Objective; To investigate the immunolocalization and significance of Notch-2 expression in the process of dental pulp repair after injury. Methods: An experimental animal model of injury-induced pulpitis was established to observe the time-sequenced alteration of the expression of Notch-2. Results: Three days post-operation, weak positive staining of Notch-2 was observed in pulp mesenchyme cells and pulp fibroblasts but not in vascular endothelial cells or odontoblasts. Five days post-operation, strong Notch-2 reactivity was found in subodontoblasts as well as newly bom capillary endothelial cells. Seven days after cavity preparation, Notch-2 staining became weaker in pulp mesenchyme cells and capillary endothelial cells, but stronger positive staining was found in odontoblasts. Two weeks post-operation, weak Notch-2 staining was seen in pulp mesenchyme cells and subodontoblastic layer cells and was absent from odontoblasts. Notch-2 immunoreactivity was completely absent in intact rat dental pulp. Conclusion: Notch-2 is strikingly up-regulated in dental pulp mesenchyme cells in the early days after dental injury and then shows progressively up-regulation in odontoblasts. Properly regulated activation of Notch signaling pathway is important for controlling cell fate and maintaining the correct balance among cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis during dental pulp repair process.

Objective To learn the disease status and living conditions of Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD) patients and implementation of related control measures in Aba Autonomous Prefecture,Sichuan Province.Methods A total of 26 KBD villages and 12 non-KBD villages nearby were selected in Aba Autonomous Prefecture with stratified cluster sampling method in the year of 2009 to 2011.One thousand three hundred and forty-seven KBD patients from KBD villages and 447 residents from non-KBD villages were interviewed with a self-designed questionnaire.The investigation includes:①General demographic characteristics such as name,gender,age,educational level,family income,marital status and so on.②The basic information about KBD patients including the time and location of diagnosis,treatment,hand X ray diagnosis taken or not and suffering from dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis.③The basic living habits such as drinking water,staple food sources,staple food types,grain storage places,tea-drinking habits and so on.Results A total of 522 (38.8％,522/1 347) KBD patients and 12 (2.7％,12/447) controls were confirmed that their parents were KBD patients.The vast majority of KBD patients (99.0％,1 334/1 347) were diagnosed in county of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention or county level hospitals within 2-5 years after onset of the disease and 97.6％ of them (1 314/1 347) treated their disease by taking painkillers,sodium selenite or vitamin E.Most KBD patients had suffered from dental fluorosis (66.3％,893/1 347) and skeletal fluorosis (59.9％,807/1 347).Both the KBD patients and the controls mainly drank river water and 96.7％ of them (1 716/1 774) took locally grown food,93.5％ of them (1 660/1 775) took barley and corn as staple food in the past (before the year of 2004).But now (from the year of 2004 until now) they mainly drink tap water and 96.9％ of them (1 727/1 783) take commodity grain or two kinds of source food,98.4％ of them (1 765/1 794)changed their staple food to rice and flour.94.1％ of KBD patients (1 267/1 347) used to drink tea.Conclusions The measures of changing water and grain are well implemented in Aba Autonomous Prefecture.The government should improve the overall local KBD disease status and the quality of life of KBD patients by taking health promotion and prevention in key families,strengthening the local medical security system and targeted treatment combined with specific local conditions.

Aim To explore the effect of miRNA-143 ( miR-1 4 3 ) on homocysteine ( Hcy ) induced-vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs ) proliferation and the mechanism .Methods VSMCs were cultured and in-cubated with Hcy by using primary cultured method . Then, cells were treated with different concentrations of Hcy and folate .VSMCs proliferation was determined with MTT assay , miR-143 was measured by qRT-PCR, and methylation of miR-143 was determined with meth-ylated PCR.Results After cells were treated with dif-ferent concentrations of Hcy , the proliferation of VSMCs was significantly increased , mRNA expression of miR-143 was decreased and methylation of miR-143 was increased .The proliferation of VSMCs was signifi-cantly decreased when transfected VSMCs with miR-143 precursor , and cell proliferation was increased by using miR-143 inhibitor transfection .Conclusion Hy-pomethylation of miR-143 may inhibit VSMCs prolifera-tion.

