Objective:To observe the effects of sacubitril/valsartan (LCZ696) on viral replication and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in mice with coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced viral myocarditis (VMC) and to analyze the underlying mechanisms.Methods:Forty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups with 10 in each group: Sham, Sham+ LCZ696, VMC, and VMC+ LCZ696 groups. VMC model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 ml of CVB3 with a concentration of 10 6 TCID 50/ml into BALB/c mice, while the sham intervention was an equal volume of saline. The day of virus injection was defined as day 0. LCZ696 was administered by gavage at a dose of 60 mg/kg every day for seven consecutive days starting from day 1. Mouse survival rates were calculated. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the cardiac function of mice. The level of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) was detected by ELISA. Western blot was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α), apoptosis-related proteins (caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2), CVB3 surface protein (VP-1) and p-AKT/AKT in the hearts of mice. CVB3 mRNA in mouse hearts was measured by PCR. Inflammatory cell infiltration and cell apoptosis in mouse hearts were observed by HE staining and TUNEL staining, respectively. Results:Compared with the Sham group, the mice in the VMC group had a decreased survival rate and impaired cardiac function ( P<0.05). The levels of CK-MB, IL-6, TNF-α, cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3, Bax/Bcl-2, VP-1, and CVB3 mRNA in the hearts of VMC mice increased significantly ( P<0.05), accompanied by increased expression of AKT, decreased phosphorylation of AKT ( P<0.05) and increased cell apoptosis. LCZ696 reversed the above changes. It could increase the survival rate, improve the cardiac function ( P<0.05), decrease cardiac inflammation, cell apoptosis and viral replication ( P<0.05), and increase the phosphorylation of AKT ( P<0.05). LCZ696 had no significant effects on the survival rate, cardiac function, myocardial injury, cardiac inflammation, cell apoptosis, viral replication or the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related proteins in normal mice. Conclusions:LCZ696 could significantly inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis and reduce CVB3 replication in the hearts of VMC mice by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby improving mouse cardiac function and survival rate.

Objective:To identify the differentially expressed long-chain non-coding RNA(lncRNA) and mRNA using ribonucleic acid sequencing(RNA-seq), and construct a competing endogenous RNA(ceRNA) regulatory network in mice with sepsis-associated encephalopathy.Methods:Ten clean-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 2 groups( n=5 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group(group Sham) and sepsis group(group Sepsis). Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP) in group Sepsis, while group Sham only underwent laparotomy without CLP. Morris water maze test and contextual fear conditioning test were performed to detect the cognitive function on 1 day before CLP and 3 days after CLP. Three mice were randomly sacrificed in group Sham, and 3 mice with the worst results in the cognitive function test were sacrificed in group Sepsis. The hippocampal tissues were obtained for RNA-seq via the BGISEQ-500 platform, and the differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNA were identified. The differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs were visualized and analyzed by Dr. Tom platform provided by Shenzhen BGI Technology Service Co., Ltd., and the ceRNA regulatory network was constructed using the online visualization tool Cytoscape software. Results:Compared with group Sham, the escape latency was significantly prolonged, and the percentage of time of staying at the target quadrants and percentage of time spent freezing were decreased in group Sepsis( P<0.05). A total of 62 differentially expressed lncRNAs were obtained from RNA-seq, of which the expression of 45 lncRNAs was up-regulated and the expression of 17 lncRNAs was down-regulated.There were 282 differentially expressed mRNAs identified from RNA-seq, of which the expression of 173 mRNAs was up-regulated, and the expression of 109 mRNAs was down-regulated.Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed mRNAs were involved in biological processes such as memory, learning or memory, inflammatory responses, regulation of aging-related behavioral decline, and regulation of synaptic plasticity. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed mRNAs were enriched in IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway and etc. KDA analysis was performed on the differentially expressed mRNAs to identify the key driver genes, and the results showed that Ch25h, Il6ra, Lcn2, Sgk1, Nr4a3, Osm, Saa3, Ccl7, Sqle, Dhcr24 were the key SAE genes.A competing endogenous RNA regulatory network was successfully constructed based on 9 lncRNAs, 28 mRNAs and 134 miRNAs in the hippocampus of mice with SAE. Conclusions:The results of RNA-seq find that 10 mRNAs including Ch25h, Il6ra, Lcn2, Sgk1, Nr4a3, Osm, Saa3, Ccl7, Sqle, Dhcr24 and lncRNAs such as Rian, Gm35874 and Gm34347 are key genes regulating SAE in mice. Meanwhile, a ceRNA regulatory network based on lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA is successfully constructed in the hippocampus of mice with SAE.

