Deglutition Disorders ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiration Disorders ; etiology ; Speech Disorders ; etiology ; Thyroglossal Cyst ; complications

BACKGROUND: Endothelin(ET) -1 is a peptide with potent actions on blood vessels and nerve system. Its expression increases in the central nervous system(CNS) in a variety of pathological conditions, inducing harmful effects on the nervous tissue. However it is not clearly elucidated whether the over-expressed ET-1 can directly induce neuronal apoptosis.OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether ET-1 can directly induce apoptosis in primarily cultured brain neurons of rat, and which ET receptor subtype(s) is involved in this action.DESIGN: Completely randomized and controlled experimental study based on cells.SETTING: Neurological department in a university hospital, pathological department of a university and laboratory center of tissue transplantation and immunology, life science and technology college.MATERIALS: This study was completed in the Pathology Department, the Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, the Life Science and Technology College of Jinan University. The subjects were primarily-cultured neurons obtained from cerebral cortex of newborn rats that were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of the Medical College, Sun Yat-sen University.INTERVENTIONS: After culturing for five days, the neurons were treated with ET-1 (0. 2 nmol/L and 20 nmol/L) for 24 hours. Apoptotic neurons were semi-quantitatively measured with Annexin V and Hoechst 33258 staining respectively. ET-1(20 nmol/L), with BQ123(a selective antagonist for ET receptor A, 1 mmol/L) or with BQ788(a selective antagonist for ET receptor B, 1 mmol/L), was added respectively into the cultures simultaneously. And the apoptotic neurons were quantitatively measured with flow cytometry 24 hours later. Equal amount of PBS, instead of ET-1, waw added into the control subjects.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effect of ET-1 on apoptosis rate of cultured rat cortical neurons, and the ET receptor subtypes involved in this action.RESULTS: Twenty-four hours after treated with 0.2 nmol/L ET-1, the Annexin-V, and Hoechest 33258 positive stained cell rates[ (23.00 ± 9.96)%,(9.82 ±0.95)% ] were of no difference as compared with those of the controls[ (13.50 ± 3.35)%, (8.21 ± 2. 17)% ]. By contrast, after incubation with the higher dose of ET-1 (20 nmol/L), significant higher rate of apoptosis was measured in Annexin V staining[(50.50 ± 10.78)%, P=0.01, n=4] and Hoechest 33258 staining[(13.78±1.52)%, P= 0. 000, n = 8] . Analyzed with flow cytometry, the apoptosis rate was (0.20±0. 15)% in the control group, (26. 11 ±3.28)% in 20 nmol/LET-1 group, and(13.58 ±4. 92)% in BQ123 +ET-1 and(9.99 ±3.30)% in BQ788 +ET-1 respectively, indicating that BQ123 and BQ788 partially-blocked the apoptosis effect of ET-1 on. cultured neurons(BQ123 + ET-1 vs ET-1, P = 0. 005; BQ788 + ET-1 vs ET-1, P = 0. 001, n = 4, respectively).CONCLUSION: The higher dose of ET-1 (20 nmol/L) can directly induce apoptosis of primarily-cultured cerebral neurons of rats. The effect of ET-1 inducing neuronal apoptosis may be mediated via both ET receptors A and B.

Objective To explore the clinical efficary of modified four-step laparoscopic splenec-tomy and pericardial devascularization.Methods The clinical data of 72 patients with portal hypertension who were admitted to our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into modified four-step laparoscopic group(36 patients)and open group(36 patients). The clinical indicators(operation time,amount of intraoperative blood loss,hospital stay,total hospitalization expenses,and intraoperative bleeding rate)and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared among the two groups.Re-sults The intraoperative blood loss(755.16 ± 50.23),Intraoperative bleeding rate(13%)and hospital stay(14.77 ± 2.09)of open group was higher than the modified four-step laparoscopic group(462.02 ± 61.42,11.11%,9.45 ± 3.20,P<0.05).The median operation time(187.67 ± 32.10)and the cost of hospitalization(42368. 70)of open group was lower than the modified four-step laparoscopic group (265.79 ± 48.23,50143.46,P<0.05).There were no significant differences in perioperative complica-tion rate among the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusions The procedure of modified four-step laparo-scopic splenectomy and pericardial devascularization has safe,feasible and with good therapeutic effect.It can significantly reduce the blood flow and blood transfusion in patients with probability,shorten the hospi-talization,lower the incidence of postoperative complications to some extent.However,the cost of hospital-ization and the time of operation are still relatively high,and further improvement should be made on the clinical application.

