ObjectiveCoronavirus is a class of long-standing pathogens, which are enveloped single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses. The genome all encodes 4 structural proteins: spike protein (S), nucleocapsid protein (N), membrane protein (M), and envelope protein (E). The nucleocapsid protein (NP) serves as a key structural component of coronaviruses, playing a vital function in the viral life cycle. NP acts as an RNA-binding protein, with a critical role in identifying specific sequences within the viral genome RNA, facilitating the formation of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes with viral RNA to stabilize the viral genome and contribute to viral particles assembly. The NP consists of two primary structural domains, the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the C-terminal domain (CTD). The NTD is primarily responsible for RNA binding, whereas the CTD is involved in polymerization. The N protein demonstrated to trigger the host immune response and to modulate the cell cycle of infected cells by interacting with host proteins. The NP, one of the most abundant protein in coronaviruses, is essential in understanding the pathogenic mechanism of coronaviruses through its interaction with host factors, which response for determining the virus pathogenicity. HCoV-229E is a widely distributed coronavirus that typically causes mild upper respiratory tract diseases, accounting for a significant portion of common cold cases. However, its pathogenicity is notably lower compared to other coronaviruses like MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. The exact molecular mechanism behind remains unexplained, and how HCoV-229E N protein influences virus replication, host antiviral immunity, and pathogenesis need to be further explored. MethodsProximity labeling-mass spectrometry technique and bioinformatics analysis were used to screen for potential host factors interacting with the NP of human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E). In this study, a recombinant adenovirus Ad-V5-NP^HCoV-229E-TurboID was constructed to express the fusion protein of HCoV-229E NP and biotin ligase (TurboID). A549 cells were infected with the Ad-V5-NP^HCoV-229E-TurboID. After 30 min biotin treatment, NP interacting proteins were labeled with biotin by biotin ligase, and subsequently isolated with streptavidin cross-linked magnetic beads. The potential interacting proteins were identified using label-free proteomic mass spectrometry and further validated through immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays. ResultsWe identified a total of 584 potential interacting proteins. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis highlighted the enrichment of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3A and GSK3B in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway, indicating HCoV-229E NP connection to diabetes through aberrant activity. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 infection can exacerbate hyperglycemia and metabolic dysregulation in diabetic individuals by activating the ACE2 receptor. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 was observed to cause potentially harm to pancreatic β‑cells and leading to insulin deficiency, which not only worsens the condition of diabetic patients but also raises the possibility of new-onset diabetes in non-diabetic individuals. We demonstrated that GSK3A and GSK3B interacted with NP of HCoV-229E, suggesting that the NP may engage in various coronavirus pathogenic processes by interacting with GSK3. ConclusionThese findings suggest that proximity labeling-mass spectrometry technique is a valuable tool for identifying virus-host interaction factors, and lay the foundation for future investigations into the mechanisms underlying coronavirus replication, proliferation, and pathogenesis.

2-(4-Methylthiazol-5-yl) ethyl nitrate hydrochloride (W1302) is a nitro containing derivative of clomethiazole, which is a novel neuroprotective agent with both carbon monoxide (NO) donor and weak γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA_A) receptor allosteric regulatory excitatory effect. The current study used a rat model of transient middle cerebral arteryocclusion (tMCAO) brain injury to evaluate the therapeutic effect of W1302 on ischemic stroke and explore its potential mechanisms of action. This experiment has been reviewed and approved by the Laboratory Animal Management and Use Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (ethical review forms No. 620, 632, 5013). The results showed that gavage administration of 1, 3, and 10 mg·kg^-1 of W1302 can significantly reduce the volume of cerebral infarction in rats with ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion for 24 h, and the therapeutic effect was better than that of 200 mg·kg^-1 of DL-3n-butylphthalide. W1302 significantly increased NO levels in blood and brain tissue. It increased cerebral blood flow and brain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content after reperfusion, as well as, inhibited the expressions of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in brain tissue. The time window of W1302 was between 120-180 min after ischemia. These research results demonstrated that W1302 could increase NO release, dilate blood vessels, and increase cerebral blood flow, improve energy supply to brain tissue and increase ATP levels, and inhibit neuro-inflammation, which playing the protective roles in tMCAO stroke model rats. This provides theoretical support for the clinical application of W1302 in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of Lingze Tablets(LZT)acting on BPH in rats based on the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway.Methods:We equally randomized 30 SPF SD male rats into five groups,normal control,BPH model con-trol,low-dose LZT,medium-dose LZT and high-dose LZT,and established a BPH model in the latter four groups by induction with non-castrate testosterone propionate.After the modeling,we treated the rats in the normal and model groups by intragastrical adminis-tration of physiological saline,and those in the latter three groups with low-,medium-,and high-dose LZT respectively,all for 28 suc-cessive days.Then we collected the prostate tissue from the animals for observation of the changes in the prostatic indexes and histo-morphology,detected the expressions of the proteins related to the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway,and compared the data ob-tained among different groups.Results:Compared with the normal controls,the rats in the model control group showed significant pros-tatic hyperplasia,markedly increased prostatic index([0.84±0.01]g,P<0.05),thickness of the prostatic epithelia and infiltra-tion of the luminal area,and dramatically up-regulated protein expressions of VEGFA(0.60±0.02,P<0.05),TNF(0.76±0.02,P<0.05)and IL-6(0.64±0.02,P<0.05).In comparison with the model controls,the rats in the low-,medium-and high-dose LZT groups exhibited significantly decreased prostatic indexes([0.76±0.02]g,[0.58±0.02]g and[0.52 0.01]g,all P<0.05),improved prostatic histomorphology,and down-regulated expressions of VEGFA(0.45±0.01,0.35±0.01 and 0.31±0.02,all P<0.05),TNF(0.45±0.01,0.33±0.01 and 0.27±0.01,all P<0.01)and IL-6(0.44±0.01,0.36±0.01 and 0.30±0.01,all P<0.01)in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion:LZT produces therapeutic effect on BPH by negatively regulating the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway,reducing the expression levels of VEGFA,TNF and IL-6 pro-teins,and regulating cell proliferation,apoptosis and inflammatory response.