Intoxicación severa por 3,4-metilendioximetanfetamina (MDMA). Reporte de caso

La intoxicación por 3,4-metilendioximetanfetamina (MDMA), ha tenido un dramático resurgimiento desde 1980, se ha extendido por gran parte de los Estados Unidos, Europa y América, ha sido ampliamente utilizada como drogas con fines recreativos, actualmente Las catinonas sintéticas se venden como "euforizantes legales" para eludir las leyes existentes, lo que resulta en toxicidad grave y muertes. Presentamos un caso clínico de un adulto joven, quien debuto con intoxicación aguda severa MDMA, con falla multiorgánica, el cual se realizó atención y manejo agudo de la intoxicación en el servicio de urgencias, con posterior manejo de complicaciones en la unidad de cuidados intensivo y finalmente con sobrevida a pesar del mal pronóstico.

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) intoxication, has had a dramatic resurgence since 1980, has spread throughout much of the United States, Europe and America, has been widely used as a recreational drug, currently Synthetic cathinones are they sell as "legal highs" to circumvent existing laws, resulting in severe toxicity and deaths. We present a clinical case of a young adult, who debuted with severe acute MDMA poisoning, with multiple organ failure, who underwent care and acute management of the poisoning in the emergency department, with subsequent management of complications in the intensive care unit and finally with survival despite the poor prognosis.

Encefalitis autoinmune posherpética. Caso clínico pediátrico / Autoimmune post-herpes simplex encephalitis. A pediatric clinical case report

La encefalitis por virus herpes simple (VHS) es una causa frecuente de encefalitis grave y potencialmente fatal. La encefalitis autoinmune posherpética (EAPH) afecta a un porcentaje de los pacientes que han presentado encefalitis herpética (EH) y se caracteriza por la aparición de nuevos síntomas neurológico/psiquiátricos, y/o por el empeoramiento de los déficits adquiridos durante la infección viral dentro de un lapso temporal predecible. Se produce por un mecanismo no relacionado con el VHS, sino por fenómenos autoinmunes, y es susceptible de tratamiento con inmunomoduladores. Se presenta el caso de un varón de 5 años de edad con EAPH que requirió tratamiento inmunomodulador, de primera y segunda línea, con buena evolución y remisión de los síntomas.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis is a common cause of severe and potentially fatal encephalitis. Autoimmune post-herpes simplex encephalitis (AIPHSE) affects a percentage of patients who developed herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) and is characterized by the onset of new neurological/psychiatric symptoms and/or worsening of deficits acquired during the herpes infection within a predictable time frame. It is caused by a mechanism not related to HSV, but by autoimmune conditions, and is susceptible to treatment with immunomodulators. Here we describe the case of a 5-year-old boy with AIPHSE who required first- and second-line immunomodulatory treatment, with an adequate course and remission of symptoms.

Psicosis como manifestación inicial de encefalitis autoinmune contra los receptores N-metil-D-aspartato (ECR-NMDA): reporte de caso / Psychosis as first manifestation of autoimmune encephalitis against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (ECR-NMDA). Case Report

RESUMEN Se presenta el caso de un varón de 21 años hospitalizado en el servicio de psiquiatría de un hospital general con historia de alteraciones de pensamiento, percepción y conducta, y que tuvo un intento suicida. En la unidad de hospitalización, el paciente presentó una evolución tórpida, incluyendo la aparición de movimientos involuntarios y un progresivo trastorno sensorial que determinó su traslado a la unidad de cuidados intermedios del servicio de medicina interna. Después de exámenes de laboratorio, apoyo de imágenes y evaluación por diferentes especialidades, el diagnóstico final fue el de un cuadro compatible con encefalitis anti-receptor NMDA.

