OBJECTIVE: Patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection frequently develop central nervous system damage, yet the mechanisms driving this pathology remain unclear. This study investigated the primary pathways and key factors underlying brain tissue damage induced by the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant (lineage B.1.351). METHODS: K18-hACE2 and C57BL/6 mice were intranasally infected with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant. Viral replication, pathological phenotypes, and brain transcriptomes were analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed to identify altered pathways. Expression changes of host genes were verified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. RESULTS: Pathological alterations were observed in the lungs of both mouse strains. However, only K18-hACE2 mice exhibited elevated viral RNA loads and infectious titers in the brain at 3 days post-infection, accompanied by neuropathological injury and weight loss. GO analysis of infected K18-hACE2 brain tissue revealed significant dysregulation of genes associated with innate immunity and antiviral defense responses, including type I interferons, pro-inflammatory cytokines, Toll-like receptor signaling components, and interferon-stimulated genes. Neuroinflammation was evident, alongside activation of apoptotic and pyroptotic pathways. Furthermore, altered neural cell marker expression suggested viral-induced neuroglial activation, resulting in caspase 4 and lipocalin 2 release and disruption of neuronal molecular networks. CONCLUSION These findings elucidate mechanisms of neuropathogenicity associated with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant and highlight therapeutic targets to mitigate COVID-19-related neurological dysfunction.
Animals ; COVID-19/genetics* ; Mice ; Brain/metabolism* ; Apoptosis ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; SARS-CoV-2/physiology* ; Pyroptosis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Transcriptome ; Male ; Female

Humans ; Gemcitabine ; Neoplasms

AIM: To investigate the differences of myopia and ocular biological parameters of primary and middle school students in Urumqi.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey. A total of 2 495 primary and middle school students aged 7 to 18 from 4 schools in Urumqi were selected by judgemental sampling from September 2021 to November 2021 for relevant eye examination. The differences of ocular biological parameters and refractive status of students of different ages, genders and nationalities were compared, and the correlation between spherical equivalent(SE)and ocular biological parameters was analyzed.RESULTS: The detection rate of poor vision among the students was 80.36%, the detection rate of myopia was 55.91%, and the detection rate of astigmatism was 42.96%, among which the detection rate of low myopia was 63.80%, the detection rate of moderate myopia was 27.60%, and the detection rate of high myopia was 8.60%. There were significant differences in the detection rate of poor vision, myopia, astigmatism, SE and some ocular biological parameters among students of different ages and nationalities(all P<0.05). Among them, the detection rate of myopia, astigmatism and poor vision among Uygur and Kazakh ethnic groups was significantly lower than that of Han. The detection rate of poor vision and myopia among boys was lower than that among girls, while the detection rate of astigmatism was higher than that of girls. Spearman correlation analysis showed that axis length of eye, axial length to axial ratio, anterior chamber depth, and pupil diameter were negatively correlated with SE(rs=-0.664, -0.724, -0.320, -0.086, all P<0.001), and lens thickness was positively correlated with SE(rs=0.147, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of myopia among primary and secondary school students in Urumqi is high, and there are differences in the distribution of ocular biological parameters among children and adolescents of different ages and ethnicities.

