ObjectiveSpatial working memory (SWM) is an important function in cognitive behavior, and working memory impairment can seriously affect the patient’s life and cause great stress to the patient. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) has been shown to regulate working memory function by entrainment of neural oscillations in different frequencies of the brain, but its regulation of working memory-related neural oscillations and their synchronization is not clear. The purpose of this study was to study the effect of iTBS on neural oscillation and synchronization in local and transbrain regions of rats, and to explore the mechanism of iTBS in regulating working memory. MethodsTwenty-four rats were randomly divided into four groups according to their age and whether they received iTBS stimulation (AS: adult stimulation group, AC: adult control group, ES: elderly stimulation group, EC: elderly control group). Using the methods of time-frequency distribution, phase synchronization and phase-amplitude coupling analysis, the changes of local field potential signal neural oscillations in the prefrontal and hippocampal brain regions of theta and gamma bands in the process of spatial working memory behavioral tasks in each group of rats were compared and analyzed, and the relationship between the changes of neural oscillations in the two brain regions and the changes in spatial working memory ability of rats was judged based on the Pearson correlation coefficient. ResultsWith the increase of age, the time taken by the elderly rats to learn the spatial working memory task rules increased significantly (P=0.005 6), and the time taken by iTBS stimulation to learn the SWM task rules in adult rats (P=0.001 1) and elderly rats(P=0.009 0) was shortened. At the same time, compared with adult rats, the time-frequency energy of theta and gamma band neural oscillations in the prefrontal and hippocampal brain regions of elderly rats (theta: P<0.000 1; gamma: P<0.000 1) and phase-amplitude coupling across brain regions (PFC-HPC: P=0.000 2; HPC-PFC:P=0.027 7) decreased to a certain extent, and iTBS stimulation could increase the time-frequency energy of neural oscillations of adult rats (theta: P<0.000 1; gamma: P<0.000 1) and elderly rats (theta: P=0.014 4; gamma:P=0.000 6) and the phase-amplitude coupling effect across brain regions in elderly rats (PFC-HPC: P=0.018 0; HPC-PFC: P=0.022 1). In addition, the time-frequency energy and phase-amplitude coupling of signals in each frequency band of the two brain regions were positively correlated with the behavioral accuracy of rats, while the phase synchronization of theta band and gamma band neural oscillations in the two brain regions during working memory was not correlated with the behavioral accuracy. ConclusioniTBS can enhance SWM ability and cognitive function in elderly rats, and this improvement is associated with increased coupling of time-frequency energy and cross-brain phase amplitude of neural oscillations across theta and gamma bands during SWM tasks. Similarly, in adult rats, iTBS enhances SWM ability and cognitive function by increasing the time-frequency energy of theta and gamma band neural oscillations in both brain regions during SWM tasks. Furthermore, in addition to the main findings, this study provides evidence supporting the state-dependent effects of iTBS stimulation to some extent.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Shuangye San(the prescription mainly composed of Mori Folium and Nelumbinis Folium)in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)of spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis type.Methods A total of 80 patients with T2DM complicated with NAFLD of spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis type were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,with 40 cases in each group.The control group was treated with conventional western medicine for lowering blood glucose and lipid,protecting liver and lowering enzymes.The treatment group was treated with the granules of Shuangye San orally on the basis of treatment for the control group.The course of treatment lasted for three months.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),fasting insulin(FINS),fasting blood glucose(FBG),2-hour postprandial blood glucose(2hPG),glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1C),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),liver function indicators and B-ultrasound grading of fatty liver in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)After three months of treatment,the total effective rate of the treatment group was 85.00％(34/40),and that of the control group was 70.00％(28/40).The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.01).(2)After treatment,the scores of TCM symptoms of obese physique,heaviness and weakness in the limbs,shortness of breath and unwilling to talk,tightness and stabbing pain in the chest,abdominal distension and poor appetite in the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease of TCM syndrome scores in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the levels of glucose and lipid metabolism indicators of FINS,HOMA-IR,FBG,2hPG,HbA1C,TC,TG and LDL-C in the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the level of HDL-C was significantly increased compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of FINS,HOMA-IR,FBG,2hPG,HbA1C,TC,TG and LDL-C levels and the increase of HDL-C levels in the treatment group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the levels of liver function indicators of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT)in the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease of liver function indicators in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,the B-ultrasound grading of fatty liver of the two groups was significantly improved compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05),and the improvement of fatty liver B-ultrasound grading in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(6)During the treatment,there were no adverse reactions such as impairment of liver and kidney function and abnormalities in routine blood,urine and stool test in the two groups.Conclusion Shuangye San exerts certain effect in the treatment of T2DM complicated with NAFLD of spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis type.It can alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients,correct the disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism,and improve liver function and fatty liver B-ultrasound grading.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of resveratrol promoting fibronectin type Ⅲ domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) degradation in skeletal muscle of male obese mice． Methods: Six-week-old male C57BL /6 mice were randomly divided into three groups : standard control diet ( SCD) ，high-fat diet ( HFD) and high-fat diet treated with resveratrol (HFD + RES) ．HFD + RES group was intervened with resveratrol via gavage ［400 mg / kg · d) ］ while fed HFD for 20 weeks．The body mass，serum TG，TC，LDL-C and HDL-C levels were detected．The pathological changes in skeletal muscle were detected by HE staining．The expression of FNDC5，SIRT1，SIRT2，LC3， p62，Beclin-1，ATG5，ATG7 was assessed by immunohistochemistry，RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. Results: The body mass ，serum TG ，TC and LDL-C levels increased significantly ，meanwhile HDL-C levels decreased in HFD group．Lipid deposition between skeletal muscle fibers were obvious in HFD group．The immuno- histochemistry results showed that protein expression levels of SIRT1，SIRT2 and LC3 obviously decreased，while the protein levels of FNDC5 and p62 obviously increased．The expression levels of FNDC5 significantly increased， while the gene expression levels of SIRT1，SIRT2，LC3，Atg7 and Beclin-1 obviously decreased．All these responses were attenuated by treatment with RES． Conclusion RES has obvious effects of lipid-lowering and promoting FNDC5 degradation in skeletal muscle tissues，which may be related with SIRT1 and SIRT2-induced autophagy， thus resulting in degradation of FNDC5 .