Objective:To clarify the anti-inflammatory effects and anti-endoplasmic reticulum stress effects of resolvin D2 (RvD2) in viral myocarditis mice and to explore its possible mechanism.Methods:Fifty male BALB/c mice were collected and assigned corresponding numbers. Then 40 male BALB/c mice were selected randomly with 10 mice in each group. They were set as normal control group, RvD2 control group, viral myocarditis group and RvD2 treatment group. Afterwards, mice in the RvD2 control group received continuous intraperitoneal injection of RvD2 for 7 days, while mice in the viral myocarditis group received intraperitoneal injection of Coxsackievirus B3 virus (CVB3) in the purpose of constructing an animal model of viral myocarditis. Then, mice in the RvD2 treatment group were given continuous intraperitoneal injection of RvD2 for 7 days. After these 7 days, the mice of each group were sacrificed and their cardiac tissue and serum samples were taken. The expression levels of serum inflammatory factors including IL-1β and TNF-α were detected by ELISA in each group of mice, and HE staining were used to detect the inflammatory cell infiltration in myocardial tissue of each group. Meanwhile, the expression levels of inflammation-related proteins IL-1β, TNF-α as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins like GRP78 and Chop in the myocardial tissue in each group of mice were detected by Western blot experiment. The remaining 10 BALB/c mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection of RvD2 as well as GPR18 protein inhibitors after constructing the animal model of viral myocarditis mentioned above. In the end, the expression levels of GPR18 protein, inflammation-related proteins including IL-1β and TNF-α as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins like GRP78 and Chop in the myocardial tissue of each group were detected by Western blot experiments.Results:Compared with the normal control group, the expression levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum of mice with viral myocarditis were significantly increased, and the degree of infiltration of inflammatory cells in myocardial tissue was also significantly increased. Besides, the expression levels of the inflammation-related proteins IL-1β, TNF-α as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins including GRP78 and Chop increased largely. While compared with the viral myocarditis group, the expression levels of serum inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α in the mice of the RvD2 treatment group were significantly reduced and the degree of infiltration of inflammatory cells in the cardiac tissue was significantly reduced. Also, the expression levels of inflammation-related proteins IL-1β and TNF-α as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins GRP78 and Chop were significantly reduced. After intraperitoneal injection of RvD2 and GPR18 inhibitor, in the mice treated with viral myocarditis, the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins like GRP78 and Chop in myocardial tissue of these mice significantly increased when it came to compare with the RvD2 treatment group, while the expression levels of GPR18 protein were significantly reduced.Conclusions:RvD2 can inhibit the inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress injury in mice with viral myocarditis by binding to the membrane protein receptor GPR18, thus exerting a protective effect on heart.

Objective To investigate the effect of high frequency (10 Hz),low frequency (1 Hz) and theta burst stimulation (TBS) mode of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the recovery of motor function in hemiplegic patients following acute ischemic stroke.Methods Seventy-two patients with hemiplegia after acute ischemic stroke were randomly grouped with the random number table.They were treated with low frequency (n=18),high frequency (n=18),and TBS (n=18) rTMS or sham stimulation (control group,n=18),once a day,for 2 weeks.Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to evaluate neurological function in all patients before rTMS treatment (on the day before the first treatment) and after treatment (on the day after the last treatment).Results After treatment,the FMA and NIHSS scores in the 4 groups were significantly improved compared with before treatment (all P<0.05).After rTMS treatment,the FMA and NIHSS scores were improved significantly in the high frequency group,low frequency group and TBS group compare with the control group (all P<0.05).There were no significant differences among all the treatment groups.Conclusion sHigh frequency,low frequency and TBS rTMS can improve the recovery of motor function in hemiplegic patients following acute ischemic stroke.There were no significant differences among all the treatment modes.