ABSTRACT The case of a 21-year-old man, hospitalized in the psychiatric service of a general hospital with a history of abnormal thought, perception, and behavioral processes, reaching a suicidal attempt, is presented. In the psychiatric hospitalization unit, he experienced a torpid clinical course, including the appearance of involuntary movements and a progressive sensory disorder that led to his transfer to the Intermediate Care Unit of the Internal Medicine Service. After laboratory tests, imaging support and evaluation by different medical specialties, the final diagnosis was a clinical picture compatible with NMDA anti-receptor encephalitis.

Secuelas cognitivas en encefalitis inmunomediadas: cohorte de pacientes en Argentina / Cognitive sequelae in immunomediated encephalitis: cohort of patients in Argentina

Resumen Introducción: Las encefalitis inmunomediadas son un desorden neurológico de origen autoinmune. Actual mente es escasa la descripción de las secuelas cognitivas crónicas. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue caracterizar la secuela cognitiva de diferentes tipos de encefalitis inmunomediadas en una cohorte de un centro único de Argentina. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo, observacional, trans versal, de pacientes en seguimiento en un hospital de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, con diagnóstico de encefalitis inmunomediada probable y definitiva. Se evaluaron variables epidemiológicas, clínicas, paraclínicas y tra tamiento. Se determinó la secuela cognitiva a través de una evaluación neurocognitiva realizada a partir del año de la presentación clínica. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 15 pacientes, todos con resultado disminuido en al menos un test. La memoria fue el dominio más afectado. Aquellos que se encon traban bajo tratamiento inmunosupresor al momento de evaluarse presentaron menores resultados en el aprendizaje seriado (media -2.94; desvío estándar 1.54) versus los que se encontraban sin tratamiento (media -1.18; desvío estándar 1.40; p = 0.05) y en la prueba de reconocimiento (media -10.34; desvío estándar 8.02) ver sus sin tratamiento (media -1.39; desvío estándar 2.21; p = 0.003). Los pacientes con estatus epiléptico tuvieron resultados deficitarios en la prueba de reconocimiento (media -7.2; desvío estándar 7.91) en comparación a los que no lo tenían (media -1.47; desvío estándar 2.34; p = 0.05). Conclusión: Nuestros resultados demuestran que, a pesar del curso monofásico de la enfermedad, todos los pacientes presentan daño cognitivo persistente más allá del año del inicio del cuadro. Estudios prospectivos de mayor envergadura serían necesarios para confirmar nuestros hallazgos.

Abstract Introduction: Autoimmune encephalitis represents a group of immune-mediated neurological disorders. At present, the description of the chronic cognitive sequela is scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the cognitive after effects of different types of autoimmune encephalitis in a cohort from a single center in Argentina. Methods: Prospective, observational, cross-sectional study of patients under follow-up at a hospital in Buenos Aires city, with a diagnosis of probable and definitive immune-mediated encephalitis. Epidemiological, clini cal, paraclinical and treatment related variables were evaluated. Cognitive sequela was determined through a neurocognitive evaluation performed at least a year after the clinical presentation. Results: Fifteen patients were included. All had di minished results in at least one test. Memory was the most affected domain. Patients who were under im munosuppressive treatment at the time of evaluation presented lower results in serial learning (mean -2.94; standard deviation 1.54) versus those who weren't under treatment (mean -1.18; standard deviation 1.40; p = 0.05). The same pattern was observed on the recognition test of treatment group (mean -10.34; standard deviation 8.02) versus treatment-free group (mean -1.39; standard deviation 2.21; p =0.003). Patients with status epilepticus had poorer results in the recognition test (mean -7.2; standard deviation 7.91) compared to those without it (mean -1.47; standard deviation 2.34; p = 0.05). Conclusion: Our results show that, despite the mo nophasic course of this disease, all patients had persis tent cognitive damage beyond the year of onset. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm our findings.

