Objective To investigate the roles and mechanism of deoxycholic acid(DCA)in mediating the neuroinflammatory responses induced by hypobaric hypoxia.Methods C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into thecontrol group(Con),tauroursodeoxycholic acid(TUDCA)group,hypoxia group(Hyp)and hypoxia+TUDCA group(Hyp+TUDCA).The mice were exposed in a hypoxic chamber for 48 h,which could mimic the high altitude environment.The levels of total bile acids(BA),lithocholic acid(LCA)and deoxycholic acid(DCA)in the serum and colon of mice were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),so were levels of DCA in the cortex,hippocampus and hypothalamus.The role of DCA in inducing neuroinflammation and IL-1β and TNF-α expressions was evaluated by knocking down the DCA receptor,farnesoid X receptor(FXR)in the N9 microglial cells and by administrating TUDCA to mice followed by hypoxia exposure.Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the activation of microglia and expression levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the cortex of mice in each group.Results Hypoxia exposure increased DCA levels in the colon,serum and cortex.Under the same conditions,cortical microglia were activated,along with the elevation of IL-1β and TNF-α levels.DCA treatment increased the expression levels of FXR,IL-1β and TNF-α in N9 microglial cells.Knocking down the expression level of FXR inhibited DCA-induced IL-1β and TNF-α expressions in N9 cells.Furthermore,administration of TUDCA inhibited microglial activation and elevation of IL-1β in the cortex induced by hypoxia.Conclusion DCA can serve as a mediator in neuroinflammation by activating FXR in the cortex under hypoxia exposure.TUDCA administration can be used to mitigate neuroinflammation induced by hypoxia.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the protective effect of α-lipoic acid(α-LA)against alcohol-induced damage in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes and to explore the underlying mechanisms.METHODS:An alcohol-induced injury model of H9c2 cells was established,and the cells were divided into 4 groups:control group,alcohol group,α-LA group,and alcohol+α-LA group.Additionally,H9c2 cells overexpressing aldehyde dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2)were cre-ated and further divided into 6 groups:normal control group,normal cells treated with alcohol group,normal cells treated with alcohol+α-LA group,ALDH2 overexpression group,ALDH2-overexpressing cardiomyocytes treated with alcohol group,and ALDH2-overexpressing cardiomyocytes treated with alcohol+α-LA group.Cell proliferation was assessed using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU)staining.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in each group were measured using di-hydroethidium(DHE)staining,while the expression levels of ALDH2,silent information regulator 1(SIRT1),heme oxy-genase 1(HO1)and P53 proteins were detected by Western blot analysis.RESULTS:(1)Alcohol exposure resulted in a decrease in the proliferation of H9c2 cells and an increase in intracellular oxidative stress,evidenced by elevated ROS levels and decreased expression of related proteins(ALDH2,SIRT1 and HO1).However,α-LA treatment significantly mitigated the decline in cell proliferation and the oxidative stress induced by alcohol.(2)Alcohol may induce cellular se-nescence,as demonstrated by the up-regulation of P53 expression,which were reversed by α-LA.(3)The H9c2 cells with high ALDH2 expression markedly improved the cell proliferation in the presence of alcohol,suppressed the ROS pro-duction,prevented the down-regulation of oxidative stress-related proteins(ALDH2,SIRT1 and HO1),and reversed the enhanced expression of the senescence marker P53.CONCLUSION:Treatment with α-LA may counteract oxidative stress and attenuate cellular senescence by activating ALDH2,thereby protecting cardiomyocytes from alcohol-induced damage.