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of hypertension inducing erectile dysfunction(ED)using transcriptomics and network pharmacology.Methods:We randomly divided 12 male rats with spontaneous hypertension(SHT)into an L-arginine(LA)group(n=6)and an SHT model control(MC)group(n=6),took another 6 Wistar Kyoto male rats as normal controls(NC),and treated the animals in the LA group by intraperitoneal injection of LA at 400 mg/kg and those in the latter two groups with physio-logical saline,once a day,all for 7 days.Then we observed the blood pressure and penile erection of the rats,and determined the ex-pressions of the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway-related proteins and mRNAs in different groups using ELISA,Western blot and RT-qPCR.Results:Transcriptomics combined with network pharmacology showed that the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway played a key role in hypertension-induced ED.In vivo animal experiments revealed a significantly lower frequency of penile erections in the MC than in the NC group(1.33±0.52 vs 2.67±0.51,P＜0.05).The protein expressions of eNOS,PKG and sGC were markedly de-creased in the model controls compared with those the normal controls(P＜0.05),but remarkably upregulated in the LA group com-pared with those in the MC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Hypertension decreases the expressions of eNOS,NO,sGC,cGMP and PKG proteins and the level of testosterone by inhibiting the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway,which consequently suppresses the relaxa-tion of the penile vascular smooth muscle and reduces erectile function.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Objective To investigate the incidence and risk factors for acute kidney injury(AKI)in children with primary nephrotic syndrome(PNS),as well as the role of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL)and kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1)in the early identification of AKI in these children.Methods A prospective collection of clinical data from children hospitalized with PNS at the Children's Hospital of the Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2021 to October 2022 was conducted.The children were divided into two groups based on the presence of AKI:the AKI group(47 cases)and the non-AKI group(169 cases).The risk factors for AKI in children with PNS were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis.Urinary KIM-1 and NGAL levels were compared between the AKI and non-AKI groups,as well as among the different stages of AKI.Results The incidence of AKI in children with PNS was 21.8%.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome,gastrointestinal infections,and heavy proteinuria were independent risk factors for AKI in these children with PNS(P<0.05).Urinary KIM-1 and NGAL levels were higher in the AKI group compared to the non-AKI group(P<0.05),and the urinary NGAL and KIM-1 levels in the AKI stage 2 and stage 3 subgroups were higher than those in the AKI stage 1 subgroup(P<0.017).Conclusions KIM-1 and NGAL can serve as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of AKI in children with PNS.Identifying high-risk populations for AKI in children with PNS and strengthening the monitoring of related risk factors is of significant importance.

Objective To analyze the changes of B lymphocyte(B cells)subsets in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB)and to explore its clinical significance.Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 37 treatment-na?ve CHB patients who were admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from July 2022 to October 2022,and peripheral blood samples collected from 18 healthy individuals who have received the hepatitis B vaccine as healthy controls(HC).The study subjects'clinical indexes such as age,HBV DNA viral load,HBsAg quantification,HBeAg semi quantification,ALT,AST,and AST/ALT ratio were collected.The change characteristics of the frequency,phenotypic and functional markers of peripheral blood B lymphocytes and their subsets were compared between CHB and HC.Using multi-color flow cytometry,and the correlation between them and clinical indexes was analyzed.Results Frequency analysis of each subset of B cells showed that compared with HC,the frequency of total B cells,transitional B cells and naive B cells was decreased(P<0.05),while the frequency of mature B cells,memory B cells,atypical memory B cells and activated memory B cells was increased in CHB patients(P<0.01).And there was no significant difference in the frequency of resting memory B cells between the two groups(P>0.05).The results of functional analysis showed that compared with HC,the expression levels of CD79b on total B cells,mature B cells,memory B cells,naive B cells,activated memory B cells,atypical memory B cells and resting memory B cells in CHB patients were increased(P<0.05).The expression level of programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)on atypical memory B cells in CHB patients was also higher than that in HC group(P<0.05).The results of correlation analysis showed that the frequency of total B cells in CHB patients was slightly negatively correlated with age(r=-0.39,P<0.05),while the expression of programmed death-1(PD-1)on total B cells,mature B cells,transitional B cells,memory B cells and naive B cells were slightly positively correlated with age(r>0.36,P<0.05).Conclusions Chronic HBV infection leads to depletion of the frequency and function of a portion of B cells in the peripheral blood of CHB patients,and age is a potential risk factor for the decline in humoral immune function in CHB patients.

