OBJECTIVES: To investigate the regulatory effect of LINC00837/miR-671-5p/SERPINE2 functional axis on pathological processes of fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: RA-FLS were transfected with a LINC00837 overexpression plasmid (pcDNA3.1-LINC00837), a LINC00837 interference plasmid (siRNA-LINC00837), or their respective negative control plasmids (pcDNA3.1-NC and siRNA-NC). Dual luciferase was used to verify the targeting relationship between LINC00837 and miR-671-5p and between miR-671-5p and SERPINE2. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of LINC00837, miR-671-5p and SERPINE2 in normal FLS or the transfected cells, whose proliferation and migration abilities were assessed using Edu assay and scratch healing assay and by detecting the expression levels of Ki-67, PCNA, E-cadherin and N-cadherin with Western blotting. The changes in cellular secretion of the inflammatory cytokines (TNF‑α, IL-17, IL-4 and IL-10) were examined using ELISA. RESULTS: Dual luciferase reporter gene assay showed that LINC00837 was capable of binding to the 3'-UTR of miR-671-5p, and the latter bound to the 3-UTR of SERPINE2 at specific binding sites between them. Compared with normal FLS, RA-FLS showed significantly increased expressions of LINC00837 and SERPINE2, lowered miR-671-5p expression and enhanced proliferation and migration abilities with increased expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced expressions of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Transfection of RA-FLS with pcDNA-LINC00837 further enhanced cell proliferation and migration and the changes in the inflammatory cytokines, while transfection with si-LINC00837 produced the opposite changes. CONCLUSIONS RA-FLS have a LINC00837/miR-671-5p/SERPINE2 functional axis, which regulates cell proliferation, migration and secretion of inflammatory factors, and interventions targeting LINC00837 may provide a potential strategy to regulate the pathological processes in RA-FLS.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Humans ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Movement ; Synovial Membrane/pathology* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Synoviocytes/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Transfection

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of cortical morphology in children with attention defi-cit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and those with oppositional defiant disorder(ODD)from both categorical and dimensional analyses.Methods:A total of 72 children were enrolled,including 16 children with ADHD and ODD,20 children with ADHD without ODD,and 36 age-gender-matched normal children.The diagnoses were made ac-cording to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fourth Edition(DSM-Ⅳ)criteria.The Chi-nese Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children(C-WISC)was used to access intelligence quotient.All subjects par-ticipated in the magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)scan.The features of cortical morphology were determined using FreeSurfer software.Results:Children with ADHD and ODD[(6 528.1±857.5)mm3 vs.(7 591.2±657.3)]and children with ADHD only[(6 867.2±41.3)mm3 vs.(7 591.2±657.3)mm3]had smaller volume in the left later-al superior temporal gyrus(P＜0.05)than controls.No difference was found between ADHD with ODD group and ADHD without ODD group.There was no correlation between the cortical volume of left lateral superior temporal gyrus and ODD symptoms.Conclusion:The reduced cortical volume of left lateral superior temporal gyrus may be an important indication of the abnormal brain structure of ADHD in children.And comorbid status of ODD dose not change this structural variation.

Objective:To investigate the co-infection and phylogenetic analysis of human rhinovirus (HRV) in 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) positive samples.Methods:Ten common respiratory viruses, including HRV were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 7 213 samples of 2019-nCoV positive cases and the co-infection characteristics were analyzed. The VP4/VP2 gene fragment of HRV was amplified and sequenced.Phylogenetic trees were constructed.Results:HRV accounted for 1.34% of the 2019-nCoV positive samples (97/7 213), followed by common coronavirus (0.50%, 36/7 213). The co-infection rate of HRV in 2019-nCoV positive samples was significantly different from that of other viruses ( χ2=318.09, P<0.001). There was significant difference in HRV co-infection rate among different age groups ( χ2=36.77, P<0.001), the peak was in<18 years age group. The co-infection rate of HRV had no significant difference in different seasons. The VP4/VP2 gene fragments of 39 HRV strains (40.21%, 39/97) were successfully sequenced and made phylogenetic analysis. There were 10 strains of HRV-A, 9 strains of HRV-B and 20 strains of HRV-C. Seventeen subtypes were identified, of which B6 (66.67%, 6/9) and C15 (70%, 14/20) were the most prevalent and other subtypes were scattered. Conclusions:The co-infection rate of HRV in patients with 2019-nCoV infection was the highest. The highest co-infection rate was in<18 years age group. Group A, B, and C of HRV were found in 2019-nCoV positive samples, and serotypes present diversity.

