OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the calcium/calmodulin (CaM)-mediated activation of calcineurin (CN)-nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathway in mediating the regulatory effect of hyperforin (HY) on stress-induced depression-like disorder (DP) in mice. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, DP model group, and hyperforin treatment group (n=15). Behavioral changes of the mice were assessed using open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), tail suspension test (TST), light/dark box test (LDB), and novel object suppression test (NSFT). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and serum serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NA) levels were detected with ELISA. Western blotting was used to analyze the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, and CN-NFAT pathway proteins. In cultured BV-2 microglial cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, the effects of hyperforin and CN inhibitor (CNIS) on expressions of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA-1), 5-HT, NA, inflammatory cytokines and CN-NFAT pathway proteins were examined using immunofluorescence assay, ELISA or Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control mice, the mice in DP group showed significantly reduced activity in OFT, decreased sucrose consumption in SPT, reduced shuttle crossing in LDB, and lowered food intake in NSFT with significantly increased immobility in TST. The mice with DP showed significantly decreased TH-positive neurons, lowered 5-HT and NA levels, and increased expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2 and CaM-CN-NFAT pathway proteins. In cultured BV-2 cells, LPS stimulation strongly increased cellular IBA-1 expression, decreased the levels of neurotransmitters (5-HT and NA), and increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines and CN-NFAT signaling, and these changes were effectively reversed by treatment with hyperforin or CNIS. CONCLUSIONS Hyperforin improves stress-induced depression-like behaviors in mice and activated BV-2 cells by targeting the CN-NFAT signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Microglia/drug effects* ; Depression/etiology* ; Perylene/pharmacology* ; Calcineurin/metabolism* ; NFATC Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Calcium Signaling/drug effects* ; Stress, Psychological ; Phloroglucinol/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction ; Male ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Terpenes

Objective:To investigate the differential impact of ultra-high-resolution photon-counting detector CT (UHR PCD-CT) and energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT) on image quality and calcified plaque-induced luminal stenosis in coronary CT angiography (CCTA).Methods:This retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent both EID-CT and UHR PCD-CT CCTA at the Geriatric Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2021 and November 2024. A total of 141 patients were included in the study, within 46 patients having scans within a 12-month interval. Image quality of all coronary artery segments was subjectively evaluated. Patients with paired scans (interval≤12 months) were included for calcified plaque analysis. Subjective visualization of calcified plaques evaluated. The blooming artifact was calculated as an objective evaluation index for assessing the calcified plaques. Additionally, the degree of coronary artery lumen stenosis resulting from calcified plaques was assessed, along with the measurement of plaque volume and the Agatston score. Changes in lumen stenosis between the two scans were also evaluated. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the subjective scores of coronary artery image quality and calcified plaques between the two groups, and paired-sample t-tests were used to compare the blooming artifact and lumen stenosis degree. Results:The PCD-CT image quality score was significantly higher than that of EID-CT [PCD-CT : 5 (4,5), EID-CT: 4 (4,5); Z=-21.38, P<0.001]. Compared to EID-CT, PCD-CT reduced the blooming artifact (PCD-CT: 38.88%±9.09%, EID-CT: 50.11%±11.52%; t=-12.97, P<0.001), significantly improving the subjective score for visualization of calcified plaques [PCD-CT: 5 (4,5), EID-CT: 3 (2,3); Z=-9.68, P<0.001], and the measured lumen stenosis was notably lower in PCD-CT(PCD-CT:34.88%±18.20%, EID-CT:45.31%±23.42%; t=-9.93, P<0.001). Among 129 analyzed calcified plaques, luminal stenosis was reduced on PCD-CT in 110 plaques (85.3%) and increased in 19 (14.7%), including 4 plaques that had unclear boundaries with the adjacent lumen in EID-CT CCTA images, making the stenosis difficult to assess. Conclusion:Compared to EID-CT, UHR PCD-CT for CCTA significantly improves coronary artery image quality, provides clearer visualization of calcified plaques and adjacent lumen details, and it can reduce the overestimation of coronary artery caleified plaque stenosis.

