The impact factors were explored to determine the horizontal positional relationship between the umbilicus and the 2nd lumbar spinal process in adults and to verify the accuracy of the localization of Shenshu (BL 23) via the umbilicus. The position of the umbilicus and the 2nd lumbar spinal process was measured in 100 participants and the data were analyzed through SPSS 20.0 software. It was found that the umbilicus and the 2nd lumbar process were not positioned horizontally. The positional relationship of these two sites was not apparently correlated with gender, age, body weight, body height, BMI, waistline and discomfort of lumbar region. The umbilicus was commonly and posteriorly projected on the site between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebra. It is explained that the localization of Shenshu (BL23) via the umbilicus is not accurate.
Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbosacral Region ; anatomy & histology ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Umbilicus ; anatomy & histology ; Young Adult

Aim To investigate the regulatory effects of baicalin on apoptosis induced by virus H1 N1 in hu-man pulmonary carcinoma cell A549 . Methods The chips were used to screen the RNA samples in virus-in-fected A549 cells. Differentially expressed genes were selected in the pathway of apoptosis. The mRNA ex-pressions of caspase-3 and -8 were verified by Real-Time PCR. Results With the DNA microarray, the functions of differentially expressed genes involved in apoptosis biological pathways were analyzed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes ( KEGG ) Path-way databases. caspase-3, -7, -8, -10, TRAIL, MYD88 , IL1 A and IL1 B were up-regulated in virus-in-fected group. Oseltamivir could down-regulate gene ex-pressions of caspase-3 ,-4 and-8 . High-dose of baica-lin could down-regulate gene expressions of caspase-3 ,-4,-6 and -8. Except gene expressions of above, low-dose of baicalin could also down-regulate gene expres-sions of IL1RAP and Cn. Real-Time PCR experiments showed that baicalin could significantly decrease mR-NA expression of caspase-3 , -4 , -6 , -8 , IL1 RAP and Cn ( P < 0. 01 ) , compared with the virus-infected group. The results also figured that the interference ef-ficacy of low-dose baicalin was better than that of high-doses. As expected, real-time PCR data were in good agreement with the microarray assay. Conclusions Baicalin can be detected in their suppression effect of caspase-3,-4,-6, and -8 mRNA expression, so it re-sists against the apoptosis to fight against influenza vi-rus in vitro.

Androgenetic alopecia is a distinctive condition associated with genetic factors and effect of androgens, usually adversely affects the appearance and mental health of patients. This review summarizes research progress in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, evaluation and clinical treatment of androgenetic alopecia in 2020.

