SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Immune Responses Among Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

Background: Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination reduces the risk and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), several variables may impact the humoral response among patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted among SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated HSCT recipients between 2020 and 2022 at a single center in Boston, Massachusetts. Patients age ≥18 years who received doses of Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J vaccines were included. Anti-spike (S) immunoglobulin G (IgG) titer levels were measured using the Roche assay. Responders (≥0.8 U/mL) and nonresponders (<0.8 U/mL) were categorized and analyzed. Multivariable linear and logistic regression were used to estimate the correlation coefficient and odds ratio of response magnitude and status. Results: Of 152 HSCT recipients, 141 (92.8%) were responders, with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) anti-S IgG titer of 2500 (107.9-2500) U/mL at a median (IQR) of 80.5 (36-153.5) days from last dose, regardless of the number of doses received. Higher quantitative titers were associated with receipt of more vaccine doses (coeff, 205.79; 95% CI, 30.10 to 381.47; P = .022), being female (coeff, 343.5; 95% CI, -682.6 to -4.4; P = .047), being younger (<65 years; coeff, 365.2; 95% CI, -711.3 to 19.1; P = .039), and not being on anti-CD20 therapy (coeff, -1163.7; 95% CI, -1717.7 to -609.7; P = .001). Being male (odds ratio [OR], 0.11; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.93; P = .04) and being on anti-CD20 therapy (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.70; P = .016) were associated with nonresponse. Conclusions: Overall, most HSCT recipients had high SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses. More vaccine doses improved the magnitude of immune responses. Anti-S IgG monitoring may be useful for identifying attenuated vaccine-induced responses.

Study on ameliorative effect of IDHP on excessive fat accumulation in hepatocytes / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore whether isopropyl3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl) -2-hydroxypropanoate (IDHP) could inhibit fat accumulation in liver cells by improving mitochondrial function, and alleviate the symptom of excessive fat accumulation in patients with NAFLD. Methods Cell steatosis model was established by inducing hepatocyte fat accumulation using palmitic acid and oleic acid (PA: OA molar ratio =1

Difference in Nocturnal Erectile Function Between SRPE Patients and Normal People / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo compare the nocturnal erectile function between SRPE patients and normal people. MethodsFrom July 1st， 2019 to December 15th， 2022， a clinical comparative study was conducted on 29 SRPE patients （experimental group） and 58 volunteers （control group） who visited our urology department. The Rigiscan System was used to monitor sleep monitoring time， the number of nocturnal erections and the rigidity， duration and circumference growth of the penis when the erection reached 60%～79% and 80%～100%， respectively. The patients and volunteers were asked to make written records when they woke up， and then the total number of awakenings and the number of awakenings when the penis erection reached 60% and 80% were compared between the two groups. ResultsAge was eliminated by matching. There was no statistically significant difference in sleep monitoring time， rigidity， circumference growth and duration of the penis when the erection reached 60%～79% and 80%～100%. between the two groups. In terms of sleep， there was a statistically significant difference in the total number of awakenings between the two groups［3（2 ~ 4）vs 0（0 ~ 0），P<0.01］ .And the same was true for the number of awakenings when the penis erection exceeded 60%～79% ［1（0 ~ 1）vs 0（0 ~ 0），P<0.01］and 80%～100% ［2（1 ~ 3）vs 0（0 ~ 0），P<0.01］. ConclusionRigiscan monitoring showed that there was no difference between SRPE patients and normal male in nocturnal penile erection function. Painful awakening usually occurs when the penis erection reaches 60%～79% or 80%～100%， which reveals that SRPE may be caused by abnormal sensation of nocturnal erections or pain sensitivity in some of these patients.