Objective: To understand the relationships of social exclusion, personality trait and emotion regulation with willingness to seek help after being bullied, and to provide reference for rationalized intervention of campus bullying among middle school students. Methods: A tatal of 2 040 middle school students from a middle school in Jiangxi Province were selected as the research objects, and surveyed by general situation questionnaire, Olweus Bullying Questionnaire, Willingness to Seek Help Scale, social exclusion scale, personality scale and Emotion Regulation Scale. Among them, a further survey of 381 bullies was conducted and SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical processing of data. Results: About 55.88% (133/238) and 58.74% (84/143) reported willingness to seek help after being bullied among middle and high school students, respectively( χ 2=0.30, P >0.05). There were no significant differences in gender and residency( P >0.05). In junior middle school students, compared with the non help willingness group( 3.83± 0.78，3.35±1.03，3.33±1.03，29.81±7.77), the rejected scores of the help willingness group were lower(3.57±0.75), scores of affinity and openness in personality traits were higher(3.69±0.88，3.72±0.79), the cognitive reappraisal scores were higher( 32.42 ±8.25). Among senior middle school students, the rejected and expression suppression scores of the help willingness group were lower(3.51±0.67，26.96±7.47), while extroversion personality traits were higher(3.61±0.95). Multivariate unconditional Log binomial regression analysis showed that high score of expression suppression was associated with less willingness to seek help( OR=0.94, P =0.02). Conclusion Social exclusion, personality trait and emotional regulation may have certain influences on willingness to seek help after being bullied among junior and senior middle school students, effects varies by grade level.

Objective:To translate the health literacy-sensitive communication scale into Chinese and examine its reliability and validity.Methods:Following Brislin′s translation principles, the HL-COM was translated and culturally adapted into Chinese. This cross-sectional study surveyed 434 outpatients and inpatients from three tertiary hospitals in Hubei Province using a questionnaire. Cronbach′s α coefficient and split half reliability were used to evaluate the reliability of the scale. Scale-level content validity index (S-CVI) and item-level content validity index (I-CVI) were used to evaluate the content validity. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the structural validity, while measurement equivalence across gender was examined.Results:The Chinese version of HL-COM contains 9 items, which was consistent with the original English version. Reliability of the scale: Cronbach′s ɑ Coefficient=0.938, Spearman-Brown half coefficient=0.926; Content validity: Scale-level content validity index (S-CVI)=0.926, Item-level content validity index (I-CVI) was 0.833-1.000; only one factor was extracted based on exploratory factor analysis, with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 68.541%. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit, with the fitting indexes of ?χ2/df=2.794, Normed Fit Index (NFI)=0.974, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR)=0.025, Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI)=0.962, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)=0.089, Comparative Fit Index (CFI)=0.983. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated measurement invariance of the Chinese version of HL-COM across gender. Conclusion:The Chinese version of HL-COM demonstrates good reliability and validity, and serves as a valuable tool for assessing health literate in health care organization in China.

