[Objective] To evaluate the clinical curative effect of a combined protocol using Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture for chronic gastritis.[Methods] 23 patients used the Chinese medicine only(group 1)and 65 patients received the combined protocol(2).Clinical symptoms and gastroscopic findings before and after treatment were recorded and analyzed.[Results] The clinical symptoms improved greatly in 15 of the group 1,with an overall curative rate 65%,and in 62 of the group 2 with an overall curative rate 95%.The difference between the 2 groups was significant.[Conclusion] The combined use of Chinese medicine and the needle medicine is preferable to single use of Chinese medicine for chronic gastritis.

Objective To analyze the change in transmissibility of novel coronavirus pneumonia and predict the trend of the incidence, and to provide a reference for the government to better respond to the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic. Methods The EpiEstimof R language software was used to estimate the change of effective basic reproduction number, and the Richards model was run by Matlab7.0 software to fit the cumulative number of confirmed cases and the number of suspected cases. The coefficient of determination and root mean squared error were used to evaluate the fitting effect of the model. Results A total of 75 confirmed cases and 107 suspected cases were reported in Ningxia. The strict implementation of various prevention and control measures gradually reduced the effective basic reproduction number from 3.82 to less than 1, indicating that the epidemic was under control. The Richards model was used to fit the cumulative confirmed cases and suspected cases, which revealed that the natural growth rates were 0.16 and 0.23, and the coefficients of determination were 0.991 and 0.998, respectively. Conclusion Combined with the effective basic reproduction number, the Richards model fitted the trend of novel coronavirus pneumonia, which can be used to predict the trend of incidence of new coronavirus pneumonia.

[摘 要] 目的：探讨环化自erb-b2受体酪氨酸激酶2（ERBB2）基因的circ_0007766分子在前列腺癌（PCa）细胞中的作用及缺氧对其表达调控的影响。方法：qRT-PCR检测circ_0007766分子在PCa细胞及组织中的表达；分别转染circ0007766的siRNA至PCa细胞DU145和PC3中，平板克隆实验、CCK-8实验和Transwell 实验检测circ_0007766敲低对PCa细胞克隆形成、增殖、迁移和侵袭能力的影响；厌氧袋法建立DU145和PC3细胞的缺氧细胞模型，WB法检测缺氧通路关键分子HIF-1α的蛋白表达，qRT-PCR检测缺氧模型细胞中circ_0007766分子的表达，WB检测RNA结合蛋白真核翻译起始因子4A3（EIF4A3）的蛋白水平表达，RNA免疫沉淀（RIP）法检测缺氧条件下EIF4A3与circ_0007766的结合，qRT-PCR进一步检测缺氧条件下敲低EIF4A3对circ_0007766表达的影响。结果：circ_0007766在PCa细胞（P < 0.01）及PCa组织（P < 0.05）中呈高表达；敲低circ_0007766（P < 0.05或P < 0.01）能显著抑制PCa细胞的增殖、迁移和侵袭能力（均P < 0.01）。缺氧条件下HIF-1α蛋白表达增加，表明缺氧细胞模型建立成功。qRT-PCR检测结果显示，相较于常氧组，缺氧组circ_0007766的表达显著升高（P < 0.01），WB法检测结果显示缺氧组细胞中EIF4A3 的蛋白表达增强。RIP实验结果显示，circ_0007766在EIF4A3富集组高度富集（P < 0.01）。qRT-PCR检测结果显示，缺氧可显著促进circ_0007766的表达，同时，敲低EIF4A3分子可显著降低缺氧诱导的circ_0007766的表达（P < 0.05或P < 0.01）。结论: circ_0007766在PCa细胞中扮演着促癌分子的角色，其表达形成与缺氧条件下EIF4A3分子的调控有关。

[摘 要] 目的：探究miR-1224-5p在前列腺癌细胞增殖、迁移与凋亡中的生物学作用及其表达调控机制。方法：选用人前列腺癌细胞PC3、DU145、LNCaP、22Rv1和正常前列腺上皮细胞RWPE-1，利用qPCR法检测miR-1224-5p在前列腺癌细胞中的表达。使用脂质体转染技术分别将miR-1224-5p模拟物（mimic）、抑制剂（inhibitor）及相应的阴性对照（NC）质粒转染至PC3和DU145细胞中，qPCR法验证转染效率，采用CCK-8实验、平板克隆形成实验、划痕愈合实验和流式细胞术分别检测转染miR-1224-5p mimic与inhibitor对细胞增殖、迁移和凋亡的影响。借助SRAMP网站预测pri-miR-1224-5p序列中潜在的N6-甲基腺苷（m6A）修饰位点，通过甲基化RNA免疫沉淀实验（MeRIP）验证预测结果，qPCR法检测m6A修饰关键调控分子甲基转移酶3（METTL3）在前列腺癌细胞中的表达，CCK-8实验和Transwell实验分别检测转染METTL3 siRNA对PC3和DU145细胞增殖和迁移的影响，qPCR法和MeRIP检测METTL3介导的m6A修饰对miR-1224-5p表达的调控作用。结果：miR-1224-5p在前列腺癌细胞中均呈高表达（均P < 0.01）。转染miR-1224-5p mimic能够促进PC3和DU145细胞增殖、迁移并抑制细胞凋亡（P < 0.05或P < 0.01），转染miR-1224-5p inhibitor能够抑制PC3和DU145细胞增殖、迁移并诱导细胞凋亡（P < 0.05或P < 0.01）。pri-miR-1224-5p具有m6A修饰位点；METTL3在前列腺癌细胞中均呈高表达（均P < 0.01），转染METTL3 siRNA能够抑制PC3和DU145细胞的增殖和迁移（均P < 0.01）；METTL3介导的m6A修饰能够调控miR-1224-5p的表达。结论：miR-1224-5p受METTL3介导的m6A修饰调控，从而在前列腺癌细胞中呈高表达，下调miR-1224-5p能够抑制前列腺癌细胞的增殖、迁移并诱导细胞凋亡。

