Objective:To investigate the expression of hippocampal synapse-related proteins including synaptophysin (SYN), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43) in rats with epilepsy accompanied by depression.Methods:The 3-month-old female clean grade SD rats were selected for the experiment.Lithium chloride pilocarpine was used to establish an epileptic rat model. Rats with successful epilepsy models were divided into epileptic depressive group (EWD group)and epileptic group with 10 in each group based on whether they were accompanied by depression. Furthermore, ten rats with matched body mass were taken as the depressive group and 10 were taken as control group. As for the depressive group rats, chronic unpredictable mild stress stimulation combined with orphanage was adopted to establish a model of depression.The depressive behaviors of rats were evaluated by body mass, sucrose preference test and open field test. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of SYN, PSD95 and GAP43 proteins in rat hippocampal tissue. SPSS 17.0 software was used for data statistical analysis, repeated measurement ANOVA was used for behavioral results, one-way ANOVA was used for inter group comparison of protein expression data, and LSD test was used for further pairwise comparison.Results:As for the body mass, there was significant interaction effect between the time and group among the 4 groups ( F=7.33, P<0.01). On the 8th day and the 29th day, the body weight of rats in the EWD group and the depressive group were lower than those in the epilepsy group (all P<0.05). The body weight of rats in the EWD group on the 29th day was lower than that on the first day ( P<0.05). As for the sucrose preference rates, there was significant interaction effect between the time and group among the 4 groups( F=2.67, P<0.05). The sucrose preference rate of EWD group on the15th and 29th day were lower than that on the first day (both P<0.05). The results of the open field test showed that the interaction effects of the number of vertical standing times( F=2.74) and the number of horizontal movement lattices ( F=1.76) both were not significant (both P>0.05), but both the time effect and group effect were significant (vertical standing times: Ftime=4.35, P<0.05, Fgroup=25.64, P<0.01; horizontal movement lattices: Ftime=12.75, P<0.01, Fgroup=21.37, P<0.01). The immunohistochemical results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the number of positive cells expressing synaptic proteins SYN, PSD95 and GAP43 among the four groups of rats ( F=93.85, 58.66, 98.84, all P<0.05). The numbers of positive cells of SYN (11.73±4.30), PSD95 (24.47±7.58) and GAP43 (9.40±3.50) in the epilepsy group were lower than those in the control group ((51.00±15.39), (55.60±13.17) and (29.53±4.05)) (all P<0.05). The numbers of positive cells of SYN (5.80±3.53), PSD95 (12.87±4.03) and GAP43 (5.33±3.50) in the EWD group were lower than those in the depressive group ((11.33±3.22), (48.13±12.69) and (15.47±5.21) )(all P<0.05). Western blot results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the expression of synaptic proteins SYN, PSD95 and GAP43 among the four groups of rats ( F=13.19, 9.38, 16.80, all P<0.05). The expression levels of SYN, PSD95 and GAP43 in the epilepsy group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). The expression levels of SYN, PSD95 and GAP43 in the EWD group were lower than those in the epilepsy group and the depressive group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The low expression of SYN, PSD95 and GAP43 proteins in the hippocampus of rats with epilepsy accompanied by depression may be related to their pathogenesis.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of acupuncture combined with sand therapy on bone biomechanics and immune function in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis based on G protein coupled signal.Methods:Totally 35 rabbits were randomly divided into normal group, model group, sand therapy group, acupuncture and moxibustion group and combined group, with 7 rabbits in each group. Except for the normal group, all other groups were prepared with knee osteoarthritis models. After 12 h modeling, rabbits in the sand therapy group and the combined group were treated with sand therapy. Rabbits in the acupuncture and moxibustion group and the combined group received acupuncture stimulation intervention therapy. Rabbits in normal group and model group only moved freely. The levels of IgG, IgM and IgA in serum and IL-1β and TNF-α were detected by ELISA method. The biomechanical properties of femur were measured by American Instron universal material experimental machine. The pathological changes of rabbits in each group were observed by HE staining. Protein expression levels of Gαs, cAMP and Gi in rabbit cartilage tissues were detected by Western blot.Results:Compared with model group, the levels of IgG, IgM and IgA increased ( P<0.05)l the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α decreased ( P<0.05); the maximum load, breaking load, structural stiffness and capacity absorption of rabbits in sand therapy group, acupuncture group and combined group increased ( P<0.05); the expressions of Gαs and cAMP protein increased ( P<0.05), while the expression of Gi protein decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with sand therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis can effectively improve the bone strength of osteoarthritis, reduce the inflammatory response, balance the expression of G protein and improve the imbalance of immunoglobulin.