Changes and clinical significance of erythrocyte lifespan in megaloblastic anemia / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To investigate the lifespan of erythrocytes in megaloblastic anemia (MA) patients. Methods: A prospective cohort study analysis. Clinical data from 42 MA patients who were newly diagnosed at the Department of Hematology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital from January 2021 to August 2021 were analyzed, as were control data from 24 healthy volunteers acquired during the same period. The carbon monoxide breath test was used to measure erythrocyte lifespan, and correlations between erythrocyte lifespan and laboratory test indexes before and after treatment were calculated. Statistical analysis included the t-test and Pearson correlation. Results: The mean erythrocyte lifespan in the 42 newly diagnosed MA patients was (49.05±41.60) d, which was significantly shorter than that in the healthy control group [(104.13±42.62) d; t=5.13,P=0.001]. In a vitamin B12-deficient subset of MA patients the mean erythrocyte lifespan was (30.09±15.14) d, and in a folic acid-deficient subgroup it was (72.00±51.44) d, and the difference between these two MA subsets was significant (t=3.73, P=0.001). The mean erythrocyte lifespan after MA treatment was (101.28±33.02) d, which differed significantly from that before MA treatment (t=4.72, P=0.001). In MA patients erythrocyte lifespan was positively correlated with hemoglobin concentration (r=0.373), and negatively correlated with total bilirubin level (r=-0.425), indirect bilirubin level (r=-0.431), and lactate dehydrogenase level (r=-0.504) (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Erythrocyte lifespan was shortened in MA patients, and there was a significant difference between a vitamin B12-deficient group and a folic acid-deficient group. After treatment the erythrocyte lifespan can return to normal. Erythrocyte lifespan is expected to become an informative index for the diagnosis and treatment of MA.

Longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Antibody Kinetics, Seroreversion, and Implications for Seroepidemiologic Studies.

Given widespread use of spike antibody in generating coronavirus disease vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies are increasingly used to indicate previous infection in serologic surveys. However, longitudinal kinetics and seroreversion are poorly defined. We found substantial seroreversion of nucleocapsid total immunoglobulin, underscoring the need to account for seroreversion in seroepidemiologic studies.

Phenotypes of disease severity in a cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: results from the IMPACC study

BackgroundBetter understanding of the association between characteristics of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and outcome is needed to further improve upon patient management. MethodsImmunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 Cohort (IMPACC) is a prospective, observational study of 1,164 patients from 20 hospitals across the United States. Disease severity was assessed using a 7-point ordinal scale based on degree of respiratory illness. Patients were prospectively surveyed for 1 year after discharge for post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC) through quarterly surveys. Demographics, comorbidities, radiographic findings, clinical laboratory values, SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serology were captured over a 28-day period. Multivariable logistic regression was performed. FindingsThe median age was 59 years (interquartile range [IQR] 20); 711 (61%) were men; overall mortality was 14%, and 228 (20%) required invasive mechanical ventilation. Unsupervised clustering of ordinal score over time revealed distinct disease course trajectories. Risk factors associated with prolonged hospitalization or death by day 28 included age [≥] 65 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% CI 1.28-3.17), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.71; 95% CI 1.13-2.57), elevated baseline creatinine (OR 2.80; 95% CI 1.63-4.80) or troponin (OR 1.89; 95% 1.03-3.47), baseline lymphopenia (OR 2.19; 95% CI 1.61-2.97), presence of infiltrate by chest imaging (OR 3.16; 95% CI 1.96-5.10), and high SARS-CoV2 viral load (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.17-2.00). Fatal cases had the lowest ratio of SARS-CoV-2 antibody to viral load levels compared to other trajectories over time (p=0.001). 589 survivors (51%) completed at least one survey at follow-up with 305 (52%) having at least one symptom consistent with PASC, most commonly dyspnea (56% among symptomatic patients). Female sex was the only associated risk factor for PASC. InterpretationIntegration of PCR cycle threshold, and antibody values with demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory/radiographic findings identified risk factors for 28-day outcome severity, though only female sex was associated with PASC. Longitudinal clinical phenotyping offers important insights, and provides a framework for immunophenotyping for acute and long COVID-19. FundingNIH RESEARCH IN CONTEXTO_ST_ABSEvidence before this studyC_ST_ABSWe did a systematic search of the PubMed database from January 1st, 2020 until April 24th, 2022 using the search terms: "hospitalized" AND "SARS-CoV-2" OR "COVID-19" AND "Pro-spective" AND "Antibody" OR "PCR" OR "long term follow up" and applying the following filters: "Multicenter Study" AND "Observational Study". No language restrictions were applied. While clinical, laboratory, and radiographic features associated with severe COVID-19 in hospitalized adults have been described, description of the kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 specific assays available to clinicians (e.g. PCR and binding antibody) and their integration with other variables is scarce for both short and long term follow up. The current literature is comprised of several studies with small sample size, cross-sectional design with laboratory data typically only recorded at a single point in time (e.g., on admission), limited clinical characteristics, variable duration of follow up, single-center setting, retrospective analyses, kinetics of either PCR or antibody testing but not both, and outcomes such as death or, mechanical ventilation that do not allow delineation of variations in clinical course. Added value of this studyIn our large longitudinal multicenter cohort, the description of outcome severity, was not limited to survival versus death, but encompassed a clinical trajectory approach leveraging longitudinal data based on time in hospital, disease severity by ordinal scale based on degree of respiratory illness, and presence or absence of limitations at discharge. Fatal COVID-19 cases had the lowest ratio of antibody to viral load levels over time as compared to non-fatal cases. Integration of PCR cycle threshold and antibody values with demographics, baseline comorbidities, and laboratory/radiographic findings identified additional risk factors for outcome severity over the first 28 days. However, female sex was the only variable associated with persistence of symptoms over time. Persistence of symptoms was not associated with clinical trajectory over the first 28 days, nor with antibody/viral loads from the acute phase. Implications of all the available evidenceThe described calculated ratio (binding IgG/PCR Ct value) is unique compared to other studies, reflecting host pathogen interactions and representing an accessible approach for patient risk stratification. Integration of SARS-CoV-2 viral load and binding antibody kinetics with other laboratory as well as clinical characteristics in hospitalized COVID-19 patients can identify patients likely to have the most severe short-term outcomes, but is not predictive of symptom persistence at one year post-discharge.

