ObjectiveTo evaluate CT and MRI findings of the intrathoracic ganglioneuroma and to improve its diagnosis and differential diagnosis ability.MethodsClinical,CT( n = 14),MRI (n = 6) and pathology manifestations of 20 patients with the intrathoracic ganglioneuroma were retrospectively analyzed.All 20 cases had chest CT and MRI plain scanning and multiphase enhance scanning before operation.ResultsSeventeen of 20 lesions were located in posterior mediastinum,2 in pleura side and 1 in right thorax cavity.The CT value of the plain scans ranged from 20 to 40 HU ( mean 30.5 HU),Tubercle calcification were detected in four masses,one case with fat density was showed on CT scanning.After injecting contrast media,CT value ranged from 0 to 12 HU (mean 6.2 HU) in artery phase,ranging from 10 to 20 HU ( mean 14.3 HU) in delay phase.Five of 6 cases of MRI signals were homogeneously low intensity on T1 WI,1 case with fat signal was imhomogeneously low intensity on T1WI.Six cases were imhomogeneously high intensity on T2WI.A whorled appearance was visualized in one tumor on T2WI.The post-contrast enhancement MR images was slight enhancement imhomogeneously in artery phase and gradual increasing enhancement in delay phase.ConclusionOn CT and MR imaging,no enhancement or slight enhancement in artery phase and gradual increasing enhancement in delay phase are characteristic manifestations of ganglioneuroma in the thorax.

This study investigated the effect of arctigenin (Arc) on the cell activation, cytokines expression, proliferation, and cell-cycle distribution of mouse T lymphocytes. Mouse lymphocytes were prepared from lymph node and treated with Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)/Ionimycin (Ion) and/or Arc. CD69, CD25, cytokines, proliferation and cell cycle were assayed by flow cytometry. The results showed that, at concentrations of less than 1.00 micromol x L(-1), Arc expressed non-obvious cell damage to cultured lymphocytes, however, it could significantly down-regulate the expression of CD69 and CD25, as well as TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 on PMA/Ion stimulated lymphocytes. At the same time, Arc could also inhibit the proliferation of PMA/Ion-activated lymphocytes and exhibited lymphocyte G 0/G1 phase cycle arrest. These results suggest that Arc possesses significant anti-inflammatory effects that may be mediated through the regulation of cell activation, cytokines expression and cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is an effective method for osteoporotic thoracic vertebral compression fracture, but bone cement leakage is easy to occur in patients with intravertebral cleft. OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic efficacy of bone-filling mesh containers in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures combined with intravertebral cleft sign. METHODS: From October 2017 to July 2018, 62 patients aged from 60 to 80 years with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures combined with intravertebral cleft sign were admitted at the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University. Among them, 31 cases were treated with unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty (control group), and the other 31 cases were treated with bone-filling mesh containers (study group). The leakage of bone cement, the time of operation and the times of fluoroscopy were recorded in the two groups. The visual analogue scale score and Oswestry disability index score were compared between the two groups before and 7, 30, 60 days after treatment. The height changes of injured vertebrae were evaluated by X-ray before treatment and 7 days after treatment. The quality of life was evaluated by the MOS item short from health survey (SF-36) before and 60 days after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The time of operation and the times of fluoroscopy in the study group were less than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and the leakage rate of bone cement in the study group was lower than that in the control group (6％ vs. 39％, P < 0.05). (2) The visual analogue scale score and Oswestry disability index score of the two groups were significantly improved at 7, 30 and 60 days after treatment. The visual analogue scale scores of the study group were lower than those of the control group at different time points after treatment (P < 0.05). There was no difference in Oswestry disability index scores between the two groups at different time points after treatment (P> 0.05). (3) The height of injured vertebrae 7 days after treatment in both groups was significantly higher than that before treatment (P < 0.05), and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). (4) The quality of life of the two groups was significantly improved at 60 days after treatment (P < 0.05), but there was no difference between the two groups (P> 0.05). These findings indicate that compared with unilateral vertebroplasty with bone cement injection, bone-filling mesh containers with bone cement injection could reduce the incidence of cement leakage, relieve pain and increase the height of injured vertebrae in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture combined with intravertebral cleft sign.