BackgroundBeing complex and highly heterogeneous with regard to the etiology and clinical manifestations of depression， neuroimaging studies make a breakthrough for exploring the biological subtypes of depression， while the current data-driven approach for the identification of subtyping depression using structural magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） data is insufficient. ObjectiveTo explore the biological subtypes of depression using diffusion tensor imaging （DTI） and machine learning methods. MethodsA total of 127 patients with depression who attended Beijing Anding Hospital from September 2017 to August 2021 and met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fourth edition （DSM-IV） diagnostic criteria were included， and another 80 healthy individuals matched for gender and age were recruited through advertisements in surrounding communities during the same period. DTI findings， demographic characteristics and clinical data were collected from all participants. Tract-based spatial statistics （TBSS） and the Johns Hopkins University （JHU） white matter probability maps were used to extract fractional anisotropy （FA） values of white matter tracts. A semi-supervised machine learning technique was used to identify the subtypes， and the FA values for whole brain white matter of patients and controls were compared. ResultsPatients with depression were classified into two biological subtypes. FA values in multiple tracts including corpus callosum and corona radiata of subtype I patients were smaller than those of healthy controls （P<0.01， FDR corrected）， and FA values in middle cerebellar peduncle， left superior cerebellar peduncle and left cerebral peduncle of subtype II patients were larger than those of healthy controls （P<0.01， FDR-corrected）. Baseline Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item （HAMD-17） score yielded no statistical difference between subtype I and subtype II patients （P>0.05）， while subtype I patients scored lower on HAMD-17 than subtype II patients after 12 weeks of treatment （t=2.410， P<0.05）. ConclusionDepression patients exhibit two biological subtypes with distinct patterns of white matter damage. Furthermore， the subtypes respond differently to the medication treatment. ［Funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China （number， 2016YFC1307200）， the Scientific Research and Cultivation Program of Beijing Municipal Hospitals （number，PX2023066）， Beijing Anding Hospital， Capital Medical University （number，YJ201904， YJ201911）； www.chictr.org.cn number： ChiCTR-OOC-17012566］

OBJECTIVETo develop a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of rutin, hyperoside, isoquercetin, astragulin, quercetin, and kaempferol in Apocynum venetum and its extracts.

METHODThe separation was carried out on a Shim pack ODS (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) colum eluted with in mobile phases of water containing 0.2% phosphoric acid and acetonitrile containing 0.2% phosphoric acid in acetonitrile gradient mode. The column temperature was 40 degrees C, and the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was set at 360 nm.

RESULTThe good seperation of six flavonoids was achieved within 40 min, with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of intra- and inter-day precision < or = 2.0%. Calibration curves of rutin, hyperoside, isoquercetin, astragulin, quercetin, and kaempferol showed good linear relationship (R2 > 0.999 7, n = 6). The average recoveries of the six flavonoids were within 97.30% - 105.8% (RSD 2.6%). Three batches of A. venetum and 2 batches of its extracts were determined.

CONCLUSIONThe developed method is simple, accurate, and repeatable, and can be readily used as a powerful tool for the quality control of A. venetum and its extracts.

Objective To investigate the effect and its mechanism of ziyuglycoside Ⅱ on prolifer-ation,migration,invasion and apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29.Methods The effect of ziyugly-coside n on cell proliferation of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by CCK-8 method;the effect of ziyuglycoside Ⅱ on cell migrative capacity of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by scratch assay;the effect of ziyuglycoside n on cell invasive capacity of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by transwell assay;the effects of ziyuglycoside n on cell apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by flow cytometry;the effects of ziyuglycoside Ⅱ on mRNA and protein expres-sion of protein kinase B(AKT)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)signal pathway were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and western-blot,respectively.Results Ziyuglycoside n(0,1,5,10,20,40,60 and 80 μmol/mL)inhibited pro-liferation of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglycoside n(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)inhibited migration of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglyco-side Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)inhibited invasion of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)promoted apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)increased mRNA expression of AKT and PI3K,decreased mRNA expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9.Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)increased protein expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT)and phosphorylphosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(p-PI3K),increased the expression of Cleaved-Caspase-3 and Cleaved-Caspase-9 protein.Conclusion Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ can inhibit proliferation,migration and invasion of colon cancer cells HT-29,and promote the apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29.Its mechanism may be related to regulating the signal pathway of AKT/PI3K via promoting phospho-rylation of AKT and PI3K protein,activation of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein.

