Objective:A subunit vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 variant was prepared by prokaryotic expression system and its immunogenicity was evaluated.Methods:The recombinant plasmid of BA.2 variant RBD and the tandem of RBD and TT-P2 epitopes was constructed by molecular cloning technology, and recombinant proteins So and Sot were obtained by protein purification technology. Mice were immunized by intramuscular injection after mixing protein So/Sot as immunogens with Al(OH) 3 adjuvant to evaluate the effect of cellular and humoral immunity. Results:High purity soluble protein were obtained by dialysis and renaturation after expressed by prokaryotic system. The number of antigen-specific T lymphocytes secreting IFN-γ and IL-4 (213.7±0.6 and 311.7±1.5) in the Sot group induced by mice was significantly higher than that in the So group (94.3±16.8 and 185.7±4.2) ( P<0.001). The serum antibody level induced by Sot group was higher than that in the So group, the geometric mean titer (GMT) of neutralizing antibodies against BA.2 strain were 588 and 337, respectively ( P<0.05). Sot protein induced Th1/Th2 mixed type immune response with the predominance of Th2 type. Conclusions:The protein subunit vaccine expressed by the prokaryotic system have excellent cellular and humoral immunogenicity, which provides a strong theoretical basis for the development of the protein subunit vaccines of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity of BA.2 variant receptor binding domain (RBD) recombinant protein formulated with CpG 1826 plus alum dual adjuvant. METHODS: The BA.2 variant RBD (residues 308-548) fusing TT-P ₂ epitope was obtained from prokaryotic expression system, purification technology and dialysis renaturation, which was designated as Sot protein. The soluble Sot protein formulated with CpG 1826 plus alum dual adjuvant was designated as Sot/CA subunit vaccine and then the BALB/c mice were intramuscularly administrated with two doses of the Sot/CA subunit vaccine at 14-day interval (day 0 and 14). On day 28, the number of effector T lymphocytes secreting IFN-γ and IL-4 in mice spleen were determined by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay. The serum IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, the level of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) induced by Sot/CA subunit vaccine was also evaluated by the microneutralization assay. RESULTS: The high-purity soluble Sot protein with antigenicity was successfully obtained by the prokaryotic expression, protein purification and dialysis renaturation. The Sot/CA subunit vaccine induced a high level of IgG antibodies and NAbs, which were of cross-neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 and XBB.1.5 variants. Meanwhile, Sot/CA subunit vaccine also induced a high level of effector T lymphocytes secreting IFN-γ (635.00 ± 17.62) and IL-4 (279.20 ± 13.10), respectively. Combined with a decreased IgG1/IgG2a ratio in the serum, which indicating Sot/CA subunit vaccine induced a Th1-type predominant immune response. CONCLUSION The Sot protein formulated with CpG 1826 plus alum dual adjuvant showed that the excellent cellular and humoral immunogenicity, which provided a scientific basis for the development of BA.2 variant subunit vaccines and references for the adjuvant application of subunit vaccines.
Animals ; COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology* ; Alum Compounds/pharmacology* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Vaccines, Subunit/immunology* ; Mice ; SARS-CoV-2/immunology* ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides/administration & dosage* ; Female ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; COVID-19/immunology* ; Antibodies, Viral/blood* ; Immunogenicity, Vaccine ; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology* ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood* ; Adjuvants, Vaccine ; Immunoglobulin G/blood*

Electroacupuncture treatment of primary insomnia is widely used and with confirmed efficacy. The factors influencing the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture include waveform selection, treatment frequency, stimulation intensity, stimulation time and acupoint selection. The mechanism of electroacupuncture in treating this disease mainly includes regulating the levels of excitatory neurotransmitters, γ-aminobutyric acid, melatonin and interleukin cytokines.

