OBJECTIVE To study the effects of the curcumin derivative bisdemethoxycurcumin （BC） promoting neuronal differentiation of neuroblastoma cells Neuro-2a （N2a） in mice and its mechanism. METHODS The effects of BC （1， 2， 4， 6， 8， 10 μmol/L） on the viability of N2a cells were detected by MTT assay to determine the concentration range of drug treatment. The control group， retinoic acid （RA） group （10 μmol/L） and BC groups （1， 2 and 4 μmol/L） were set up， and the length of neural protrusions of the differentiated cells was measured and the cell differentiation rate was calculated after 48 h and 72 h of culture. Compared with 0 min group， Western blot was used to detect the phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B （Akt）， extracellular- signal regulated kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2）， and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38） proteins in cells treated by 4 μmol/L BC for 5， 15， 30， 60， 120 min. After intervention with inhibitors LY294002 （LY） and PD98059 （PD）， the effects of BC on Akt and ERK1/2 protein phosphorylation levels and promoting neural differentiation were further validated. RESULTS According to the MTT experiment， the BC concentrations for subsequent induction of cell differentiation were determined to be 1， 2， and 4 μmol/L. After 48 hours of differentiation， compared with the control group， the cell differentiation rate in RA group and BC 1， 2 and 4 μmol/L groups， the length of cellular neural processes wjxhhxx413@163.com in the BC 4 μmol/L group significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）；after inducing differentiation of BC for 72 hours，compared with the control group， the cell differentiation rate and the length of cellular neural processes in the RA group， the cell differentiation rate in the BC 4 μmol/L group， and the length of cellular neural processes in the BC 2 μmol/L group all significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）.Compared with the 0 min group， the phosphorylation levels of Akt， ERK1/2， and p38 proteins in cells of the 5， 15， 30， 60 and 120 min groups increased to varying degrees after treated by 4 μmol/L BC， and some differences were statistically significant （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. After adding the inhibitor LY/PD， compared with the BC group， the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 protein in the PD+BC group cells were significantly reduced （P＜0.01）， and the cell differentiation rates in the LY group， LY+BC group， PD group， and PD+BC group was significantly reduced （P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS BC promotes N2a cell differentiation mainly by increasing cell differentiation rate and neural protrusion length. The mechanism may be related to the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/ ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