Objective To investigate the role of lncRNA SNHG1 in homocysteine-induced pyroptosis of podocyte.Methods Cbs+/-mice were randomly divided into two groups:a normal diet group(ND)and a high me-thionine diet group(HMD).Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,and NLRP3.Mouse renal glomerular podocytes were cultured in vitro,and then assigned into a control group(Control,0 μmol/L Hcy)and a homocysteine intervention group(Hcy,80 μmol/L Hcy).Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,and NLRP3.Mouse renal glomerular podocyion group(OE-NC + Hcy)and the lncSNHG1 overexpression + homocysteine intervention group(OE-SNHG1 + Hcy)were also established.After 48 hours of intervention,Real-time fluorescence quantita-tive PCR was used to detect the expression of lncSNHG1 in podocytes after Hcy intervention.Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-3 and NLRP3.Immunofluorescence was used to de-tect the expression levels of GSDMD and GSDMD-N.ELISA was used to detect the contents of IL-1β and IL-18.Results(1)In the animal experiments,the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,NLRP3,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were all increased in the HMD group compared with the ND group.(2)In the cellular experiments,the expression levels of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,NLRP3,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were all increased in the Hcy group compared with the Control group,and the contents of pyroptosis-mediated inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 were increased as well.(3)In the cellular experiments,the expres-sion of lncSNHG1 was increased in the Hcy group compared with the control group.After transduction with lnc-SNHG1 lentivirus,the expression of lncSNHG1 was increased in the OE-SNHG1 group,compared with the control group and the OE-NC group.(4)In the cellular experiments,the expressions of pyroptosis-related proteins Cas-pase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,NLRP3,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were increased compared with the OE-NC+Hcy group,and the contents of pyroptosis-mediated inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 were increased in the OE-SNHG1+Hcy group.Conclusion These results indicate that lncSNHG1 may play a role in promoting Hcy induced podocytepyroptosis.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of the expression of Ephrin A receptor 2(EphA2)and its promoter region DNA hypomethylation with the occurrence of pyroptosis in invasive breast cancer. Methods:The expression level of pyroptosis-related protein EphA2 in normal breast tissue,paracancerous tissues and cancer tissues from 42 breast cancer patients was examined by Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting.The expression level of pyroptosis related protein nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting.The expression levels of apoptosis related proteins Caspase 1 and inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β(IL-1 β)were studied by Western blotting.The DNA methylation level in the promoter region of EphA2 was investigated by nested methylation-specific PCR(nMS-PCR).The expression levels of DNA methyltransferase 1(DNMT1)and DNA methyltransferase 3a(DNMT3a)were examined by Western blotting.The correlation of the protein expression and methylation level of EphA2 in cancer tissues with the expression NLRP3,Caspase 1,IL-1 β,DNMT1 and DNMT3a was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient. Results:Compared with normal breast tissues and paracancerous tissues,the expression level of EphA2 protein was significantly increased(P＜0.01),while that of NLRP3,Caspasel and IL-1 βwas significantly decreased(P＜0.05)in breast cancer tissues.Meanwhile,compared with normal breast tissues and paracancerous tissues,the DNA methylation level of EphA2 promoter in breast cancer tissues was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the expression level DNMT3a protein was significantly decreased(P＜0.01,P＜0.05),and the difference in the expression level of DNMT1 protein was not statistically significant.Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression level of EphA2 protein is negatively correlated with that of NLRP3(r=-0.651 2,P＜0.05),Caspasel(r=-0.571 2,P＜0.05),IL-1β(r=-0.654 6,P＜0.05)or DNMT3a(r=-0.537 4,P＜0.05),while the methylation level of EphA2 was positively correlated with the protein expression level of NLRP3(r=0.634 1,P=0.026 8),Caspase1(r=0.672 8,P=0.01 6 5),IL-1 β(r=0.694 0,P=0.01 2 3)and DNMT3a(r=0.687 1,P=0.01 3 6). Conclusion:The expression of EphA2 protein is upregulated in breast cancer tissues is negatively correlated with pyroptosis.DNMT3a may be involved in the process of DNA hypomethylation in the promoter region of EphA2.

BACKGROUND:Hyperhomocysteinemia is closely related to the function of islet β cells,but its specific molecular mechanism is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of N6 methyltransferase-like 3(METTL3)in homocysteine(Hcy)-induced autophagy of mouse islet β cells. METHODS:The 3rd and 4th generation mouse islet β cells were taken for the experiment.(1)Cell modeling and grouping:cells in control group were not treated with Hcy,while those in homocysteine group were treated with 100 μmol/L Hcy for 48 hours.(2)The mouse islet β-cells were transfected with the plasmids overexpressing Ad-METTL3 and si-METTL3 according to the instructions of LipofectamineTM 2000.Three different interfering fragments were designed,and the one with the best interfering efficiency was verified and screened by PCR.(3)After transfection,the cells were divided into control group,Hcy group,Ad-NC(negative control)+Hcy group,Ad-METTL3+Hcy group,si-NC(negative control)+Hcy group and si-METTL3+Hcy group.(4)qRT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the expression levels of METTL3 and autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and p62 in cells.Insulin level was determined by ELISA to evaluate insulin secretion capacity of islet cells.Autophagy-related proteins and insulin level were detected after overexpression and interference with METTL3. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the expression level of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was increased(P＜0.05),the expression of p62 was significantly reduced(P＜0.05),and the insulin secretion capacity was significantly decreased(P＜0.05)in the Hcy group.Compared with the control group,the protein and mRNA levels of METTL3 were reduced in the Hcy group(P＜0.05).After METTL3 silencing in islet β cells,Hcy further upregulated the expression of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ(P＜0.05),significantly dowregulated the expression of p62(P＜0.05),and increased the insulin level(P＜0.05).After overexpression of METTL3,Hcy significantly decreased the LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ expression and increased the p62 expression in islet β cells(P＜0.05).To conclude,METTL3 is involved in the Hcy-induced autophagy regulation of islet β cells and plays a role in the regulation of insulin secretion.

