OBJECTIVE To study the protective effect and potential mechanism of chikusetsu saponin Ⅳ a （chsⅣ） on renal function in diabetic nephropathy （DN） model rats. METHODS DN rat model was established by high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin injection. Thirty-six model rats were randomly divided into model group （i.g. administration of normal saline， high-fat diet）， chsⅣ low-dose and high-dose groups （i.g. administration of 90， 180 mg/kg chsⅣ， high-fat diet）， with 12 rats in each group. Additionally， 10 normal rats were set as the control group （i.g. administration of normal saline， regular diet）. From the 5th to the 12th week after streptozotocin injection， they were given intragastric administration of relevant drug or normal saline， once a day. After the last medication， the levels of fasting blood glucose， fasting insulin， blood urea nitrogen， serum creatinine and urine protein as well as the levels of reduced glutathione （GSH）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） in renal tissues were measured. Additionally， the insulin resistance index was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin， periodic acid-Schiff， and Masson staining techniques were employed to examine the histopathological alterations in the renal tissue. The expressions of Notch signaling pathway-related proteins in renal tissue were detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot methods. RESULTS Compared with model group， the histomorphological of renal tissues in the chsⅣ low- and high-dose groups were significantly improved， with significant decreases in renal histological scores， mesangial expansion index， and glomerulosclerosis scores （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of fasting blood glucose， fasting insulin， blood urea nitrogen， serum creatinine， urine protein and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance， as well as MDA content， the expression levels of Notch1， Notch intracellular domain， hairy and enhancer of Split 1 and Delta-like protein 1 in renal tissue were all significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. The levels of GSH and SOD in renal tissue were significantly elevated （ P ＜0.05）. Moreover， the improvement in these indicators was significantly more pronounced in the chsⅣ high-dose group compared to the chsⅣ low-dose group （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS ChsⅣ can ameliorate renal pathological damage and functional impairment in DN rats. Its underlying mechanisms include restoration of glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity， attenuation of renal oxidative stress， and suppression of aberrant Notch signaling pathway activation.

Within traditional teaching models,students frequently assume a passive role in acquiring knowledge,potentially resulting in diminished motivation and limited engagement,particularly within the realm of Medical Immunology education.The inte-gration of role-playing,informed by constructivist learning theory,situated learning theory,and multiple intelligences theory,has demonstrated encouraging outcomes within clinical medical education settings.However,the extent to which this approach has been explored within the context of Immunology instruction remains insufficiently examined.This study investigates the utilization of role-playing as a pedagogical approach in Medical Immunology education,wherein students are assigned specific scenarios to simulate the functions of various immune components.The primary objective is to augment interactivity and the overall appeal of the learning pro-cess.Efficacy of this instructional method was evaluated through in-class quizzes,surveys,and performance analysis.The findings demonstrate that role-playing substantially enhances student engagement,comprehension,knowledge retention,and examination per-formance.In practical application,the integration of role-playing with ideological and political elements has the potential to enhance learning outcomes and foster students'enthusiasm for engaging in cutting-edge literature and immunological research.This approach also necessitates greater proficiency in teachers'professional competencies and organizational skills,as well as increased allocation of class time and spatial resources.Future research should investigate the applicability of role-playing across various educational levels and examine its potential integration with classroom ideological and political education.

