OBJECTIVETo establish a rat model of focal lymphatic encephalopathy by partial ligation of the cerebral superficial artery for observation of the changes of Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS).

METHODSThirty male SD rats were randomized into 3 groups (n=10), including two model groups and a sham-operated group. The rats in the model groups were subjected to partial ligation of the cerebral superficial arteries under EEG monitoring to induce focal lymphatic encephalopathy, and those in the sham-operated group underwent only dissociation of the cerebral superficial artery without ligation. The rats in the two model groups were executed at 24 and 48 h, and those in the sham-operated group at 48 h following the operation, respectively. Frozen sections of the brain tissues were prepared for microscopic morphological observation and quantitative analysis of the VRS using HE staining and an image analysis system, respectively.

RESULTSEEG remained normal during the operations suggesting intact brain function. Partial ligation of the cerebral superficial arteries resulted in obvious dilation of the VRS in the cerebral cortex and subcortical medulla, and the tissues around the dilated VRSs appeared pale and structurally loosened. The two model groups showed significantly enlarged VRS areas as compared to the sham-operated group (P<0.01), but no significant differences were found in the mean VRS areas between the two model groups.

CONCLUSIONPartial dilation of the cerebral superficial artery is effective and convenient to induce focal lymphatic encephalopathy in rats, and this model can be ideal for studying focal cerebral lymph circulation.

Animals ; Brain Edema ; etiology ; Cerebral Arteries ; surgery ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ligation ; Lymphatic System ; physiopathology ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; isolation & purification ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Aim To investigate the effect of p-hydroxybenzaldehyde ( HD) on intestinal fibrosis in mice based on mouse intestinal fibrosis model and in vitro EMT model,and to explore the underlying mechanism Methods HE staining, Masson staining, immunohisto-chemistry ,qPCR, Western blot and other experimental methods were used to verify the effect of HD on intestinal fibrosis in mice and the potential mechanism. Results In vivo experiments showed that compared with the normal group, the DSS-induced intestinal fibrosis model group had shortened colon, increased colon his-topathological score, increased collagen volume fraction, and significantly increased collagen I expression. After treatment with 4, 10, and 25 mg • kg

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of the establishment of chest pain center (CPC) model based on the pre-hospital real-time tele-12-lead electrocardiogram on the door-to-balloon (D-to-B) time and short-term outcome after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) of patients with ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODSA regular CPC was established with pre-hospital transmitted real-time 12-lead electrocardiogram system for pre-hospital diagnosis of STEMI and enabled the STEMI patients to bypass the emergency room and directly treated in the catheter lab to shorten the D-to-B time. The mean D-to-B time, the short-term outcome and medical costs were compared in PPCI patients before (93 cases, group A) and after (149 cases, group B) the establishment of CPC.

RESULTSAfter the establishment of CPC, the annual mean D-to-B time was significantly shortened [(127 ± 79) min in group A vs.(72 ± 23 )min in group B, P < 0.01], the shortest monthly mean D-to-B time was remarkably reduced in group B than in group A [(56 ± 11) min vs. (73 ± 14) min, P < 0.01]. The annual ratio of D-to-B below 90 minutes was significantly increased from 62.4% (58/93) in group A to 91.9% (137/149) in group B (P < 0.05) . The in-hospital mortality rate tended to be lower and the incidence of heart failure during hospitalization was significantly reduced in group B compared with group A [3.4% (5/149) vs. 6.5% (6/93), P > 0.05; 14.1% (21/149) vs. 24.7% (23/93), P < 0.05]. The length of hospital stay was slightly shortened from (8.98 ± 4.89) days to (7.79 ± 5.43) days (P > 0.05). Corrected mean medical cost went down by 9.4% (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe establishment of CPC may significantly shorten the D-to-B time, improve the short-term outcome and reduce the hospitalization cost for PPCI patients with STEMI.

Adult ; Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Chest Pain ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; therapy ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Prognosis ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo establish a rapid, sensitive and specific real-time PCR method for detection of Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6).

METHODSAccording to the reference, a pair of primers and a probe were designed located in U65-66 gene and to set up the standards. We established a real-time RT-PCR method for detection of HHV-6, and to verify the specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility.

RESULTSThe correlation coefficient was 0.999, E = 97.9%, the coefficient of variation values of Ct were 0.61% and 3.13% in real-time PCR assay for inter and intra assay, respectively. The results of all viruses were negative except of HHV-6 for the assay. The quantitative detection limit of the assay was 3 x 10(0) copies/microl.

CONCLUSIONThe real-time PCR assay is highly specific, sensitive and reproducible, which can be used to quatitative detecting clinical samples.