OBJECTIVE To explore the efficacy of Sour Jujube Seed Decoction combined with Huanglian Wendan Decoction on adult chronic insomnia and its effect on hypnotic withdrawal.METHODS 187 patients with chronic insomnia were included for anal-ysis,including 102 in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)group and 85 in the western medicine group.The TCM group was trea-ted with Sour Jujube Seed Decoction combined with Huanglian Wendan Decoction,while the western medicine group was treated with benzodiazepine under the consideration of doctor.The intervention period was 1 month,with assessments using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)conducted before and after the intervention.Follow-up evaluations were performed at 3 months and 6 months re-spectively after the intervention.RESULTS There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline.After the inter-vention,the PSQI scores of patients in both groups were significantly improved(P<0.01).Among them,the TCM group was better than the western medicine group in the improvement of sleep quality and sleeping pills,total PSQI score reduction(P<0.01).The re-sults of linear regression analysis showed that after controlling for confounding factors,the regression coefficients of the TCM group in two different models were1.821 and 1.922 respectively,and the former was statistically significant(P<0.05).By screening patients who took hypnotics at baseline in the TCM group and comparing them with those in the western medicine group,the influencing factors of hypnotic withdrawal were analyzed.During the 3-month follow-up,25 out of 39 patients in the TCM group and 17 out of 80 patients in the western medicine group had hypnotic withdrawal(χ2= 19.25,P<0.001);during the 6-month follow-up,23 of the 39 patients in the TCM group and 18 of the 79 patients in the western medicine group had hypnotic withdrawal(χ2= 13.53,P<0.001),the with-drawal rate of patients in the TCM group was significantly higher than that in the western medicine group.Further regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors,the results showed that the western medicine group had a significantly higher rate of not withdrawal than the TCM group at 3 months(OR=5.50,95%CI:2.30～13.72)and 6 months(OR=6.43,95%CI:2.54～17.77),and the results were statistically different(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Sour Jujube Seed Decoction combined with Huangli-an Wendan Decoction is effective in treating adult chronic insomnia and assisting in hypnotic withdrawal.