Objective To establish the therapeutic effect prediction model of platelet transfusion in hematological patients,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and clinical cases are used to evaluate the clinical application value of the predic-tion model.Methods A total of 485 patients with hematological diseases who received platelet transfusion therapy in Kailuan General Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023 were selected,corrected count increment(CCI)was used to divide the patients into platelet transfusion effective group(n=340)and transfusion ineffective group(n=145).Multivariate Logistic regres-sion analysis was used to establish the prediction model of platelet infusion efficacy,and ROC curve was used to evaluate the application effect of the forcasting model.109 clinical cases were used to verify the practical application effect of the model,and the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy were calculated.Results Among 485 patients with hematological diseases,the incidence of ineffective platelet transfusion was 29.90%(145/485).Compated with the effective group,the ineffective group had more previous platelet transfusions was higher,and the difference was statistically significant(t=-4.435,P<0.05).In the ineffective group,there were more cases of hyperplenism,aplastic anemia and lymphoma,higher infection rate and higher positive rate of platelet antibody,and the differences were statistically significant(χ2=6.301～37.522,all P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regres-sion analysis found that previous platelet infusion times,infection,leukemia,aplastic anemia and platelet antibodies were risk factors for ineffective platelet transfusion in patients with hematological diseases(Wald χ2=5.224～21.548,all P<0.05).Based on these risk factors,platelet infusion effect prediction models 1 and 2 were constructed.ROC curve was used to evaluate the application effect of the prediction model.The area under the curve(AUC),cut-offpoint,sensitivity and specificity of model 1 were 0.884,0.042,82.35%,88.89%.The AUC,cut-offpoint,corresponding sensitivity and specificity of prediction model 2 were 0.910,59.784,81.18%,94.44%,respectively.The Z values of model 1 and model 2 were 12.159 and 13.151,respectively.The prediction effect of model 2 was better than that of model 1.The actual application results showed that the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of prediction model 1,2 were 85.71%,92.05%,90.89%and 90.48%,93.18%,92.66%,respectively.Conclusion The ineffective rate of platelet transfusion in hematological patients is relatively high.The prediction models 1 and 2 for platelet transfusion effectiveness have good results in predicting ineffective platelet transfusion,and prediction model 2 is better than pre-diction model 1,which can provide reliable basis for hematological patients on accurate platelet transfusion.

Objective:To investigate expressions of LDHA,CD56 and NKG2D in liver cancer tissues,and to further explore effects and correlations of Bufalin(BF)on LDHA and NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:Immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to detect differential expressions of LDHA and NK cell specific molecular markers CD56 and NKG2D in 91 postoperative paraffin pathological specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma,as well as correlation between these markers in cancer and adjacent tissues.A Hepa1-6 subcutaneous tumor bearing hepatocellular carcinoma model was constructed by C57BL/6 mice and randomly divide into Control(Ctrl)group,BF+Pyruvic acid(BF+PA)group,Oxamate(OX)group,BF group,with 5 mice per group.Growth rate and volume of subcutaneous tumors were observed;IHC was used to detect expressions of LDHA and mouse NK cell specific molecular markers NK1.1 and NKG2D in tumors of each group of mice;ELISA was used to detect concentrations of perforin,TNF-α and IFN-γ in serum of mice in each group.Results:LDHA was highly expressed in human liver cancer tissues(P<0.001),while CD56 and NKG2D were highly expressed in adjacent tissues(P<0.001);LDHA expression was negatively correlated with CD56(r=-0.529 8,P<0.000 1)and NKG2D(r=-0.320 1,P<0.001);CD56 expression was positively correlated with NKG2D(r=0.612 2,P<0.000 1).Subcutaneous tumor experiment of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma showed that compared with Ctrl group and BF+PA group,subcutaneous tumor growth rate of OX group and BF group slowed down and showed a trend of tumor reduction;IHC detection showed that compared with Control group,LDHA expression in BF group was significantly downregulated(P<0.01),NK1.1 and NKG2D expressions were significantly increased(P<0.000 1);ELISA showed that compared with Ctrl group,LDHA in serum of BF group increased perforin,TNF-α,IFN-γ expressions(P<0.000 1),and enhanced NK cell killing ability.Conclusion:BF can inhibit LDHA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and increase infiltration rate of NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues,which may enhance killing ability of NK cells in tumor microenvironment and inhibit growth of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective:To investigate expressions of LDHA,CD56 and NKG2D in liver cancer tissues,and to further explore effects and correlations of Bufalin(BF)on LDHA and NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:Immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to detect differential expressions of LDHA and NK cell specific molecular markers CD56 and NKG2D in 91 postoperative paraffin pathological specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma,as well as correlation between these markers in cancer and adjacent tissues.A Hepa1-6 subcutaneous tumor bearing hepatocellular carcinoma model was constructed by C57BL/6 mice and randomly divide into Control(Ctrl)group,BF+Pyruvic acid(BF+PA)group,Oxamate(OX)group,BF group,with 5 mice per group.Growth rate and volume of subcutaneous tumors were observed;IHC was used to detect expressions of LDHA and mouse NK cell specific molecular markers NK1.1 and NKG2D in tumors of each group of mice;ELISA was used to detect concentrations of perforin,TNF-α and IFN-γ in serum of mice in each group.Results:LDHA was