Invasive Yeast Infection after Haploidentical Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Associated with Cytokine Release Syndrome.

The use of haploidentical donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (haploHCT) has expanded, but recent reports raise concern for increased rates of infectious complications. The incidence and risk factors for invasive fungal disease (IFD) after haploHCT have not been well elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for IFD after haploHCT. The identification of key risk factors will permit targeted prevention measures and may explain elevated risk for other infectious complications after haploHCT. This single-center retrospective study included all adults undergoing haploHCT between May 2011 and May 2021 (n = 205). The 30-day and 1-year cumulative incidences of proven or probable IFD and 1-year nonrelapse mortality (NRM) were assessed. Secondary analyses evaluated risk factors for invasive yeast infection (IYI) using univariate and multivariable Cox regression models. Twenty-nine patients (14%) developed IFD following haploHCT. Nineteen (9.3%) developed IYI in the first year, 13 of which occurred early, with a 30-day cumulative incidence of 6.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9% to 9.6%) and increased NRM in patients with IYI (53.9% versus 10.9%). The majority of yeast isolates (17 of 20; 85%) were fluconazole- susceptible. The incidence of IYI in the first 30 days after haploHCT was 10% in the 110 patients (54%) who developed cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and 21% in the 29 patients (14%) who received tocilizumab. On multivariable analysis, acute myelogenous leukemia (hazard ratio [HR], 6.24; 95% CI, 1.66 to 23.37; P = .007) and CRS (HR, 4.65; 95% CI, 1.00 to 21.58; P = .049) were associated with an increased risk of early IYI after haploHCT. CRS after haploHCT is common and is associated with increased risk of early IYI. The identification of CRS as a risk factor for IYI raises questions about its potential association with other infections after haploHCT. Recognition of key risk factors for infection may permit the development of individualized strategies for prevention and intervention and minimize potential side effects.

YKL-40 Aggravates Early-Stage Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Macrophage Apoptosis in an Aven-dependent Way.

Objective: programmed cell removal in atherosclerotic plaques plays a crucial role in retarding lesion progression. Macrophage apoptosis has a critical role in PrCR, especially in early-stage lesions. YKL-40 has been shown to be elevated as lesions develop and is closely related to macrophages. This study aimed to determine the effect of YKL-40 on regulating macrophage apoptosis and early-stage atherosclerosis progression. Research design and Methods: The correlations among the expression level of YKL-40, the area of early-stage plaque, and the macrophage apoptosis rate in plaques have been shown in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques through pathological and molecular biological detection. These results were successively confirmed in vivo (Ldlr -/- mice treated by YKL-40 recombinant protein/neutralizing antibody) and in vitro (macrophages that Ykl40 up-/down-expressed) experiments. The downstream targets were predicted by iTRAQ analysis. Results: In early-stage human carotid plaques and murine plaques, the YKL-40 expression level had a significant positive correlation with the area of the lesion and a significant negative correlation with the macrophage apoptosis rate. In vivo, the plaque area of aortic roots was significantly larger in the recomb-YKL-40 group than that in IgG group (p = 0.0247) and was significantly smaller in the anti-YKL-40 group than in the IgG group (p = 0.0067); the macrophage apoptosis rate of the plaque in aortic roots was significantly lower in the recomb-YKL-40 group than that in IgG group (p = 0.0018) and was higher in anti-YKL-40 group than that in VC group. In vitro, the activation level of caspase-9 was significantly lower in RAW264.7 with Ykl40 overexpressed than that in controls (p = 0.0054), while the expression level of Aven was significantly higher than that in controls (p = 0.0031). The apoptosis rate of RAW264.7 treated by recomb-YKL40 was significantly higher in the Aven down-regulated group than that in the control group (p < 0.001). The apoptosis inhibitor Aven was confirmed as the target molecule of YKL-40. Mechanistically, YKL-40 could inhibit macrophage apoptosis by upregulating Aven to suppress the activation of caspase-9. Conclusion: YKL-40 inhibits macrophage apoptosis by upregulating the apoptosis inhibitor Aven to suppress the activation of caspase-9, which may impede normal PrCR and promote substantial accumulation in early-stage plaques, thereby leading to the progression of atherosclerosis.