Background The pathogenesis of silicosis has not been fully elucidated, and microRNAs (miRNA) may be involved in the occurrence and development of silicosis. Objective To investigate the effect of miR-204-3p inhibitor on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and silicosis fibrosis in silicon dioxide dust-induced alveolar epithelial cells. Methods A co-culture model of macrophages and epithelial cells was established using a Transwell chamber. NR8383 macrophages were seeded into the upper chamber of the Transwell, and RLE-6TN cells were seeded into the lower chamber. After 24 h of culture, the medium in the lower chamber was discarded, washed three times with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and replaced with serum-free medium. The cells were divided into four groups: control group, silicosis group, miRNA NC group, and miR-204-3p inhibitor group. The lower chamber was transfected with miRNA NC for the miRNA NC group or the miR-204-3p inhibitor for the miR-204-3p inhibitor group. The lower chambers of the remaining two groups were added by equal amounts of serum-free medium. After 24 h, except for the control group that received an equal volume of serum-free medium, the upper chambers of the remaining three groups were treated with 800 μg·mL⁻¹ silicon dioxide dust. Morphological changes in each group were observed under a microscope. The mRNA and protein expression levels of EMT-related factors, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Vimentin, N-Cadherin, and E-Cadherin, were detected by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot. The mRNA and protein expression levels of fibrosis-related factors, including Collagen I, Collagen III, and Fibronectin, were also assessed by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The fluorescence expression intensities of α-SMA, N-Cadherin, and E-Cadherin were evaluated by immunofluorescence. Results The morphological observation revealed that RLE-6TN cells in the control group exhibited a regular oval shape. After treatment with silicon dioxide, the cells predominantly displayed a long spindle shape. Following the intervention with the miR-204-3p inhibitor, the number of long spindle-shaped cells increased, and the intercellular gaps widened. The RT-qPCR results showed that, compared with the control group, the silicosis group exhibited significantly higher relative mRNA expression levels of EMT-related markers (α-SMA, Vimentin, and N-Cadherin) (P<0.05), while the relative mRNA expression level of E-Cadherin was significantly reduced (P<0.05); the relative mRNA expression levels of fibrosis-related markers (Collagen I, Collagen III, and Fibronectin) were also significantly elevated (P<0.05). Compared with the miRNA NC group, the miR-204-3p inhibitor group showed significantly increased relative mRNA expression levels of α-SMA, Vimentin, and N-Cadherin (P<0.05), decreased E-Cadherin mPNA expression (P<0.05), and elevated mPNA expression of Collagen I, Collagen III, and Fibronectin (P<0.05). The Western blot analysis indicated that, compared with the control group, the silicosis group had significantly higher protein expression levels of α-SMA, Vimentin, and N-Cadherin (P<0.05), lower E-Cadherin protein expression (P<0.05), and increased protein expression of Collagen I, Collagen III, and Fibronectin (P<0.05). Compared with the miRNA NC group, the miR-204-3p inhibitor group exhibited significantly elevated protein expression levels of α-SMA, Vimentin, and N-Cadherin (P<0.05), reduced E-Cadherin expression (P<0.05), and increased protein expression of Collagen I, Collagen III, and Fibronectin (P<0.05). The immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that, compared with the control group, the silicosis group showed enhanced fluorescence intensities of α-SMA and N-Cadherin and reduced fluorescence intensity of E-Cadherin. Compared with the miRNA NC group, the miR-204-3p inhibitor group exhibited increased fluorescence intensities of α-SMA and N-Cadherin and decreased fluorescence intensity of E-Cadherin. Conclusion The miR-204-3p inhibitor may exacerbate the EMT process and silicosis fibrosis in silicon dioxide-induced RLE-6TN cells. miR-204-3p plays a negative regulatory role in silicosis fibrosis.