Objective:To explore the mediating effect of empathy between personality traits and death attitude in nursing students.Methods:From April to May 2022, a total of 237 undergraduate nursing students were surveyed by general information questionnaire, big five inventory, Jefferson scale of empathy for nursing students, and death attitude profile-revised. Common method bias test, correlation analysis and descriptive analysis were conducted by SPSS 26.0 software.PROCESS macro program was used to test the mediating effect.Results:Agreeableness(32.78±4.92), empathy(110.03±16.83)were positively correlated with positive death attitude(57.95±12.35)( r=0.274, 0.571, both P<0.01), neuroticism(23.00±4.78)was positively correlated with negative death attitude(31.81±10.04)( r=0.199, P<0.01), empathy was negatively correlated with negative death attitude ( r=-0.226, P<0.01). Empathy partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and negative death attitude, the mediating effect accounted for 16.08%(0.032/0.199) of the total effect, and empathy played a completely mediating role between the agreeableness and positive death attitude. Conclusion:The death attitude of undergraduate nursing students is mainly natural acceptance. Personality traits can directly affect death attitude and also indirectly affect death attitude through empathy.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors and treatment outcome of persistent inflammation-immunosuppression-catabolism syndrome (PICS) in patients with extensive burns.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted. From January 2017 to December 2021, 220 patients with extensive burns who were admitted to Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University met the inclusion criteria, including 168 males and 52 females, aged 18-84 (43±14) years. According to the occurrence of PICS, the patients were divided into PICS group (84 patients) and non-PICS group (136 patients). The general data such as sex, age, complication of underlying diseases and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score on admission, sepsis-related organ failure evaluation (SOFA) scores on admission and 14 days post admission, and proportion of patients with mechanical ventilation over 48 h during treatment, special conditions such as total burn area, full-thickness burn area, proportion of patients admitted within 48 h post injury, and exposed deep wound area at the 30 th day post injury, outcome indicators such as hospitalization day, total cost of hospital stay, number of surgeries, and death of patients in the 2 groups were collected and analyzed. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed on the indicators with statistically significant differences between the two groups except for outcome indicators, and the independent risk factors influencing secondary PICS in patients with extensive burns were screened. Results:The APACHE Ⅱ and SOFA scores on admission, and proportion of patients with mechanical ventilation over 48 h during treatment of patients in PICS group were significantly higher than those in non-PICS group ( t=6.78, Z=-4.75, χ2=4.74, respectively, P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the rest of general data of patients between the two groups ( P>0.05). The total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and exposed deep wound area at the 30 th day post injury in PICS group were significantly greater than those in non-PICS group ( t=6.29, Z=-7.25, Z=-8.73, P<0.05), the exposed deep wound areas at the 30 th day post injury in PICS group and non-PICS group were respectively 25% (15%, 35%) total body surface area (TBSA) and 8% (0, 13%) TBSA, while the proportion of patients admitted within 48 h post injury was significantly lower than that in non-PICS group ( χ2=6.13, P<0.05). The hospitalization day, total cost of hospital stay, and number of surgeries of patients in PICS group were significantly higher than those in non-PICS group (with Z values of -7.12, -8.48, and -6.87, respectively, P<0.05), while the deaths of patients in the 2 groups were similar ( P>0.05). The APACHE Ⅱ score on admission and exposed deep wound area at the 30 th day post injury both were the independent risk factors for PICS in patients with extensive burns (with odds ratios of 1.15 and 1.07, 95% confidence intervals of 1.06-1.25 and 1.05-1.10, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions:The APACHE Ⅱ score on admission and exposed deep wound area at the 30 th day post injury are the independent risk factors for PICS in patients with extensive burns. The patients with secondary PICS had good prognosis with more surgical intervention and hospitalization day, and higher total cost of hospital stay.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an improved mouse model of valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism that better mimics human autism. METHODS: We established mouse models of autism in female C57 mice by intraperitoneal injection of sodium valproate either at a single dose (600 mg/kg) on day 12.5 after conception (conventional group) or in two doses of 300 mg/kg each on days 10 and 12 after conception (modified group), and the control mice were injected with saline only on day 12.5. The responses of the mice to VPA injection, the uterus, mortality rate, and abortion rate were compared among the 3 groups. The morphology and development of the offspring mice were assessed, and their behavioral ontogeny was evaluated using 3- chambered social test, social test, juvenil play test, and open field test. RESULTS: The mortality and abortion rates were significantly lower in the modified model group than in the conventional group ( < 0.01). Compared with those in the control group, the offspring mice in both the conventional group and the modified group showed developmental disorders ( < 0.05). The mortality rate of the newborn mice was significantly lower in the modified group than in the conventional group with a rate of curvy tail of up to 100% ( < 0.001). The offspring mice in both the modified group and conventional group exhibited autism-like behavioral abnormalities, including social disorder and repetitive stereotyped behavior ( < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The mouse model of autism established using the modified method better mimics human autism with reduced mortality and abortion rates of the pregnant mice and also decreased mortality rate of the newborn mice.
Animals ; Autistic Disorder ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Valproic Acid