Objective To investigate the effect and its mechanism of ziyuglycoside Ⅱ on prolifer-ation,migration,invasion and apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29.Methods The effect of ziyugly-coside n on cell proliferation of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by CCK-8 method;the effect of ziyuglycoside Ⅱ on cell migrative capacity of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by scratch assay;the effect of ziyuglycoside n on cell invasive capacity of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by transwell assay;the effects of ziyuglycoside n on cell apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29 was determined by flow cytometry;the effects of ziyuglycoside Ⅱ on mRNA and protein expres-sion of protein kinase B(AKT)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)signal pathway were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and western-blot,respectively.Results Ziyuglycoside n(0,1,5,10,20,40,60 and 80 μmol/mL)inhibited pro-liferation of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglycoside n(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)inhibited migration of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglyco-side Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)inhibited invasion of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)promoted apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29 in a dose-dependent manner.Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)increased mRNA expression of AKT and PI3K,decreased mRNA expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9.Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ(5,10 and 20 μmol/mL)increased protein expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT)and phosphorylphosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(p-PI3K),increased the expression of Cleaved-Caspase-3 and Cleaved-Caspase-9 protein.Conclusion Ziyuglycoside Ⅱ can inhibit proliferation,migration and invasion of colon cancer cells HT-29,and promote the apoptosis of colon cancer cells HT-29.Its mechanism may be related to regulating the signal pathway of AKT/PI3K via promoting phospho-rylation of AKT and PI3K protein,activation of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein.

Modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) and magnetic seizure therapy (MST) are effective treatments for severe major depression. MECT has better efficacy in the treatment than MST, but it has cognitive and memorial side effects while MST does not. To study the causes of these different outcomes, this study contrasted the electric filed strength and spatial distribution induced by MECT and MST in a realistic human head model. Electric field strength induced by MECT and MST are simulated by the finite element method, which was based on a realistic human head model obtained by magnetic resonance imaging. The electrode configuration of MECT is standard bifrontal stimulation configuration, and the coil configuration of MST is circular. Maps of the ratio of the electric field strength to neural activation threshold are obtained to evaluate the stimulation strength and stimulation focality in brain regions. The stimulation strength induced by MECT is stronger than MST, and the activated region is wider. MECT stimulation strength in gray matter is 17.817 times of that by MST, and MECT stimulation strength in white matter is 23.312 times of that by MST. As well, MECT stimulation strength in hippocampi is 35.162 times of that by MST. More than 99.999% of the brain volume is stimulated at suprathreshold by MECT. However, MST activated only 0.700% of the brain volume. The stimulation strength induced by MECT is stronger than MST, and the activated region is wider may be the reason that MECT has better effectiveness. Nevertheless, the stronger stimulation strength in hippocampi induced by MECT may be the reason that MECT is more likely to give rise to side effects. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that a more accurate clinical quantitative treatment scheme should be studied in the future.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic or symptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be followed by reinfection. The protection conferred by prior infection among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is unclear. We assessed the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and the protection effect of previous infection against reinfection. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov for publications up until the end date of May 1, 2021. The reinfection rate of recovered patients and the protection against reinfection were analyzed using meta-analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 19 studies of 1096 reinfection patients were included. The pooled reinfection rate was 0.65% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39-0.98%). The symptomatic reinfection rate was a bit lower (0.37% [95% CI 0.11-0.78%], I2 = 99%). The reinfection rate was much higher in high-risk populations (1.59% [95% CI 0.30-3.88%], I2 = 90%). The protection against reinfection and symptomatic reinfection was similar (87.02% [95% CI 83.22-89.96%] and 87.17% [95% CI 83.09-90.26%], respectively). CONCLUSIONS The rate of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 is relatively low. The protection against SARS-CoV-2 after natural infection is comparable to that estimated for vaccine efficacy. These data may help guide public health measures and vaccination strategies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. High-quality clinical studies are needed to establish the relevant risk factors in recovered patients.
COVID-19 ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Reinfection ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Vaccine Efficacy

We sought to identify the differences between adolescents left behind in their home villages/towns (LBA) and non-left behind adolescents (NLB) on subjective well-being and family functioning due to parental migration in south China. We used a stratified cluster sampling method to recruit middle school students in a city experiencing population-emigration in Jiangxi Province in 2010. Participants included adolescents from families with: (1) one migrant parent, (2) both parents who migrated, or (3) non-left behind adolescents (i.e., no migrant parent). To determine predictors of subjective well-being, we used structural equation models. Adolescents left behind by both parents (LBB) were less likely to express life satisfaction (P = 0.038) in terms of their environments (P = 0.011) compared with NLB. A parent or parents who migrated predicts lower subjective well-being of adolescents (P = 0.051) and also lower academic performance. Being apart from their parents may affect family functioning negatively from an adolescent's viewpoint. Given the hundreds of millions of persons in China, many who are parents, migrating for work, there may be mental health challenges in some of the adolescents left behind.
Adolescent ; Aging ; China ; Emigration and Immigration ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Parent-Child Relations ; Parents ; Psychology, Adolescent ; Rural Population ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Transients and Migrants