Objective:To investigate the effects of external application of Compound Dahuang Powder combined with acupuncture on the synovial ultrastructure, pathological angiogenesis, and Ras/Raf signaling pathway in rheumatoid arthritis rats.Methods:Totally 100 SPF grade SD rats were selected and divided into normal group, model group, acupuncture group, external application group, and combination group according to random number table method, with 20 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, Freund's complete adjuvant was injected into the bilateral plantars to establish a rheumatoid arthritis model. One week after modeling, the acupuncture group received acupuncture at "Yinlingquan (SP9)" and "Sanyinjiao (SP6)" for 30 minutes, with continuous intervention for 6 days and 7 days as one course of treatment, for a total of 3 courses of intervention. The external application group of rats applied compound Dahuang Powder on the right hind foot and ankle joint, 10 g/time, twice a day, for 7 days as one course of treatment, with a total of 3 intervention courses; the combination group received a combined intervention of acupuncture and external application of compound Dahuang Powder. No intervention was performed in the normal group and model group. The levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum of rats in each group were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of synovial cells. HE staining was used to observe the morphology of synovial tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor VEGFR2 in synovial tissue. Western blot and RT qPCR were used to detect Ras/Raf protein and mRNA in synovial tissue, respectively.Results:Compared with model group, the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum of rats in acupuncture group and external application group decreased ( P<0.05), the expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 decreased ( P<0.05), and the expressions of Ras and Raf protein and mRNA in acupuncture group and external application group decreased ( P<0.05). Compared with acupuncture group and external application group, the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum of rats in the combination group decreased ( P<0.05), the expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 decreased ( P<0.05), and the expressions of Ras and Raf protein and mRNA in the combination group decreased ( P<0.05). The results of synovial cell ultrastructure showed that the nuclear membrane of synovial cells in normal group was good, and the nuclear membrane in model group was seriously damaged. The acupuncture group and external application group had different degrees of improvement, and the combination group had the most significant improvement. HE staining results showed that the joint synovial tissue of the normal group was normal, the joint synovial tissue of the model group had a large amount of inflammatory infiltration, the joint synovial injury of the acupuncture group and the external application group was slightly improved, and the pathological injury of the combined group was significantly reduced. Conclusion:The combination of external application of compound Dahuang Powder and acupuncture can regulate angiogenesis related factors, regulate the Ras/Raf signaling pathway, and improve the ultrastructure of synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis model rats.

Objective:To explore the genetic etiology of a child with primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy(PHO).Methods:A child who was admitted to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University on July 27, 2021 was selected as the study subject. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the child and his parents and subjected to whole exome sequencing. Suspected splicing variant was verified by Sanger sequencing of family members. In vitro function was validated through a minigene assay, whilst the suspected exonic deletion was validated by long-fragment PCR. This study was approved by the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University (Ethics No. 2023-K-011). Results:Whole exome sequencing revealed that the child has harbored compound heterozygous variants of HPGD gene, including a heterozygous deletion (Exon 3 del) derived from his father and a splicing variant (c.421+ 1G>T) derived from his mother. Long-fragment PCR verified that the child and his father had both harbored a 7 565 bp heterozygous deletion (c.218-1304_324+ 6156del), whilst the minigene assay proved that the splicing variant has resulted in skipping of exon 4. Conclusion:The heterozygous c. 218-1304_324+ 6156del deletion and the c. 421+ 1G>T splicing variant of the HPGD gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in this child. Above finding has enriched the mutational spectrum of the HPGD gene and provided a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this family.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a kind of cardiovascular diseases originated from atherosclerosis (AS), and chronic inflammation is one of the pathological characteristics. The peripheral blood leukocytes, especially mononuclear cells, play an important role in the AS processes. Recently, in a series of Epigenome-Wide Association Studies (EWAS), multiple DNA differential methylation sites in peripheral blood cells were found to be statistically associated with CHD, which suggested that these DNA differential methylation sites might serve as new risk factors for CHD. The recognition of the variant of DNA methylation as a common epigenetic nucleic acid modification in the occurrence and development of CHD, is ongoing. DNA methylation has the potential to become warning biomarkers, which might provide new ideas and evidences for mechanistic studies of CHD.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between resilience, perceived social support, and adaptability in military freshmen.Methods:A total of 195 freshmen were randomly selected from a military medical university. The Chinese version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and a self-test questionnaire of college students' psychological adaptability were used to investigate their resilience, perceived social support, and adaptability. SPSS 26.0 was used to perform an independent samples t-test and a Pearson correlation analysis to analyze the differences in these scores between freshmen with different demographic characteristics and the correlation between these scores. By using the PROCESS plug-in, a structural equation model was used to analyze the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between social support and psychological adaptation, which was further tested using the Bootstrap method. Results:The independent samples t-test showed that females had a significantly higher score of other support than males ( t = -2.05, P = 0.041), and student leaders had significantly higher scores of family support and other support, total score of social support, and score in psychological adaptability than other students (all P<0.05). The correlation analysis showed that there were significant positive correlations between the scores of PSSS and its each item, CD-RISC, and self-test of college students' psychological adaptability (all P<0.05). The structural equation model showed that resilience partially mediated the relationship between social support and psychological adaptation, and the Bootstrap method revealed a significant indirect effect (95%CI: 0.102-0.253). Conclusion:Resilience plays a partial mediating role between perceived social support and adaptability in military freshmen. They should be guided to correctly perceive external support and develop strong resilience.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology for a child with profound intellectual disabilities and obvious behavioral abnormalities. METHODS: A male child who had presented at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University on December 2, 2020 was selected as the study subject. Peripheral blood samples of the child and his parents were collected and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. Short tandem repeat (STR) analysis was carried out to determine its parental origin. The splicing variant was also validated in vitro with a minigene assay. RESULTS: WES results revealed that the child had harbored a novel splicing variant of c.176-2A>G in the PAK3 gene, which was inherited from his mother. The results of minigene assay have confirmed aberrant splicing of exon 2. According to the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, it was classified as a pathogenic variant (PVS1+PM2_Supporting+PP3). CONCLUSION The novel splicing variant c.176-2A>G of the PAK3 gene probably underlay the disorder in this child. Above finding has expanded the variation spectrum of the PAK3 gene and provided a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this family.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Exons ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Mothers ; Mutation ; p21-Activated Kinases/genetics* ; Parents ; RNA Splicing