Comparison of apoptotic bodies’ count & mitotic index in oral squamous cell carcinoma with regional lymph node involvement

Background & objectives: In early stages of oral cancers, 20-40 per cent of cases have occult metastasis in cervical lymph nodes. Biologic imbalance between cellular proliferation and death culminates in metastasis. The importance of cell cycle dysregulation in relation to lymph node involvement in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been established yet. The aim was to determine the association between apoptotic bodies count and mitotic index in relation to regional lymph node involvement in OSCC. Methods: Thirty two methyl green-pyronin stained slides from paraffin-embedded sections of OSCC were evaluated for apoptotic bodies count and mitotic index in relation to regional lymph node involvement using light microscopy. Number of apoptotic bodies and mitotic figures were counted in 10 randomly selected hot spot areas (×400). Average count of apoptotic bodies and mitotic figures were determined and compared with regard to the presence/absence of lymph node involvement. Results: The count of apoptotic bodies in cases without metastasis to the regional lymph node was significantly higher than in cases with regional lymph node involvement. The mitotic index was not significantly different between groups in terms of regional lymph node involvement (P=0.24). No significant correlation was found between the apoptotic bodies count (r=?0.094, P=0.72) and mitotic index (r=?0.08, P=0.75) to the number of regional lymph nodes involved. Interpretation & conclusions: Based on the results, it is suggested that apoptotic cell count can be a good parameter for showing the possibility of regional lymph node involvement in people with OSCC who do not have clinical symptoms of lymph node involvement.

Binding interaction of laccases from Bacillus Subtilis after industrial dyes exposure: Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies

Dyes are becoming more widely used around the world wide, but there is no effective bioremediation approach for removing them completely from the environment. Several dyes are mentioned to be degraded through bacteria; however, it's still unknown how the particular enzymes act throughout the dye degradation. The behavior and function of these enzymes in the biodegradation of azo dyes (Textile dyes) had been investigated experimentally by the numbers of the researchers, however, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, the interaction mechanisms of textile dye (methyl orange) with laccase from B. subtilis were explored through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, the three selected dyes (methyl orange, malachite green, and acid blue 62) that interact positively with laccase on the basis of their maximum binding energy, molecular docking results indicate that one of the three dyes is more stable as a target for degradation through Bacillus subtilis laccase. Therefore, subsequent research focused solely on one substrate: methyl orange. Molecular Dynamics simulation study was applied after the molecular docking to determine the interaction between laccases and methyl orange dyes. The trajectory was proved with root mean square deviation and root mean square fluctuation analysis. According to the molecular dynamics simulation results, laccase-methyl orange complexes remain stable during the catalytic reaction. So, this study demonstrates how laccase is involved in methyl orange bioremediation.

Regulación del calcio por SERC-A antes de la enfermedad de Alzheimer y durante la misma / Calcium regulation by SERC-A before and during Alzheimer disease

Hay muchos factores implicados en la incidencia de la enfermedad de Alzheimer que, en combinación, terminan por impedir o dificultar las funciones neuronales normales. Actualmente, poco se conoce sobre la regulación del calcio, antes de la enfermedad y durante la misma. La inestabilidad interna de los niveles de calcio se asocia a un mayor riesgo vascular, condición prevalente en un gran número de individuos ya comprometidos por la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Esta revisión proporciona una reevaluación de los mecanismos moleculares de la ATPasa dependiente de Ca2+ del retículo sarcoendoplásmico (SERC-A) en la enfermedad y analiza los aspectos más destacados de la función de los canales de calcio dependientes de voltaje; de esta manera, se podrán abrir nuevas alternativas de tratamiento. Estos mecanismos de regulación son clínicamente relevantes, ya que se ha implicado la función irregular de SERC-A en diversas alteraciones de la función cerebral.

There are many factors involved in the incidence of Alzheimer's disease that, in combination, impede or hinder normal neuronal functions. Little is currently known about calcium regulation before and during the disease. Internal instability of calcium levels is associated with increased vascular risk, a prevalent condition in a high number of individuals already compromised by Alzheimer's disease. This review provides a reevaluation of the molecular mechanism of the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERC-A) in the disease and discusses salient aspects of voltage-gated calcium channel function; in these way new alternatives could be open for its treatment. These regulation mechanisms are clinically relevant since the irregular functions of SERC+A has been implicated in pathologies of brain function.