Objective To investigate the relationship between nestin expression and microvessel density(MVD)and its value as a potential prognostic marker of glioblastoma(GBM).Methods A retrospective trial was conducted on 50 GBM patients undergoing craniotomy under general an-esthesia in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from March 2020 to March 2023.According to the median nestin H score(Nestin staining intensity × percentage of positive cells),they were divided into H score ≥80.0 group(28 cases)and H score＜80.0 group(22 cases).After 2 years of follow-up,they were also divided into a death group(23 cases)and a survival group(27 cases).The expression of nestin was determined by immunohistochemical staining,and MVD was quantified by von Willebrand factor(vWF)and CD105 immunohistochem-ical staining.Spearman rank test was used to analyze the correlation between nestin expression level and MVD formation,multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was em-ployed to identify the influencing factors for overall survival in the GBM patients,and Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted to analyze the 2-year survival rate of the patients.Results The nestin H score was positively correlated with vWF-MVD(Rho=0.701,P＜0.01)and CD105-MVD(Rho=0.753,P＜0.01).There were no significant differences between the H score ≥80.0 group and the H score＜80.0 group in terms of gender,age,isocitric dehydrogenase-1 mutation,tumor site,tumor location,brain necrosis,tumor volume,edema volume,preoperative Karnofsky Performance Status score,and extent of tumor resection(P＞0.05).The survival group had larger proportions of isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 mutation and maximal resection,and lower nestin H score than the death group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Cox proportional hazards regression showed that partial resection/biopsy(HR=4.781,95％CI:2.066-11.060,P=0.001)and increased nestin H score(HR=1.007,95％CI:1.001-1.013,P=0.032)were independent influencing factors for worsening overall survival in the GBM patients.Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis indicated that the cumulative survival rate was lower in the H score ≥80.0 group than the H score＜80.0 group(log rank x2=8.147,P=0.004).Conclusion Nestin overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in GBM patients,indicating more microangiogenesis,which may be a therapeutic target for GBM patients.

Objective:To investigate the role of CD8 + T cells in lethal Plasmodium yoelii 17XL ( Py 17XL) infection. Methods:BALB/c mice and C57BL/6 mice were infected with Py 17XL-infected red blood cells (1×10 6 cells/0.1 ml) through intraperitoneal injection to establish the mouse models of Py 17XL infection. Parasitemia (the percentage of erythrocytes infected with Py 17XL) and the survival rates of the mice was observed dynamically. Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of effector T cells (T EFF) and central memory T cells (T CM) of CD8 + T cell subpopulations, the expression of IFN-γ and granzyme B (GB) levels, and the expression of surface chemokine receptors CXCR3, CXCR6 and CX3CR1. FTY720 blocking experiment was conducted on Py 17XL-infected C57BL/6 mice to analyze the impact of CD8 + T cell migration on Py 17XL infection. Results:The parasitemia of BALB/c mice increased rapidly 5 d after infection and reached the peak on 8 d [(79.57±3.82)%]. Besides, the parasitemia was higher in BALB/c mice than in C57BL/6 mice 5-8 d after infection ( P<0.000 1). All BALB/c mice died on 9 d. The parasitemia of C57BL/6 mice reached the peak on 14 d [(48.19±3.19)%] and then decreased to 0 on 26 d. There was statistically significant difference in the survival rate between the two groups ( P<0.000 1). Flow cytometry results showed that compared with the BALB/c mice, the absolute number of CD8 + T cells in spleen and liver tissues and the number of CD8 + T EFF and CD8 + T CM cells in spleen and lymph nodes of C57BL/6 mice increased significantly ( P<0.05). Compared with the BALB/c mice, the levels of GB, IFN-γ and chemokines expressed by CD8 + T cells in spleen and liver tissues of C57BL/6 mice increased significantly ( P<0.05). The FTY720 blocking experiment showed that the survival rate, the absolute number of CD8 + T cells in liver and spleen, and the number of CD8 + CXCR3 + T cells decreased significantly in the experimental group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:CD8 + T EFF and CD8 + T CM cells contribute to resistance against Py 17XL infection by secreting GB and IFN-γ. The chemokine receptor CXCR3 plays an important role in mediating the chemotaxis of CD8 + T cells to spleen and liver.