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in mildly symptomatic patients (NYHA class Ⅱ) with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy(HOCM). Methods: This retrospective study included 150 mildly symptomatic patients with HOCM hospitalized in Beijing Anzhen Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from March 2001 to December 2017, consisting of medical therapy group (n=102) and ASA group (n=48). Baseline clinical data were collected, patients were followed up to a mean of 6.0 (3.5, 8.1) years. Overall and HCM-related mortality events (including chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation related stroke, sudden cardiac death) were observed in the two groups. Moreover, the improvement of NYHA function classification and left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOTG) were also evaluated. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Age of this cohort was (52.9±14.5)years, 92 cases(61.3%) were male. In the follow-up, LVOTG was reduced from (85.8±35.4)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (27.7±19.8)mmHg (P<0.001) in the ASA group, and from (66.3±35.0)mmHg to (56.5±27.7)mmHg in medical therapy group(P<0.01). At the last clinical follow-up, there were 32 patients (66.7%) whose LVOTG were<30 mmHg, septal thickness decreased from (20.3±3.8)mm to (16.1±3.4)mm (P<0.001), NYHA classification was also remarkably improved (P<0.001). New-onset atrial fibrillation tended to be lower in the ASA group compared to medical therapy group (9.3%(4/43) vs. 20.8%(20/96),P=0.096). Eleven patients (10.8%) in the medical therapy group and 2 patients (4.2%) in the ASA group died during the follow-up. One patient received pacemaker during the peri-procedural period, 1 patient was implanted with two-chamber pacemaker due to Ⅲ° atrioventricular block at 10 years after operation in the ASA group. Survival free of all-cause mortality of ASA group at 5 and 10 years was 97.9% and 97.9%, respectively, which was comparable to the medical therapy group (P=0.231). Survival free of HCM-related mortality was similar between the two groups (P=0.397). Conclusions: Compared with medical therapy in mildly symptomatic patients with HOCM, long-term survival rate is similar after ASA. Meanwhile, ASA can remarkably reduce LVOTG and improve the clinical status of the patients. Therefore, ASA may be used as an alternative therapy for mildly symptomatic HOCM patients.
Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy* ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/therapy* ; Ethanol/therapeutic use* ; Heart Septum/surgery* ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To explore the safety and feasibility of stereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT) strategy for irradiating porcine ventricular septum, see if can provide a preliminary experimental evidence for clinical SBRT in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Methods: Five male pigs (39-49 kg, 6 months old) were used in this study. Pigs were irradiated at doses of 25 Gy (n=2) or 40 Gy (n=3). Delineation of the target volume was achieved under the guidance of 3-dimensional CT image reconstruction, and SBRT was then performed on defined target volume of porcine ventricular septum. Blood biomarkers, electrocardiogram and echocardiography parameters were monitored before and after SBRT. Pathological examination (HE staining, Masson staining) was performed on the target and non-target myocardium at 6 months post SBRT. Results: SBRT was successful and all animals survived to the designed study endpoint (6 months) after SBRT. Serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) level was significantly higher than the baseline level at 1 day post SBRT, and reduced at 1 week after SBRT, but was still higher than the baseline level(P<0.05). Serum N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was also significantly increased at 1 day post SBRT (P<0.05) and returned to baseline level at 1 week post SBRT. The serum NT-proBNP level was (249±78), (594±37) and (234±46) pg/ml, respectively, and the cTnT was (14±7), (240±40) and (46±34) pg/ml, respectively at baseline, 1 day and 1 week after SBRT in the 40 Gy dose group. The serum NT-proBNP level was (184±20), (451±49) and (209±36) pg/ml, respectively, the cTnT values ​​were (9±1), (176±29) and (89±27) pg/ml, respectively at baseline, 1 day and 1 week after SBRT in the 25 Gy dose group. Both NT-proBNP and cTnT values tended to be higher post SBRT in the 40 Gy dose group as compared with the 25 Gy dose group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The left ventricular ejection fraction and the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter remained unchanged before and after SBRT (P>0.05). The interventricular septum thickness showed a decreasing trend at 6 months after SBRT, but the difference was not statistically significant ((9.54±0.24) mm vs. (9.82±8.00) mm, P>0.05). The flow velocity of the left ventricular outflow tract, and the valve function and morphology were not affected by SBRT. At 6 months after SBRT, HE staining revealed necrosis in the irradiated target area of ​​the myocardium in the 40 Gy dose group and the 25 Gy dose group, and the degree of necrosis in the irradiated interventricular septum was more obvious in the 40 Gy dose group as compared with the 25 Gy group. The combined histological analysis of the two groups showed that the necrotic area of ​​the irradiated target area accounted for (26±9)% of the entire interventricular septum area, which was higher than that of the non-irradiated area (0) (P<0.05). There was no damage or necrosis of myocardial tissue outside the target irradiation area in both groups. The results of Masson staining showed that the percentage area of myocardial fibrosis was significantly higher in the irradiated target area than non-irradiated area ((12.6±5.3)% vs. (2.5±0.8)%, P<0.05). Conclusion: SBRT is safe and feasible for irradiating porcine ventricular septum.
Animals ; Feasibility Studies ; Male ; Necrosis ; Radiosurgery/methods* ; Stroke Volume ; Swine ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Septum

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Liver ; Male ; Panax ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen

【Objective】 To retrospectively analyze the differences of clinicopathological parameters and molecular biological characteristics between ultrasound false negative and true positive breast cancer cases and summarize the clinical characteristics of these cases. 【Methods】 A total of 414 invasive breast cancer cases in Guangdong Women and Children Hospital between January 1st, 2018 and December 31st, 2019 were enrolled in this study. According to the BI-RADS classification standard of ultrasound, they were divided into false negative group and true positive group. The differences of onset age, tumor size, tumor histological grade, lymph node metastasis, estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor(HER2), Ki-67, fiber reaction, vascular hyperplasia, lymphocyte infiltration and necrosis between the two groups were compared and analyzed. The differences with statistical significance were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. 【Results】 These 414 invasive breast cancer cases were composed of 43 false negative cases and 371 true positive cases. There was no significant difference in histopathological type between the two groups(P = 0.250). In the false negative group, the rate of luminal A(32.6%) and basal-like(27.9%) cases was respectively higher than that of the true positive group(17.8%, 14.3%), whereas the rate of HER2 overexpression (6.9%) cases was lower than that of the true positive group(32.1%), with statistical significance(P < 0.05). The rate of luminal B cases in the false negative group(32.6%) was not significantly different from that in the true positive group (35.8%, χ² = 0.182, P = 0.669). Compared with the true positive group, there was no significant difference in tumor histological grade(χ² = 5.129, P = 0.077), ER expression(χ² = 1.666, P = 0.197), PR expression(χ² = 0.290, P = 0.590), HER2 expression(χ² = 3.378, P = 0.066), fiber reaction(χ² = 5.353, P = 0.069), lymphocyte infiltration(χ² = 2.023, P = 0.155) and necrosis(χ² = 0.468, P = 0.494), whereas the differences of the tumor size(P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis(χ² = 43.184, P < 0.001), Ki-67 expression(χ² = 9.293, P = 0.010), age(χ² = 10.334, P = 0.006) and vascular hyperplasia(χ² = 5.937, P = 0.015) were statistically significant. In the false negative group, the rate of tumor size ≤ 2 cm(81.4%, 35/43 vs. 33.7%, 125/371), no lymph node metastasis(97.7%, 42/43 vs. 44.7%, 166/371), Ki-67 expression > 70%(18.6%, 8/43 vs. 5.9%, 22/371), age ≤ 45 years(65.1%, 28/43 vs. 41.2%, 153/371) and vascular hyperplasia number ≤ 3(74.4%, 32/43 vs. 55.0%, 204/371) were higher than that in the true positive group, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only tumor size ≤ 2 cm(OR = 6.791, P < 0.001) and no lymph node metastasis(OR = 43.333, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the false negative ultrasound results. 【Conclusions】 Luminal A and HER2 overexpression breast cancer cases are easier to be underestimated by ultrasound BI-RADS classification. Patients with tumor size ≤ 2 cm and no lymph node metastasis are prone to have false negative breast ultrasound results, which should be regarded with more care.

Objective:To investigate the effect of mangiferin on the mRNA expression of phosphoribosylpyrohoosphate synthetase (PRPS), phosphate ribose pyrophosphate amide transferase (PRPPAT) in liver and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphate transfer enzyme (HGPRT) in brain of hyperuricemic mice induced by potassium oxonate. Method:Hyperuricemic mice were induced through intraperitoneal injection with uricase inhibitor potassium oxonate. The serum uric acid level was determined by the phosphotungstic acid method. The mRNA expression levels of PRPS and PRPPAT in liver as well as HGPRT in brain of hyperuricemic mice were measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Result:An intraperitoneal injection with potassium oxonate caused a marked increase in serum uric acid level, compared with normal control group (P<0.05). Intragastric administration with mangiferin at the doses of 1.5, 3.0, 6.0 mg·kg^-1 was able to significantly reduce serum uric acid levels, compared with hyperuricemic control group (P<0.05,P<0.01); Moreover, the increase in the mRNA expression levels of PRPS and PRPPAT in liver, as well as the decrease in the mRNA expression of HGPRT in brain were observed in hyperuricemic control group, but with no statistically difference. Mangiferin has no impact on the mRNA expressions of PRPS, PRPPAT and HGPRT, compared with hyperuricemic control group. Conclusion:The hyporuricemic effect of mangiferin might not be related with PRPS, PRPPAT and HGPRT in therapeutic dose.

Background:Clinical outcomes of undifferentiated arthritis (UA) are diverse,and only 40 ％ of patients with UA develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after 3 years.Discovering predictive markers at disease onset for further intervention is critical.Therefore,our objective was to analyze the clinical outcomes of UA and ascertain the predictors for RA development.Methods:We performed a prospective,multi-center study from January 2013 to October 2016 among Chinese patients diagnosed with UA in 22 tertiary-care hospitals.Clinical and serological parameters were obtained at recruitment.Follow-up was undertaken in all patients every 12 weeks for 2 years.Predictive factors of disease progression were identified using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression.Results:A total of 234 patients were recruited in this study,and 17 (7.3％) patients failed to follow up during the study.Among the 217 patients who completed the study,83 (38.2％) patients went into remission.UA patients who developed RA had a higher rheumatoid factor (RF)-positivity (42.9％ vs.16.8％,x2=8.228,P=0.008),anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodypositivity (66.7％ vs.10.7％,x2 =43.897,P ＜ 0.001),and double-positivity rate of RF and anti-CCP antibody (38.1％ vs.4.1％,x2 =32.131,P ＜ 0.001) than those who did not.Anti-CCP antibody but not RF was an independent predictor for RA development (hazard ratio 18.017,95％ confidence interval:5.803-55.938;P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion:As an independent predictor of RA,anti-CCP antibody should be tested at disease onset in all patients with UA.