Dystocia Due to Secondary Uterine Inertia and its Obstetrical Management- A Case Report

Background: A full-term pregnant Ongole cow was presented to the Large Animal Obstetrical Ward with a history of reduced feed intake, dull and ruptured foetal membranes 24 hours before presentation without progress in parturition. The temperature was within the normal physiological range. Per-vaginal examination revealed second-degree cervical dilation, lack of uterine and abdominal contractions and the vaginal discharges were reddish brown and putrid. Methods: The case was diagnosed as secondary uterine inertia and treated with an intracervical application of misoprostol and intravenous calcium therapy. Results: Three hours after the application of misoprostol and calcium therapy, full dilatation of the cervix was achieved to facilitate the delivery of the dead male emphysematous foetus by traction. Uneventful recovery of the dam was noticed. Conclusion: Usage of misoprostol along with CMC massage and calcium therapy resulted in speedy recovery of dystocia suffering with incomplete cervical dilation.

Recent research on cytokines associated with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis / 中国当代儿科杂志

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, and little is known about its immune mechanism at present. There is a lack of disease-related biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid except anti-NMDAR antibody, which leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment in some patients. Therefore, there has been an increasing number of studies on related cytokines in recent years to assess whether they can be used as new biomarkers for evaluating disease conditions and assisting diagnosis and treatment. Current studies have shown that some cytokines may be associated with the progression of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, and this article reviews the research advances in such cytokines associated with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Methyl ferulic acid ameliorates ethanol-induced L02 cell steatosis through microRNA-378b-mediated CaMKK2-AMPK pathway / 中国中药杂志

Alcoholic liver disease(ALD), with its increasing morbidity and mortality, has seriously and extensively affected the health of people worldwide. Methyl ferulic acid(MFA) has been proven to significantly inhibit alcohol-induced lipid production in L02 cells through the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK) pathway, but its in-depth mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to further clarify the mechanism of MFA in improving lipid accumulation in L02 cells through the microRNA-378b(miR-378b)-mediated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2(CaMKK2)-AMPK signaling pathway based on existing researches. L02 cells were induced by 100 mmol·L~(-1) ethanol for 48 h to establish the model of ALD in vitro, and 100, 50, and 25 μmol·L~(-1) concentration of MFA was treated. MiR-378b plasmids(containing the overexpression plasmid-miR-378b mimics, silence plasmid-miR-378b inhibitor, and their respective negative control-miR-378b NCs) were transfected into L02 cells by electroporation to up-regulate or down-regulate the levels of miR-378b in L02 cells. The levels of total cholesterol(TC) and triglyceride(TG) in cells were detected by commercial diagnostic kits and automatic biochemical analyzers. The expression levels of miR-378b in L02 cells were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR). CaMKK2 mRNA levels were detected by PCR, and protein expressions of related factors involved in lipid synthesis, decomposition, and transport in lipid metabolism were detected by Western blot. The results displayed that ethanol significantly increased TG and TC levels in L02 cells, while MFA decreased TG and TC levels. Ethanol up-regulated the miR-378b level, while MFA effectively inhibited the miR-378b level. The overexpression of miR-378b led to lipid accumulation in ethanol-induced L02 cells, while the silence of miR-378b improved the lipid deposition induced by ethanol. MFA activated the CaMKK2-AMPK signaling pathway by lowering miR-378b, thus improving lipid synthesis, decomposition, and transport, which improved lipid deposition in L02 cells. This study shows that MFA improves lipid deposition in L02 cells by regulating the CaMKK2-AMPK pathway through miR-378b.

