Objective:The research was aimed to investigate the association between serum total homocysteine (tHcy) and subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SCD).Methods:A retrospective survey of 106 newly diagnosed patients with SCD were enrolled in this research who were treated in the department of neurology of Xijing Hospital from January 2008 to February 2019, meanwhile, 121 patients with spinal cord lesion (not SCD) and 104 neurology mild outpatients were selected as controls. Serum tHcy level was determined by using the chemiluminescent immunoassay assay. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for SCD. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity and Youden index were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of tHcy. Spearman correlation analysis was used to observe the correlation between tHcy and SCD severity. The SCD patients were categorized into normal or mild tHcy group, moderate tHcy group, and severe tHcy group based on tHcy levels. Clinical symptoms, nerve conduction velocity, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings from the patients were studied.Results:The serum tHcy levels in SCD patients were 64.3(26.5, 98.8) μmol/L, while in patients with spinal cord lesion (not SCD) group were 13.7(10.8, 19.2) μmol/L, neurology mild outpatients were 10.6(8.2, 13.0) μmol/L, which was higher in SCD group ( H=112.020, P<0.001), ( H=165.525, P<0.001).The multivariate logistic regression model showed tHcy is the impact factor of SCD ( OR=1.107, 95% CI:1.077-1.139, P<0.001). At ROC analysis, tHcy showed diagnostic value with an optimal cut-off value of 24.9 μmol/L (AUC 0.913, 95% CI: 0.875-0.951, sensitivity 79.2%, specificity 91.6%). Spearman correlation analysis showed that tHcy was positively correlated with functional disability rating scale ( r=0.254, P=0.009). Conclusions:Serum tHcy is the risk factor for SCD and related to its disability. Focus on the increased level of tHcy plays a positive role in the diagnosis of SCD.

Objective:The research was aimed to investigate the association between serum total homocysteine (tHcy) and subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SCD).Methods:A retrospective survey of 106 newly diagnosed patients with SCD were enrolled in this research who were treated in the department of neurology of Xijing Hospital from January 2008 to February 2019, meanwhile, 121 patients with spinal cord lesion (not SCD) and 104 neurology mild outpatients were selected as controls. Serum tHcy level was determined by using the chemiluminescent immunoassay assay. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for SCD. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity and Youden index were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of tHcy. Spearman correlation analysis was used to observe the correlation between tHcy and SCD severity. The SCD patients were categorized into normal or mild tHcy group, moderate tHcy group, and severe tHcy group based on tHcy levels. Clinical symptoms, nerve conduction velocity, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings from the patients were studied.Results:The serum tHcy levels in SCD patients were 64.3(26.5, 98.8) μmol/L, while in patients with spinal cord lesion (not SCD) group were 13.7(10.8, 19.2) μmol/L, neurology mild outpatients were 10.6(8.2, 13.0) μmol/L, which was higher in SCD group ( H=112.020, P<0.001), ( H=165.525, P<0.001).The multivariate logistic regression model showed tHcy is the impact factor of SCD ( OR=1.107, 95% CI:1.077-1.139, P<0.001). At ROC analysis, tHcy showed diagnostic value with an optimal cut-off value of 24.9 μmol/L (AUC 0.913, 95% CI: 0.875-0.951, sensitivity 79.2%, specificity 91.6%). Spearman correlation analysis showed that tHcy was positively correlated with functional disability rating scale ( r=0.254, P=0.009). Conclusions:Serum tHcy is the risk factor for SCD and related to its disability. Focus on the increased level of tHcy plays a positive role in the diagnosis of SCD.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which CDHR2 overexpression inhibits breast cancer cell growth and cell cycle pragression via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Methods Bioinformatic analysis was performed to investigate CDHR2 expression in breast cancer and its correlation with survival outcomes of the patients.Immunohistochemistry was used to examine CDHR2 expressions in surgical specimens of tumor and adjacent tissues from 10 patients with breast cancer.CDHR2 expression levels were also detected in 5 breast cancer cell lines and a normal human mammary epithelial cell line using qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 with low CDHR2 expression were transfected with a CDHR2-overexpressing plasmid,and the changes in cell proliferation and cell cycle were evaluated using CCK-8 assay,EdU assay,and cell cycle assay;the changes in expressions of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and cell cycle pathway proteins were detected with Western blotting.Results Bioinformatic analysis showed low CDHR2 expression level in both breast cancer and adjacent tissues without significant difference between them(P>0.05),but breast cancer patients with a high expression of CDHR2 had a more favorable prognosis.Immunohistochemistry,qRT-PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression of CDHR2 was significantly down-regulated in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cells(P<0.01),and its overexpression strongly inhibited cell proliferation,caused cell cycle arrest,and significantly inhibited PI3K and Akt phosphorylation and the expression of cyclin D1.Conclusion Overexpression of CDHR2 inhibits proliferation and causes cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells possibly by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which CDHR2 overexpression inhibits breast cancer cell growth and cell cycle pragression via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Methods Bioinformatic analysis was performed to investigate CDHR2 expression in breast cancer and its correlation with survival outcomes of the patients.Immunohistochemistry was used to examine CDHR2 expressions in surgical specimens of tumor and adjacent tissues from 10 patients with breast cancer.CDHR2 expression levels were also detected in 5 breast cancer cell lines and a normal human mammary epithelial cell line using qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 with low CDHR2 expression were transfected with a CDHR2-overexpressing plasmid,and the changes in cell proliferation and cell cycle were evaluated using CCK-8 assay,EdU assay,and cell cycle assay;the changes in expressions of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and cell cycle pathway proteins were detected with Western blotting.Results Bioinformatic analysis showed low CDHR2 expression level in both breast cancer and adjacent tissues without significant difference between them(P>0.05),but breast cancer patients with a high expression of CDHR2 had a more favorable prognosis.Immunohistochemistry,qRT-PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression of CDHR2 was significantly down-regulated in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cells(P<0.01),and its overexpression strongly inhibited cell proliferation,caused cell cycle arrest,and significantly inhibited PI3K and Akt phosphorylation and the expression of cyclin D1.Conclusion Overexpression of CDHR2 inhibits proliferation and causes cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells possibly by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypercoagulability, hypertension, and multiorgan dysfunction. Effective antivirals with safe clinical profile are urgently needed to improve the overall prognosis. In an analysis of a randomly collected cohort of 124 patients with COVID-19, we found that hypercoagulability as indicated by elevated concentrations of D-dimers was associated with disease severity. By virtual screening of a U.S. FDA approved drug library, we identified an anticoagulation agent dipyridamole (DIP) , which suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication . In a proof-of-concept trial involving 31 patients with COVID-19, DIP supplementation was associated with significantly decreased concentrations of D-dimers ( < 0.05), increased lymphocyte and platelet recovery in the circulation, and markedly improved clinical outcomes in comparison to the control patients. In particular, all 8 of the DIP-treated severely ill patients showed remarkable improvement: 7 patients (87.5%) achieved clinical cure and were discharged from the hospitals while the remaining 1 patient (12.5%) was in clinical remission.