miR-216b-5p Promotes the Migration and Invasion of LN-229 Glioma Cells by Targeting BTN3A2 / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Accumulating evidence indicated that microRNAs (miRNA) play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis by regulating their target genes.However, whether the miRNA-216b-5p(miR-216b-5p ) and their target genes butyrophilin subfamily 3 member A2(BTN3A2) promote glioma invasion and metastasis is unclear.This study aims to study whether miR-216b-5p promoted migration and invasion in glioma cells by negatively regulating BTN3A2.The differential expression analysis of GSE15824 and GSE4290 was analyzed by GEO2R.We found that only BTN3A2 is up-regulated in both GSE15824 and GSE4290 (P<0.05).The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis indicated BTN3A2 was related to many cancer-related pathways (P<0.05).The results of survival curves showed that the overall survival of patients with high expression of BTN3A2 decreased significantly (P <0.001).The expression of BTN3A2 was increased with the increase of WHO grade (P<0.05), while the expression of BTN3A2 was increased in 1p/19q uncombined deletion and IDH mutant patients (P<0.001).Western blotting results showed that BTN3A2 was up-regulated in seven glioma tissues and glioma cell lines U87, U251 and LN-229 and downregulated in the miR-216b-5p mimics group; Transwell results showed that transfection with BTN3A2 silencing plasmids(si-BTN3A2) or miR-216b-5p mimics plasmids could inhibit the ability of migration and invasion in LN-229 cells in vitro (P<0.05).The online websites predicted miR-216b-5p as a potential target gene of BTN3A2.The survival curve results show that compared with patients with low expression of miR-216b-5p , the survival rate of patients with high expression was significantly increased (P=0.025).The relative expression of miR-216b-5p was decreased in U87, U251 and LN229 cells was detected by real time quantitative PCR (P<0.05).The results of dual luciferase assay showed that BTN3A2 could bind to miR-216b-5p (P<0.05).Transwell experiment results showed that overexpression of miR-216b-5p can inhibit the migration and invasion ability of LN229 cells (P<0.05).In summary, miR-216b-5p promotes the migration and invasion by targeting BTN3A2 of LN-229 glioma cells.

MiR-654-5p Inhibited Invasion and Metastasis of Breast Cancer Cells by HCFC1 / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Studies have confirmed that microRNA (miRNAs) is involved in the development and progression of tumors by targeting multiple genes. However, the molecular mechanism of miR-654-5p in in- hibiting the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells through the targeted regulation of host cell factor 1 (HCFCl) is still unclear. The analysis of bioinformatics datasets found that miR-654-5p was downregu-lated in breast cancer tissues and was associated with poor prognosis (P = 0. 013). Quantitative real-time PCR (Quantitative real-time PCR, qRT-PCR) showed that the expression of miR-654-5p in MDA-MB-231 cells was decreased (P<0. 05), and the expression of miR-654-5p was significantly increased after transfection of the overexpressed plasmid (P<0. 05) as compared with the control group. The 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) proliferation experiment and Transwell assay showed that overexpression of miR-654-5p inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0. 05). Hub gene HCFCl of miR-654-5p was screened and constructed by Cytoscape software, and it was found that miR-654-5p was negatively correlated with the expression of HCFCl. The expression of HCFCl was increased in breast cancer tissues and closely correlated with lymph node metastasis, and patients with high expression of HCFCl had poor prognosis (P = 0. 0039). Dual-luciferase assay confirmed that miR-654-5p could bind to the 3'-UTR of HCFClmKNA (P<0. 05). Western blot results showed that compared with human normal breast epithelial cells MCF-10A, the expression of HCFCl was increased in MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0. 05), and the expression of HCFCl was significantly down-regulated after overexpression of miR-654-5p (P<0. 05). Transwell experiment results showed that the migration and invasion ability of MDA-MB-231 cells after overexpression of miR-654-5p was significantly decreased compared with the control group. Co-transfection of HCFCl can partially reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-654-5p on the migration and invasion ability of breast cancer cells (P<0. 05). In conclusion, miR-654-5p can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells by regulating the expression of HCFCl.

Bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation of microRNA-140-3p targeting cell division cycle associated 8 inhibiting invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the effect of microRNA (miR) - 140-3p targeting cell division cycle associated 8(CDCA8) on invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods The differentially expressed miRNAs were analyzed by GE02R in GEO database. The target genes of miR-140-3p were searched by TargetScan human7. 2 and miRWalk databases. The hub gene was screened by Cytoscape 3. 7. 2 software. GEPIA database was used to query the expression levels of target gene in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and normal lung tissues, the expression levels in different stages of lung adenocarcinoma, and the relationship between the expression levels of target gene and the overall survival rate of lung adenocarcinoma patients. The survival analysis of miR-140-3p in lung adenocarcinoma and the correlation between miR-140-3p and CDCA8 expression levels were searched in starBase database. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR-140-3p in normal lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B and lung adenocarcinoma cells A549, as well as the efficiency of infection. Expression levels of CDCA8 mRNA and protein were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting experiments after overexpression of miR-140-3p. Dual-luciferase reporter assay verified whether miR-140- 3p directly binds to CDCA8. Transwell invasion assay detected the effect of overexpression of miR-140-3p and CDCA8 on the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Results Analysis result from GEO and other databases showed that the expression level of miR-140-3p in normal lung tissues was significantly higher than that in lung adenocarcinoma, and its predicted target gene CDCA8 expression level in lung adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that in normal lung tissues, and CDCA8 was negatively correlated with the expression level of miR-140-3p in lung adenocarcinoma. The experimental result showed that the expression of miR-140-3p in A549 cells was significantly lower than that in BEAS-2B cells (P<0.05). The expression level of miR-140-3p increased significantly after lentiviral infection (P<0.05). CDCA8 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly down-regulated after overexpression of miR-140-3p (P<0.05). Dual-luciferase reporter assay result showed that miR-140-3p could directly bind to CDCA8 (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, overexpression of miR- 140-3p inhibited the invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma A549, while CDCA8 reversed the inhibition of miR-140-3p on the invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma A549 (P<0.05). Conclusion MiR-140-3p targeting CDCA8 inhibits the invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Effect of Epimedii Folium Total Flavonoids on Angiogenesis of Ischemic Myocardium in Rats After Acute Myocardial Infarction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of total flavonoids from Epimedii Folium （TEF） on the angiogenesis of ischemic myocardium in rats after acute myocardial infarction （AMI） and discuss its molecular biological mechanism of attenuating myocardial ischemia and improving cardiac function. Method:AMI in rats was induced through the ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery. All male SD rats were randomized into sham-operated group， model group， diltiazem group （10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， and TEF low-dose and high-dose groups （100 and 200 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， with 8 rats in each group. After modeling， rats in the diltiazem group and TEF groups were given corresponding doses of diltiazem and TEF， respectively， and those in the model group and sham-operated group received normal saline of equivalent volume， once a day for 7 days. After the administration， VisualSonics Vevo2100 imaging system was used to detect the cardiac structure and function and hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining to observe the histomorphological changes in myocardial ischemic area. Immunohistochemistry was employed to analyze the expression of CD31 and <italic>α</italic>-smooth muscle actin （<italic>α</italic>-SMA） in ischemic myocardium and Western blot to detect the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-receptor 2 （VEGF-R2） and phosphorylation of protein kinase B （Akt） in ischemic myocardium. Real-time PCR was applied to quantify the mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and basic fibroblast growth factor （bFGF）. Result:Compared with the sham-operated group， the model group demonstrated significant increase in left ventricular systolic diameter （LVIDs）， left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole （LVIDd）， left ventricular end-systolic volume （LVEVs）， and left ventricular end-diastolic volume （LVEVd）， significant decrease in End-systolic thickness of left ventricular anterior wall （LVAWs）， end-diastolic thickness of left ventricle anterior wall （LVAWd）， end systolic thickness of left ventricular posterior wall （LVPWs）， stroke volume （SV）， ejection fraction （EF）， fractional shortening （FS）， and cardiac output （CO）， obvious pathological changes in the ischemic myocardium， and plummet of the expression of CD31 and <italic>α</italic>-SMA （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， Akt phosphorylation level， protein level of VEGF-R2， and mRNA levels of VEGF and bFGF （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. High-dose TEF significantly alleviated the pathological changes of ischemic myocardium as compared with the model group. Moreover， TEF high-dose group showed significantly lower levels of LVIDs， LVIDd， LVEVs， and LVEVd， significantly higher levels of LVAWs， LVAWd， LVPWs， SV， EF， FS， and CO， higher expression of CD31 and <italic>α</italic>-SMA （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， and higher levels of VEGF-R2 protein， phosphorylated Akt， and VEGF and bFGF mRNA than the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:TEF can effectively improve myocardial perfusion in peri-myocardial infarction area and attenuate ventricular remodeling and heart failure after AMI by up-regulating the expression of bFGF， VEGF， and VEGF-R2 in ischemic myocardium following AMI and activating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases （PI3K）/Akt/VEGF signaling transduction pathway which can promote angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium.

