Objective To investigate the role of scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) signaling pathway in serum amyloid A (SAA)-induced angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods The expression and location of SR-B1 in RA and osteoarthritis (OA) synovial tissues were observed by immunohistochemistry.And SR-B1 expression in the resting human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was detected by immunoflourescence.Wound repair assessement and tube formation assessement were employed to evaluate the effect on cell migration and tube formation stimulated by SAA and/or anti-SR-B1 antibody.The t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical analysis.Results ① SR-B1 was significantly highly expressed in RA tissue samples (A=6 788±819) when compared to the minimal expression in OA (A =31 849±6 977,t=3.567,P＜0.01).Positive staining of SR-B1 was observed in RA synovial vascular endothelial cells and perivascular areas.② Strong staining for SR-B1 was observed in all HUVECs tested.③ Significant wound healing induced by SAA (MI=2.50±0.17) was found compared with the untreated controls (MI=1.00±0.09,q=14.38,P＜0.01),and the effects were inhibited in the presence of anti-SR-B1 antibody (MI=1.16±0.14,q=13.02,P＜0.01).④ Compared to the untreated group (branch point number:6.6±0.8),there was an enhanced formation of branched and capillary-hke tube structure followed by SAA stimulation (branch point number:19.0±1.1,q=25.04,P＜0.01) after culturing for 72 h,whereas,tube formation decreased markedly upon pre-treated with anti-SR-B1 antibody (branch point number:7.6±1.3,vs SAA,q =23.32,P＜0.01).Conclusion Our present study suggests that serum amyloid A may induce angiogenesis via SR-B1 signaling pathway in RA.

Structural modifications were performed with natural product of oleanolic acid to search for novel anticancer drugs. Ten oleanolic acid derivatives were designed and obtained by the reaction of oxidation, acylation or hydrolyzation, etc. The cytotoxic activity of derivatives was evaluated against HeLa, HepG2 and BGC-823 cells in vitro by MTT assay, gefitinib and etoposide used as a positive control. The results showed that compound 5a was particularly active to inhibit HepG2 cells growth, and anti-tumor activity of compound 7 on HeLa cells was significantly stronger than oleanolic acid. They are worthy to be studied further.

Objective To explore whether serum amyloid A (SAA) can induce the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs)in neutrophils in vitro. Methods A stable method for inducing NETs formation in vitro was established, in-cluding isolation of peripheral blood neutrophils, cell culture, and NETs formation and observation. The neutrophils were iso-lated from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers. And cells were cultured in vitro and classified into three groups:negative control (NC) group, SAA group and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group. Following the distinct stimulation in three groups, NETs formation was observed and its percentage was calculated. The concentration of hinstone (h) 3 in supernatant was detected by ELISA. Results The purification and vitality of isolated neutrophils were both more than 95%. The nuclei of neutrophils lost their shape and spread, NETs formation was found. More NETs formation was found in SAA group than that in NC group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the concentration of h3 in supernatant was significantly higher in SAA group than that in NC group (P<0.05). Conclusion SAA can induce the formation of NETs in vitro.

Objective To observe characteristics of the activity in resting brain of asymptomatic reflux esophagitis (RE) patients,and explore the role of default network in the pathogenesis of asymptomatic RE.Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed to scan the brains of 15 asymptomatic RE patients,15 symptomatic RE patients and 15 healthy volunteers under no-mission-stimulation state.With fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF),characteristics of the strengthened and weakened regions of asymptomatic RE patients,symptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals were compared and analyzed.SPM 5 was applied for data preprocessing.Single-sample t test was performed to observe the noticeable active regions of each group under resting state,and then double-sample t test was used to compare the characteristics of active regions of the entire brain between asymptomatic RE patients and symptomatic RE patients or healthy individuals.Results Under resting state,the active brain regions of asymptomatic RE patients,symptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals were similar.The activity of only small part of brain regions in visceral sensory processing relevant networks changed.There was no significant difference in the active regions of default network under resting state between asymptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals.Compared with symptomatic RE patients,fALEF decreased at right central sulcus cover,right superior temporal gyrus,right insula,right transverse temporal gyrus,right postcentral gyrus,superior temporal gyrus and temporal pole (X=50,Y=-6,Z=12,t=2.7874,P＜0.01).Conclusion The difference in characteristics of activity in default network under resting state may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asymptomatic RE.

The primary aim of this research is to systematically sort out and analyze available clinical documents for chronic congestive heart failure in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, and to explore the diagnosis and treatment rule of TCM syndrome factors with data mining method.

