Objective To observe the effect of Xingnao Kaiqiao Acupuncture on cognitive impairment post stroke. Methods Fifty-four patients from July, 2013 to December, 2015 with cognitive impairment post stroke were randomly divided into experimental group (accepted Xingnao Kaiqiao Acupuncture and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) and control group (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimula-tion only). They were assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) before and 4 weeks after treatment. Results The scores of MMSE and MoCA improved after treatment in both groups (t>3.52, P<0.01), and improved more in the experimental group than in the control group (t>2.29, P<0.05). Conclusion Xingnao Kaiqiao Acupuncture may further im-proved the recovery of cognitive impairment post stroke based on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Objective To investigate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the expressions of sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (Ntcp) and bile salt export pump (Bsep),as well as the liver function markers in the serum including total bilirubin (TBIL),total bile acids (TBA),alanine aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in mice.Methods One hundred and twenty-eight C57BL/6 mice were intra-peritoneally injected with different doses of 5,10,20 or 40 mg/kg LPS (n =24),respectively.No treatment or treated with 0.9％ NaC1 in mice as controls.Serum TBIL,TBA,ALT and AST levels were measured at 24 h,48 h and 72 h after LPS injection in each group.The mRNA expressions of Ntcp and Bsep were detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).The liver histological sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E).Results The Ntcp and Bsep mRNA expressions in mice liver were significantly lower in livers of LPS-treated mice within 24-72 h compared with control group,and the lowest level was reached at 24 h in a dose-dependent manner.And the relative expressions of Ntcp mRNA and Bsep mRNA were (0.64 ± 0.02),(0.53 ± 0.14),(0.25±0.09),(0.15±0.07)and (0.74±0.12),(0.58±0.11),(0.41±0.09),(0.27 ± ± 0.11) in livers of mice injected with LPS in the different doses of 5,10,20,40 mg/kg,respectively.In addition,serum levels of TBIL,TBA,ALT,and AST were significantly increased in mice of LPS-treated group compared with control group,particularly within 24 h after LPS treatment.Serum levels of TBIL,TBA,ALT,and AST were significantly decreased in mice of 40 mg/kg LPS-treated 72 h group compared with 24 h group presenting them with (1.29 ± 0.25) μ mol/L vs.(1.71 ± 0.22) μ moL/L,(6.97 ± 0.98) μmol/Lvs.(8.96±1.01) μmol/L,(120.17±21.08) U/L vs.(179.22±16.57) U/L,(360.34 ±35.31) U/L vs.(510.97 ± 34.70) U/L,respectively.Furthermore,histological changes in liver depend on dose and the course of LPS treatment.Cytoplasm rarefaction and inflammatory cells infiltration were detected at 24 h after treatment with 5 or 10 mg/kg LPS.Acidophilic and vacuolar degeneration,neutrophils infiltration in the hepatic sinusoid and portal area,the proliferation of bile ductulus were observed at 48 h,72 h after treatment with 5 or 10 mg/kg LPS.In the 20 or 40 mg/kg LPS treatment groups,focal necrosis,infiltration with inflammatory cells,proliferation of bile ductulus and expansion of duct were observed at 24 h,48 h and 72 h after LPS treatment.Conclusions LPS decreases the mRNA expressions of Ntcp and Bsep in a dose dependent manner in mice,contributing to mechanism of liver injury induced by endotoxin.

Objectives To investigate the effects of ethanol on neural development and kainate receptor expression in young mice. Methods Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder model was established by administration of 20% ethanol solu?tion to 7-day-old Kunming mice and control animals received physiological saline (The number of treatment and control were 80 and 40, respectively ). Body weight and general biological features were observed every day. Morris water maze was used to test learning and memory ability. Fluoro-Jade B was used to examine neural cells 24 hours after treatment in additional thirty 7-day-old Kunming mice which were further divided into two groups:a treatment group receiving 20%ethanol solution (n=15) and a control group receiving physiological saline (n=15). The development of neural cells and expression levels of kainite receptors were examined by using immunofluorescence staining. Results The body weight was significantly lighter in treatment group than in control group(control:21.13 ± 1.72g,treatment:13.96 ± 2.98g,P<0.05). Morris test showed that model group had longer latency than control group to find hidden platform(control:21.05± 5.31s,treatment:34.15±3.26s,P<0.05). Spatial probe test revealed that the number of passing through the platform were significantly smaller in model group than in control group(control:2.70 ± 1.25 times,treatment:0.93 ± 0.80 times,P<0.05). Astrocyte development anomaly was evident after ethanol treatment for 7 days. The expression levels of kainite re?ceptor GluR-6 and KA2 were up-regulated in the CA region of the hippocampus after ethanol treatment for 7 days. Con?clusion Kainite receptor GluR-6 and KA2 in CA region of the hippocampus may contribute to ethanol-induced hippo?campal neural development anomaly.

