Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder affecting ~65 million individuals worldwide. Abnormal synaptic plasticity is one of the most important pathological features of this condition. We investigated how ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47) influences synaptic plasticity and its link to epilepsy. We found that USP47 enhanced excitatory postsynaptic transmission and increased the density of total dendritic spines and the proportion of mature dendritic spines. Furthermore, USP47 inhibited the degradation of the ubiquitinated α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1), which is associated with synaptic plasticity. In addition, elevated levels of USP47 were found in epileptic mice, and USP47 knockdown reduced the frequency and duration of seizure-like events and alleviated epileptic seizures. To summarize, we present a new mechanism whereby USP47 regulates excitatory postsynaptic plasticity through the inhibition of ubiquitinated GluR1 degradation. Modulating USP47 may offer a potential approach for controlling seizures and modifying disease progression in future therapeutic strategies.
Animals ; Receptors, AMPA/metabolism* ; Neuronal Plasticity/physiology* ; Seizures/physiopathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/genetics* ; Male ; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials/physiology* ; Ubiquitination ; Dendritic Spines/metabolism* ; Hippocampus/metabolism*

Influenza virus has a continuous and extensive impact on human health around the world. Its extensive animal host characteristics and highly variable characteristics lead to continuous antigen drift and change of susceptible populations, causing repeated global influenza epidemics, and also affecting the protective effect of seasonal influenza vaccine. This research in a number of subtypes of influenza a virus, for example, from the antigenic drift of antigenicity, influence of the seasonal influenza vaccine strains and popular strain compatibility, broad-spectrum flu vaccine development train of thought, etc. summarizes the progress of relevant research, to deepen the understanding of the influenza virus antigenic evolution, provide reference for flu vaccine development in the future.

Influenza virus has a continuous and extensive impact on human health around the world. Its extensive animal host characteristics and highly variable characteristics lead to continuous antigen drift and change of susceptible populations, causing repeated global influenza epidemics, and also affecting the protective effect of seasonal influenza vaccine. This research in a number of subtypes of influenza a virus, for example, from the antigenic drift of antigenicity, influence of the seasonal influenza vaccine strains and popular strain compatibility, broad-spectrum flu vaccine development train of thought, etc. summarizes the progress of relevant research, to deepen the understanding of the influenza virus antigenic evolution, provide reference for flu vaccine development in the future.

The ongoing pandemic of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is caused by a newly discovered β Coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). How long the adaptive immunity triggered by SARS-CoV-2 can last is of critical clinical relevance in assessing the probability of second infection and efficacy of vaccination. Here we examined, using ELISA, the IgG antibodies in serum specimens collected from 17 COVID-19 patients at 6-7 months after diagnosis and the results were compared to those from cases investigated 2 weeks to 2 months post-infection. All samples were positive for IgGs against the S- and N-proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Notably, 14 samples available at 6-7 months post-infection all showed significant neutralizing activities in a pseudovirus assay, with no difference in blocking the cell-entry of the 614D and 614G variants of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, in 10 blood samples from cases at 6-7 months post-infection used for memory T-cell tests, we found that interferon γ-producing CD4
Adaptive Immunity/physiology* ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood* ; COVID-19/immunology* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; SARS-CoV-2/immunology* ; T-Lymphocytes/physiology* ; Time Factors ; Viral Proteins/immunology*

Objective To establish a UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 19 chemical drugs in Traditional Chinese Medicines and health products for treating rhinitis. Methods Separation was performed on Waters ACQU-ITY UPLC BEH-C18column(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.7 μm) with 0.1% formic acid acetonitrile solution and 0.1% formic acid aque-ous solution as the mobile phase by gradient elution.The flow rate was 0.3 mL·min-1.The column temperature was set at 35 ℃. The detection was performed by the positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI+) under multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode. Results The linear relationships of 19 chemical drugs were good in respective ranges with correlation coefficients higher than 0.995.The average recoveries of the low,medium,and high level were in the range of 84.9%-111.1%,and the RSDs were less than 5.2%.The limits of detection (LOD) and the limits of quantitation (LOQ) were in the range of 0.03-0.78 ng·mL-1 and 0.13-1.82 ng·mL-1,respectively. Conclusion The method is convenient,rapid,accurate,and sensitive,which can be used for the determination of chemical drugs added illegally in traditional Chinese medicines and health products for treating rhini-tis.

Objective To study the effects of dichloroacetate (DCA) on cell colony-forming,cell invasion and cell migration of the bladder cancer cells and to study the underlying mechanism.Methods The bldder cancer cells T24 were randomly divided into two groups:the observation group and the control group.Cells in the observation groups were treated with 5 mmol/L,10 mmol/L and 20 mmol/L dichloroacetate,and the control group was treated with the same amount of dimethyl sulfoxide.Colony formation assays were detected with Giemsa staining.Cell wound scratch assay and Transwell assay were applied to evaluate the ability of the T24 cell invasion and migration.Realtime PCR and Western blot were applied to detect the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related marker,including E-cadherin,N-cadherin,vimentin,Snail and Slug.Results Compared with the control group,the colony formation assays of T24 cells constantly decreased along with the increased doses in the observation group(P ＜ 0.01).The cell wound scratch assay showed that the scratch width of the observation groups were significantly higher along with the increased doses and prolonged time than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.01).The transwell assay showed that the invasion ability of the observation groups were significantly discreased along with the increased doses than that in the the control group (P ＜ 0.01).The expression levels of E-cadherin mRNA and protein in combination the control group were higher than those in the the observation groups (P ＜ 0.05).However,the expression levels of N-cadherin,vimentin,Snail and Slug mRNAs and proteins in combination the control group were lower than those in the the observation groups (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Dichloroacetate can inhibit the colony-forming,invasion and migration of bladder cancer T24 cells,and its mechanism may inhibit the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition in T24 cells by down-regulating the expression of nuclear transcription factor Snail and Slug.