【Objective】 To explore the effects of anti-inflammatory of short-chain fatty acids in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells （THP-1） and chronic obstructive pulmonary （COPD） mice. 【Methods】 We adopted the methods of qRT-PCR， ELISA， Western blotting， HE staining and Sirius staining to detect the changes of inflammatory factors in THP-1 cells and COPD with or without short-chain fatty acids. 【Results】 The ELISA and qRT-PCR experiments showed that the serum inflammatory factors， including interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， were higher in clinical COPD patients than in healthy people. And the THP-1 cells expressed these inflammatory factors highly after LPS stimulation. Among three short-chain fatty acids treated， butyrate could reduce the levels of inflammatory factors better than acetate and propionate. After COPD mice were treated with butyrate in the drinking water， the mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors IL-6， IL-1β and TNF-α in the lung tissue decreased， and the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-1β in plasma decreased. The protein detection results showed that the phosphorylation expression of NF-κB decreased， and butyrate might inhibit the expressions of inflammatory factors by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. 【Conclusion】 The SCFA butyrate can inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory response of THP-1 cells and have an inhibitory effect on inflammation in COPD mice.

Objective: To study the anti-asthma action and biological potency differences of Ephedra Herba from 37 different habitats. Methods: Taking the isolated tracheal smooth muscle from guinea pig to establish antiasthma pharmacological model, the ephedra decoction at different concentration was added to the sink by cumulative metrology method, antispasmodic percentage and biological potency value of Ephedra Herba from different habitats were calculated and the cluster analysis for the biological potency value of Ephedra Herba from different habitats was conducted. Results: Ephedra Herba had the antispasmodic acction to the isolated tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pig caused by histamine phosphate, and compared with the control medicine, Ephedra Herba from 20 habitats showed significant differences (P < 0.05), and the antispasmodic acction of Ephedra Herba was in a dose-dependent manner with administered concentration, when the concentration was raised and the antispasmodic percentage increased, and there were no significant difference in the antispasmodic percentage between Ephedra sinica and E. intermedia (P > 0.05); Compared with the control medicine, the antiasthma biological potency of Ephedra Herba from 37 different habitats existed significant or very significant differences (P < 0.05, 0.01), and the antiasthma biological potency value was 22.35-489.04 U/g, while FL% was 13.15%-38.97%, which revealed that the high potency level had a difference of 21.88 times from the low one. And the antiasthma biological potency of Ephedra Herba had lowly significant correlation differences with the total determination of ephedrine and D-pseudephedrine; The Ephedra Herba with different antiasthma biological potency could be identified by cluster analysis method, in which the biological potency from 24 ones in total of 37 Ephedra Herba was higher than that in the control medicine and accounted for 64.86% of the total samples. Conclusion: The anti-asthma biological potency value of Ephedra Herba could quantitatively evaluate the quality of Ephedra Herba from different habitats.