Objective To investigate the correlation between carotid intraplaque neovascularization and acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Methods The patients examined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound were enroled and divided into either a symptomatic group or an asymptomatic group according to their cerebral ischemic symptoms. The patients were also divided into a low-echo group, an equal-echo group, and an heterogeneous echo group according to the plaque echo characteristics on conventional ultrasound. The carotid intraplaque neovascularization was evaluated with contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the correlation between carotid intraplaque neovascularization and acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Results A total of 73 patients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease were enroled, 32 patients in the symptoms group (19 ischemic stroke, 13 transient ischemic attack), 41 patients in the asymptomatic group. Plaque echo characteristics: low-echo 15, equal-echo 41, and heterogeneous echo 17. The proportions of the patients with plaque enhancement (84. 4% vs. 61. 0% ; χ2 = 4. 802, P = 0. 028) and enhanced intensity (21. 78 ± 8. 50 dB vs. 15. 93 ± 8. 82 dB; t = 2. 440, P = 0. 018) in the symptomatic group were significantly higher than those in the asymptomatic group. The proportions of the patients with enhanced plaque in the low-echo, equal-echo and heterogeneous echo group were 93. 3% , 58. 5% , and 82. 4% , respectively (χ2 = 7. 826, P = 0. 020 ). The low-echo group and heterogeneous echo group were significantly higher than the equal-echo group (al P < 0. 05), but there was no significant difference between the low-echo group and the heterogeneous echo group (P > 0. 05). The intraplaque enhanced intensities in the low-echo group, equal-echo group, and heterogeneous echo group were 22. 62 ± 9. 33 dB, 14. 38 ± 8. 02 dB, and 18. 15 ± 9. 64 dB, respectively (F = 3. 877, P = 0. 027). The low-echo group was significantly higher than the equal-echo group (P = 0. 024 ). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that carotid intraplaque neovascularization (odds ratio 3. 456, 95% confidence interval 1. 103 - 10. 828; P = 0. 033) was independently associated with acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Conclusions Carotid intraplaque neovascularization is closely associated with acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Objective To explore whether fluid-attenuated inversion recovery can be used to estimate the onset time of acute ischemic stroke (ALS) based on the analysis of signal strength through the fluid-attenuated inversion-recov?ery (FLAIR)and volume of interest (ROI) in ALS patients with known time of onset. Method Forty-seven AIS patients who met the inclusion criteria were recruited from Baotou Central Hospital, Department of Neurology from January 2011 to December 2012. The patients had stroke onset within 12 hours and completed MRI scan including diffusion-weighted imaging DWI, apparent diffusion and coefficient ADC FLAIR. Based on MRI findings, patients were divided into, three groups:0~180 min, 180~360 min and 360~720 min groups. Signal strength values of the DWI、FLAIR and ADC in ipsi?lateral and contralateral sides were measured. Result There was a significant difference in the FLAIR signal strength among these three groups.The FLAIR signal strength was significantly lower in 0~180 min and 180~360 min groups than in 360-720 min. FLAIR positive rate was 16.7%, 62.5%, and 70.6% in 0~180 min, 180~360 min and 360~729 min groups, respectively. Conclusion FLAIR positive rate gradually increases as the onset prolongs. Thus, lower FLAIR posi?tive rate indicates shorter onset time of AIS, which can be used to assist acute intravenous thrombolytic therapy.