The nuclear receptor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha(HNF4α)plays a critical role in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis,including glucose homeostasis.Sulfotransferases(SULTs)catalyze the transfer of a sulfate group from 3-phosphoadenosine 5-phosphosulfate(PAPS)to an acceptor molecule.Sulfonation plays an essential role in regulating the chemical and functional homeostasis of endogenous and exogenous molecules.Among SULTs,the cholesterol sulfotransferase 2B1b(SULT2B1b)preferentially catalyzes the sulfoconjugation of cholesterol and oxysterols to form cholesterol sulfate and oxysterol sulfates.Hepatic gluconeogenesis represents a critical component of energy metabolism.Although there have been reviews on the regulation of glucose homeostasis by HNF4α,the interplay between HNF4α and SULT2B1b in hepatic glucose homeostasis remains scattered.In this review,we intend to provide an overview on how HNF4α functionally cross-talks with SULT2B1b to regulate hepatic glucose homeostasis and whether the HNF4α-SULT2B1b axis represents a novel therapeutic target for the management of metabolic liver disease and metabolic syndrome.

Objective To evaluate the dyssynchrony of left ventricle in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD) by two-dimensional strain echocardiography (2-DS). Methods The myocardium of left ventricle of 33 patients with CAD and 30 nomal controls were detected by 2-DS. The time from onset QRS complexes to peak systolic longitudinal strain(Ts) and the standard deviation of Ts of 18 left ventricular segments (Ts-SD)were measured. Results There were 168 segments whose flow was provided by coronary artery with stenosis≤75% ,210 segments whose flow was provided by coronary artery with stenosis 75 %. ①Ts was delayed significantly and Ts-SD was obviously higher in patients with stenosis≥75% when compared with the control group. ②Ts was delayed and Ts-SD was higher in patients with stenosis≥75% compared with those whose stenosis was ≤75%. ③There were no statistical differences in Ts and Ts-SD between the patients with stenosis ≤75% and the control group. ④When left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony was defined as Ts-SD≥33.0 ms, there were 22 patients with systolic dyssynchrony of all 26 patients whose coronary artery stenosis≥75%, there were no patient with systolic dyssynchrony of all 7 patients whose stenosis ≤75%. Conclusions Although there are no evident regional wall motion abnormalities by routine echocardiography,in patients with severe coronary artery stenosis,2-DS can detect exactly the dyssynchrony of left ventricle.

The present study evaluated the application of three dimensional echocardigraphy (3DE) in the diagnosis of atrial septal defect (ASD) and the measurement of its size by 3DE and compared the size with surgical findings. Two-dimensional and real-time three dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) was performed in 26 patients with atrial septal defect, and the echocardiographic data were compared with the surgical findings. Significant correlation was found between defect diameter by RT3DE and that measured during surgery (r=0.77, P<0.001). The defect area changed significantly during cardiac cycle. Percentage change in defect size during cardiac cycle ranged from 6%-70%. Our study showed that the size and morphology of atrial septal defect obtained with RT3DE correlate well with surgical findings. Therefore, RT3DE is a feasible and accurate non-invasive imaging tool for assessment of atrial septal size and dynamic changes.
Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/*diagnosis ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/*pathology ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/surgery ; Young Adult

The present study evaluated the application of three dimensional echocardigraphy (3DE) in the diagnosis of atrial septal defect (ASD) and the measurement of its size by 3DE and compared the size with surgical findings.Two-dimensional and real-time three dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) was performed in 26 patients with atrial septal defect,and the echocardiographic data were compared with the surgical findings.Significant correlation was found between defect diameter by RT3DE and that measured during surgery (r=0.77,P<0.001).The defect area changed significantly during cardiac cycle.Percentage change in defect size during cardiac cycle ranged from 6%-70%.Our study showed that the size and morphology of atrial septal defect obtained with RT3DE correlate well with surgical findings.Therefore,RT3DE is a feasible and accurate non-invasive imaging tool for assessment of atrial septal size and dynamic changes.

city on the systolic function of left ventricular subendocardial myocardium, and early monitor the epirubicin-induced cardiotoxic-ity.