Objective: To investigate the effects of methylprednisolone on STAT3-ERK1/2 signaling pathway in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Methods: The C57BL/6J male mice (8-week-old) were randomly(random number) divided into 4 groups: control group (control), LPS-induced endotoxemia model (LPS), only methylprednisolone (MP) administration group (MP), and intervention group with 2 mg/kg MP (LPS+MP) (n= 8 per group). The wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio of lung tissue, lung pathology by hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining, serum and mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in lungs were determined. The protein levels of p-STAT3 and p-ERK1/2 in lungs were detected by Western blot. Statistical analyses were performed using One-way analysis of variance test to compare among multiple groups. Results: (1)MP treatment significantly decreased the lung W/D weight ratio compared with the LPS group[(3.01±0.84) vs(3.87±0.17), P = 0.038]; (2) The histopathological lesions of the lung were improved in the LPS+MP group compared with the LPS group accompanied with reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and attenuated the alveolar wall thickening; (3) The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the LPS+MP group was significantly decreased compared with the LPS group[(3.17±1.64) pg/mL vs (6.61±1.27) pg/mL, P = 0.003; (1.42±0.35) pg/mL vs (3.80±1.35) pg/mL, P = 0.008, respectively], and the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the LPS+MP group were significantly lower than those of the LPS group [(5.10±0.81) vs (12.2±5.05), P = 0.03; (1.62±1.00) vs (11.12±6.56), P=0.026; respectively]; (4) MP therapy significantly inhibited P-STAT3 and P-ERK1/2 protein levels [(0.26±0.05) vs (0.86±0.06), P < 0.001, (0.24±0.02) vs (1.34±0.32), P < 0.001]. Conclusions Methylprednisolone protects LPS-induced acute lung injury possibly via suppressing STAT3-ERK1/2 signaling pathway and reducing TNF-α and IL-6 expression.

Objective To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of methylprednisolone (MP) on liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).Methods Total of 48 C57BL/6 mice (8-week old) were randomly divided into the control group,LPS-induced endotoxemia model (1 h,2 h,4 h,8 h,24 h,48 h) and intervention group with MP therapy (n =6).Mice were intraperitoneally injected withLPS (20 mg/kg) for indicated time (1 h,2 h,4 h,8 h,24 h,48 h),and MP (20mg/kg) was intraperitonealinjected into micetointervene LPS-induced liver injury.Saline was used as control.Pathological changes of liver tissues were analyzed by hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining.The serum levels of ALT,TBIL and TBA were determined,and the mRNA levels of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β and the protein levels of P62,LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ in livers were detected by real time-PCR and Western-blot.Results (1) MP therapy protects mice against LPS-induced liver injury at the dose of 20 mg (kg · d).The pathological sections showed that the structure of hepatic lobule,the hepatocyte vacuolar degeneration,eosinophilic degeneration were improved in LPS + MP/group compared with LPS group;(2) The serum levels of ALT,TBIL,TBA in LPS + MP group was significantly decreased compared with LPS 48 h group [(63.40 ±11.55) vs.(104.50±29.34) U/L,(0.37 ±0.08) vs.(0.52 ±0.12) μmol/L,(4.67 ±2.58) vs.(10.33 ± 2.34) μmol/L,P =0.009,P =0.032,P ＜ 0.01];(3) The mRNA levels of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β in LPS + MP group was significantly lower than that of LPS 48 h group [(4.18 ±0.81) vs.(10.09 ±4.73),(0.31 ±0.14) vs.(1.06 ±0.68),(0.17 ±0.05) vs.(1.22 ±0.50),respectively,all P ＜0.05];(4) LPS activated autophagy within 2h after LPS treatment.Then,autophagy was suppressed from 2h to 24h after LPS treatment indicated as the decreased expression of LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ.Interestingly,MP treatment significantly reversed LPS-suppressed autophagy showing that the protein level of LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly increased in LPS + MP group compared with LPS 48 h group.Conclusions MP therapy protects mice against LPS-induced liver injury and inflammation,partially due to activation of autophagy in livers.

Objective:To translate the English version of Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory-Female (SIDI-F) into Chinese, evaluate its reliability, validity and the proper cut-off point of diagnosis of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in China.Methods:Chinese version of SIDI-F was developed and 96 healthy women from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 in Taihe Hospital, Shiyan City, Hubei Province were selected to fill in the Chinese version of SIDI-F and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Next, analyzed the reliability, validity and the cut-off point of diagnosis of HSDD of the SIDI-F.Results:The Cronbach coefficient of the Chinese version of SIDI-F was 0.931, split-half reliability was 0.922, the intra-group correlation coefficient was 0.805. Analysis of content validity of the SIDI-F indicated that the average of scale-level content validity index was 1.00, the item-level content validity index was 1.00, and the Pearson correlation coefficient between the score of SIDI-F and the erotica score of the FSFI (FSFI-D) was 0.802. Factor analysis of the Chinese version of SIDI-F showed good construct validity. The area under ROC was 0.835. With the SIDI-F score and the best cut-off point of 26.5, Youden index was the largest, at 0.635. The validity indicators were 76.7% for sensitivity, 86.8% for specificity, 5.95 for positive likelihood ratio.Conclusions:The Chinese version of SIDI-F has high reliability and validity in Chinese population, and these show 26.5 point can be used as the best cut-off value of diagnose HSDD.

Objective To investigate the pathogenesis of type-B aortic dissection by using morphological analysis and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, so as to provide evidence for the effective prediction of type-B aortic dissection. Methods Six primary type-B dissection cases scanned by CT (dissection group) and six normal cases applied to black-blood MRI (control group) were included in this study and patient-specific three-dimensional (3D) models of aorta were established through image segmentation and 3D reconstruction. The pre-type-B dissection aortas were constructed by applying the scaling algorithm to shrink the dissection and then compared with subjects in control group. The differences between morphological parameters and hemodynamic parameters of the two groups were compared. Results Compared with the normal cases, the area of the descending aorta increased dramatically in dissection group ［(892.03±263.78) mm2 vs (523.67±64.10) mm2, P=0.036］. A significant decrease in angle of the left subclavian artery occurred (66.62°±20.11° vs 100.40°±15.35°, P=0.036). The tortuosity of the aorta also had an obvious increase (0.37°±0.07° vs 0.21°±0.51°, P=0.011). The time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) in dissection group was obviously higher than that in control group; the flow in the dissection region was vortex flow at low speed and the oscillating shear index (OSI) was higher. Conclusions The results of this study can be used to provide guidance for the early diagnosis and treatment of type-B aortic dissection.