Objective To establish a reference interval for the pepsinogen(PG)Ⅰ,PGⅡ and PGⅠ/PGⅡ in healthy adult subjects in Zhejiang Province.Methods The data of 45 504 healthy adult subjects were collected,and the levels of serum PGⅠ and PG Ⅱ were detected by chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay.The reference range of PGs were determined according to the CLSI-C28-A3 file.Results The median serum PGⅠ concentration in male was 132.62μg/L,PGⅡ concentration was 8.10μg/L,and PGⅠ/PGⅡ was 15.9.For females,they were 107.44μg/L,6.96μg/L and 15.0,respectively.PGI,PGⅡ concentration and PGⅠ/PGⅡ ratio were significantly higher in males than in females(P<0.001).The levels of PGⅠ and PGⅡ increased with age(P<0.001).Serum PGⅠ reference interval for male:59.79-234.97μg/L for 19-39 years old,63.33-294.62μg/L for 40-59 years old,64.25-333.61μg/L for≥60 years old,PGⅡ reference interval:3.33-22.60μg/L for 19-39 years of age,3.79-33.89μg/L for 40-59 years of age,4.15-42.08μg/L for≥60 years of age,PGⅠ/PGⅡ reference interval:those aged 19-39 years ranged from 7.3 to 31.4,those aged 40-59 years ranged from 5.8 to 30.9,and those aged≥60 years ranged from 3.9 to 30.7.The reference intervals of female PGⅠ were 48.79-215.68μg/L,52.10-276.01μg/L,and 64.34-317.20μg/L,respectively.The reference intervals of female PgⅡwere:2.87-23.93μg/L,3.41-33.31μg/L and 3.88-39.16μg/L,respectively.The reference intervals of of female PGⅠ/PGⅡ are 6.6-28.1,5.2-27.9 and 3.6-26.2.Conclusion This study determined the reference range of serum PGs deficiency in healthy subjects of different sex and age in Zhejiang Province.

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the effect of enhanced external counterpulsation(EECP)on left ventricular function in elderly patients with coronary slow flow phenomenon(CSFP)using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography(2D-STE).Methods:This prospective case-control study included 30 patients aged ≥60 years with no stenotic lesions in the coronary arteries but with slow blood flow phenomenon in more than one major coronary artery who were treated at the Department of Geriatrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, between December 2017 and December 2018, and were divided into a medication group with 16 participants and a medication plus EECP group with 14 participants, using the numerical lottery method.Patients in the group treated with EECP received 6-week 36-h EECP therapy in addition to lifestyle modification and drug treatment.Fourteen patients with normal coronary blood flow served as the control group.Conventional echocardiography and 2D-STE were used to evaluate changes in left ventricular function in the CSF patients before and after drug treatment and EECP.Results:Compared with the control group before treatment, patients in the drug treatment group and the drug treatment plus EECP group showed a decrease in mitral annular early diastolic velocity( P<0.01), an increase in the ratio of peak mitral early diastolic blood flow velocity to the mean peak mitral annular early diastolic velocity( P<0.05), and a decrease in left ventricular longitudinal strain during systole( P<0.01), the longitudinal systolic myocardial strain rate( P<0.01)and the early diastolic longitudinal peak strain rate( P<0.01).There was no statistically significant difference in values from conventional echocardiographic parameters before and after treatment in CSF patients of the medication group(all P>0.05).In the group receiving EECP, there were statistically significant differences in pre-and post-treatment values in ventricular septal early diastolic velocity[(6.22 ± 0.64)cm/s vs.(6.69 ± 0.44)cm/s], lateral wall early diastolic velocity[(8.01±0.68)cm/s vs.(8.41±0.29)cm/s], mitral valve to mitral annulus early diastolic peak velocity ratio[(10.51±1.38) vs.(9.74±0.37)], longitudinal left ventricular systolic strain[(-16.21±0.46)% vs.(-16.80±0.48)%], left ventricular systolic longitudinal strain rate[(-1.29±0.03)s -1vs.(-1.35±0.04)s -1], and early diastolic longitudinal strain rate[(1.35±0.03)s -1vs.(1.40±0.03)s -1](t-values were -3.70、-2.74、2.23、10.25、12.30、-19.15, all P<0.05). Conclusions:2D-STE can evaluate subclinical myocardial dysfunction early and quantitatively in elderly patients with CSF, and objectively reflect changes in left ventricular function before and after clinical intervention with EECP.