Inhibitory mechanism of icariin against oxidative stress-induced calcification in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to observe the inhibitory effect of icariin against oxidative stress-induced calcification in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs) and elucidate the molecular mechanism of icariin in inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)-mediated atherosclerotic calcification, so as to provide new ideas for exploring the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of Epimedii Folium. The VSMCs in rat thoracic aorta were subjected to adherent culture and then treated with the complete calcification DMEM containing high glucose and hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2) for three weeks. The resulting calcified VSMCs were divided into different treatment groups. Icariin was added one week after calcification induction for protecting the VSMCs, whose viability was then detected using cell counting kit-8(CCK-8). Alizarin red-S staining was conducted to observe the calcification degree. The activity of alkaline phosphatase(ALP) in VSMCs was measured using the disodium phenyl phosphate substrate and the calcium content was measured by arsenazo Ⅲ method. The mRNA expression levels of ossification-related factors including osteocalcin(OC), osteopontin(OPN), Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2), and type Ⅰ collagen(Col Ⅰa) were detected by real-time PCR. Western blot was carried out to determine the protein expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), Runx2, activating transcription factor 4(ATF4), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor(eIF)-2α. The results showed that H_2O_2 significantly induced the calcification of VSMCs, increased the ALP activity and calcium content in VSMCs, promoted OC, OPN, Runx2, and Col Ⅰa mRNA expression and Runx2 protein expression, and reduced α-SMA protein expression. The ATF4 protein expression and eIF2α phosphorylation were also elevated significantly. Icariin reversed the calcification of VSMCs induced by H_2O_2, inhibited ALP activity and calcium content in VSMCs, down-regulated the mRNA expression levels of OC, OPN, Runx2 and Col Ⅰa and Runx2 protein expression, and relatively up-regulated the expression of α-SMA. The expression of ATF4 and phosphorylation of eIF2α also declined significantly. All these have demonstrated that icariin inhibited VSMCs calcification by down-regulating the ossification-related factors and lowering ALP activity and calcium content in VSMCs. Besides, the down-regulation of Runx2 expression and the inhibition of ATF4 and eIF2α-mediated cellular calcification pathway in ERS might also be involved in such calcification-suppressing process.

miR-144-3p Inhibits the Invasion and Metastasis of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells by Targeting IRS1 / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression, influence cellular processes, and promote disease development. Variations in miRNA expression have been observed in many diseases, including hepatitis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of miR-144-3p on the invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma by targeting recombinant insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1).@*METHODS@#The expression of miR-144-3p in patients with lung adenocarcinoma was queried through bioinformatics database. MirTarPathway was used to analyze the KEGG enrichment pathway of miRNA. The expression and plasmid transfection efficiency of miR-144-3p in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Transwell assay was used to detect the changes of cell invasion and migration ability in different groups. Bioinformatics determined the key genes (Hub genes) of miR-144-3p; Double luciferase target assay was used to detect the mutual binding of miR-144 and IRS1. Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of IRS1 in different cell lines and the expression of after overexpression of miR-144.@*RESULTS@#The expression of miR-144-3p in lung adenocarcinoma tissues was decreased, qRT-PCR results indicated that the expression of miR-144-3p in lung adenocarcinoma cell A549 was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the overexpressed plasmid was successfully transfected (P<0.05). Overexpression of miR-144 decreased the ability of cell migration and invasion (P<0.05). The expression of IRS1 was up-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Survival analysis showed that patients with lung adenocarcinoma with high IRS1 expression had a poor prognosis (P<0.05). Double luciferase assay results showed that miR-144 could specifically identify 3'-UTR of IRS1 and inhibit reporter enzyme expression (P<0.05). Western blot indicated that the expression of IRS1 was increased in A549 cells (P<0.05). After overexpression of miR-144, the expression level of IRS1 protein was decreased (P<0.05). Transwell experiment proved that miR-144-3p could inhibit invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting IRS1 (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#MiR-144-3p inhibits the invasion and migration of A549 cells through targeted regulation of IRS1, thus playing an anticancer role in tumors.

