Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture applied at Baihui acupoint on cognitive function in lithium-pilocarpine induced spontaneous recurrent epileptic rat and provide some theoretical basis for acupoint stimulation treatment seizure.Methods Male mature Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to spontaneous recurrent epileptic model induced by lithium-pilocarpine,and divided into different groups randomly: acupoint group(electroacupuncture applied at Baihui acupoint),non-acupoint group(electroacupuncture located in close vicinity to the Baihui acupoint),and epileptic control group.Normal rats were subjected into normal control group.The Morris water maze test and step though test were carried out respectively to explore the effect of electroacupuncture applied at Baihui acupoint on the rats' learning and memory capacities.Results Compared with control group,acupoint rats in Morris water maze test time of finding the platform under the water surface decreased(P

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of paeonol(PAE)on renal interstitial fibrosis in rats.Methods The rats were randomly divided into sham operation(Sham)group,unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)group,PAE low dose(PAE-L)group,PAE medium dose(PAE-M)group,PAE high dose(PAE-H)group and irbesartan(IRB)group.Except for the Sham group,the UUO model was established in other groups.Each group was given a corresponding intervention for two weeks.Serum creatinine(Scr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),serum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine(8-OHdG)levels,renal tissue superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GPX)activities,α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),type Ⅰ collagen(Col-Ⅰ),fibronectin(FN),silent information regulator 1(SIRT1),nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)protein expression were detected;observe pathological changes of kidney tissue and calculate collagen volume fraction(CVF).Results Compared with the UUO group,the serum levels of Scr,BUN,and 8-OHdG in each dose group of PAE were decreased,the activities of SOD and GPX in kidney tissue were increased,the positive expressions of α-SMA,Col-Ⅰ and FN in kidney tissue were decreased,and the protein expressions of SIRT1 and Nrf2 were increased.Masson staining showed a decrease of CVF in renal tissue(all P<0.05),and HE staining showed a different degree of improvement in pathological changes such as inflammatory cell infiltration and tubular dilatation in renal tissue;PAE improves renal interstitial fibrosis in rats in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.05),and the effect of large dose PAE on renal interstitial fibrosis in rats was similar to that of IRB.Conclusion PAE can alleviate UUO-induced rat renal interstitial fibrosis and oxidative stress,and improve rat renal function.And this mechanism may be related to the activation of the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

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.

ObjectiveTo discuss the effects of Cistanches Herba phenylethanoid glycosides （CHPhGs） on the intestinal mucosal barrier and gut microbiota in alcoholic liver disease （ALD） mice were discussed. MethodThe 36 C57BL/6N female mice were randomly divided normal group， normal group of CHPhGs， model group， and low， medium， and high-dose groups （175， 350， 700 mg·kg^-1） of CHPhGs， with six mice in each group. The ALD mouse model was built using Lieber-Decarli alcohol liquid feed. The normal group and low， medium， and high-dose groups of CHPhGs were given CHPhGs by gavage daily. Serum aspartate aminotransferase aminotransferase （ALT）， alanine aminotransferase （AST）， triglycerides （TG）， and total cholesterol （TC） levels were detected by an automatic biochemical analyzer. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， lipopolysaccharide-binding protein （LBP）， D-lactic acid （D-LA）， diamine oxidase （DAO）， and LBP of liver were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The levels of TG and TC in the liver were detected by colorimetry. Liver tissue was treated by oil red O and hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The microstructure of jejunum epithelial cells was observed by electron microscope. Jejunum and colon were treated by HE staining and alcian blue-periodate-scheff (AB-PAS) staining staining， and mucin 2 （Muc2） was treated by immunohistochemistry. The intestinal contents of the normal group， normal group of CHPhGs， model group， and high-dose group of CHPhGs were collected and sequenced. ResultThe ALD model was established successfully. Compared with the normal group， the levels of serum ALT， AST， and TG， as well as the levels of liver TG and TC in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Histopathology showed that compared with the normal group， the liver cells in the model group showed obvious steatosis. Compared with the model group， the levels of serum TG and liver TG and TC in the low， medium， and high-dose groups of CHPhGs decreased significantly （P<0.05）. The serum ALT， AST， TNF-α， IL-1β， LPS， and LBP in the high-dose group of CHPhGs were also significantly decreased （P<0.05）. The number of liver cells with steatosis in the high-dose group of CHPhGs was significantly reduced， and the microvilli structure of jejunum epithelial cells was basically intact. The expression of Muc2 was reduced in the colon， and the gut microbiota of the high-dose group of CHPhGs changed significantly （P<0.05）. Compared with the normal group， the Allobaculum was significantly up-regulated in the model group （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the abundance of Akkermansia in the high-dose group of CHPhGs was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The abundance of Akkermansia was negatively correlated with that of Allobaculum （r=-0.701， P<0.01）. ConclusionCHPhGs can reduce the intestinal barrier injury caused by ALD， which may play a protective role by regulating the abundance and structure of Akkermansia and Allobaculum and affecting the homeostasis of intestinal mucus.

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.

Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; Single-Cell Analysis