Aim To study the neuroprotective effect of rhubarb extract on MCAO model rats and explore its mechanism of action. Methods Forty-five SPF male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group, MCAO group, and MCAO + rhubarb group. MCAO model was prepared by silk plug method, and rhubarb extract was administered at a concentration of 200 mg · kg

Objective:To investigate the effects of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on learning memory and neuroelectric activity in rats. Methods:Eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (n = 4) and rTMS group (n = 4). rTMS group was stimulated 14 days by rTMS with the frequency of 5 Hz, and the stimulation intensity was 100% motor threshold. The control group did not accepted rTMS. Then, the 16 channel local field potentials (LFPs) and spikes were recorded from their prefrontal cortex (PFC) in each group during the working memory tasks. The time-frequency analysis based on the short-time Fourier transform was performed on the LFPs, and the spike was analyzed by the release rate method. Multitaper Spectral Coherence was used to analyze the Synchronization Degree of LFPs-spike. Results:In the working memory experiment, rTMS group needed less days than the control group to reach the task correction criterion (t = 2.51, P = 0.046). The energy intensity of the θ-band and γ-band of the LFPs was significantly higher in rTMS group than in the control group (t > 12.49, P < 0.001), θ-band and γ-band LFPs-spike were more synchronized (t > 8.82, P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the average rate of spike between groups (t = 1.73, P = 0.067). Conclusion:High frequency rTMS could increase the LFPs energy in working memory experiment, enhance cooperative coding process for LFPs and spike, and improve the working memory ability of the rats.

Objective Recent evidence points towards a close relationship between dysregulation of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and carcinogenesis and progression of various tumors including gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of lncRNA DGCR5 in the gastric cancer tissue and plasma and its influence on the biological behavior of gastric cancer cells. Methods We collected tumorous and adjacent normal tissues from 96 gastric adenocarcinoma patients as well as plasma samples from 34 gastric cancer patients and another 34 healthy controls. We deter-mined the expression of DGCR5 by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR,analyzed its correlation with the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer,observed the apoptosis, proliferation and invasiveness of the gastric cancer cells after overexpressing DGCR5, and detected the expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associat-ed genes and proteins by Western blot. Results The expression of DGCR5 was significantly decreased in tumor tissue of the gastric canc-er patients as compared with that in the adjacent normal tissue,which was correlated with the advanced TNM stage and lymph node metastasis, and so was it in the plasma of the patients, which was also correlated with the TNM stage. The area under the ROC curve for the diagnosis of gastric cancer by the expression level of plasma DGCR5 was 0.722. Overexpressed DGCR5 induced significant apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells,markedly promoted the expression of E-cadherin,and suppressed the expressions of N-cadherin,vimentin and Twist. Conclu-sion The expression of DGCR5 is significantly decreased in the tumor tissue and plasma of gastric cancer patients. The DGCR5 level in the plasma has a certain diagnostic value for gastric cancer. Overexpressed DGCR5 can reduce the proliferation and invasiveness of gastric cancer cells,increase their apoptosis,and inhibit EMT.

BACKGROUNDThe established clinical staging systems (Rai/Binet) of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cannot accurately predict the appropriate treatment of patients in the earlier stages. In the past two decades, several prognostic factors have been identified to predict the outcome of patients with CLL, but only a few studies investigated more markers together. To predict the time to first treatment (TTFT) in patients of early stages, we evaluated the prognostic role of conventional markers as well as cytogenetic abnormalities and combined them together in a new prognostic scoring system, the CLL prognostic index (CLL-PI).