Aim To investigate whether D-galactose cause osteoporosis and the difference compared with the osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy, and to deter-mine whether ovariectomy coupled with D-galactose ac-celerated the progress of osteoporosis and whether es-trogen had a preventive effect on these osteoporosis models. Methods Sixty SPF mice were randomly divided into six groups , namely sham-operated group, D-galactose group, OVX group, OVX + D-galactose group, OVX + D-galactose + diethylstilbestrol group and D-galactose + diethylstilbestrol group. Seventy days later, the right tibia was processed with undecal-cified sections for bone histomorphometric analysis. Results Compared with the sham-operated group, %Tb. Ar, Tb. Th and Tb. N decrease by 50. 4%, 25. 4%, 50. 9% ( P <0.01 ) respectively, Tb. Sp in-creased by 169. 4% (P <0.05), Oc. pm, Oc. No. ,%Oc. S, Oc. N/mm which reflected bone absorption significantly increased ( P < 0.01 ) , and % L. Pm, MAR, BFR/TV, BFR/BV, BFR/BS which reflected bone formation significantly decreased ( P <0.01 ) in OVX group. %Tb. Ar decreased by 30. 4% in D-ga-lactose group, but there was no statistically significant difference. However, the four parameters reflected the bone absorption in D-galactose group increased signifi-cantly ( P<0.05 ) , while the four parameters reflected bone formation decreased significantly ( P < 0.05 ) . OVX+D-galactose group has obvious performance of osteoporosis, but there was no significant difference compared to OVX group, nor to D-galactose group. Estrogen had significant preventive effect on related pa-rameters of osteoporosis induced by D-galactose and o-variectomy coupled with D-galactose. ConclusionsOsteoporosis model of mice can be established by OVX, D-galactose and OVX +D-galactose. Estrogen can effectively prevent bone loss induced by D-galac-tose and OVX+ D-galactose.

Objective To evaluate development of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) during laparoscopic surgery in lateral jack-knife position under general anesthesia through comparing with reverse Trendelenburg/ Trendelenburg position in the patients lying supine.Methods Ninety patients of both sexes,aged 18-64 yr,of ASA physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ,with body mass index of 18-30 kg/m2,scheduled for elective laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =30 each):lateral jack-knife position group (group L),Trendelenburg position group (group T) and reverse Trendelenburg position group (group Tre).Anesthesia was induced with midazolam,sufentanil,propofol and cisatracurium besylate and maintained with propofol and remifentanil given by target-controlled infusion.A pH-sensitive probe was inserted through nose into the lower esophagus and pH value was continuously recorded until 1 min after extubation.GER was defined as pH value ≤ 4 lasting for ≥ 1 min in the lower esophagus during surgery.The development of GER during surgery and the lowest pH value in the lower esophagus when GER developed were recorded.Results Compared with group Tre,the incidence of GER (27％) and total number of times GER had occurred were significantly increased in group L,and no significant changes were found in the indices mentioned above in L and T groups.When GER developed,the lowest pH value in the lower esophagus was 2.1 ± 1.3,2.6 ± 1.2 and 3.5 in L,T and Tre groups,respectively.Conclusion The incidence of GER is 27 ％ during laparoscopic surgery when the patients are in lateral jack-knife position and it is higher than that obtained with reverse Trendelenburg position in the patients lying supine.

BACKGROUND:Recent studies have found that stem cellpluripotency and differentiation is regulated by many long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs). The expression and effect of LncRNA AK089560 during differentiation of stem cells is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expression of LncRNA AK089560 in mesenchymal stem cells C3H10T1/2 undergoing osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. METHODS:Osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells C3H10T1/2 was induced by recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 and evaluated using alkaline phosphatase staining. The adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells C3H10T1/2 was induced by three factors (dexamethasone, indomethacin and insulin) and evaluated by oil red O staining. The dynamical expression of LncRNA AK089560 was detected by qRT-PCR assay. The AK089560 secondary structure was predicted using RNAfold software. The relationship between AK089560 and neighboring protein-coding genes was analyzed using UCSC genome browser and visualized by fancyGENE online software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Over 70%of C3H10T1/2 cells were positive for alkaline phosphatase after osteogenic induction and more than 80%of the cells positive for oil red O staining after adipogenic induction. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of LncRNA AK089560 at days 2, 4, 6 of both osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation was significantly decreased compared with the control group (P<0.05). Bioinformatics analysis showed that there was a stem-loop structure for AK089560 and sense overlap relationship between AK089560 and protein-encoding gene Sema3a. These findings indicate that LncRNA AK089560 expression is reduced during osteogenic differentiation and adipogenic differentiation, showing that AK089560 may be involved in regulating the multi-directional differentiation of stem cells.

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that vascular factors have involved in the occurrence and development of Alzheimer's disease.This article reviews the research progress of the AD-associated vascular factors from the aspects of AD epidemiology,pathology,clinical research,imaging,and genetics,expecting to investigate the nature of AD from all aspects through vascular factors and finding a new entry point for prevention,diagnosis and treatment of AD.