Objective To determine the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling in annulus fibrosus cells response to interleukin (IL)-1. Methods Rat annulus fibrosus cells cultured in monolayer were exposed to IL-1, with or without JNK inhibition by SP600125. RNA was isolated for Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after 24 h stimulation. Results IL-1 upregulation of mRNA for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-6, cyclooxygenase (Cox)-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3, MMP-13 were blunted by JNK inhibition, while downregulation of collagenⅠand insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 were also reversed by JNK inhibition. Conclusion JNK signaling inhibition can be a therapeutic target for blocking intervertebral disc degeneration induced by IL-1.

Objective To evaluate the role of β-arrestin-1 in penehyclidine hydrochloride (PHC)-induced inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-caused increase in pulmonary microvascular permeability in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs).Methods Human PMVECs were seeded in 6-well plates (2 ml/well) or in culture flasks (4 ml/flask) at the density of 1 × 105 cells/ml and divided into 5 groups (n=15 each) using a random number table:empty plasmid transfection group (group C),LPS plus empty plasmid transfection group (LPS group),PHC plus LPS plus empty plasmid transfection group (P+LPS group),LPS plus β-arrestin-1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) transfection group (LPS+shRNA group) and PHC plus LPS plus β-arrestin-1 shRNA transfection group (P+LPS+shRNA group).In LPS and LPS+shRNA groups,the cells were transfected with empty plasmid 1.5 μg or with plasmid containing 15 nmol/L β-arrestin-1 shRNA,LPS with the final concentration of 0.1 μg/ml was added at 24 h of incubation,and the cells were then incubated for 1 h.In P+LPS and P+LPS+shRNA groups,the cells were transfected with empty plasmid 1.5 μg or with plasmid containing 15 nmol/L β-arrestin-1 shRNA,PHC with the final concentration of 2 μg/ml was added at 24 h of incubation,LPS with the final concentration of 0.1 μg/ml was added at 1 h of incubation,and the cells were then incubated for 1 h.The cell permeability was measured using Transwell chambers.The expression of heat shock protein (HSP27) was detected by immunofluorescence.The expression of β-arrestin-1,p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) and phosphorylated p38MAPK (p-p38MAPK) was detected by Western blot.The ratio of pp38MAPK/p38MAPK was calculated.Results Compared with group C,the cell permeability was significantly increased,the expression of HSP27 was up-regulated,p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK ratio was increased,and the expression of β-arrestin-1 was down-regulated in LPS,LPS + shRNA and P + LPS + shRNA groups (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group P+LPS (P＞ 0.05).Compared with group LPS,the cell permeability was significantly decreased,the expression of HSP27 was down-regulated,p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK ratio was decreased,and the expression of β-arrestin1 was up-regulated in group P +LPS,and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK ratio was significantly increased (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the other parameters in group P+LPS+shRNA (P＞0.05).Compared with group P+LPS,the cell permeability was significantly increased,the expression of HSP27 was up-regulated,p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK ratio was increased,and the expression of β-arrestin-1 was down-regulated in group P+LPS+shRNA (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which PHC inhibits LPS-induced increase in pulmonary microvascular permeability is totally related to β-arrestin-1 in human PMVECs.

Objective To discuss the medication law of Professor Gu Shizhe in the treatment of insomnia based on various data mining techniques.Methods Clinical information of patients of Professor Gu was collected from the hospital management information system of outpatient clinic of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(BUCM)and BUCM Famous Elderly TCM Inheritance Research Integrated Platform from January 2018 to October 2022.Professor Gu's books,such as Zhi Zhen Zhi Yao,and Gu Jisheng,Gu Shizhe Yi An Yi Hua Jing Cui,and the medical records from CNKI were screened.WPS Office 5.2.1 was used to build a database of medicine data for Professor Gu's TCM prescriptions,and R 4.2.1 was used for descriptive analysis and Apriori association rule analysis.SPSS Statistics 26.0 was used for clustering analysis,combined with theoretical analysis,to extract Professor Gu's medication law and characteristics in the treatment of insomnia.Results A total of 307 prescriptions were included,involving 250 kinds of Chinese materia medica,among which 30 were high-frequency drugs.The top 5 most frequently used were Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle,Fossilizid,Poria,Bupleuri Radix,and Ziziphi Spinosae Semen.The meridians were mainly liver and lung meridian,and the properties were mainly warm and cold,and the tastes were mainly sweet and bitter.Five core drug groups were obtained by clustering analysis,including Xiaochaihu Decoction,Erchen Decoction,Huanglian Wendan Decoction,Suanzaoren Decoction,Xiaoyao Powder and other prescriptions.Conclusion The characteristics of Professor Gu's treatment of insomnia are to reconcile Shaoyang,clear the heart and soothe the mind;pay attention to yin and yang,regulate the liver;pay attention to the liver,gallbladder,spleen and stomach;the main idea of syndrome differentiation is to reconcile Shaoyang,run the Shaoyang cardinal,and at the same time regulate qi and benefit qi and nourishes yin.