BACKGROUND:Ischemic postconditioning is one of the effective ways to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury and has been more and more widely used in clinical practice in recent years,but its specific molecular mechanism has yet to be studied. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role and mechanism of piRNA-005854 in the aging cardiomyocytes caused by hypoxic postconditioning. METHODS:In vitro,cardiomyocytes were administered 8 mg/mL D-galactose for 9 days to induce their aging.β-Galactosidase staining was used to observe the aging of cardiomyocytes.Senescent cells were treated with hypoxia/reoxygenation and hypoxic postconditioning.ELISA was utilized to detect changes in myocardial injury markers creatine kinase isoenzyme MB and lactate dehydrogenase levels.Western blot assay was applied to detect the expression changes of autophagy-related proteins LC3II,p62,ULK1 and phosphorylated ULK1 in aging cardiomyocytes.qRT-PCR was employed to determine the expression level of piRNA-005854.piRNA-005854 inhibitor and piRNA-005854 mimics were transferred into aging cardiomyocytes and followed with hypoxic postconditioning.Western blot assay was used to examine the expression of LC3II,p62,ULK1 and phosphorylated ULK1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)D-galactose induced obvious senescence of cardiomyocytes 9 days later.(2)Compared with the normoxia group,creatine kinase isoenzyme MB and lactate dehydrogenase levels increased in the hypoxia/reoxygenation group(P<0.01);LC3 II/I expression was increased;p62 expression was decreased;ULK1 phosphorylation level was increased,and piRNA-005854 expression was increased(P<0.01).(3)Compared with the hypoxia/reoxygenation group,creatine kinase isoenzyme MB and lactate dehydrogenase levels significantly reduced in the hypoxic postconditioning group(P<0.01);LC3 II/I expression significantly decreased(P<0.05);p62 expression increased(P<0.01);ULK1 phosphorylation level decreased(P<0.05),and piRNA-005854 expression decreased(P<0.01).(4)After transfection of piRNA-005854 inhibitor,LC3II/I expression was decreased(P<0.01);the expression of p62 was increased significantly(P<0.05);the phosphorylation level of ULK1 was decreased significantly(P<0.01).After transfection of piRNA-005854 mimics,LC3II/I expression was increased significantly;the expression of p62 was decreased,and the phosphorylation level of ULK1 was increased significantly(P<0.01).(5)The results show that piRNA-005854-mediated reduction of ULK1-dependent autophagy level is a possible mechanism that hypoxic postconditioning exerts its protective effect on aging cardiomyocytes.

BACKGROUND:Increased homocysteine level induces apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells,but the mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of hsa-circ-0001360 in human umbilical vein endothelial cell apoptosis induced by homocysteine. METHODS:In vitro cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells were divided into control group,homocysteine group,interference control group,interference control + homocysteine group,hsa-circ-0001360 interference group,hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine interference group,overexpression control group,overexpression control + homocysteine group,hsa-circ-0001360 overexpression group and hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine overexpression group.All groups were treated with 100 μmol/L homocysteine.After 72 hours of intervention,the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bax,Bcl-2,and Caspase-3 were detected by western blot assay.The apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry.Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of hsa-circ-0001360. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the control group,the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax was significantly increased(P<0.01),and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the homocysteine group.(2)Compared with control group,the expression of hsa-circ-0001360 was significantly increased in the homocysteine group(P<0.01).(3)The expression of hsa-circ-0001360 was significantly higher in the cytoplasm than that in the nucleus(P<0.01).(4)Compared with the interference control C group and interference control + homocysteine group,the expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly decreased(P<0.01),while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased(P<0.01);the apoptotic rate was significantly decreased(P<0.01)in sh-hsa-circ-0001360 interference group and sh-hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine interference group.(5)Compared with overexpression control group and overexpression control + homocysteine group,the expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly increased(P<0.01),while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P<0.01);the apoptotic rate was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the hsa-circ-0001360 overexpression group and the hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine overexpression group.(6)In conclusion,hsa-circ-0001360 can promote the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by homocysteine.