Objective:To observe the effects of overexpression of polypyrimidine tract binding protein-associated splicing factor (PSF) on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) oxidative stress damage of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hRMEC) under high concentration of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE).Methods:The logarithmic growth phase hRMEC cultured in vitro was divided into normal group, simple 4-HNE treatment group (simple 4-HNE group), empty plasmid combined with 4-HNE treatment group (Vec+4-HNE group), and PSF high expression combined with 4-HNE treatment group (PSF+4-HNE group). In 4-HNE group, Vec+4-HNE group, and PSF+4-HNE group cell culture medium, 10 μmol/L 4-HNE was added and stimulated for 12 hours. Subsequently, the Vec+4-HNE group and PSF+4-HNE group were transfected with transfection reagent liposome 2000 into pcDNA empty bodies and pcDNA-PSF eukaryotic expression plasmids, respectively, for 24 hours. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of 4-HNE and PSF on cell apoptosis. The effect of PSF overexpression on the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hRMEC was detected by 2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein double Acetate probe. Western blot was used to detect ER oxide protein 1 (Ero-1), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), C/EBP homologous transcription factor (CHOP), glucose regulatory protein (GRP) 78, protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK)/phosphorylated PERK (p-PERK), and Eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 2α/the relative expression levels of phosphorylated eIF (peIF) and activated transcription factor 4 (ATF4) proteins in hRMEC of normal group, 4-HNE group, Vec+4-HNE group, and PSF+4-HNE group. Single factor analysis of variance was performed for inter group comparison.Results:The apoptosis rates of the simple 4-HNE group, Vec+4-HNE group, and PSF+4-HNE group were (22.50±0.58)%, (26.93±0.55)%, and (11.70±0.17)%, respectively. The intracellular ROS expression levels were 0.23±0.03, 1.60±0.06, and 0.50±0.06, respectively. The difference in cell apoptosis rate among the three groups was statistically significant ( F=24.531, P<0.05). The expression level of ROS in the Vec+4-HNE group was significantly higher than that in the simple 4-HNE group and the PSF+4-HNE group, with a statistically significant difference ( F=37.274, P<0.05). The relative expression levels of ER Ero-1 and PDI proteins in the normal group, simple 4-HNE group, Vec+4-HNE group, and PSF+4-HNE group were 1.25±0.03, 0.45±0.03, 0.63±0.03, 1.13±0.09, and 1.00±0.10, 0.27±0.10, 0.31±0.05, and 0.80±0.06, respectively. The relative expression levels of CHOP and GRP78 proteins were 0.55±0.06, 1.13±0.09, 0.90±0.06, 0.48±0.04 and 0.48±0.04, 1.25±0.03, 1.03±0.09, 0.50±0.06, respectively. The relative expression levels of Ero-1 ( F=43.164), PDI ( F=36.643), CHOP ( F=42.855), and GRP78 ( F=45.275) proteins in four groups were compared, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Four groups of cells ER p-pERK/pERK ( F=35.755), peIF2 α/ The relative expression levels of eIF ( F=38.643) and ATF4 ( F=31.275) proteins were compared, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:PSF can inhibit cell apoptosis and ROS production induced by high concentration of 4-HNE, and its mechanism is closely related to restoring the homeostasis of ER and down-regulating the activation level of PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common malignant tumor of head and neck. Screening of target genes for malignant tumor therapy is one of the focuses of cancer research, with proto-oncogene and tumor suppressor gene as the breakthrough. It has become an urgent need to find the target gene related to the treatment and prognosis of LSCC.This study aims to explore the role of Lin28B and C-myc in LSCC by detecting the expressions of these two proteins and analyze the correlation between the expression of Lin28B and C-myc and clinicopathological features and prognosis of LSCC. METHODS: We detected the expression of Lin28B and C-myc proteins in 102 specimens of LSCC and 90 