This study was aimed at investigating the pathogenic and molecular characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae(KP)in fecal samples of diarrhea cases in a district of Beijing.Fecal samples from diarrhea cases in an outpatient department in a district of Beijing from 2018 to 2021 were collected,and used for isolation and culture of KP.The KP strains isolated strains were subjected to drug resistance phenotype testing and whole-genome sequencing.Multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome phyletic evolution analysis were performed on the sequencing results.The cases'epidemiological and clinical characteristics were analyzed.From 2018 to 2021,1 103 fecal samples were collected and detected.The total detection rate of KP was 10.43％(115/1 103),and the infection rate of KP mixed with other diarrhea-causing pathogens was 42.61％(49/115).The positivity rate was slightly high(12.47％,61/489)a-mong females and was highest in young adults 16-45 years of age.Small peaks were observed in January,April to May,and August to September.The gastrointestinal symptoms in cases were mainly nausea and watery stool,and the suspicious food was unknown.Ampicillin,tetracycline,and sulfafurazole were the top three antibiotics to which these 115 KP strains showed resistance,and 29 strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics.The strains were divided into 72 sequence types,among which ST23 was dominant.According to the phylogenetic tree,the strains were divided into four main branches,among which 14 ST23 strains had a very close genetic relationship with the highly virulent NTUH-K2044 reference strain.KP infection persisted in fecal samples from diarrhea cases in the district of Beijing.Women and young adults were particularly susceptible.The drug resistance of KP strains in this region was very serious,and the ST types were diverse.Moreover,the ST23 pathogenic strains were closely related to high virulence strains.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the current status of affiliate stigma among parents of autistic children, analyze the influencing factors, explore the relationship among mindfulness, coping styles, and affiliate stigma, and verify the mediating role of coping styles between mindfulness and affiliate stigma in parents of children with autism in China.MethodBetween February and April 2023, the Child Development Behaviour Centre of a public hospital in China recruited 345 parents of children with autism. These parents completed the general information questionnaire, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Affiliate Stigma Scale, and the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire. We then adapted the Hayes Process Macro and Bootstrap methods to examine the mediating effects of coping styles between mindfulness and affiliate stigma. Results: (1) The total affiliate stigma score of parents of children with autism was 48.53 (standard deviation:: 10.74). Parents' age, monthly family income, duration of care, mindfulness, and coping styles were the influencing factors of parental affiliate stigma. (2) Mindfulness was positively correlated with positive coping style (r = 0.33, p < .01) and negatively correlated with negative coping style, affiliate stigma (r = −0.38, −0.39, p < .01), whereas affiliate stigma was negatively correlated with positive coping style (r = −0.34, p < .01) and positively correlated with negative coping style (r = 0.41, p < .01). (3) Positive coping style and negative coping style play a parallel mediating role between mindfulness and affiliate stigma of parents of autistic children. Conclusions Parents of children with autism experience significant levels of affiliate stigma. Mindfulness has a direct impact on associated stigma in parents of children with autism and also indirectly predicts associated stigma through the intermediary influence of positive and negative coping styles. Healthcare professionals could perform mindfulness interventions from an optimistic psychology viewpoint to boost parents' mindfulness and coping abilities, thereby accomplishing the objective of mitigating affiliate stigma.

The paper introduces professor ZHUANG Li-xing's clinical experience in treatment of dyskinesia of Parkinson's disease with acupuncture at triple-acupoint prescription. In pathogenesis, dyskinesia of Parkinson's disease refers to yang deficiency and disturbing wind. In treatment, acupuncture focuses on warming yang, promoting the circulation of the governor vessel, regulating the spirit and stopping trembling; and Baihui (GV 20), Suliao (GV 25) and Dingchanxue (Extra) are selected to be "trembling relief needling". In combination with Jin's three needling, named "three-trembling needling" "three-governor-vessel needling" and "three-spasm needling", the triple-acupoint prescription is composed. To ensure the favorable therapeutic effect, this prescription is modified according to the symptoms and the specific techniques of acupuncture are combined such as conducting qi, harmonizing yin and yang, and manipulating gently for reinforcing and reducing.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Parkinson Disease/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Acupuncture ; Dyskinesias