Background The integration of segregated pathways from the two eyes first appears in V1 neurons,where it not only plays a critical role in the generation of a three-dimensional visual representation.Abnormal visual experiences in critical period usually lead to amblyopia and binocular integration defects.Objective Present study was to investigate how neurons of kitten coordinate their activity patterns in response to synchronous dichoptic stimulus inputs in striate cortex.Methods Spike rate and local field potential(LFP) gamma band(20-90Hz) power of three kitten(1-1.2Kg,8-10 weeks old) to monocular and synchronous dichoptic presented gratings were assessed for 28 binocular neurons in V1 of kitten by in vivo extracellular record method under anaesthesia and paralysis.Ocular dominance index(ODI) and binocular integration index(BII) were assessed and the correlation between these two indexes were analyzed.Results In 28 cells with binocular characteristic,the absolute value of spike-ODI was significant larger than that of LFP-ODI(t=2.606,P=0.021).A positive linear correlation between the ocular preferences of spike and LFP was found(R2=0.513,F=27.423,P=0.003).In dichotic trails,binocular facilitation with BII for spike was 2.348±0.996,showing a significant reduce in comparison with BII for LFP(3.678±1.974)(t=2.671,P=0.019).Binocular integration index for two signals were greater when monocular responses of both eyes were similar(P=0.035 and P=0.124,respectively).Conclusion Both spike rate and gamma band power of LFP exhibited binocular facilitation to synchronous presented dichotic stimuli with significant facilitation induced by balanced monocular responses.Spiking activity and LFP reflect neural activities of different spatial scales and source components.

Objective A/H1N1(pdm09) viruses were the dominant strains in Shanghai during 2018-2019 influenza surveillance year.This study is to provide a scientific reference for clinical drug use by investigating the susceptibility of A/H1N1(pdm09) viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors(NAIs). Methods Sixty strains of A/H1N1(pdm09) viruses were randomly selected for testing the susceptibility and drug resistance to Oseltamivir and Zanamivir by means of neutaminidase inhibition and neuraminidase (NA) gene sequencing. Results The 60 epidemic strains all proved to be susceptible to Oseltamivir and Zanamivir and the susceptibility was not observed to be decreased or remarkably decreased.In genetic sequencing, NA was not observed to present amino acid mutation at the key sites and auxiliary sites in catalytic activity, which confirmed the results of the phototypic detection of neuraminidase inhibition. Conclusion The subtype influenza viruses A/H1N1(pdm09) circulating in Shanghai during 2018-2019 surveillance year are still sensitive to NAIs, which provides a scientific reference for clinical use of drugs.However, we monitored only a number of strains and think that the work monitoring antiviral susceptibility should be continued with the wide use of the drugs.

OBJECTIVETo screen out differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in the plasma of children with methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), to determine the expression of miR-9-1 in plasma and to preliminarily evaluate the significance of miR-9-1 as a biomarker in MMA.

METHODSPlasma was obtained from 17 MMA children, 10 hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) children without MMA (HHcy group), and 10 normal controls. Of 17 MMA children, 12 had HHcy (MMA+HHcy group), and 5 had no HHcy (MMA group). The differentially expressed miRNAs were screened out by miRNA microarray. Differentially expressed miR-9-1 was selected, and plasma miR-9-1 levels were determined by RT-PCR. Urine was collected from MMA patients who received vitamin B12 treatment, and plasma miR-9-1 levels were determined by RT-PCR after treatment.

RESULTSThe miRNA microarray analysis showed that 26 miRNAs were differentially expressed, among which 16 miRNAs (including miR-9-1) were down-regulated over 2 times, while 10 miRNAs were up-regulated over 2 times. The MMA+HHcy , MMA and HHcy groups had significantly down-regulated miR-9-1 compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). The patients who showed a good response to vitamin B12 treatment had significantly increased plasma miR-9-1 levels, without significant difference compared with the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma miR-9-1 is significantly down-regulated in MMA patients, but it is significantly up-regulated after vitamin B12 treatment, suggesting that miR-9-1 may act as a biomarker in monitoring the progression of MMA.

Adolescent ; Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; genetics ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; genetics ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; blood