Diagnosis and rational approach to emergency vascular surgery in the shadow of novel coronavirus pneumonia / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective@#To explore a safe, effective and rapid rescue method and key points for the management of vascular surgical emergencies in an area under guaranting Covid-19 (corona virus disease 2019) .@*Methods@#Under the guidance of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment guidelines , 4 cases of vascular surgical emergency patients admitted to our department from Feb 1 to Feb 10, 2020 were screened for COVID-19 and given emergency vascular surgical treatment.@*Results@#Two patients had acute thoracic aortic dissection, one patient had acute left foot ulcer with infection, one patient had severe carotid artery stenosis and frequent TIA. All patients were diagnosed quickly according to the three-level triage process. Endovascular repair (TEVAR) was performed in 2 cases, carotid stenting in 1 case, and left foot amputation in 1 case. Two patients running postoperative fever below 38℃ were safely excluded COVID-19 and cured. There were no other major morbidities nor mortality.@*Conclusions@#Under the COVID-19 prevention and control guidelines, the establishing of a comprehensive prevention and control system of patient-medicine-care-management helps to perform confine operation on vascular surgical emergency.

Effects of probiotic supplements on insulin resistance in patients with diet-controlled gestational diabetes mellitus / 医学研究生学报

ObjectiveAt present, there are few reports on the therapeutic effect of probiotic supplements in patients with dietary-controlled gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study aims to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplements on insulin resistance in patients with dietary-controlled GDM.Methods122 pregnant women with dietary-controlled GDM who could control blood glucose less than 92 mg/dL through diet and exercise were selected from the Obstetrics Department in Bayannur Hospital from February to December 2018. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: Probiotics Group (probiotic supplements containing bifidobacterium and lactobacillus) and Placebo Group (placebo capsules). 61 patients in each group were treated continuously for 4 weeks. The main evaluation index was the mean difference of fasting blood glucose, fasting plasma insulin and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) between the two groups, and the secondary evaluation index was the change of maternal weight after intervention.ResultsThe increase of fasting blood glucose [(0.59±6.42)mg/dL], fasting plasma insulin [(1.14±1.95)mIU/mL] and HOMA-IR (0.27±0.45) in the Probiotics Group after intervention were significantly lower than those in the Placebo Group [(4.78±7.47 mg/dL), (3.86±1.82) mIU/mL, (0.86±0.59)], and the difference was statistically significant (P 0.05).ConclusionDuring pregnancy, probiotic supplements for four weeks in patients with dietary-controlled GDM can reduce fasting blood glucose and increase insulin sensitivity. Therefore, probiotic supplements can be used as adjunctive therapy for blood glucose control in patients with dietary-controlled GDM.

Effects of probiotic supplements on insulin resistance in patients with diet-controlled gestational diabetes mellitus / 医学研究生学报

ObjectiveAt present, there are few reports on the therapeutic effect of probiotic supplements in patients with dietary-controlled gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study aims to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplements on insulin resistance in patients with dietary-controlled GDM.Methods122 pregnant women with dietary-controlled GDM who could control blood glucose less than 92 mg/dL through diet and exercise were selected from the Obstetrics Department in Bayannur Hospital from February to December 2018. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: Probiotics Group (probiotic supplements containing bifidobacterium and lactobacillus) and Placebo Group (placebo capsules). 61 patients in each group were treated continuously for 4 weeks. The main evaluation index was the mean difference of fasting blood glucose, fasting plasma insulin and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) between the two groups, and the secondary evaluation index was the change of maternal weight after intervention.ResultsThe increase of fasting blood glucose [(0.59±6.42)mg/dL], fasting plasma insulin [(1.14±1.95)mIU/mL] and HOMA-IR (0.27±0.45) in the Probiotics Group after intervention were significantly lower than those in the Placebo Group [(4.78±7.47 mg/dL), (3.86±1.82) mIU/mL, (0.86±0.59)], and the difference was statistically significant (P 0.05).ConclusionDuring pregnancy, probiotic supplements for four weeks in patients with dietary-controlled GDM can reduce fasting blood glucose and increase insulin sensitivity. Therefore, probiotic supplements can be used as adjunctive therapy for blood glucose control in patients with dietary-controlled GDM.