Objective: To investigate the effect of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) inhibiting follicular helper T cells (Tfh cells). Methods: The contents of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), IL-10, TGF-β and IL-21 in MSC culture supernatant were detected by ELISA; The peripheral blood of healthy volunteers were collected, and lymphocyte in peripheral blood was separated by human lymphocyte separation solution; Co-cultures of MSC and lymphocyte were performed by Transwell chamber, and the proportion of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ Tfh cells and their subtypes were detected by flow cytometry. Results: ①The concentrations of IL-10, TGF-β, and IDO in the supernatant of BDNF group (BDNF-stimulated MSC) were higher than those of the control ones (adding PBS with the same volume) [IL-10: (42.1±4.4) ng/ml vs (19.3±2.1) ng/ml, t=4.761, P=0.009; TGF-β: (13.9±1.7) ng/ml vs (5.3±0.6) ng/ml, t=5.129, P=0.008; IDO: (441.3±56.9) ng/ml vs (226.7±37.6) ng/ml, t=3.130, P=0.035]; ②The comparisons between BDNF (co-culture of lymphocyte and BDNF-stimulated MSC) and MSC groups (co-culture of lymphocyte and MSC) were detailed as of follows: the proportion of CD4⁺ CXCR5⁺Tfh cells were lower [(3.37±0.21)% vs (6.51±0.27)%, t=9.353, P<0.001], the proportion of CD4⁺ CXCR5⁺CXCR3⁺ CCR6^- Tfh cells were higher [(41.14±2.04)% vs (26.72±2.57)%, t=4.383, P=0.012], CD4⁺CXCR5⁺CXCR3^-CCR6^- Tfh2 cells and CD4⁺CXCR5⁺CXCR3^-CCR6⁺ Tfh17 cells were lower [Tfh2: (30.16±5.38)% vs (43.26±4.11)%, t=4.426, P=0.012; Tfh17: (15.61±1.52)% vs (22.32±0.72)%, t=4.202, P=0.014], the proportion of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺Foxp3⁺ Tfr cells were higher [(4.95±0.22)% vs (2.32±0.16)%, t=10.241, P<0.001], the concentration of IL-21 in the lymphocyte supernatant was lower [(0.28±0.03) ng/ml vs (0.85±0.08) ng/ml, t=6.675, P=0.003]. Conclusion BDNF could enhance the inhibitory effect of MSC on Tfh cells through inhibiting the increasing of Tfh cells and the differentiations of Tfh2 and Tfh17 cells.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture combined with ganglioside and mecobalamine injections on idiopathic facial palsy (IFP).Methods A total of 120 IFP patients were divided into a ganglioside group,a mecobalamine group and a consociation group,each of 40.All were given routine drug and acupuncture treatment,while the ganglioside and mecoblamine groups were additionally provided with the corresponding injections of ganglioside and mecobalamine,respectively.The treatment was administered once daily for a total of 14 days.All the groups were evaluated using the House-Brackmann facial nerve grading system before and after the interventions of 14 days ended.The compound muscle action potential (CMAP) wave amplitude and R1 incubation,the motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) and the sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) of the affected facial nerves were observed and compared before and after the 14 days of treatment.Results The total effectiveness rate of the consociation group (95.0％) was significantly higher than that of the ganglioside (90.0％) or the mecobalamine group (87.5％).After the treatment the CMAP wave amplitude had improved significantly and the R1 latency had shortened significantly in the consociation group compared to the other 2 groups.The average MCV and SCV of the consociation group had also improved significantly compared with the other two groups.Conclusion Acupuncture combined with ganglioside and mecobalamine injections is an effective therapy for idiopathic facial palsy.It can improve the patient's clinical symptoms,shorten the CMAP wave amplitude and R1 latency on the affected side and improve MCV and SCV.

Adult ; Aged ; Contracture ; congenital ; genetics ; Fingers ; abnormalities ; Hand Deformities, Congenital ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; China ; Deafness ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Young Adult

Introduction of problem-based learning (PBL) teaching is the demand of teaching reform.Teaching and research section of physiology in Chongqing medical university implemented PBL teaching throughout the whole process of clinical medicine undergraduate education.The overall quality of students and the teaching quality were improved by constructing a new mode suitable for physiology teaching,focusing on training students' active learning ability and stimulating students' enthusiasm for learning.

OBJECTIVEThe molecular targets of ginsenoside Rg1-induced neural stem cells (NSCs) differentiation were screened by genechip.

METHOD7th day following ginsenoside Rg1 induced human neural stem cells to neurons the gene expression was observed by genechip. The purpose gene and signal transduction pathways were selected by the data calculations, and then confirmed by western blot and immunohistochemical method.

RESULT7th day following Rg1-induced NSCs differentiation, there were about 675 different genes, 255 genes of which were up-regulated and 420 genes down-regulated obviously. Meanwhile the ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase) in MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway was related with the NSCs differentiation. The Western blot and immunohistochemistry detection confirmed that ERK 1/2 protein and its phosphorylation were significantly increased, which can be blocked by PD98059 (ERK1/2 inhibitor). In addition, differentiation rate of NSCs was also decreased obviously in ginsenoside Rg1-induced differentiated NSCs when ERK blocker PD98059 was used.

CONCLUSIONERK1/2 is an important molecular target in ginsenoside Rg1-induced NSC differentiation. The selected differentially expressed genes by genechip may provide new clues to study of ginsenoside Rg1-induced NSCs differentiation.

Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; genetics ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Time Factors