ObjectiveThe lung mesenchymal stem cells （LMSCs） induced by D-galactose （D-gal） were intervened by Wenfei Huaxian decoction-containing serum to explore the mechanism of Wenfei Huaxian decoction in delaying the senescence of LMSCs through the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase/silent information regulator 1 （NAMPT/SIRT1） signaling pathway. MethodWenfei Huaxian decoction-containing serum was prepared. LMSCs were isolated by gradient density centrifugation， and they were cultured and identified in vitro. The senescence model in vitro was established by stimulating cells via D-gal for 24 h. LMSCs cells were modeled after being treated with different volume fractions （5%， 10%， 20%， 40%， and 80%） of Wenfei Huaxian decoction-containing serum for 24 h， and the cell proliferation level was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） method. The cells were randomly divided into blank serum group， model group， and high， medium， and low dose groups of Wenfei Huaxian decoction-containing serum. Senescence-associated β-galactosidase （SA-β-gal） staining was used to detect the senescence of LMSCs in each group. The content of NAD + was detected by colorimetry. The levels of senescence-associated factors （p16 and p53）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in cell culture supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Western blot was used to detect the relative expression of senescence-associated proteins and NAMPT/SIRT1 signaling pathway-related proteins. ResultCompared with the blank serum group， the proliferation of LMSCs was significantly inhibited after D-gal stimulation for 24 h （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the proliferation of LMSCs could be promoted after intervention with the corresponding Wenfei Huaxian decoction-containing serum （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank serum group， the SA-β-gal staining of LMSCs in the model group after D-gal stimulation was enhanced， and the content of NAD⁺ was increased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of senescence factors p16 and p53， as well as SASP pro-inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α in the cell culture supernatant， were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression of senescence-associated proteins p16， p21， and p53 increased （P<0.01）， and the protein expression of NAMPT， SIRT1， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α （PGC-1α）， and forkhead box family transcription factor O1 （FoxO1） decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the SA-β-gal staining of LMSCs in each group of Wenfei Huaxian decoction-containing serum was significantly reduced， and the content of NAD⁺ was decreased （P<0.01）. The senescence factors （p16 and p53） and inflammatory factors （IL-6 and TNF-α） in the cell culture supernatant were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The expression of senescence-associated proteins （P16， P21， and P53） decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expressions of NAMPT， SIRT1， PGC-1α， and FoxO1 were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionWenfei Huaxian decoction can alleviate senescence and inflammatory response damage of D-gal-induced LMSCs， and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the NAMPT/SIRT1 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-systemic disease with the unknown pathogenic mechanism. DNA demethylation is involved in SLE pathogenesis. Growth arrest and DNA damage inducible 45 alpha (Gadd45a) takes part in the process of DNA demethylation. Gadd45a is a DNA repair-related protein. This study aims to investigate the expressions of some proteins [including activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG), and methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 4 (MBD4)] involving in base excision repair (BER) process in CD4⁺ T cells in patients with SLE, and to analyze the correlations between the above BER proteins and lupus disease. METHODS: From January 2019 to September 2020, 12 SLE patients and 12 healthy controls were recruited from Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation and then CD4+ T cells were isolated via positive selection using Miltenyi beads. We measured the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions of AID, TDG, and MBD4 by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: In contrast to controls, in SLE CD4+ T cells, the mRNA and protein expressions of AID were elevated (P=0.003, P=0.022, respectively); TDG protein expression was increased (P=0.017); and MBD4 protein level was reduced (P<0.001). No visible distinctions was found in the mRNA expressions of either TDG or MBD4 between the 2 groups (both P>0.05). The mRNA and protein expressions of AID and the protein levels of TDG were positively correlated with SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). And the mRNA and protein expressions of MBD4 were negatively correlated with SLEDAI. CONCLUSIONS In SLE CD4+ T cells, the increased expressions of AID and TDG and the decreased MBD4 expression may participate in SLE pathogenic mechanism.
Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/metabolism* ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; DNA Repair ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

Objective:To summarize clinical characteristics of and treatment experience with patients with critical illnesses in a dermatological ward.Methods:All patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, who were hospitalized at the dermatological ward of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 9, 2011 to December 31, 2020, were collected, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, disease types and proportions, main complications, causes of serious or life-threatening conditions, important treatment measures and outcomes were summarized, and causes of death were also analyzed and discussed.Results:A total of 1 057 patients with critical illnesses were collected, with a male-to-female ratio of 1∶1.11, and 64.81% of them aged 18 to 65 years. The types of diseases mainly included drug eruptions (332 cases) , connective tissue diseases (226 cases) , bullous skin diseases (104 cases) , psoriasis (57 cases) , erythroderma (45 cases) , infectious skin diseases (67 cases) , etc. Among them, psoriasis (39 cases) and erythroderma (32 cases) mostly occurred in males, and connective tissue diseases (168 cases) mostly occurred in females. Common complications mainly involved infections, important organ damage or dysfunction, hypoalbuminemia, and fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. A total of 94 patients were diagnosed with life-threatening conditions, which were found to be mainly caused by primary skin diseases, hematologic abnormalities, respiratory failure, nervous system abnormalities, renal failure, sepsis, fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances, etc. During the management of critical illnesses, 43 patients were treated with high-dose glucocorticoid pulse therapy, 264 were treated with gamma-globulin pulse therapy, 355 were transfused with other blood products, and 34 received special therapies such as hemoperfusion/immunoadsorption therapy, plasma exchange, dialysis, artificial liver support therapy; 42 patients were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) , 12 were transferred to the department of surgery for operations, and 12 were transferred to the department of obstetrics and gynecology for delivery or induction of labor. After treatment, 989 patients (93.57%) achieved improvement and were discharged. A total of 14 patients (1.32%) died, of whom 7 died of secondary sepsis, 2 died of severe pulmonary infections, 2 died of asphyxia caused by respiratory mucosa shedding-induced airway obstruction, the other 3 died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, respectively.Conclusions:Critical cases in the dermatological ward mainly suffered from serious skin diseases such as severe drug eruptions, connective tissue diseases and bullous skin diseases, as well as complications such as severe underlying diseases, severe organ dysfunction, sepsis or severe fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. In terms of treatment, it is of critical significance to make a clear diagnosis and assess the severity of disease as early as possible, monitor and prevent possible complications, and to consult with specialists in relevant disciplines in time.