[Purpose]To analyze the incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in cancer regis-tration areas of Heilongjiang Province in 2019 and the trend from 2013 to 2019.[Methods]The incidence and mortality data of malignant tumors reported by the Heilongjiang provincial cancer registries from 2013 to 2019 were collected,and the quality of data was assessed.The crude in-cidence/mortality rate,age-standardized incidence/mortality rate by Chinese standard population(ASIRC/ASMRC)and world standard population(ASIRW/ASMRW),0～74 years old cumulative rate were calculated.Joinpoint 4.6.0 software was used to calculate the average annual percentage change(AAPC)of ASIRC/ASMRC for the trend analysis from 2013 to 2019.[Results]In 2019,there were 16 732 new cases of malignant tumors in the cancer registration areas of Heilongjiang Province,including 8 639 males and 8 093 females.The crude incidence rate was 295.37/105,with an ASIRC and ASIRW of 167.10/105 and 164.18/105,respectively.There were 10 988 malig-nant tumor deaths,including 6 540 males and 4 448 females.The crude mortality rate was 193.97/105,with an ASMRC and ASMRW of 101.22/105 and 101.66/105,respectively.The inci-dence and mortality of malignant tumors increased rapidly after the age of 55,and the incidence and mortality of males were slightly higher than those of females.The top five malignant tumors of high incidence were lung cancer,female breast cancer,colorectal cancer,liver cancer and thy-roid cancer,and the top five malignant tumors of high mortality were lung cancer,liver cancer,colorectal cancer,stomach cancer and female breast cancer.From 2013 to 2019,the ASIRC of malignant tumors in cancer registration areas increased from 153.08/105 in 2013 to 167.10/105 in 2019,and the ASMRC increased from 92.22/105 in 2013 to 101.22/105 in 2019,but there was no statistical difference in the change trend.[Conclusion]The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang Province remain high.Lung cancer,female breast cancer,colorectal can-cer,liver cancer and stomach cancer should be the focus of cancer prevention and control.

[Purpose]To analyze the incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in cancer regis-tration areas of Heilongjiang Province in 2019 and the trend from 2013 to 2019.[Methods]The incidence and mortality data of malignant tumors reported by the Heilongjiang provincial cancer registries from 2013 to 2019 were collected,and the quality of data was assessed.The crude in-cidence/mortality rate,age-standardized incidence/mortality rate by Chinese standard population(ASIRC/ASMRC)and world standard population(ASIRW/ASMRW),0～74 years old cumulative rate were calculated.Joinpoint 4.6.0 software was used to calculate the average annual percentage change(AAPC)of ASIRC/ASMRC for the trend analysis from 2013 to 2019.[Results]In 2019,there were 16 732 new cases of malignant tumors in the cancer registration areas of Heilongjiang Province,including 8 639 males and 8 093 females.The crude incidence rate was 295.37/105,with an ASIRC and ASIRW of 167.10/105 and 164.18/105,respectively.There were 10 988 malig-nant tumor deaths,including 6 540 males and 4 448 females.The crude mortality rate was 193.97/105,with an ASMRC and ASMRW of 101.22/105 and 101.66/105,respectively.The inci-dence and mortality of malignant tumors increased rapidly after the age of 55,and the incidence and mortality of males were slightly higher than those of females.The top five malignant tumors of high incidence were lung cancer,female breast cancer,colorectal cancer,liver cancer and thy-roid cancer,and the top five malignant tumors of high mortality were lung cancer,liver cancer,colorectal cancer,stomach cancer and female breast cancer.From 2013 to 2019,the ASIRC of malignant tumors in cancer registration areas increased from 153.08/105 in 2013 to 167.10/105 in 2019,and the ASMRC increased from 92.22/105 in 2013 to 101.22/105 in 2019,but there was no statistical difference in the change trend.[Conclusion]The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang Province remain high.Lung cancer,female breast cancer,colorectal can-cer,liver cancer and stomach cancer should be the focus of cancer prevention and control.

Objective:To investigate the differential impact of ultra-high-resolution photon-counting detector CT (UHR PCD-CT) and energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT) on image quality and calcified plaque-induced luminal stenosis in coronary CT angiography (CCTA).Methods:This retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent both EID-CT and UHR PCD-CT CCTA at the Geriatric Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2021 and November 2024. A total of 141 patients were included in the study, within 46 patients having scans within a 12-month interval. Image quality of all coronary artery segments was subjectively evaluated. Patients with paired scans (interval≤12 months) were included for calcified plaque analysis. Subjective visualization of calcified plaques evaluated. The blooming artifact was calculated as an objective evaluation index for assessing the calcified plaques. Additionally, the degree of coronary artery lumen stenosis resulting from calcified plaques was assessed, along with the measurement of plaque volume and the Agatston score. Changes in lumen stenosis between the two scans were also evaluated. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the subjective scores of coronary artery image quality and calcified plaques between the two groups, and paired-sample t-tests were used to compare the blooming artifact and lumen stenosis degree. Results:The PCD-CT image quality score was significantly higher than that of EID-CT [PCD-CT : 5 (4,5), EID-CT: 4 (4,5); Z=-21.38, P<0.001]. Compared to EID-CT, PCD-CT reduced the blooming artifact (PCD-CT: 38.88%±9.09%, EID-CT: 50.11%±11.52%; t=-12.97, P<0.001), significantly improving the subjective score for visualization of calcified plaques [PCD-CT: 5 (4,5), EID-CT: 3 (2,3); Z=-9.68, P<0.001], and the measured lumen stenosis was notably lower in PCD-CT(PCD-CT:34.88%±18.20%, EID-CT:45.31%±23.42%; t=-9.93, P<0.001). Among 129 analyzed calcified plaques, luminal stenosis was reduced on PCD-CT in 110 plaques (85.3%) and increased in 19 (14.7%), including 4 plaques that had unclear boundaries with the adjacent lumen in EID-CT CCTA images, making the stenosis difficult to assess. Conclusion:Compared to EID-CT, UHR PCD-CT for CCTA significantly improves coronary artery image quality, provides clearer visualization of calcified plaques and adjacent lumen details, and it can reduce the overestimation of coronary artery caleified plaque stenosis.