Herpesvirus 6, Human ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods

Objective: To compare the therapeutic efficacy between warm needling moxibustion and electroacupuncture (EA) in the treatment of simple obesity due to yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney. Methods: Seventy patients with simple obesity due to yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney were randomly divided into a warm needling moxibustion group and an EA group, with 35 subjects in each group. Same major acupoints were selected for the two groups, including Shuifen (CV 9), Guanyuan (CV 4), Daheng (SP 15), Shuidao (ST 28), Shousanli (LI 10), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3). The warm needling moxibustion group received warm needling moxibustion, while the EA group received EA treatment. The interventions were performed once every other day, with 15 treatments as one course. The therapeutic efficacy, body weight and body mass index (BMI) were then observed and compared. Results: The total effective rate in the warm needling moxibustion group was 85.7％ versus 77.1％ in the EA group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The warm needling moxibustion was remarkably superior to the EA in weight loss and lowering BMI, both with statistical significance (P<0.05, P<0.01). At the three-month follow-up, the body weight and BMI further decreased in the warm needling moxibustion group (both P<0.05), and the levels were lower than those in the EA group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion: Warm needling moxibustion can produce reliable and consistent efficacy in the treatment of simple obesity due to yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney. Compared with EA, warm needling moxibustion shows advantage in both short-term and long-term efficacies, and thus is worth promotion in clinical practice.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of ginger-partitioned moxibustion plus pediatric massage (tuina) in treating infantile diarrhea due to spleen deficiency. Methods: Ninety infants were randomly divided into a massage plus moxibustion group, a massage group and a drug group by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. The intervention was conducted for two consecutive courses. The infants in the massage plus moxibustion group were treated with pediatric massage and ginger-partitioned moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8). The infants in the massage group were treated with pediatric massage alone, while those in the drug group were treated with smecta. The primary and secondary symptom scales were assessed before and after treatment and at the follow-ups, and the total effective rate was evaluated after treatment. Results: The total effective rate in the massage plus moxibustion group was significantly different from that in the massage group and drug group (both P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of primary and secondary symptoms decreased in all three groups, with statistically significant intra-group differences (all P<0.05); the scores of primary symptoms were significantly different between the massage plus moxibustion group and the drug group (P<0.05); the scores of secondary symptoms in the massage plus moxibustion group and the massage group were significantly different from that in the drug group (both P<0.05). The differences in the time to recover normal bowel movement frequency among the three groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Ginger-partitioned moxibustion plus pediatric massage compared with pediatric massage or smecta monotherapy shows superior clinical efficacy in treating infantile diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, and has the advantages of appetite improvement, physique strengthening and short course.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of ultrasonic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and optical disk elevation (ODE) for intracranial hypertension in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis(CVST).Methods:A total of 50 patients with CVST who underwent lumbar puncture and ONSD examination in the Department of Neurology and Emergency Department of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2021 to December 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. After lumbar puncture, the patient′s initial intracranial pressure was recorded. Normal ICP was defined as ICP between 80 and 200 mmH 2O, and increased ICP was defined as ICP>200 mmH 2O. Fifty patients with CVST were divided into normal ICP group (14 cases) and increased ICP group (36 cases). The differences of baseline data, ONSD and ODE between the two groups were compared, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated. The area under the curve (AUC) and the diagnostic cut-off value of ONSD were analyzed. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between ONSD, ODE, CVST involvement range scores and intracranial pressure. Results:①There were no significant differences in gender, age and body mass index between the normal ICP group and the increased ICP group (all P>0.05). ②The ONSD and ODE in the increased ICP group were higher than those in the normal ICP group, and the differences were statistically significant [(4.83±0.33)mm vs (4.21±0.21)mm, (0.67±0.44)mm vs (0.24±0.29)mm, all P<0.001]. Spearman correlation analysis showed that ONSD and ODE were positively correlated with intracranial pressure ( rs=0.74, 0.51, all P<0.001). ③The extent of CVST involvement in the intracranial hypertension group was higher than that in the normal intracranial pressure group, and the difference was statistically significant [5.0(3.0, 7.5) vs 2.5(2.0, 5.0), P=0.015]. Spearman correlation analysis showed that CVST involvement score was positively correlated with intracranial pressure ( rs=0.43, P<0.001). ④In the diagnosis of intracranial hypertension in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, the AUC of ONSD was 0.935, the best diagnostic threshold of ONSD was 4.5 mm, the sensitivity was 0.81, and the specificity was 0.93. Conclusions:ONSD and ODE measured by ultrasound are reliable imaging methods to identify intracranial hypertension in patients with CVST.