Medical education of PhD candidates is of great importance to medical personnel training in our country. With the development of society, the progress of science and technology and renewal of knowledge, cultivation of innovative talents and improvement of graduate education quality is priority nowadays. This paper reflects on the progress we’ve made on medical education of PhD candidates. Though efforts have been made to improve the innovative ability of talents in our country gradually, we still need to be more innovative, more consistent and more scientific in the future. According to the state Degree Requirements and our goal of talent training, we should combine courses with scientific research systematically, pay more attention to scientific methodology and academic training, finally form a better training mode of PhD candidates majoring in medical science.

Objective To explore the effects of Chinese herbal compound, Tengmei decoction, on type II collagen-induced arthritis ( CIA) in rats, and to examine the changes of arthritis index ( AI) , limb swelling, joint tissue inflammatory infiltration, and the effects on immune-inflammatory factors.Methods Sprague-Dawley rat models of arthritis were successfully established by intradermal injection of type II collagen and Freund’ s complete adjuvant.The model rats were randomly divided into model group, positive drug group, and high-and low-dose Chinese medicine groups, 6 rats in each group.The intervention and treatment period was 12 weeks.To measure weekly the anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the rear ankles and wrists, the transverse diameter of the claw foot palm pad, the thickness and the highest point width of hind limb plantar joint swelling, and to evaluate the integrated scores of joints and limbs swelling using a vernier caliper.Results ①Compared with the normal group, the total arthritis scores and hind limbs AI scores of the model group were significantly increased ( P <0.05 or P <0.01 ) .The left forelimb AI scores were significantly increased during 10 -12 weeks ( P <0.05 ) .The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the left hind limb, the thickness of the highest point measurement of the left hind foot pad metatarsal were significantly increased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01) in different time periods between 1-12 weeks.Compared with the model group, the total scores and the left hind limb joints AI scores of the high-and low-dose drug groups were decreased after 6 weeks (P<0.05).②Compared with the normal control group, levels of mRNA transcription and protein expression of IL-6 and TNF-αwere significantly up-regulated ( P<0.01 ) in the model group.Compared with the model group, the levels of mRNA transcription and the expression of IL-6 and TNF-αproteins were significantly down-regulated in the positive group and Chinese medicine groups ( P <0.01 ) .③ Histological examination showed that the low-dose TCM significantly improved the CIA synovial hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration.Conclusions The molecular mechanism of Chinese herbal compound Tengmei decotion in improving joint pathological injury of CIA rat models may be related to its inhibitory effect on the high expression of immune-inflammatory factors in the synovial tissue of CIA rats.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and reliability of a novel sub-classification of Wilkins type III lateral-flexion supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 92 children with supracondylar fracture of the humerus admitted to Provincial Children′s Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2013 to August 2021, including 38 males and 54 females, aged 2-13 years [(8.5±2.4)years]. Lateral-flexion Wilkins type III supracondylar humeral fractures were classified into two subtypes according to the fracture features: type IIIA ( n=14), complete fracture with the distal fragment displaced anteriorly and laterally, with no obvious anterior or posterior inclination (<10°) or rotation; type IIIB ( n=78), complete fracture with the distal fragment displaced anteriorly and laterally, with significant anterior or posterior inclination (>10°) or rotation. The incidence and risk ratio of ulnar nerve injury and open reduction were compared between the two subtypes of the fracture. The weighted Kappa method was used to test the inter- and intra-observer agreement of the two new subtypes. Results:Of all, 15 children had ulnar nerve injury, among which 1(6.7%) was type IIIA and 14(93.3%) were type IIIB; while other 77 children had no ulnar nerve injury. The risk of ulnar nerve injury in children with type IIIB was 3-fold higher than that in children with type IIIA ( OR=2.84, 95% CI 0.34- 25.56, P>0.05). The open reduction was performed in 11(73.3%) out of the 15 children with ulnar nerve injury, but in 18(23.4%) out of the 77 children with no ulnar nerve injury. The risk of open reduction in children with ulnar nerve injury was 9-fold higher than that in children without ulnar nerve injury ( OR=9.01, 95% CI 2.28- 33.17, P<0.01). Open reduction was performed in 29 children, among which 2(6.9%) were type IIIA and 27(93.1%) were type IIIB. The risk of open reduction in children with type IIIB was 3-fold higher than that in children with type IIIA ( OR=3.17, 95% CI 0.66-15.24, P>0.05). The intra-observer Kappa value was 0.49±0.09(95% CI 0.31-0.66), indicating a moderate agreement. The inter-observer Kappa value was 0.80±0.06(95% CI 0.68-0.91), indicating a strong or very strong agreement. Conclusions:Wilkins type IIIB lateral-flexion supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children is more likely to be accompanied by ulnar nerve injury and to be opt to open reduction in comparion with type IIIA. The new subtyping has reliable inter-observer and intra-observer consistency, and is able to facilitate the prediction of surgical plans.