Objective To evaluate the role of M3 receptor in penehyclidine hydrochloride(PHC)-induced reduction of increased permeability of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) caused by endotoxin and the relationship with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.Methods Human PMVECs were seeded in 6-well plates (2 ml/hole) or in culture flasks (4 ml/flask) at the density of 1 × 105 cells/ml and randomly divided into 6 groups (n=5 each):control group (group C),M3 receptor shRNA transfection group (group shRNA),lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group,penehyclidine plus LPS group (group P+LPS),LPS plus M3 receptor shRNA transfection group (group LPS+shRNA) and PHC plus LPS plus M3 shRNA transfection group (group P+LPS+shRNA).The cells were transfected with shRNA plasmid containing 2.5 nmol/L M3 receptors in shRNA,LPS+shRNA and P+LPS+shRNA groups.LPS at the final concentration of 0.1 μg/ml was added at 24 h of incubation and then cells were incubated for 1 h in LPS and LPS+shRNA groups.PHC at the final concentration of 2 μg/ml was added at 24 h of incubation,cells were incubated for 1 h,then LPS at the final concentration of 0.1 μg/ml was added,and cells were incubated for another l h in P+LPS and P+LPS+shRNA groups.The permeability of PMVECs was measured using Transwell assay.The expression of phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK)and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) was detected by Western blot,the expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) using immunofluorescent staining,and the expression of M3receptor mRNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results Compared with group C,M3 receptor mRNA expression was significantly down-regulated in group shRNA,and the permeability of cells was significantly increased,and the expression of p-p38 MAPK,p-ERK1/2,HSP27 and M3 receptor mRNA was up-regulated in group LPS (P＜0.05).The permeability of cells was significantly decreased,and the expression of p-p38 MAPK,p-ERK1/2,HSP27 and M3 receptor mRNA was down-regulated in P+ LPS,LPS+shRNA and P+LPS+shRNA groups as compared with group LPS,and in group P+LPS+shRNA as compared with group LPS+shRNA (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which PHC reduces endotoxin-caused increased permeability of human PMVECs is related to inhibiting activation of MAPK signaling pathway after down-regulating M3 receptor.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the suitable process for prenatal screening and diagnosis for women with advanced maternal age. METHODS: From January 2014 to November 2017, the indications and distributions of prenatal diagnosis for women with advanced maternal age only or accompanying with positive maternal serum test screening and non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), abnormal fetal ultrasound, one harboring chromosomal abnormalities or anomalous reproductive history were analyzed. The rate of fetal chromosomal abnormalities was compared between different groups. RESULTS: The 351 pregnant women with fetal chromosomal abnormalities have included 196 cases with advanced maternal age, 26 with positive maternal serum test, 96 with high-risk by NIPT, 14 with abnormal fetal ultrasound, 15 with one partner harboring chromosomal abnormalities, and 4 with anomalous reproductive history. Assuming that all pregnant women had undergone maternal serum test screening or NIPT without amniocentesis, the detection rate of fetal chromosome abnormality would be 51.0% and 69.2%, respectively. However, should these women have received both tests, the detection rate would be as high as 84.6%. Should those with one partner harboring chromosomal abnormalities undergone maternal serum test screening or NIPT without amniocentesis, the detection rate of fetal chromosomal abnormality would only be 6.7%. CONCLUSION Should pregnant women with advanced maternal age undergo both maternal serum test and NIPT, the detection rate of fetal chromosomal abnormality will be higher than those receiving only maternal serum test screening or NIPT. Couples with one partner harboring chromosomal abnormalities should undergo prenatal diagnosis by amniocentesis.
Amniocentesis ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosome Disorders ; Female ; Humans ; Maternal Age ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

Objective:Evidence on potential cardiovascular benefits of personal-level intervention among the elderly exposed to high levels of particulate matter(PM)remains limited.We aimed to assess improvements in surrogate markers of cardiovascular injury in vulnerable populations at risks by using indoor air filtration units.Methods:We conducted a randomized crossover trial for 2 separate 2-week air filtration interventions in 20 households of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their partners in the winter of 2013,with concurrent measurements of indoor PM.The changes in biomarkers indicative of cardiac injury,atherosclerosis progression and systemic inflammation following intervention were evaluated using linear mixed-effect models.Results:In the analysis,average levels of indoor PM with aerodynamic diameters＜2.5 μm(PM2.5)decreased significantly by 59.2％(from 59.6 to 24.3 μg/m3,P＜0.001)during the active air filtration.The reduction was accompanied by improvements in levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I by-84.6％(95％confidence interval[CI]:-90.7 to-78.6),growth differentiation factor-15 by-48.1％(95％CI:-31.2 to-25.6),osteoprotegerin by-65.4％(95％CI:-56.5 to-18.7),interleukin-4 by-46.6％(95％CI:-62.3 to-31.0)and myeloperoxidase by-60.3％(95％CI:-83.7 to-3.0),respectively.Conclusion:Indoor air filtration intervention may provide potential cardiovascular benefits in vulnerable popu-lations at risks.