The aim of this study is to investigate the immune effect of H9 subtype avian influenza virus(AIV)NP protein on mice and lay the foundation for the development of avian influenza vi-rus(AIV)vaccine.The H9N2 virus NP gene amplification product was cloned into the pET-32a expression vector,and the protein expression was verified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot,and the immune effect was evaluated by measuring the secretion of supernatant multicytokines in mouse splenocytes culture.The results showed that the total length of the coding region sequence of NP gene was 1 497 bp,NP recombinant proteins exist in both soluble and insoluble protein forms,and the specific bands were visible in Western blot.After immunizing mice,serum produces IgG-bind-ing antibodies with antibody titers of 1∶40 000.Compared with the control group,IL-2,IL-5 and IL-13 were significantly increased(P＜0.001),and the secretion of IL-6 was significantly increased compared with the control group.IL-4 and IL-12 p70 secretions were elevated compared with con-trols,but there was no significant difference.Compared with the control group,the secretions of IL-1β,IL-18,GM-CMF,TNF-α and IFN-γ were inhibited,but the difference was not significant(P＞0.05).The results showed that NP recombinant protein is a good immunogen,laying a foundation for in-depth research on influenza vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a severe congenital disorder characterized by vaginal hypoplasia caused by dysplasia of the Müllerian duct. Patients with MRKH syndrome often require nonsurgical or surgical treatment to achieve satisfactory vaginal length and sexual outcomes. The extracellular matrix has been successfully used for vaginal reconstruction. METHODS: In this study, we developed a new biological material derived from porcine vagina (acellular vaginal matrix, AVM) to reconstruct the vagina in Bama miniature pigs. The histological characteristics and efficacy of acellularization of AVM were evaluated, and AVM was subsequently transplanted into Bama miniature pigs to reconstruct the vaginas. RESULTS: Macroscopic analysis showed that the neovaginas functioned well in all Bama miniature pigs with AVM implants. Histological analysis and electrophysiological evidence indicated that morphological and functional recovery was restored in normal vaginal tissues. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the neovaginas had mucosal folds characteristics of normal vagina. No significant differences were observed in the expression of CK14, HSP47, and a-actin between the neovaginas and normal vaginal tissues. However, the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) was significantly lower in the neovaginas than in normal vaginal tissues. In addition, AVM promoted the expression of b-catenin, c-Myc, and cyclin D1. These results suggest that AVM might promotes vaginal regeneration by activating the b-catenin/cMyc/cyclin D1 pathway. CONCLUSION This study reveals that porcine-derived AVM has potential application for vaginal regeneration.

Objective:To explore the effect of empowerment education in patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) .Methods:From June 2020 to July 2021, convenience sampling was used to select 90 patients with coronary heart disease who received PCI in the Department of Cardiology of Qinhuai Medical District, Eastern Theater Command General Hospital as the research object. The 45 patients admitted from June to December 2020 were set as the control group, and the 45 patients admitted from January to July 2021 were set as the observation group. The control group received routine health education, and the observation group was given empowerment education on this basis. The physical activity level and aerobic exercise endurance of the two groups of patients were compared.Results:Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that there were between-group, time and interaction effects in the 6-minute walking distance between the two groups before intervention, one month and three months after intervention, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) . The physical activity levels of patients in the observation group were higher than those in the control group after one and three months of intervention, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:Empowerment education can improve physical activity level and aerobic exercise endurance in patients with coronary heart disease after PCI.

Background: Bovine papillomatosis is a type of proliferative tumor disease of skin and mucosae caused by bovine papillomavirus (BPV). As a transboundary and emerging disease in cattle, it poses a potential threat to the dairy industry. Objectives: The aim of this study is to detect and clarify the genetic diversity of BPV circulating in dairy cows in Xinjiang, China. Methods: 122 papilloma skin lesions from 8 intensive dairy farms located in different regions of Xinjiang, China were detected by polymerase chain reaction. The genetic evolution relationships of various types of BPVs were analyzed by examining this phylogenetic tree. Results: Ten genotypes of BPV (BPV1, BPV2, BPV3, BPV6, BPV7, BPV8, BPV10, BPV11, BPV13, and BPV14) were detected and identified in dairy cows. These were the first reported detections of BPV13 and BPV14 in Xinjiang, Mixed infections were detected, and there were geographical differences in the distribution of the BPV genotypes. Notably, the BPV infection rate among young cattle (< 1-year-old) developed from the same supply of frozen sperm was higher than that of the other young cows naturally raised under the same environmental conditions. Conclusions Genotyping based on the L1 gene of BPV showed that BPVs circulating in Xinjiang China displayed substantial genetic diversity. This study provided valuable data at the molecular epidemiology level, which is conducive to developing deep insights into the genetic diversity and pathogenic characteristics of BPVs in dairy cows.