Quality evaluation methods of Poria based on yield and content of alkali extracted polysaccharide / 中国中药杂志

To improve the quality control methods of Poria and develop and utilize its resources fully, alkaline extraction was used in this study to determine the yield and content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of Poria. The alkali-soluble extracts of Poria were obtained according to the optimum extraction conditions on the basis of single-factor test, and 30 batches of samples were determined. The structure and chemical composition of the alkali-soluble extracts was characterized by high-performance gel permeation chromatography(HPGPC), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone(PMP-HPLC). The results showed that the content of the alkali-soluble extracts was in the range of 46.98%-73.86%. The main component was β-(1→3)-glucan, and its molecular mass was about 1.093×10~5. Further, the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of Poria was measured by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and HPLC coupled with the evaporative light scattering detector(HPLC-ELSD), and 30 batches of samples were measured. The results indicated that the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry was in the range of 73.70%-92.57%, and the content of samples from Hubei province was slightly higher than that from Yunnan province, Anhui province and Hunan province. The content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides determined by HPLC-ELSD was in the range of 51.42%-76.69%, and the samples from Hunan province had slightly higher content than that from the other three provinces. The content determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry was higher than that by HPLC-ELSD. However, the content determined by HPLC-ELSD was close to that of alkali-soluble extract, which could accurately characterize the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides in Poria, and the method was simple and repeatable. Therefore, it is recommended that the quantitative analysis method for alkali-soluble extract and alkali-soluble polysaccharides by HPLC-ELSD be used in the quality standards of Poria in Chinese Pharmacopeia.

Effects of a Mouthwash Containing Plant Extracts on Gingivitis and Halitosis / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

Mouthwash is used to support brushing because it is distributed throughout the oral cavity. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a mixture of three hot water extracts (from Hordeum vulgare L, Apocynum venetum L, and Brasenia schreberi J. F. Gmel) for the purpose of developing an effective mouthwash. The mixture suppressed enhanced tumor necrosis factor α and matrix metalloproteinase 3 gene expression by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide stimulation in human gingival fibroblasts. Furthermore, human studies using a mouthwash containing the plant extracts (MW) improved gingival index and bleeding on probing in the gum, and reduced the concentration of methyl mercaptan, which causes bad breath, in the mouth. These findings suggest that continued use of MW has positive effects on gingival inflammation and halitosis, and is useful for maintaining oral health.

Methyl rosmarinate induces cell apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via inhibiting the Akt/mTOR signaling pathways / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the cell death-inducing effect of methyl rosmarinate (MR) on human hepatoma Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells and their potential mechanisms. 【Methods】 The effects of MR on the viability of Hep-3B, SK-Hep1 and MIHA cells were determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The morphological changes of three kinds of cells treated with different concentrations of MR were observed by optical microscopy. EdU assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells. Transwell assay was used to study the effects of MR on the migration and invasion of Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells. Western blotting was used to evaluate the protein expression levels of apoptosis, EMT and Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. 【Results】 After treated with different concentrations of MR (0~200 μmol/L) for 48 h, Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells activities were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.01), while there was no significant effect on MIHA cell activity (P>0.05), and the IC50 of Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells were 102.5 and 99.3 μmol/L, respectively. MR treatment (0-150 μmol/L) significantly inhibited the proliferation of Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells (P<0.05), while cell detachment and shrinkage were observed by optical microscopy on the Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells, while the morphology of MIHA cells was not changed. Compared with the control group, MR (100, 150 μmol/L) induced apoptosis in Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells, the expression levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved PARP were significantly increased (P<0.05), while the expression level of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was significantly decreased (P<0.05). MR (100, 150 μmol/L) also inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells, significantly increased the expression of E-cadherin and decreased the expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin compared with the control group (P<0.05). Finally, Western blotting results showed that the expressions of p-Akt and p-mTOR in Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 treated by MR were significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that MR may play an anti-cancer role by inhibiting Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. 【Conclusion】 MR can promote apoptosis in Hep-3B and SK-Hep1 cells, which may be closely related to the inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Analyzing the association between polymorphism of CES1 and MUC5B genes and methyl acetate poisoning by whole exome sequencing / 中国职业医学

