Objective To evaluate the effect of electric vagal stimulation on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in aged rats.Methods Thirty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes,aged 18-20 months,weighing 390-550 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),surgery group (group S),and electric vagal stimulation group (group V).Incision of the right carotid sheath was performed,and the vagal nerve was exposed after anesthesia in S and V groups.The right vagus nerve was stimulated for 30 min with continuous electric rectangular pulses (1 ms,10 Hz,1-2 V) after surgery in group V.The Morris water maze place navigation test was performed at 4,3,2 and 1 days before surgery and 2 days after surgery.The cognitive function was assessed using spatial probe and open field tests conducted at 2 days after surgery.The escape latency,the number of crossing the platform,the number of crossing the grid,the number of standing on the back legs,and the time animals spent in the central square were recorded.After the end of behavioral testing,venous blood samples were collected from the jugular vein for determination of concentrations of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α),interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results Compared with group C,the number of crossing the platform,the number of crossing the grid,and the number of standing on the back legs were significantly decreased,the escape latency and the time animals spent in the central square were significantly prolonged,and the concentrations of serum TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly increased at 2 days after surgery in group S (P＜0.05).Compared with group S,the number of crossing the platform,the number of crossing the grid,and the number of standing on the back legs were significantly increased,the escape latency and the time animals spent in the central square were significantly shortened,and the concentrations of serum TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly decreased at 2 days after surgery in group V (P＜0.05).Conclusion Electric vagal stimulation can improve the postoperative cognitive dysfunction in aged rats.

Objective To examin and analyze the structure, ultrastructure and the circulation of the spleen ellipsoid in the soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiseus sinensis. Methods Twelve turtles were used and observed by light- and electron-microscopy and injection of ink suspension in this study. Results The spleen white pulp was consisted of the periarteriolar lymphatic sheath (PALS) and periellipsoidial lymphatic sheath (PELS). There was no lymphoid nodule in the spleen. Red pulp included splenic cords and splenic sinusoids. The marginal zone was not found in the turtle spleen. When the central arteriole left out of the PALS, it divided into several ellipsoid capillaries which were surround by the PELS. The end of the ellipsoid capillary opened directly to the splenic cord and the blood cells then entered into the splenic sinusoid through the gap between the endothelial cells. The ellipsoid capillary was consisted of simple cuboidal epithelium with an uncompleted basement membrane. The ellipsoid wall was consisted of supporting cells,ellipsoid-associated cells and reticular fibres. Lymphocytes and red cells were always found on the ellipsoid wall. After 40min of the injection of ink suspesion, much carbon particles of ink were restricted on the wall. Conclusion The ellipsoid capillary in the soft-shelled turtle, just like the high endothelial venule, was the important passage of the lymphocytes and blood cells going out and into the lymph tissue. The splenic circulation in the turtle belongs to the opening model.

Objective Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is widely used as a spice in cooking and as a medicinal herb in traditional herbal medicine. The present study was to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of ginger oil in experimental animal models. Methods The analgesic effect of the oils was evaluated by the acetic acid and hot-plate test models of pain in mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of the oil was investigated in rats, using rat paw edema induced by carrageenan, adjuvant arthritis, and vascular permeability induced by bradykinin, arachidonic acid, and histamine. Indomethacin (1 mg/kg), Aspirin (0.5 g/kg) and Dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg) were used respectively as reference drugs for comparison. Results The ginger oil (0.25-1.0 g/kg) produced significant analgesic effect against chemically- and thermally-induced nociceptive pain stimuli in mice (P < 0.05, 0.01). And the ginger oil (0.25-1.0 g/kg) also significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema, adjuvant arthritis, and inflammatory mediators-induced vascular permeability in rats (P < 0.05, 0.001). Conclusion These findings confirm that the ginger oil can be used to treat pain and chronic inflammation such as rheumatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the health status of the thyroid and related influencing factors in the seamen in Zhoushan, China.

METHODSA total of 136 coastal seamen (coastal group), 104 deep-sea seamen (deep-sea group), and 272 base staff (base group) who underwent physical examinations in 2014 were selected. Questionnaire survey and ultrasound were performed, and levels of thyroid hormone and urinary iodine were measured.