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Baicalin on the proliferation and pyroptosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line DB and its mechanism. METHODS: DB cells were treated with baicalin at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 μmol/L). Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) was calculated. The morphology of pyroptosis was observed under an inverted microscope, the integrity of the cell membrane was verified by LDH content release assay, and the expressions of pyroptosis-related mRNA and protein (NLRP3, GSDMD, GSDME, N-GSDMD, N-GSDME) were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot. In order to further clarify the relationship between baicalin-induced pyroptosis and ROS production in DB cells, DB cells were divided into control group, baicalin group, NAC group and NAC combined with baicalin group. DB cells in the NAC group were pretreated with ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 2 mmol/L for 2 h. Baicalin was added to the combined treatment group after pretreatment, and the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells was detected by DCFH-DA method after 48 hours of culture. RESULTS: Baicalin inhibited the proliferation of DB cells in a dose-dependent manner (r=-0.99), and the IC₅₀ was 20.56 μmol/L at 48 h. The morphological changes of pyroptosis in DB cells were observed under inverted microscope. Compared with the control group, the release of LDH in the baicalin group was significantly increased (P<0.01), indicating the loss of cell membrane integrity. Baicalin dose-dependently increased the expression levels of NLRP3, N-GSDMD, and N-GSDME mRNA and protein in the pyroptosis pathway (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of ROS in the baicalin group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the content of ROS in the NAC group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the NAC group, the content of ROS in the NAC + baicalin group was increased. Baicalin significantly attenuated the inhibitory effect of NAC on ROS production (P<0.05). Similarly, Western blot results showed that compared with the control group, the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins was increased in the baicalin group (P<0.05). NAC inhibited the expression of NLRP3 and reduced the cleavage of N-GSDMD and N-GSDME (P<0.05). Compared with the NAC group, the NAC + baicalin group had significantly increased expression of pyroptosis-related proteins. These results indicate that baicalin can effectively induce pyroptosis in DB cells and reverse the inhibitory effect of NAC on ROS production. CONCLUSION Baicalin can inhibit the proliferation of DLBCL cell line DB, and its mechanism may be through regulating ROS production to affect the pyroptosis pathway.
Humans ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/pharmacology* ; Pyroptosis ; Cell Line ; RNA, Messenger ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of baicalin on the growth of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) cells and its related mechanism. METHODS: Normal NK cells and human ENKTCL cells lines SNK-6 and YTS were cultured, then SNK-6 and YTS cells were treated with 5, 10, 20 μmol/L baicalin and set control. Cell proliferation and apoptosis was detected by Edu method and FCM method, respectively, and expressions of BCL-2, Bax, FOXO3 and CCL22 proteins were detected by Western blot. Interference plasmids were designed and synthesized. FOXO3 siRNA interference plasmids and CCL22 pcDNA overexpression plasmids were transfected with PEI transfection reagent. Furthermore, animal models were established for validation. RESULTS: In control group and 5, 10, 20 μmol/L baicalin group, the proliferation rate of SNK-6 cells was (56.17±2.96)%, (51.92±4.63)%, (36.42±1.58)%, and (14.60±2.81)%, respectively, while that of YTS cells was (58.85±2.98)%, (51.38±1.32)%, (34.75±1.09)%, and (15.45±1.10)%, respectively. In control group and 5, 10, 20 μmol/L baicalin group, the apoptosis rate of SNK-6 cells was (5.93±0.74)%, (11.78±0.34)%, (28.46±0.44)%, and (32.40±0.37)%, respectively, while that of YTS cells was (7.93±0.69)%, (16.29±1.35)%, (33.91±1.56)%, and (36.27±1.06)%, respectively. Compared with control group, the expression of BCL-2 protein both in SNK-6 and YTS cells decreased significantly (P<0.001), and the expression of Bax protein increased in SNK-6 cells only when the concentration of baicalin was 20 μmol/L (P<0.001), while that in YTS cells increased in all three concentrations(5, 10, 20 μmol/L) of baicalin (P<0.001). The expression of FOXO3 protein decreased while CCL22 protein increased in ENKTCL cell lines compared with human NK cells (P<0.001), but the expression of FOXO3 protein increased (P<0.01) and CCL22 protein decreased after baicalin treatment (P<0.001). Animal experiments showed that baicalin treatment could inhibit tumor growth. The expression of CCL22 protein in ENKTCL tissue of nude mice treated with baicalin decreased compared with control group (P<0.01), while the FOXO3 protein increased (P<0.05). In addition, FOXO3 silencing resulted in the decrease of FOXO3 protein expression and increase of CCL22 protein expression (P<0.01, P<0.001). CONCLUSION Baicalin can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of ENKTCL cell lines SNK-6 and YTS, up-regulate the expression of Bax protein, down-regulate the expression of BCL-2 protein, and down-regulate the expression of CCL22 protein mediated by FOXO3. Animal experiment shown that the baicalin can inhibit tumor growth. Baicalin can inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of ENKTCL cells through FOXO3/CCL22 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mice ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell/pathology* ; Forkhead Box Protein O3/metabolism* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/pharmacology* ; Mice, Nude ; Signal Transduction ; Apoptosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism* ; Chemokine CCL22/pharmacology*