Objective To explore the correlation of serum Chemerin level with disease activity and the ratio of T helper 17/regulatory T cells(Th17/Treg)in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods A total of 180 patients with RA who were admitted to our hospital were regarded as the observation group.According to the DAS28 score,the observation group was divided into the high activity group(60 cases),the moderate activity group(60 cases)and the low activity group(60 cases).Another 180 healthy people who underwent physical examination in our hospital during the same period were regarded as the control group.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect serum levels of Chemerin,interleukin-9(IL-9),interleukin-10(IL-10)and interleukin-17(IL-17).Flow cytometry was used to detect the Th17/Treg ratio.Spearman correlation analysis was applied to analyze the correlation between serum Chemerin level and DAS28 score.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum Chemerin level and Th17,Treg cell percentage and Th17/Treg ratio.Results The results of this study showed that the serum level of Chemerin was higher in the observation group than that in the control group(P＜0.05).The serum Chemerin level was positively correlated with DAS28 score(P＜0.05).Serum Chemerin levels and DAS28 scores decreased in turn in the high,moderate and low activity groups(P＜0.05).The percentage of Th17 cells and the ratio of Th17/Treg were higher in the observation group than those in the control group,and the percentage of Treg cells was lower in the observation group than that in the control group(P＜0.05).The level of IL-10 was lower in the observation group than that in the control group,while levels of IL-17 and IL-9 were higher in the observation group than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum Chemerin level was positively correlated with the percentage of Th17 cells and the ratio of Th17/Treg,and negatively correlated with the percentage of Treg cells(P＜0.05).Conclusion Serum Chemerin level is elevated in patients with RA,which is closely related to disease activity and Th17/Treg ratio.

Objective:To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Keshan disease current cases in Qingyang City, Gansu Province.Methods:Full coverage monitoring data of all Keshan disease affected villages in Qingyang City from January to December 2022 were collected from the database of the Qingyang City Center for Disease Prevention and Control. A retrospective analysis was conducted to analyze the epidemiological distribution and clinical manifestations (including electrocardiography, classification of cardiac function, chest X-ray, B-mode ultrasound of the heart, etc) of 132 current cases of Keshan disease.Results:Among the 132 current cases of Keshan disease, there were 5 cases of latent type and 127 cases of chronic type, and 25 new cases were identified in 2022; with a male-to-female ratio of 1.03 ∶ 1.00 (67 ∶ 65), a median age of 62 years (interquartile range of 12). The area with the highest number of current cases was Heshui County, with a Keshan disease incidence rate of 3.37/10 000; the lower areas were Xifeng District and Zhenyuan County, with a Keshan disease incidence rate of 0.08/10 000 and 0.03/10 000, respectively. The abnormal electrocardiogram of the current cases was mainly characterized by T-wave and/or ST-segment changes, with a total of 78 cases, accounting for 59.09% of the total cases. Heart function impairment (grade Ⅱ and above) was found in 124 cases, accounting for 93.94%. The results of B-mode ultrasound and chest X-ray examination showed that there were 107 cases of heart enlargement, accounting for 81.06% of the total cases.Conclusions:The Keshan disease current cases in Qingyang City are predominantly chronic in elderly, with a balanced gender distribution but regional distribution differences. Abnormal electrocardiogram is common in patients, and their cardiac function is often impaired. Given the persistent presence of pathogenic factors, continued monitoring is necessary to achieve early intervention and improve prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Keshan disease current cases in Qingyang City, Gansu Province.Methods:Full coverage monitoring data of all Keshan disease affected villages in Qingyang City from January to December 2022 were collected from the database of the Qingyang City Center for Disease Prevention and Control. A retrospective analysis was conducted to analyze the epidemiological distribution and clinical manifestations (including electrocardiography, classification of cardiac function, chest X-ray, B-mode ultrasound of the heart, etc) of 132 current cases of Keshan disease.Results:Among the 132 current cases of Keshan disease, there were 5 cases of latent type and 127 cases of chronic type, and 25 new cases were identified in 2022; with a male-to-female ratio of 1.03 ∶ 1.00 (67 ∶ 65), a median age of 62 years (interquartile range of 12). The area with the highest number of current cases was Heshui County, with a Keshan disease incidence rate of 3.37/10 000; the lower areas were Xifeng District and Zhenyuan County, with a Keshan disease incidence rate of 0.08/10 000 and 0.03/10 000, respectively. The abnormal electrocardiogram of the current cases was mainly characterized by T-wave and/or ST-segment changes, with a total of 78 cases, accounting for 59.09% of the total cases. Heart function impairment (grade Ⅱ and above) was found in 124 cases, accounting for 93.94%. The results of B-mode ultrasound and chest X-ray examination showed that there were 107 cases of heart enlargement, accounting for 81.06% of the total cases.Conclusions:The Keshan disease current cases in Qingyang City are predominantly chronic in elderly, with a balanced gender distribution but regional distribution differences. Abnormal electrocardiogram is common in patients, and their cardiac function is often impaired. Given the persistent presence of pathogenic factors, continued monitoring is necessary to achieve early intervention and improve prognosis.