Objective To explorer the effect of midnight-noon ebb-flow of five elements of music therapy on anxiety and depression in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods A total of 60 type 2 diabetic patients with anxiety and depression in our hospital were divided into the experiment group and the control group according to the order of admission,with 30 patients in each group.The control group received routine nursing care and general music therapy.The experiment group received routine nursing care and midnight-noon ebb-flow of five elements of music therapy.After four weeks,the results of the two groups were compared using HAMD and HAMA scales.Result Four weeks after intervention,there was improvements in the two groups ((P＜0.01) and the anxiety and depression levels in the experiment group were significantly improved than those in the control group (P＜0.01).Conclusion The midnight-noon ebb-flow of five elements of music therapy can alleviate the levels of anxiety and depression in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective To establish HIV-1 seroconversion panels with the samples collected by National Institutes for Food and Drug Control ( NIFDC) and to evaluate the window periods of HIV enzyme immunoassay ( EIA) diagnostic kits used for blood screening with them. Methods Serum specimens were collected from different plasma donation stations in China. All suspected HIV infection specimens were screened for HIV by using the nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT), Western blot confirmatory assay and P24 quantitative detection assay. The HIV env gene sequences were amplified by RT-PCR for further confirmation of HIV infection. The PCR products were sequenced and genotyped. The confirmed seroconver-sion panels were used to evaluate the early detection capabilities of the 4th and 3rd generation HIV EIA diag-nostic kits used in blood screening in china. Results A total of 8 sets of HIV seroconversion panels com-prised of 36 samples were confirmed in this study, including 6 sets of AE subtype, 1 set of B subtype and 1 set of unknown genotype. Those seroconversion panels were tested with HIV diagnostic kits produced by 19 different manufacturers. For the early detection of HIV infection, the 4th generation HIV diagnostic kits with a score of 9. 4 points were better than the 3rd generation HIV diagnostic kits whose score was 3. 6 points (P<0. 01, t=8. 547). Some of the domestic 4th generation HIV diagnostic kits were similar to the imported kits in the early detection of HIV infection. In terms of the diagnosis of HIV infection, the HIV-1 NAT was at least 2 weeks earlier than the HIV EIA diagnostic kits. The sensitivity of confirmatory assay was lower than that of the diagnostic kits. Four out of five 4th generation HIV diagnostic kits showed declined signal to cut off ( S/CO ) ratio , indicating the probability of false detection during the second window period . Conclusion Eight sets of NIFDC HIV-1 seroconversion panels were established in this study. With those panels we found that there were differences in the window period between different EIA diagnostic kits used for HIV blood screening.

Objective To establish a high throughput phenotypic test for the detection of drug re-sistance in human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)strains. Methods The gene encoding luciferase was in-activated through restriction enzyme digestion and ligation. LacZ gene was used to replace the genes encoding original protease and reverse transcriptase. pol genes were amplified from pSG3△env plasmid and cloned in-to a new backbone plasmid through infusion. The factors that might affect the results of the test were opti-mized. Results The parental backbone plasmid pNL4-3. Lac was constructed,of which the gene encoding luciferase was inactivated and bearing the LacZ gene instead of genes encoding protease and reverse tran-scriptase. Several influential factors including cell numbers(10 000 / well),virus inoculation(200 TCID50 /well)and the concentration of DEAE-dextran(15 μg/ ml)were optimized. The reproducibility of this test was confirmed by testing 12 anti-HIV drugs against 2 pseudovirus strains 8 times,presenting the coefficient of variations(CVs)from 4. 32% to 28. 46% . Six types of pseudovirus were constructed and tested against the 12 anti-HIV drugs,the results of which were compared with those by using the pSG3△env-based pseud-ovirus test. The results of the two tests presented good consistency. Conclusion The high throughput phe-notypic test based on pNL4-3. Lac plasmid,combining the advantages of pSG3△env and pNL4-3 systems, could be used to analyze the drug resistance patterns of HIV-1 infectors and screen new drugs for antiretrovi-ral therapy in a rapid and effective way.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of cholinergic nerves in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced rat failing heart and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the heart tissue and serum.

METHODSAdult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into control (n=10) and DOX-induced chronic heart failure (CHF) groups (n=15), and in the latter group, the rats were given intraperitoneal injections of 2.5 mg/kg DOX once a week for 6 weeks, with a total cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg. The control rats were injected with normal saline (1 ml/week). Karnovsky-Roots histochemical staining combined with point counting was used to demonstrate the distribution of cholinergic nerves in the heart. The expression levels of TNF-α in the heart tissue and serum were determined with ELISA.

RESULTSPositively stained cholinergic nerves were found in all the rat hearts in the two groups, but in CHF group, the point counts of cholinergic nerves were significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Compared with the control rats, those with DOX-induced CHF showed elevated levels of TNF-α both in the heart tissue and in the serum (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONIn rats with DOX-induced CHF, the parasympathetic nervous system is down-regulated in the failing heart, and the diminished cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway may play an important role in the progression of CHF.

Animals ; Cholinergic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cholinergic Fibers ; drug effects ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Heart ; drug effects ; innervation ; Heart Failure ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism