of the Slc23a2 gene, which codes for SVCT2, crucial for vitamin C (VC) transport, in F1 and F2 generations. Importantly, VC administration during pregnancy mimics the transgenerational benefits of exercise on offspring fitness, but these benefits are absent in genetic VC deficiency mice. VC supplementation increases TET2 expression in murine and human myogenic cells, regulating DNA methylation, promoting the development of oxidative fibers, and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis. This study highlights the VC-TET2-SVCT2 pathway as a key mechanism for the transgenerational endurance benefits of maternal exercise, suggesting potential strategies to enhance maternal and child health.

Vitamin C-Dependent Intergenerational Inheritance of Enhanced Endurance Performance Following Maternal Exercise.

Previous studies have revealed that phonological and semantic processing recruit separate brain networks. However, the intrinsic functional connectivity patterns of the phonological and semantic networks remain unclear. To address this issue, the present study explored the static and dynamic functional connectivity patterns of phonological and semantic networks during the resting state. The static functional connectivity pattern of the two networks was examined by adopting a voxel-based global brain connectivity (GBC) method. In this analysis, we estimated the within-network connectivity (WNC), between-network connectivity between phonological and semantic networks (BNC_PS), and between-network connectivity of the two language networks (i.e., phonological and semantic networks) with the non-language network (BNC_N). The results showed that both phonological and semantic networks exhibited stronger intra-network connectivity (i.e., WNC) than inter-network connectivity (i.e., BNC_PS and BNC_N), indicating that both networks are relatively encapsulated. For dynamic functional connectivity, three distinct dynamic functional states were identified. Specifically, State 1 showed an overall positive connectivity pattern. State 2 exhibited an overall weak connectivity pattern. State 3 showed positive intra-network connectivity and negative inter-network connectivity. These results suggested that phonological and semantic networks exhibited a flexible integration and segregation pattern over time. Taken together, our results revealed that the phonological and semantic networks showed an intra-network integration and inter-network segregation pattern. These findings deepen our understanding of the intrinsic functional connectivity patterns of language networks.

The intrinsic functional connectivity patterns of the phonological and semantic networks in word reading.

Previous studies have shown that the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) plays a critical role in word reading. Nevertheless, there is still controversy surrounding the phonological and semantic functions of the left TPJ. The parietal unified connectivity-biased computation (PUCC) model posits that the function of the left TPJ depends on both the neurocomputation of this local area and its long-range connectivity. To clarify the specific roles of different TPJ subregions in phonological and semantic processing of Chinese characters, the present study used connectivity-based clustering to identify seven subdivisions within the left TPJ, and conducted comprehensive analyses including functional and structural connectivity, univariate and multivariate analyses (i.e., representational similarity analysis, RSA) on multimodal imaging data (task-state fMRI, resting-state fMRI, and diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI]). Functional and structural connectivity analyses revealed that the left anterior TPJ had stronger connections with the phonological network, while the left posterior TPJ had stronger connections with the semantic network. RSA revealed that the left anterior and posterior TPJ represented phonological and semantic information of Chinese characters, respectively. More importantly, the phonological and semantic representations of the left TPJ were respectively correlated with its functional connectivity to the phonological and semantic networks. Altogether, our results provide a more elaborate perspective on the functional dissociation of the left anterior and posterior TPJ in phonological and semantic processing of Chinese characters, and support the PUCC model.

Functional divisions of the left anterior and posterior temporoparietal junction for phonological and semantic processing in Chinese character reading.

Previous studies have revealed the involvement of the bilateral ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOT) in word reading, especially in Chinese character reading. However, the interhemispheric communication mechanisms of the bilateral vOT and how they work in Chinese character reading have not been fully investigated. Two experiments were conducted in this study to address those questions using resting-state and task-based fMRI. Experiment 1 revealed stronger interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the posterior vOT subregion compared to the middle and anterior subregions and a significant positive correlation with Chinese reading efficiency in the posterior subregion. Experiment 2 further explored the effective connectivity in the Chinese rhythm and semantic judgment tasks using dynamic causal model analysis. Results showed significant interhemispheric intrinsic connections similar to those in the resting state in the posterior subregion and right-to-left modulatory connections in the middle and anterior subregions. In addition, stronger right-to-left modulatory connectivity in the anterior subregion was associated with better behavioral performance in the semantic judgment task. These convergent findings highlight the importance of interhemispheric communication of the bilateral vOT in Chinese character reading.

ArticleTotal : 2	Year
Publication title	2024
Publication title Cited by 1	2025

Article	Year
General and Specific Genetic Polymorphism of Cytokines-Related Gene in AITD. Mediators of inflammation\| PubMed ID: 28133421	2017
Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) Enhances IFN- Inhibitory Effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Reducing VEGF Expression: Validation by Gene Silencing Technique. BioMed research international\| PubMed ID: 31179333	2019
Effects of Acupotomy on Immobilization-Induced Gastrocnemius Contracture and Fibrosis in Rats via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling. Chinese journal of integrative medicine\| PubMed ID: 37434029	2023
[Effect of acupotomy on expressions of cellular senescence markers p16Ink4a and p21Waf1/Cip1 in cartilage tissue of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis]. Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research\| PubMed ID: 37518959	2023
Disruption of the rice nitrate transporter OsNPF2.2 hinders root-to-shoot nitrate transport and vascular development. Scientific reports\| PubMed ID: 25923512	2015
Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of S- adenosyl- L-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) during the pathogenic infection of Litopenaeus vannamei by Vibrio alginolyticus. Fish & shellfish immunology\| PubMed ID: 30849500	2019
Integrative mRNA-miRNA interaction analysis associated with the immune response of Epinephelus coioddes to Vibrio alginolyticus infection. Fish & shellfish immunology\| PubMed ID: 31077847	2019
Functional analysis target of rapamycin (TOR) on the Penaeus vannamei in response to acute low temperature stress. Fish & shellfish immunology\| PubMed ID: 31801694	2020
A Litopenaeus vannamei p70S6K gene is involved in the antioxidative and apoptosis under low temperature. Fish & shellfish immunology\| PubMed ID: 32858183	2020
Processing demands modulate the activities and functional connectivity patterns of the posterior (VWFA-1) and anterior (VWFA-2) VWFA. NeuroImage\| PubMed ID: 39522790	2024
Vitamin C-Dependent Intergenerational Inheritance of Enhanced Endurance Performance Following Maternal Exercise. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)\| PubMed ID: 39921869	2025
The intrinsic functional connectivity patterns of the phonological and semantic networks in word reading. Neuroscience\| PubMed ID: 39988194	2025
Functional divisions of the left anterior and posterior temporoparietal junction for phonological and semantic processing in Chinese character reading. NeuroImage\| PubMed ID: 40216211	2025
Interhemispheric functional connectivity of the ventral occipitotemporal cortex supports Chinese reading. Brain and language\| PubMed ID: 40834679	2025

Rui Hu

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