Background The pathogenesis of beryllium-induced pulmonary fibrosis is unknown and there is no specific treatment for the disease as yet. MicroRNA (miRNA) may play a role in the process of beryllium-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Objective To construct a microRNA-21 (miR-21) interfering cell line, and to investigate the effect of miR-21 on beryllium sulfate (BeSO₄)-induced fibrosis in human lung adenocarcinoma alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549 cells) and its potential mechanism. Methods The miR-21 target genes were predicted by the online database miRBase and verified by experiments using dual luciferase reporter gene. After transfecting A549 with miR-21interference lentivirus, puromycin was used to select a stable cell line. An in vitro model of pulmonary fibrosis was established using BeSO₄ infecting A549 cells with a concentration of 10 μmol·L⁻¹ and an exposure time of 48 h. Then the treated cells were divided into control group, model group, miR-21 interference group, and miR-21 interference control group. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the relative expression level of miR-21 gene. Western blotting was used to detect the relative expression levels of TGF-β1/Smads pathway related proteins [Smad2, Smad3, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, Smad7, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)], myofibrosis cell marker α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), andextracellular matrix collagen-I (COL-I) and collagen-Ⅲ (COL-Ⅲ). Results The miRBase predicted that miR-21 had a binding site with Smad7, and the results of the dual luciferase reporter gene experiment showed that the target gene of miR-21 was Smad7. The construction of miR-21 interfered with A549 cell line was successful. Compared with the control group, the relative expression of miR-21 gene in the model group increased by 97.57%; the relative expression of Smad7 protein in the model group decreased by 15.48%; the relative protein expression of Smad2, Smad3, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, TGF-β1, α-SMA, COL-I, and COL-Ⅲ increased by 13.55%, 35.72%, 18.35%, 35.75%, 25.52%, 31.58%, 24.61%, and 11.66% respectively (P<0.05). Compared with the interference control group, the miR-21 gene expression level in the interference group decreased by 28.96%; the relative expression of Smad7 protein increased by 19.07%; the relative protein expression of Smad2, Smad3, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, TGF-β1, α-SMA, COL-I, and COL-Ⅲ decreased by 8.01%, 19.95%, 14.56%, 19.37%, 11.95%, 10.96%, 18.81%, and 31.36% repectively (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the gene abd protein expression levels of each gene between the model group and the interference control group (P>0.05). Conclusion In an in vitro model of pulmonary fibrosis induced by beryllium compounds, miR-21 may promote fibrosis by targeting Smad7 to regulate the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Background The contribution of long-term ambient PM_2.5 exposure to hypertension should not be ignored. However, the conclusions of whether dietary factors play a role in regulating PM_2.5-related hypertension are still inconsistent. Objective To explore the correlation between long-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5 and blood pressure indicators (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure) in adults in Ningxia and a potential moderating effect of dietary factors. Methods A set of cross-sectional survey data from March, 2013 to May, 2018 was retrieved from the China Northwest Cohort-Ningxia, and the average ambient PM_2.5 concentration in the previous three years was also collected to estimate the long-term exposure of the participants. Binary logistic regression model was used to validate the correlation between long-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5 and hypertension in Ningxia, and linear model was used to study the correlation between long-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5 and blood pressure indicators (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure), and to explore the influence of dietary factors on ambient PM_2.5-related hypertension. Results A total of 11470 participants were included in the study, 42.2% male and 57.8% female. The three-year average ambient PM_2.5 concentration before the baseline survey was 37.0 μg·m⁻³. Each 1 μg·m⁻³ increase in ambient PM_2.5 was associated with an increased risk of hypertension (OR=1.111, 95%CI: 1.097, 1.125), and increased systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure by 0.886 (95%CI: 0.783, 0.990), 0.570 (95%CI: 0.500, 0.641), 0.676 (95%CI: 0.600, 0.751), and 0.316 (95%CI: 0.243, 0.389) mmHg, respectively. The stratified analysis showed that the OR and 95%CI of hypertension were 1.171 (1.097, 1.254), 1.117 (1.064, 1.174), and 1.160 (1.116, 1.207) respectively for each 1 μg·m⁻³ increased in PM_2.5 with low frequency of vegetable and fruit consumption and salty taste respectively. The OR and 95%CI of hypertension were decreased when the moderate and high frequency of vegetable and fruit intake and moderate and light taste applied, the values were 1.091 (1.062, 1.121) and 1.114 (1.097, 1.131), 1.105 (1.082, 1.129) and 1.111 (1.092, 1.13), 1.115 (1.090, 1.140) and 1.102 (1.083, 1.121) respectively. Compared with low frequency of vegetable and fruit intake and salty taste, the increase degree of ambient PM_2.5 related systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure also decreased in middle and high frequency of vegetable and fruit intake and moderate and light taste. Conclusion Long-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5 is significantly associated with increased risks of hypertension and blood pressure in Ningxia area. Increasing the frequency of vegetable and fruit intake and decreasing salty taste may reduce the effect of ambient PM_2.5 on hypertension and blood pressure.