highly expressed in human liver cancer tissues(P<0.001),while CD56 and NKG2D were highly expressed in adjacent tissues(P<0.001);LDHA expression was negatively correlated with CD56(r=-0.529 8,P<0.000 1)and NKG2D(r=-0.320 1,P<0.001);CD56 expression was positively correlated with NKG2D(r=0.612 2,P<0.000 1).Subcutaneous tumor experiment of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma showed that compared with Ctrl group and BF+PA group,subcutaneous tumor growth rate of OX group and BF group slowed down and showed a trend of tumor reduction;IHC detection showed that compared with Control group,LDHA expression in BF group was significantly downregulated(P<0.01),NK1.1 and NKG2D expressions were significantly increased(P<0.000 1);ELISA showed that compared with Ctrl group,LDHA in serum of BF group increased perforin,TNF-α,IFN-γ expressions(P<0.000 1),and enhanced NK cell killing ability.Conclusion:BF can inhibit LDHA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and increase infiltration rate of NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues,which may enhance killing ability of NK cells in tumor microenvironment and inhibit growth of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective To establish the therapeutic effect prediction model of platelet transfusion in hematological patients,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and clinical cases are used to evaluate the clinical application value of the predic-tion model.Methods A total of 485 patients with hematological diseases who received platelet transfusion therapy in Kailuan General Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023 were selected,corrected count increment(CCI)was used to divide the patients into platelet transfusion effective group(n=340)and transfusion ineffective group(n=145).Multivariate Logistic regres-sion analysis was used to establish the prediction model of platelet infusion efficacy,and ROC curve was used to evaluate the application effect of the forcasting model.109 clinical cases were used to verify the practical application effect of the model,and the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy were calculated.Results Among 485 patients with hematological diseases,the incidence of ineffective platelet transfusion was 29.90%(145/485).Compated with the effective group,the ineffective group had more previous platelet transfusions was higher,and the difference was statistically significant(t=-4.435,P<0.05).In the ineffective group,there were more cases of hyperplenism,aplastic anemia and lymphoma,higher infection rate and higher positive rate of platelet antibody,and the differences were statistically significant(χ2=6.301～37.522,all P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regres-sion analysis found that previous platelet infusion times,infection,leukemia,aplastic anemia and platelet antibodies were risk factors for ineffective platelet transfusion in patients with hematological diseases(Wald χ2=5.224～21.548,all P<0.05).Based on these risk factors,platelet infusion effect prediction models 1 and 2 were constructed.ROC curve was used to evaluate the application effect of the prediction model.The area under the curve(AUC),cut-offpoint,sensitivity and specificity of model 1 were 0.884,0.042,82.35%,88.89%.The AUC,cut-offpoint,corresponding sensitivity and specificity of prediction model 2 were 0.910,59.784,81.18%,94.44%,respectively.The Z values of model 1 and model 2 were 12.159 and 13.151,respectively.The prediction effect of model 2 was better than that of model 1.The actual application results showed that the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of prediction model 1,2 were 85.71%,92.05%,90.89%and 90.48%,93.18%,92.66%,respectively.Conclusion The ineffective rate of platelet transfusion in hematological patients is relatively high.The prediction models 1 and 2 for platelet transfusion effectiveness have good results in predicting ineffective platelet transfusion,and prediction model 2 is better than pre-diction model 1,which can provide reliable basis for hematological patients on accurate platelet transfusion.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the protective effect of α-lipoic acid(α-LA)against alcohol-induced damage in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes and to explore the underlying mechanisms.METHODS:An alcohol-induced injury model of H9c2 cells was established,and the cells were divided into 4 groups:control group,alcohol group,α-LA group,and alcohol+α-LA group.Additionally,H9c2 cells overexpressing aldehyde dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2)were cre-ated and further divided into 6 groups:normal control group,normal cells treated with alcohol group,normal cells treated with alcohol+α-LA group,ALDH2 overexpression group,ALDH2-overexpressing cardiomyocytes treated with alcohol group,and ALDH2-overexpressing cardiomyocytes treated with alcohol+α-LA group.Cell proliferation was assessed using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU)staining.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in each group were measured using di-hydroethidium(DHE)staining,while the expression levels of ALDH2,silent information regulator 1(SIRT1),heme oxy-genase 1(HO1)and P53 proteins were detected by Western blot analysis.RESULTS:(1)Alcohol exposure resulted in a decrease in the proliferation of H9c2 cells and an increase in intracellular oxidative stress,evidenced by elevated ROS levels and decreased expression of related proteins(ALDH2,SIRT1 and HO1).However,α-LA treatment significantly mitigated the decline in cell proliferation and the oxidative stress induced by alcohol.(2)Alcohol may induce cellular se-nescence,as demonstrated by the up-regulation of P53 expression,which were reversed by α-LA.(3)The H9c2 cells with high ALDH2 expression markedly improved the cell proliferation in the presence of alcohol,suppressed the ROS pro-duction,prevented the down-regulation of oxidative stress-related proteins(ALDH2,SIRT1 and HO1),and reversed the enhanced expression of the senescence marker P53.CONCLUSION:Treatment with α-LA may counteract oxidative stress and attenuate cellular senescence by activating ALDH2,thereby protecting cardiomyocytes from alcohol-induced damage.