Objective To detect and analyze the susceptibility genes of methyl acetate poisoning in patients by whole exome sequencing. Methods Two patients with occupational acute severe methyl acetate poisoning and their first-degree relatives who work in the same occupation and position with similar working hours were selected as the research subjects by judgment sampling method. Peripheral blood was collected for whole exome sequencing. The sequencing data was compared with the public genome database to screen the mutation sites and find out the gene sites related to methyl acetate poisoning. The suspected pathogenic mutation genes were annotated and interpreted. Results The results of whole exome sequencing showed that there were 40 differential genes between the patients with methyl acetate poisoning and their first-degree relatives, including 80 single nucleotide polymorphisms and eight Indel with specific marker sequence index. Among these, the genes with strong correlation were carboxyesterase 1 (CES1) and mucin (MUC) 5B. The CES1 gene loci c.248C>T (p.Ser83Leu) heterozygous mutations, MUC5B gene loci c.6635C>T (p.Thr2212Met) and c.7685C>T (p.Thr2562Met) heterozygous mutations in patients with methyl acetate poisoning were detected. They were missense mutations. By constructing a protein-protein interaction network, a total of 11 pairs of interactions with high levels of evidence were identified, involving genes such as lysine methyltransferase 2C, HECT and RLD domains containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2, neutrophil cytoplasmic factor 1, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 3, C-terminal binding protein 2, zinc finger protein 717, FSHD region gene 2 family member C, FSHD region gene 1, MUC4, MUC6, MUC5B, and MUC12. Conclusion The polymorphism of CES1 and MUC5B genes may be related to the occurrence and development of methyl acetate poisoning in patients.

Metabolomics study on occupational acute methyl acetate poisoning using patient plasma / 中国职业医学

Objective: To investigate the specificity of endogenous metabolic profile in plasma of patients with occupational acute methyl acetate poisoning using non-targeted metabolomics. Methods: A total of six patients with occupational acute methyl acetate poisoning were selected as the poisoning group, while 10 healthy workers without occupational exposure history of chemical hazards in the same industry were selected as the control group using the judgment sampling method. Metabolites in patient plasma of the two groups were detected using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and non-targeted metabolomics analysis was performed. Principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were used to identify differential metabolites and analyze their metabolic pathways. Results: There were significant differences in metabolite profiles in patient plasma between poisoning group and control group. A total of 195 differentially expressed metabolites were screened in plasma of patients in poisoning group, including 119 upregulated and 76 downregulated metabolites. Lipid substances (lipids and lipid-like molecules) accounted for the highest proportion (21.5%). The differential metabolites of poisoning group were related to folate biosynthesis, amino acid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, sphingolipid biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways in plasma compared with the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Occupational acute methyl acetate poisoning affects metabolism of the body. The folic acid biosynthesis, amino acid and lipid metabolism and other pathways may be involved in the occurrence and development of poisoning.