Objective To investigate the impact of Toxoplasma gondii type I, II and III rhoptry protein 16 (ROP16) on programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in lung adenocarcinoma cells, and to examine the effects of T. gondii type I ROP16 protein on the relative PD-L1 expression, the relative PD-L1 distribution on the cell membrane surface, and the binding of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) to PD-L1 in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods Lentiviral vectors overexpressing T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 proteins were generated, and transfected into the human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. A549 cells were used as a blank control group, and A549 cells transfected with an empty lentiviral expression vector were used as a negative control group, while A549 cells transfected with lentiviral vectors overexpressing T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 proteins served as experimental groups. Stably transfected cells were selected with puromycin and verified using Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and immunofluorescence assays. The PD-L1 expression was quantified at translational and transcriptional levels using Western blotting and RT-qPCR assays in A549 cells in the five groups, and the relative PD-L1 distribution was detected on the A549 cell membrane surface using flow cytometry. In addition, the effect of T. gondii type I ROP16 protein on the PD-1/PD-L1 binding was measured in A549 cells using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The relative ROP16 protein expression was 0, 0, 1.546 ± 0.091, 1.822 ± 0.047 and 2.334 ± 0.089 in the blank control group, negative control group, and the T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 protein overexpression groups (F = 1 339.00,P < 0.001), and the relative ROP16 mRNA expression was 2.153 ± 0.949, 2.436 ± 1.614, 14.343 ± 0.020, 12.577 ± 0.285 and 15.090 ± 0.420 in the blank control group, negative control group and the T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 protein overexpression groups, respectively (F = 483.50,P < 0.001). The ROP16 expression was higher in the T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 protein overexpression groups than in the blank control group at both translational and transcriptional levels (allP values < 0.001). Immunofluorescence assay revealed that T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 proteins were predominantly localized in A549 cell nuclei. Western blotting showed that the relative PD-L1 protein expression was 0.685 ± 0.109, 0.589 ± 0.114, 1.007 ± 0.117, 0.572 ± 0.151, and 0.426 ± 0.116 in the blank control group, negative control group, and the T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 protein overexpression groups (F = 9.46,P < 0.05), and RT-qPCR assay quantified that the relative PD-L1 mRNA expression was 1.012 ± 0.190, 1.281 ± 0.465, 1.950 ± 0.175, 0.889 ± 0.251, and 0.230 ± 0.192 in the blank control group, negative control group, and the T. gondii type I, II and III ROP16 protein overexpression groups (F = 14.18,P < 0.05). The PD-L1 expression was higher in the T. gondii type IROP16 protein overexpression group than in the blank control group at both translational and transcriptional levels (both P values < 0.05). Flow cytometry detected that the relative distributions of PD-L1 protein were (10.83 ± 0.60)%, (11.23 ± 0.20)%, and (14.61 ± 0.50)% on the A549 cell membrane surface (F = 28.31, P < 0.05), and the relative distribution of PD-L1 protein was higher in the T. gondii type IROP16 protein overexpression group than in the blank control group and negative control group (both P values < 0.001). ELISA measured significant differences in the absorbance (A) value among the T. gondii type IROP16 protein overexpression group, the blank control group and the negative control group if the concentrations of the recombinant PD-1 protein were 0.04 (F = 10.45, P < 0.05), 0.08 μg/mL (F = 11.68, P < 0.05) and 0.12 μg/mL (F = 52.68, P < 0.05), and the A value was higher in the T. gondii type IROP16 protein overexpression group than in the blank control group and the negative control group (both P values < 0.05), indicating that T. gondii type IROP16 protein promoted the PD-L1/PD-1 binding in A549 cells in a concentration-dose manner. Conclusions T. gondii type IROP16 protein overexpression may up-regulate PD-L1 expression in A549 cells at both transcriptional and translational levels and the relative PD-L1 distribution on the A549 cell membrane surface, and affect the PD-1/PD-L1 binding in a concentration-dependent manner.