specimens of adjacent tissues by immunochemistry, and analyzed the correlation between Lin28B and C-myc protein expressions in LSCC as well as the correlation between the expressions of the two proteins and the clinicopathological features of LSCC. At the same time, the Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the relation between Lin28B and C-myc protein levels with the postoperative survival rate of LSCC patients. RESULTS: The protein levels of Lin28B and C-myc in the LSCC tissnes were significantly higher than those in the adjacent tissues (both P<0.05),and there was a positive correlation between the expression of Lin28B and C-myc in LSCC (r＝0.476, P<0.05). The expression of Lin28B protein was closely related to age, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, tumor size, and pathological differentiation of LSCC patients (all P<0.05). while the expression of C-myc protein was closely related to lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, tumor size, and pathological differentiation of LSCC patients (all P<0.05). A relevant survival analysis showed that in patients with higher level of Lin28B (P＝0.001) or C-myc protein (P<0.001), the postoperative survival rate was relatively low. CONCLUSIONS Lin28B and C-myc proteins are highly expressed in LSCC with a positive correlation. Furthermore, they are closely related to lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, tumor size, pathological differentiation and prognosis, suggesting that both Lin28B and C-myc might be involved in the occurrence and development of LSCC.
Humans ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/metabolism* ; Laryngeal Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism* ; RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics*

Objective:To investigate the epidemic characteristics of influenza in children and the features of severe influenza.Methods:From January 2016 to September 2022, 1 600 samples from hospitalized cases of severe acute respiratory tract infection and 7 660 samples from outpatients with influenza-like illness were collected. Influenza virus was detected by real-time RT-PCR. Other respiratory viruses in the samples of severe hospitalized cases and some samples of outpatients were detected. Clinical features of influenza virus infection and co-infection were analyzed.Results:The positive rate of influenza virus in the 1 600 hospitalized cases of severe acute respiratory infection was 6.63% (106 cases). H1N1, H3N2, BV and BY were deteted in 49.06% (52 cases), 17.92% (19 cases), 29.25% (31 cases) and 3.77% (4 cases) of the 106 cases, respectively. The positive rate of influenza virus in the 7 660 out-patient cases was 15.01% (1 150 cases), and H1N1, H3N2, BV and BY were detected in 22.17% (255 cases), 30.96% (356 cases), 41.39% (476 cases) and 5.48% (63 cases) of the infected cases, respectively. Influenza A (H1N1) virus was more likely to cause severe influenza in children (χ 2=37.978, P<0.001), while seasonal H3N2 and BV strains were less likely to cause severe influenza in children (χ 2=7.871, P=0.005; χ 2=5.948, P=0.015). There was no statistically significant difference in the positive rates of BY lineage in the two groups. Severe influenza mainly occured in the peak season of influenza epidemic. There was no significant difference in the clinical manifestations between the children infected with the four different influenza viruses. In the 106 severe cases of influenza, the co-infection rate of influenza virus with other respiratory viruses was 17.92% (19 cases), while the co-infection rate reached 34.81% (47 cases) in 135 outpatient cases of influenza. The difference in the co-infection rates was statistically significant between outpatient and hospitalized cases (χ 2=10.734, P=0.001). Conclusions:Influenza A (H1N1) virus was more likely to cause severe influenza in infants and young children in comparison with seasonal H3N2 and BV. There was no significant difference in the clinical features of influenza caused by H1N1, H3N2, BV and BY. Co-infection of influenza virus with other respiratory viruses is not a major risk factor for severe influenza in infants.