Schizophrenia is a common chronic mental disorder.Cognitive dysfunction is one of its core symptoms,which severely affects the social functioning of patients.Currently,antipsychotic medication treatments have poor efficacy in improving cognitive functions.Recent studies have found that metformin can improve cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.However,the mechanism of action remains unclear.This review summarizes the therapeutic effects of metformin on cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia patients such as improving insulin resistance,repairing neuronal damage,regulating neuroimmunity,and combating oxidative stress,thereby providing new insights for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.

Objective·To measure the parameters of the uterine artery,umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery in a rat model of preeclampsia(PE)by Doppler ultrasound,and compare the pathological changes in placental blood vessels and pregnancy outcomes,in order to provide an effective method and reference for evaluating placental function in PE animal models.Methods·PE(n=8)and normal pregnancy(NP,n=8)groups in Sprague-Dawley(SD)rat models were established by intraperitoneal injections of N'-nitro-L-arginine methylesterhydrochloride(L-NAME)and 0.9%sodium chloride solution.Blood pressure and proteinuria indexes were detected to evaluate whether the model was successfully established.On gestational day 19(GD19),Doppler ultrasound was utilized to measure the parameters of the uterine artery,umbilical artery and the fetal middle cerebral artery in both the PE and NP groups.After termination of the pregnancies,placental function was evaluated through the pathology of placental blood vessels and the quality of the fetuses and placentas.Results·In the PE group,both blood pressure(GD15:P=0.001;GD19:P=0.001)and proteinuria(GD15:P=0.001;GD19:P=0.001)were significantly higher than those in the NP group.The pulsatility index(PI)of the umbilical artery and uterine artery was notably elevated in the PE group compared to the NP group(both P=0.000).Furthermore,the resistance index(RI)of the fetal middle cerebral artery was significantly lower than that in the PE group(P=0.000).While the number of fetal rats did not differ significantly,the quality of placental and fetal rats was notably lower in the PE group(P=0.006 and P=0.000,respectively).Immunohistochemical staining of placental tissue revealed that the number of placental micro vessel densities in the PE group was less than that in the NP group(P=0.001).Correlation analysis revealed that placental micro vessel density,fetal quality and placental quality were inversely related with the RI of the umbilical artery and the PI and RI of the uterine artery,and positively correlated with the S/D,PI and RI of the fetal middle cerebral artery(all P<0.05).Conculsion·Doppler ultrasound assessment of the uterine artery,umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery indices in L-NAME-induced PE rat models effectively reflects pregnancy outcomes and placental vascular pathology.This method is valuable for evaluating placental vascular perfusion in PE rat models,offering practicality and convenience for research involving animal models.

Mitochondria are the main site of energy metabolism within cells,generating a substantial amount of ATP to supply energy to the human body.Research has shown that alterations in mitochondrial structure and function exist in individuals with schizophrenia,suggesting their potential impact on the onset of psychiatric disorders and clinical treatment efficacy.Therefore,understanding the research progress on the genetic mechanisms,pathological processes,image manifestations of schizophrenia and mitochondrial quality control,and summarizing the relevant evidence of mitochondrial-related targets as potential therapeutic targets for schizophrenia,can provide references for further research.