In 2016, a national one million general population cohort project was set up in China for the first time in "Precision Medicine Research" Key Project, National Key Research and Development Program of China, which consists of general population cohorts in seven areas in China. As one of the seven major areas in China, northeastern China has unique climate and specific dietary patterns, and population aging is serious in this area. And the burden of chronic and non-communicable diseases ranks tops in China. Therefore, it is of great significance to establish a large general population cohort in northeastern China to explore the area specific exposure factors related to pathogenesis and prognosis of chronic and non-communicable diseases, develop new prevention strategies to reduce the burden of the diseases and improve the population health in northeastern China. In July 2018, the general population cohort study in northeastern China was launched, the study includes questionnaire survey, health examination and blood, urine and stool sample collection and detection in recruited participants. By now, the cohort has covered all age groups, and the baseline data of 115 414 persons have been collected. This paper summarizes the design and practice of the general population cohort study in northeastern China to provide reference for related research in China.

【Objective】 To investigate the diagnostic value of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) specific antibodies IgM and IgG on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 【Methods】 1) The test results of SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG antibodies and nucleic acid(NAT), which were tested by colloidal gold test and fluorescent quantitative PCR respectively, were collected from 145 febrile outpatients during early March, 2020, named Fever group, in which retrospective analysis and paired chi-square test were performed. 2) 612 cases of SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG antibodies test results, which were done on March 5, 2020, were collected. They were named COVID-19 group (Our hospital was provisionally assigned as a specialized hospital for COVID-19, and 1500 COVID-19 patients admitted to our hospital from February 12, 2020 to March 18, 2020). The SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG antibodies and NAT were respectively tested on the 30th and the 60th day after the date of discharge. The clinical application values of the antibodies was clarified by statistical analysis. 【Results】 1) In the fever group, the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgM, IgG and IgM+ IgG antibodies were 26.21% (38/145), 54.48% (79/145) and 26.21% (38/145), respectively(P<0.01), and the positive rate of NAT was 4.14% (6/145), which was lower than that of antibody (P<0.01). One (1/145, 0.69%) positive NAT was implicated in initially negative IgM and IgG antibodies samples. 2) In the COVID-19 group, the positive rate of IgM antibody was low (5%) and IgG antibody was high (65%) during 2~14 days after infection, and stably increased during the 15~56 days [IgM 47.68%(277/581) vs IgG 94.15% (547/581) ], then both decreased after 57 days. The positive rates of IgM antibody and IgG antibody were 45.8% (280/612) and 93.1% (570/612) in 612 patients during hospitalization. 15 patients′ data after dischange were not collected as they were later transferred to Huoshenshan Hospital for treatment. The coronavirus NAT results of the rest 597 COVID-19 patients, tested on the 30th and 60th days after the date of discharge, were negative, and the positive rates of IgG antibody and IgM antibody were still ≥80% and ≥40% respectively at the second month after discharge. 【Conclusion】 IgM, IgG antibody against SARS-CoV-2 can be well detected by Colloidal gold method(Innovita), whose positive rate is higher than that of NAT. IgG antibody is produced earlier than IgM, and it keeps high positive rate and persists for a long time. The combination of colloidal gold antibody test and NAT can improve the diagnose rate of COVID-19 and the exclusion of suspected cases.