Background: Bovine papillomatosis is a type of proliferative tumor disease of skin and mucosae caused by bovine papillomavirus (BPV). As a transboundary and emerging disease in cattle, it poses a potential threat to the dairy industry. Objectives: The aim of this study is to detect and clarify the genetic diversity of BPV circulating in dairy cows in Xinjiang, China. Methods: 122 papilloma skin lesions from 8 intensive dairy farms located in different regions of Xinjiang, China were detected by polymerase chain reaction. The genetic evolution relationships of various types of BPVs were analyzed by examining this phylogenetic tree. Results: Ten genotypes of BPV (BPV1, BPV2, BPV3, BPV6, BPV7, BPV8, BPV10, BPV11, BPV13, and BPV14) were detected and identified in dairy cows. These were the first reported detections of BPV13 and BPV14 in Xinjiang, Mixed infections were detected, and there were geographical differences in the distribution of the BPV genotypes. Notably, the BPV infection rate among young cattle (< 1-year-old) developed from the same supply of frozen sperm was higher than that of the other young cows naturally raised under the same environmental conditions. Conclusions Genotyping based on the L1 gene of BPV showed that BPVs circulating in Xinjiang China displayed substantial genetic diversity. This study provided valuable data at the molecular epidemiology level, which is conducive to developing deep insights into the genetic diversity and pathogenic characteristics of BPVs in dairy cows.

Objective: Predefining the most effective treatment for patients with depressive disorders remains a problem. We will examine the differential brain regions of gray matter (GM) in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and the relationship between changes in their volume and the efficacy of early antidepressant treatment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: 159 never-medicated patients with first-episode MDD and 53 normal control subjects (NCs) were enrolled. The brains were scanned by MRI and measured with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) at baseline and after 2 weeks of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)s, and the non-responder group and responder group were obtained. The patients were analyzed by voxel-based morphological (VBM) and SPSS software. Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed for the difference between the responder group and the non-responder group in the differential brain regions, and Pearson correlations were computed between volume size and HAMD score reduction rate. Results: Smaller GM volume of the right superior temporal gyrus (STG), and the orbital parts of the right medial frontal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus were observed in MDD versus the NCs. The non-responder group demonstrated a significant volume reduction at the right STG compared with the responders, but no corresponding change in orbital part of right medial frontal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus. ROC analysis showed that Accuracy=71.2%. There was a positive correlation between the STG gray matter volume and the HAMD-17 score reduction rate (r=0.347, p=0.002). Conclusion The study results confirmed the local changes in brain structure in MDD and may initially predict the early treatment response produced by SSRIs as antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship of Cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4* 18 gene polymorphism with therapeutic efficacy and ADR of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving primary treatment.METHODS:A total of 46 advanced NSCLC patients receiving primary EGFR-TKI (gefitinib or edotinib) treatment until disease progression or intolerance were selected from our hospital during Jan.2013-Mar.2016,and (gefitinib of erlotinib) treatment until disease progression or intolerance.CYP3A4*18 genotype was detected by PCR and direct sequencing.Clinical efficacies,progression-free survival (PFS) and the occurrence of ADR were compared among differ ent genotypes.RESULTS:Among 46 patients,there were 17 cases of CYP3A4*18 wild-type and 29 cases of CYP3A4*18 mutation-type,with mutation frequency of 63.0％.The objective response rate (ORR) of CYP3A4*18 wild-type patients was 23.5％,and disease control rate (DCR) of them was 70.6％.For CYP3A4*18 mutation-type patients,ORR and DCR were 27.6％ and 69.0％.There was no statistical significance in the proportion of patients with partial response,stable disease or progressive dis ease,ORR or DCR among different genotypes (P＞0.05).PFS of female patients were significantly longer than male patients;those of patients without smoking history were significantly longer than those with smoking history,with statistical significance (P＜0.05).There was no correlation between patients' age,therapy drugs,Eastern Oncology Collaboration scores,EGFR mutation types,CYP3A4*18 genotypes and PFS (P＞0.05).Patients'gender and smoking history were independent prognostic factors for PFS [odds ratios were 3.438,0.205,95％ CI were(1.393,8.488),(0.088,0.481)].Among CYP3A4* 18 wild-type patients,6 patients suffered from rash (35.3％) and 3 diarrhea (17.6％).Among mutation-type patients,26 patients suffered from rash (89.7％) and 15 diarrhea (51.7％),with statistical significance (P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in the incidence of liver function injury and interstitial dermatitis among different genotypes (P＞0.05).CONCLUSIONS:CYP3A4*18 gene polymorphism may be not associated with therapeutic efficacy of EGFR-TKI in advanced NSCLC patients receiving primary treatment,but it is correlated with the occurrence of ADR.Mutation type patients are more likely to suffered from rash,diarrhea and other ADR.