Objective·To use single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-Seq)technology to interpret the cellular communication landscape of coronary atherosclerosis(CA),and to explore the dominant cell subsets and their key genes.Methods·The GSE131778 data set was downloaded and preprocessed,and quality controlling,dimension reduction clustering and annotation were carried out.Then cell communication analysis was conducted by using CellChat package to identify dominant cell subsets.The FindAllMarker function was used to screen differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between the dominant cell subpopulation and other cell subpopulations,and its protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed.The DEGs ranked in the top five of the Degree algorithm were taken as key genes.Then,the key genes were matched and mined with the cell communication network analyzed by CellChat to obtain the ligand-receptor pairs(L-R)and the signal pathways mediated by the key genes,and the results were visualized.At the same time,the atherosclerosis mouse model was constructed and RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of key genes in carotid atherosclerosis lesions.Results·A total of 11 cell subsets were identified in CA lesions,including smooth muscle cells,endothelial cells,macrophages,monocytes,etc.Cell communication results showed that CellChat detected 70 significant L-R and 26 related signal pathways in 11 cell subsets.Smooth muscle cell was the dominant cell subgroup with the most significant interaction frequency and intensity with other cell subgroups in the active state of communication.The results of DEGs screening showed that there were 206 DEGs between smooth muscle cell subsets and other cell subsets,among which ITGB2,PTPRC,CCL2,DCN and IGF1 were identified as key genes.The results of cell communication mediated by key genes showed that CCL2 and ACKR1 formed L-R and participated in the communication network between smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells through mediating CCL signaling pathway.ITGB2 formed receptor complexes with ITGAM and ITGAX respectively,and then formed L-R with C3 to mediate the complement signal pathway,participating in the communication network among smooth muscle cells,macrophages and monocytes.The validation results of hub genes in animal experiments were consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis.Conclusion·Smooth muscle cells are the dominant cells in the pathological process of CA,and have extensive communication networks with other cells.They can construct cellular communication networks with endothelial cells,macrophages and monocytes through CCL and complement signaling pathways mediated by CCL2-ACKR1,C3-(ITGAM+ITGB2)and C3-(ITGAX+ITGB2).

Objective To investigate the active ingredients of Jingfang Baidu San for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 by using network pharmacology and molecular docking, and to provide references for clinical applications. Methods The chemical constituents and action targets of all medicinal materials in Jingfang Baidu San were retrieved from TCMSP. Uniprot database was used to search the corresponding genes of targets. Cytoscape software was used to construct the network of medicinal materials-compounds-targets for visualization. The target proteins of COVID-19 were searched by disease databases. The intersection of both was considered to be analyzed to establish the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network by STRING database. GO function enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed through Metascape database to predict its mechanism. The effective strength of core constituents on preventing COVID-19 was calculated by molecular docking method. Results A total of 159 effective ingredients and 277 potential targets were obtained in Jingfang Baidu San within the given screening conditions [oral bioavailability (OB) ≥30%; drug-like (DL) ≥ 0.18], including 55 core targets with the intersection of 273 targets of COVID-19. According to the results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis performed on the core targets, 1376 GO items and 136 KEGG pathways were obtained, involving infectious diseases, cancer, cell progress, immune system, signaling pathways etc. The results of molecular docking indicated strong binding capacity between the core ingredients and SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase or angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2). The hydrogen binding and hydrophobic effect were the main forms of the interaction. Conclusion The active ingredients in Jingfang Baidu San can inhibit the binding between SARS-CoV-2 protein and ACE2, thus regulating multiple targets and signal pathways, which plays a role in the prevention and the treatment of COVID-19.