RESULTSCompared with the coastal group and the base group, the deep-sea group had a significantly higher rate of abnormal ultrasound findings (49.04% vs 30.88%/28.67%, P<0.05), as well as a significantly higher rate of abnormal serum free thyroxine (FT4) (25.00% vs 9.56%/6.25%, P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that in the coastal group, the risk factors for thyroid abnormality on ultrasound were obesity shown by body mass index (BMI) (OR=2.55, 95% CI=1.13~4.13) and annual working time>6 months (OR=4.25, 95% CI=2.02~8.26) (both P<0.05); in the deep-sea group, the risk factors for thyroid abnormality on ultrasound were obesity shown by BMI (OR=3.45, 95% CI=1.28~7.02) and annual working time>6 months (OR=5.33, 95% CI=3.18~9.23) (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe thyroid abnormality in deep-sea seamen is caused by various reasons and is correlated with annual working time, working environment and area, and iodine nutritional status.

Body Mass Index ; China ; Health Status ; Humans ; Iodine ; urine ; Male ; Naval Medicine ; Occupations ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Thyroxine ; blood ; Ultrasonography

The E protein of dengue virus type Ⅱ was presented on ferritin of Helicobacter pylori to construct a novel dengue nanoparticle vaccine candidate,and the immunological indexes of the vac-cine were evaluated,aiming to provide new ideas for the development of dengue vaccine.The re-combinant plasmid of E-Ferritin was optimized and synthesized,and then transfected into HEK-293F cells.The recombinant protein was expressed,identified,purified and analyzed.Mice were im-munized with E-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine by intramuscular injection on the hind limbs on the day 0,14 and 28.ELISA,neutralization test,flow cytometry and lymphocyte proliferation test were used to detect the levels of specific antibodies,neutralizing antibodies,CD3+,CD4+and CD8+T lymphocytes in spleen cells and the proliferation of spleen lymphocytes after specific stimulation.The target protein with a size of about 69 kDa was expressed in the cells with a single band.The purified protein concentration was 0.407 g/L,and the purity was 82.32％.The results from transmission electron microscopy showed that E-Ferritin protein could be recombined into a particle structure with a particle size of about 50 nm.The results of mouse immune experiments showed that E-Ferritin protein had good immunogenicity.The average specific antibody titer of E-ferritin protein in serum was 1∶92 160 after immunization 42 d.The main subclass of antibody was IgGl.The results of flow cytometry showed that E-Ferritin as an immunogen could induce higher levels of CD4+and CD8+T lymphocyte immune response.In lymphocyte proliferation test,the level of specific stimulation in the vaccine group was significantly higher than that in the non-specific stimulation group.In conclusion,the dengue virus envelope protein ferritin nanoparticle vaccine constructed in this study has good immunogenicity,which can provide reference for the de-velopment of new dengue vaccine candidates.

Objective Based on the multi-software visual analysis of the literature on the effect of Janus kinase(JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription(STAT)signaling pathway on rheumatoid arthritis in the past decade,the development trend and research hotspot in this field are summarized.To provide researchers with new directions and ideas to promote the innovative development of the field.Methods The literatures related to JAK/STAT signaling pathway in rheumatoid arthritis were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database from 2013 to 2023.CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to analyze the number of publications,countries,authors and keywords of 354 articles retrieved.Results The number of published papers in this field continues to increase.According to the author's research direction,the presentation of high-frequency words,and the attention to the preface and hot topics,it is suggested that this field focuses on gene expression,immune mechanism,inflammatory mechanism,pathway inhibitors,drug therapy,etc.Future research will focus on the safety,mechanism and controlled trials of pathway inhibitors and antirheumatic drugs.Conclusion The effect of JAK/STAT signaling pathway on rheumatoid arthritis has attracted much attention in the past,present and future.There are differences in the research of different teams in this field,and the regional development is unbalanced,suggesting that we should strengthen cooperation and exchanges,focus on the international frontier,and carry out more high-quality research to promote the development and progress of this field,and provide clinical basis.