Objective:To observe the effect of Tongluo Shenggu capsule （TLSGC） on glucocorticoid-induced vascular endothelial cell functional damage， and to preliminally explore the mechanism of action through MEK-ERK signaling pathway. Method:The blood vessel of aorta rings of normal SD rats were induced in vitro intervention with methylprednisolone sodium succinate （MPS， 0.04 g·L^-1） and/or vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF， 20 μg·L^-1）， and were treated with TLSGC（12.5， 25， 50 μg·L^-1） continuously for 5 days to observe the number， length and area of microvascular ring buds．In addition， human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVEC） induced by VEGF（20 μg·L^-1） were added into MPS（0.04 g·L^-1） and TLSGC （12.5， 25， 50 μg·L^-1） were added. Then， Transwell migration， Transwell invasion and lumen formation experiments were used to detect the migration， invasion and lumen formation ability of HUVEC， respectively. The content of nitric oxide（NO） in the cell supernatant was detected by nitrate reductase method， the content of endothelin 1（ET-1） in the cell supernatant was detected by dry powder method. Moreover， the protein contents of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase （p-ERK）， mitogen extracellular kinase1（MEK） and phosphorylated mitogen extracellular kinase1（p-MEK） in the cells were determined by Western blot. Result:Compared with the normal group， MPS could significantly inhibit the number， length and area of VEGF-induced rat thoracic aortic ring microvessels， HUVEC cell migration， invasion and lumen formation ability. It could reduce NO content and increase ET-1 content. MPS could also significantly reduce the protein content of VEGF-induced VEGFR2， p-MEK and p-ERK in HUVEC（P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， TLSGC could dose-dependently increase the number， length and area of MPS-induced abnormally reduced rat thoracic aortic ring microvessels， promote MPS-induced abnormally decreased HUVEC cell migration， invasion and lumen formation ability. It could increase the protein contents of NO， VEGFR2， p-MEK and p-ERK in HUVEC， and reduce abnormally increased ET-1 content（P<0.05，P<0.01）. Conclusion:TLSGC has a protective effect on the damage of angiogenesis and secretion of vascular endothelial cells induced by glucocorticoid， and the mechanism may be related to the activation of MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

Objective:To establish a model of cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type （CSA） in rats by mixed modeling method， and observe the intervention effect of Panlongqi tablet （PLQT） on CSA rats. Method:SD rats were divided into a normal control group， a model group， low- （0.16 g·kg^-1）， medium- （0.32 g·kg^-1）， and high-dose （0.64 g·kg^-1） PLQT groups， and a Jingfukang granule （JFK， 1.35 g·kg^-1） group. The rats were treated correspondingly 24 hours after modeling for eight weeks， and those in the normal control group received an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. The limb movement was tested by the inclined plate assay， vertebral artery flow volume by multi-mode high-frequency sound wave for small animals， and microcirculatory blood flow in the pia mater by the laser Doppler. The imaging of the cervical spine was recorded and scored by X-ray micro-computed tomography （Micro CT）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect serum levels of endothelin-1 （ET-1）， nitric oxide （NO）， tissue plasminogen activator （t-PA）， and plasminogen activator inhibitor （PAI）. Result:Compared with the normal control group， the model group showed decreased limb movement， vertebral artery flow volume， and microcirculatory blood flow in the pia mater， and increased imaging of the cervical spine and score （P<0.05，P<0.01）. PLQT could dose-dependently improve the motor function， increase the vertebral artery flow volume and microcirculatory blood flow in the pia mater， and reduce the degree and score of imaging of the cervical spine in CSA rats（P<0.05，P<0.01）. The serum levels of NO and t-PA were decreased and those of ET-1 and PAI were increased in the model group as compared with those in the normal control group， while such changes were reversed by PLQT treatment（P<0.05，P<0.01）. Conclusion:PLQT can enhance the limb movement， promote the vertebral artery flow volume and microcirculatory blood flow in the pia mater， improve the degree of imaging of the cervical spine， regulate the vasomotor function， and improve the coagulation and fibrinolysis system of CSA rats， which shows good potential for the treatment of CSA.

Objective:To observe the analgesic effect of Panlongqi tablet（PLQT） on rats with chronic inflammatory pain， and to explore mechanism of the action preliminarily from the perspective of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells （NF-κB）and mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPKs） signaling pathways. Method:Rats were induced to establish model of chronic inflammatory pain by complete Freund adjuvant（CFA）， which was divided into normal group， model group， the PLQT 0.16，0.32，0.64 g·kg^-1 group， and the ibuprofen 0.05 g·kg^-1 group（also positive group）， give the medicine once a day by gavage. Standard Von Frey fiber was used to evaluated the mechanical pain threshold， acetone was used to stimulated rats inflammatory foot to get the cold-induced response score， with the mechanical pain threshold and cold-induced response score to be observed at 1， 2， 3， 4 and 6 h before and after administration on day 1， and at 4 h after administration on day 3-7. The content of PGE₂， IL-1， TNF-α in serum， inflammatory foot and 4-5 lumbar spinal cord was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. The protein level of MAPKs （p-p38， p-ERK， p-JNK） in lumbar spinal cord 4-5 was detected by Western blot. The expression of NF-κB p65 in the lumbar spinal cord was detected by IFA. Result:Model group had lower mechanical pain threshold and higher cold-induced response score than these in normal group（P<0.01）， while the mechanical pain threshold and cold-induce response score of the model rats were dose-dependent better regulated after administration of PLQT 0.16， 0.32， 0.64 g·kg^-1·d^-1（P<0.05，P<0.01）， these effect lasted 6 h， of which PLQT groups get the most significant effect on 4 h， however the effect of IBP was similar to that of PLQT medium dose group. In addition， PLQT reduced the abnormal increase of PGE₂， IL-1 and TNF-α contents in serum， inflammatory foot and spinal cord of rats in model group， decreased the protein phosphorylation levels of ERK and JNK in spinal cord， and decreased the protein expression of NF-κB p65， that was significant in the PLQT high-dose group（P<0.01）. Conclusion:PLQT had significant analgesic effect on chronic inflammatory pain model rats， which may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways in spinal cord.