Exploring the effect of Tuina on the dendritic structure of spinal cord dorsal horn in rats with lumbar disc herniation based on NR2B/PSD-95 pathway / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To investigate the analgesic mechanism of Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) by observing the effect of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (NR2B)/postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95) pathway on the dendritic structure of spinal cord dorsal horn in rats with lumbar disc herniation. Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a Tuina group, a blocker agent group, and a blocker agent + Tuina group. The sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) model was prepared by the sciatic nerve ligation method. From the 4th day after modeling, rats in the Tuina group and the blocker agent + Tuina group were subject to daily Tuina intervention, and those in the blocker agent group and the blocker agent + Tuina group were daily intrathecally injected with NR2B blocker agent (MK-801). The spontaneous pain score was used to observe the pain behavior of all rats. The expression levels of NR2B and downstream PSD-95 were measured by immunohistochemistry, and the dendritic structure changes were observed by Golgi staining for rat spinal cord dorsal horn after 14 d of continuous intervention. Results: Compared with the blank group, the degree of rat spontaneous pain after CCI was elevated in both the model and the Tuina groups (P<0.01) and was reduced in the Tuina group after the Tuina intervention compared with the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the rat spontaneous pain level after blocking NR2B was reduced in both the blocker agent group and the blocker agent + Tuina group (P<0.05). The NR2B and PSD-95 protein levels were significantly higher in the model group compared with the blank group (P<0.01); the total number of dendritic branches was increased (P<0.01), and the total dendritic length became longer (P<0.01) in the spinal cord dorsal horn. The rat NR2B and PSD-95 protein levels were significantly decreased in the Tuina group compared with the model group (P<0.01); the total dendritic branch number was reduced (P<0.01) and the total length was shortened (P<0.01) in the spinal cord dorsal horn. After blocking NR2B, the expression levels of NR2B and downstream PSD-95 protein were significantly lower in both the blocker agent group and the blocker agent + Tuina group compared to the model group (P<0.01). The total branch number was significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the total length was significantly shortened (P<0.01) of the dendrites in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Conclusion: Tuina may exert an analgesic effect by remodeling the dendritic structure in the spinal cord dorsal horn in rats with lumbar disc herniation, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NR2B/PSD-95 signaling pathway.

Advances in relapse risk factors of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis / 中华神经科杂志

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune encephalitis mediated by anti-NMDAR antibody. Current studies have found that most patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis have a good prognosis after immunotherapy and tumor therapy, but there are still 4.5%-36.4% patients with relapse. It is important to identify the risk factors for the prevention of relapse. This article aims to review the relapse risk factors of NMDAR encephalitis in order to provide help for the prevention of relapse.

Occupational contact dermatitis caused by methyl chlorobutyrate:a clinical analysis of 5 cases / 中华全科医师杂志

The clinical data of 5 patients with occupational contact dermatitis caused by methyl chlorobutyrate treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College and Mamiao Township Hospital of Jinxiang County from September to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were all males aged 33-47 years with a history of exposure to methyl chlorobutyrate 1 to 4 d before the onset of symptoms. Three patients were hospitalized and 2 patients were treated in outpatient clinic. The clinical manifestations were erythema on the trunk or extremities of varying degrees, scattered with blisters and bullae of different sizes, with thin and clear blisters, local ulceration and exudation; no erosion or ulceration was found in the oral cavity and vulva. All 5 patients had elevated white blood cell counts, and 2 patients had abnormal liver function. All patients received symptomatic treatment with topical drugs. Three hospitalized patients were given methylprednisolone and loratadine; in addition, 1 case also received human immunoglobulin and moxifloxacin hydrochloride injection and 2 cases received hepatoprotective drugs. Two outpatients were given prednisone acetate and loratadine for treatment. Three hospitalized patients were all improved and discharged after 14-30 d of treatment. The rash of 2 outpatients subsided after 14 d of treatment, and there was no recurrence after 1-month follow-up. The occupational contact dermatitis caused by methyl chlorobutyrate is primary irritant contact dermatitis, often manifested as erythema and blisters on the trunk or limbs, and timely anti-allergic treatment can effectively control the disease.