Objective:To explore the relationship between proactive personality, resilience and achievement motivation of military cadets, and to explore the mediating role of resilience between proactive personality and achievement motivation, as well as the moderating effect of cadets’leading ability on this mediating role.Methods:In this study, 109 military cadets were measured with proactive personality scale, Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC) and achievement motivation scale. SPSS 26.0 was used for descriptive statistical analysis and correlation analysis.Results:①There was a significant correlation among the total scores of proactive personality, resilience and achievement motivation ( Ps<0.01). ②Proactive personality could significantly predict the level of achievement motivation ( a=0.454, P<0.001), and resilience could significantly predict the level of achievement motivation ( b=0.231, P=0.019). ③Resilience significantly mediated the relationship between proactive personality and achievement motivation ( c′=0.3, P=0.003). ④Cadets' leading ability moderated the effect of resilience on achievement motivation (index=0.338, 95% CI: 0.057 to 0.881). The mediating effect of resilience between proactive personality and achievement motivation was significant for cadets' leaders (Effect=0.381, 95% CI: 0.085 to 1.005), but not significant for other students (Effect=0.043, 95% CI: -0.069 to 0.252). Conclusion:The proactive personality of military cadets can affect the level of achievement motivation through psychological resilience, which is also moderated by cadre identity, suggesting that military education should improve the level of achievement motivation in many ways.

Objective:To establish a suitable quality evaluation index system of open online courses in military continuing education.Methods:A primary index system program was established through literature review and small expert meeting. Delphi method was used to conduct a letter consultation among 50 experts, and the index system was revised according to the experts' advice and they consulted again until a broad agreement was reached.Results:After two rounds of letter consultation, the recognition rate of 43 experts on the naming and connotation of the indexes reached more than 95%, and their opinions basically reached a consensus. The variation coefficients of the index weights were distributed between 0.00 and 0.10, with a high degree of concentration. A quality evaluation index system of open online courses in military continuing education has been established, including 4 first-level indexes: curriculum design, curriculum production, online operation and curriculum effect, 10 second-level indexes, and 25 third-level indexes.Conclusion:The quality evaluation index system could provide a basis for evaluating online course quality scientifically and offer better educational resources and teaching services.

Medical information registration of rare disease cases serves as scientific basis for development of population intervention strategy, improvement of medical service system, better patient medical support level, and higher medicine accessibility. Based on their hospital work, the authors introduced the development practice of an all-dimensional management system for such information registration, in terms of formulating policies, establishing organizational structure, organizing and publicizing policies for the medical service of rare diseases, maintaining registration data and so on, so as to provide the reference for the management of registration work of rare diseases.