The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) is an important neuroimmunomodulatory mechanism that innervates the spleen through vagus nerve efferent and splenic nerve relay, and acts on macrophages by transforming adrenergic stimulation into cholinergic signal by spleen T cells, which plays an anti-inflammatory effect, and maintains the balance of inflammatory response. Due to the critical role of the imbalance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses in the physiological process of sepsis, regulating the activity of the CAP has become an important focus in the treatments of sepsis. Based on the understanding of the CAP, vagus nerve stimulation, drug agonists mimicking cholinergic signals, and acupuncture are currently applied in the research and exploration of sepsis treatment. This article summarizes the recent progress and prospects of the CAP mechanism, biological effects, and application in sepsis treatment.

Objective To develop a RP-HPLC method for the determination of piperine in the root of Piper nigrum L.Methods RP-HPLC was carried out on Luna C18 column(250 mm? 4.60 mm,5 ? m) with the column temperature of 35 ℃.The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of methanol-water(77 :23) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL? min-1.The determination wavelength was at 343 nm.Results The calibration curve was linear within the concentration range of 0.164 ? g～ 0.984 ? g,r=0.9996,and the average recovery was 98.09 %,RSD=2.67 %(n=9).The average content of piperine in three batches of pepper roots was in the range of 6.67～6.77mg?g-1.Conclusion Pepper root contains piperine,and this method is suitable for the quality control of the root of Piper nigrum L.

To investigate the relationship between the plasma biomarker proteins and the states of Zang-Fu organs in patients with phlegm or blood stagnation syndromes due to hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of sufentanil on activation of Schwann cells after peripheral nerve injury in mice.Methods:Eighty healthy pathogen-free male Balb/c mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 18-22 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=20 each) using a random number table method: peripheral nerve injury group (group PNI), high dose sufentanil group (group H), medium dose sufentanil group (group M) and low dose sufentanil group (group L). The model of unilateral sciatic nerve transaction was established in ketamine-anesthetized mice.Immediately after establishment of the model, sufentanil 10, 5 and 2.5 μg/kg was injected intraperitoneally once a day for 3 consecutive days in H, M and L groups, respectively, while the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in group PNI.Sciatic function index (SFI) was calculated at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after establishment of the model.At 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks, 5 mice in each group were sacrificed, and segments of the injuried ipsilateral sciatic nerve were removed for examination of the ultrastructure of the sciatic nerve (with a transmission electron microscope) and for detection of the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) of sciatic nerve (by immunohistochemistry). Results:Compared with group PNI, SFI was significantly increased, and the expression of GFAP was up-regluated at each time point after establishment of the model in H and M groups ( P<0.05) and no significant change was found in SFI and GFAP expression after establishment of the model in group L ( P>0.05). Compared with group L, SFI was significantly increased, and GFAP expression was up-regluated in H and M groups ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in SFI and GFAP expression between group H and group M ( P>0.05). The thickness of myelin lamellae was dense, and the proliferation of Schwann cells was not marked in H and M groups.The thickness of myelin lamellae was thin, and the proliferation of Schwann cells was marked in L and MO groups. Conclusion:The mechanism by which sufentanil improves repair after peripheral nerve injury may be related to promoting activation of Schwann cells in mice.

Objective:To summarize the clinical manifestations, electrophysiological, muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), pathological, and genetic characteristics of 8 patients with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) to improve the recognition and diagnosis of EDMD.Methods:Eight patients with EDMD confirmed by gene analysis admitted to Hebei Medical University Third Hospital from 2011 to 2022 were enrolled. The detailed clinical symptoms, neurophysiological examination, electrophysiological changes (electromyography and electrocardiography), skeletal muscle MRI characters, skeletal muscle pathological features and gene mutations were analyzed retrospectively.Results:The age of onset ranged from 2.0 to 6.0 (3.6±1.2) years. All patients had insidious onset and progressive development. Muscle weakness was the first symptom for 7 cases that manifested as difficulty in squatting and walking up stairs. Later, spinal ankylosis and joint contracture occurred. One patient had scoliosis as the first symptoms. Abnormal electrocardiogram was found in 4 cases. The electromyography of all patients showed myogenic damage. Muscle biopsy demonstrated dystrophic features in 1 patient, and other myopathic features, including a variation in muscle fiber size, a marked increase in internal nuclei, and, smaller diameter of typeⅠfibers. Next-generation sequencing result showed that 6/8 cases carried 4 LMNA heterozygous mutations (c.1583C>G, c.1357C>T, c.148C>T, c.1336A>G); 1/8 case carried EMD hemizygous mutation (c.501C>G); 1/8 carried SYNE1 heterozygous mutation (c.4364G>A). Conclusions:EDMD has highly clinical and genetical heterogeneity. The onset age is usually in childhood. The first symptom is characterized by weakness of lower limbs and abnormal walking posture. Electromyography shows myogenic lesion. Skeletal muscle MRI shows selective fat infiltrations. Muscle biopsy pathology lacks characteristic pathological findings. It is difficult to make diagnosis and differential diagnosis by clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination in the early stage of the disease. The second generation sequencing technology can improve the early diagnosis rate of EDMD.