Machanism of methyleugenoc in protecting islet cells from hypoxia/reoxygenation injury / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective:To explore the protective effect of methyl eugenol (Me) on islet ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and elucidate its underlying mechanism.Methods:The islets were isolated and purified from 6-8 week male BALB/c mice and divided into four groups of normal control (normal culture without any treatment), hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R treatment), H/R+ dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO dosing plus H/R treatment) and H/R+ Me (Me dosing plus H/R). Viability of islet cells in each group was detected by acridine orange (AO)/propidium iodide (PI) double stain.Function of islet cells (insulin secretion) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Murine islet β Min6 cells were selected for detecting the effect of Me on the proliferative activity of normal cultured and H/R treated islet cells under different concentration gradients by CCK8.Then Min6 cells were divided into four groups of normal, H/R, H/R+ DMSO and H/R+ Me.The definition of group was the same as that of primary murine islets.Flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342 nuclear stain were utilized for detecting cell apoptotic rate in each group.The protein expressions of p-JNK, p-p38, JNK, p38, Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by Western blot.And the data were processed by one-way ANOVA or t test.Results:The proportion of dead islet cells in H/R group was (29.47±2.65)% and it was significantly lower than that in normal group (7.63±1.53)%.And the inter-group differences were statistically significant ( P<0.001). The proportion of dead islet cells was (20.63±3.07)% in H/R+ Me group.It was higher than that in H/R group (29.47±2.65)% and in H/R+ DMSO group (30.13±1.50)% and inter-group difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05 & P<0.01). Under the stimulation of high glucose, the insulin secretion level of islet in H/R+ Me group was (1.76+ 0.08) mg/L, which was higher than that in H/R group and H/R+ DMSD group(1.24±0.14)mg/L and(1.27±0.05)mg/L, and the difference was statistically significant[(1.76±0.08) vs. (1.24±0.14) mg/L; (1.76±0.08) vs.(1.27±0.05) mg/L, P<0.01]. There was no significant effect on cell viability after Me dosing within a certain concentration range (0-40 μmol/L). After Me dosing (5 μmol/L), cell viability of H/R-treated Min6 cells was significantly higher than that without Me.And the difference was statistically significant[(1.19±0.03) vs.(1.00±0), P<0.01]. As compared with H/R and H/R+ DMSO groups, overall apoptotic rate declined in H/R+ Me group (Hoechst 33342 stain: 14.50%±1.05% vs. 23.30%±1.18%, 14.50%±1.05% vs. 22.77%±1.75%, P<0.001; Flow cytometry: 4.36%±0.54% vs. 21.44%±1.02%, 4.36%±0.54% vs. 21.68%±3.06%, P<0.01). The expressions of p-JNK and p-p38 were down-regulated (p-JNK: 0.77±0.06 vs. 1.03±0.05, 0.77±0.06 vs.0.93±0.04, P<0.001; p-p38: 0.80±0.05 vs. 1.01±0.08; 0.80±0.05 vs. 1.00±0.05, P<0.05) while Bcl-2/Bax ratio rose (1.62±0.13 vs. 0.72±0.10, 1.62±0.13 vs. 0.74±0.13, P<0.01). Conclusions:Me can improve the viability and function of islets and suppress the apoptosis of Min6 cells after H/R.The mechanism is correlated with JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.

The key role of RNA N 6-methyladenosine (m 6A) methylation in tumor radiotherapy and radiation damage repair / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

N 6-methyladenosine (m 6A) is the most abundant epigenetic modification in eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA), which could be catalyzed by m 6A methyltransferase (Writers), recognized by methylation recognition enzymes (Readers), and removed by demethylase (Erasers). RNA splicing, translation, and stability could be modulated by m 6A methylation modification. The m 6A methylation modification is involved in the biological regulation of a variety of important functional genes in cellular activities. Importantly, abnormal m 6A modification affects the occurrence, development, metastasis and recurrence of tumors. Ionizing radiation can affect the level of m 6A and m 6A methylation-related enzymes. Recently, m 6A methylation is reported to regulate the efficacy of tumor radiotherapy by affecting DNA damage and radiosensitivity of tumor cells. In addition, ionizing radiation can also affect the level of m 6A modification in normal cells to regulate the progress of radiation-induced injuries. This review summarizes the research progress on the roles of m 6A methylation in tumor radiosensitivity and radiation-induced injuries, with the aim of providing novel strategies for the development of clinical tumor radiosensitizers and radioprotective agents.