METHODSTaking advantage of a population of 406 untreated Chinese patients with CLL at early and advanced stage of disease, we identified the strongest prognostic markers of TTFT and, subsequently, in a cohort of 173 patients who had complete data for all 3 variables, we integrated the data of traditional staging system, cytogenetic aberrations, and mutational status of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) in CLL-PI. The median follow-up time was 45 months and the end point was TTFT.

RESULTSThe median TTFT was 38 months and the 5-year overall survival was 80%. According to univariate analysis, patients of advanced Rai stages (P < 0.001) or with 11q- (P = 0.002), 17p- (P < 0.001), unmutated IGHV (P < 0.001), negative 13q- (P = 0.007) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels (P = 0.001) tended to have a significantly shorter TTFT. And subsequently, based on multivariate Cox regression analysis, three independent factors for TTFT were identified: advanced clinical stage (P = 0.002), 17p- (P = 0.050) and unmutated IGHV (P = 0.049). Applying weighted grading of these independent factors, a CLL-PI was constructed based on regression parameters, which could categorize four different risk groups (low risk [score 0], intermediate low [score 1], intermediate high [score 2] and high risk [score 3-6]) with significantly different TTFT (median TTFT of not reached (NR), 65.0 months, 36.0 months and 19.0 months, respectively, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThis study developed a weighted, integrated CLL-PI prognostic system of CLL patients which combines the critical genetic prognostic markers with traditional clinical stage. This novel modified PI system could be used to discriminate among groups and may help predict the TTFT and prognosis of patients with CLL.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; genetics ; metabolism ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Prognosis

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the therapeutic effect of subtotal parathyroidectomy (sT-PTX) on uremic patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT).Methods:Seventy two SHPT patients treated with sT-PTX in our hospital were enrolled in this study.Serum parathyroid hormone(PTH),calcium(Ca) and phosphorus(P) obtained in the preoperative,postoperative and followup periods were collected and compared.Their symptoms,postoperative complications and relapse were recorded.Results:(1)sT-PTX operation performed successfully in 70/72 patients(97.2％).(2)After sT-PTX,bone pain and itching improved rapidly,with the improvement of nutritional status,Partial patients with renal hypertension were remitted compared with preoperative.Thirteen cases can walk without wheelchair after sT-PTX.(3)Serum PTH,Ca,and P decreased significantly after sT-PTX for one week,one month and 6 months as compared with those before sT-PTX(P＜0.05).(4)Postoperative hypocalcemia was frequently seen(53/72,53.6％) but could be effectively controlled by intravenous calcium infusion.(5)SHPT recurred in the 6 months after sT-PTX in 4 cases (5.7％).Conclusions:T-PTX can effectively decrease PTH level and improve symptoms,and is a safe measure for the treatment of uremic patients with SHPT.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the serum level of carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and explore its correlation with MMP-2 and MMP-9 in patients with coronary artery disease (CHD).

METHODSA total of 103 CHD patients treated in our hospital between October, 2013 and May, 2014 were enrolled, including 39 with stable angina pectoris (SAP), 39 with unstable angina (UA), and 25 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with 38 non-CHD volunteers as the control group. The serum levels of ICTP, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were detected in all the subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSNo significant difference in serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, or ICTP was found between the control and SAP groups or between UA and AMI groups (P>0.05), but the latter two groups had significantly higher serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and ICTP than the former two groups (P<0.05). Serum ICTP level was found to negatively correlated with the fibrotic area and positively with the lipid component in the plaques (P<0.05). Regression analysis revealed significant positive correlations of serum ICTP with MMP-2 and MMP-9 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAn elevated serum ICTP level is indicative of the presence of unstable plaques in CHD patients. Serum ICTP is more strongly correlated with MMP-2 than with MMP-9, and can be used as a non-invasive marker for assessing vulnerable plaques in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angina Pectoris ; Angina, Unstable ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Collagen Type I ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; blood ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; blood ; Myocardial Infarction