MiR-204 inhibits invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells by targeted regulation of HNRNPA2B1 / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of miR-204 on the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer by targeted regulation of HNRNPA2B1.@*METHODS@#The bioinformatics database was used to obtain data of the expressions of miR-204 in breast cancer patients and the survival rate of the patients. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-204 in breast cancer cell lines. The expression vector GV369-miR-204 was used to overexpress miR-204 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Transwell assay was performed to detect the effect of miR-204 on the migration and invasion ability of the breast cancer cells. The key genes (hub genes) of miR-204 were determined by bioinformatics method. A dual luciferase assay was used to analyze the targeting relationship between miR-204 and HNRNPA2B1. The expression of HNRNPA2B1 in MDA-MB-231 cells after miR-204 overexpression was detected by Western blotting, and Transwell assay was used to examine the changes in the cell invasion ability.@*RESULTS@#The expression of miR-204 was decreased in both breast cancer tissues, and was significantly lower in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells than in MCF-10A cells ( < 0.05). The decreased expression of miR-204 was associated with poorer prognosis of breast cancer patients ( < 0.05). Upregulation of miR-204 in MDA-MB-231 cells significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of the cells ( < 0.05). Analysis of the data from the Starbase revealed that the expression of miR-204-5p was negatively correlated with the expression of HNRNPA2B1, and the expression of HNRNPA2B1 was increased in breast cancer patients ( < 0.05) in association with a poorer prognosis of the patients ( < 0.05). Dual luciferase assay demonstrated that miR-204 could bind to HNRNPA2B1 in a target-specific manner. Western blotting and Transwell assay showed that miR-204 significant inhibited the migration and invasion ability of breast cancer cells by targeting HNRNPA2B1 ( < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#miR-204 expression is decreased in breast cancer tissues and cells, and its overexpression can inhibit the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells by targeted regulation of HNRNPA2B1.

Diagnosis and rational approach to emergency vascular surgery in the shadow of corona virus disease 2019 / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To explore a safe, effective and rapid rescue method and key points for the management of vascular surgical emergencies in an area under guarantine against COVID-19(corona virus disease 2019).Methods:Under the guidance of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment guidelines , 4 cases of vascular surgical emergency patients admitted to our department from Feb 1 to Feb 10, 2020 were screened for COVID-19 and given emergency vascular surgical treatment.Results:Two patients had acute thoracic aortic dissection, one patient had acute left foot ulcer with infection, one patient had severe carotid artery stenosis and frequent TIA. All patients were diagnosed quickly according to the three-level triage process. Endovascular repair(TEVAR) was performed in 2 cases, carotid stenting in 1 case, and left foot amputation in 1 case. Two patients running postoperative fever below 38.5℃ were safely excluded out of COVID-19 and Cured. There were no other major morbidities nor mortality.Conclusions:Under the COVID-19 prevention and control guidelines, the establishing of a comprehensive prevention and control system of patient-medicine-care-management helps to perform confine operation on vascular surgical emergency.

Mechanism of DERL3 Affecting the Proliferation, Invasion and Metastasis of Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Derlin 3 (DERL3) is downregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC) samples. Its level is closely linked to lymphatic metastasis or distant metastasis rate in CRC patients. However, its biological behavior in lung adenocarcinoma were rarely reported. The aim of this study is to investigate the ectopic expression of DERL3 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and its effect on the invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line to reveal the possible mechanism of invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma.@*METHODS@#Lung adenocarcinoma microarray gene chip data included 3 cases of lymph node metastasis and 3 cases of lung adenocarcinoma tissue without lymph node metastasis. The GEDS and Kaplan-Meier plot queries the survival curve and expression level of DERL3. Western blot was used to detect the expression of DERL3 in lung adenocarcinoma cells. The efficiency of knockdown DERL3 gene was detected by Western blot assay. Transwell detected the number of cells passing through the basement membrane of the transwell. EDU assay detected cell proliferation ability. Western blot detected the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition related proteins E-cadherin and Vimentin.@*RESULTS@#The microarray gene chip results showed that compared with lung adenocarcinoma tissues without lymph node metastasis, 1,314 mRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma tissues with lymph node metastasis were up-regulated, 400 mRNAs were down (P<0.05). The expression of DERL3 increased in lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). The results of survival curve showed that the lung cancer patients with high expression of DERL3 with poor prognosis (P<0.05). Western blot results indicated that plasmid transfection was successful. Knockdown of DERL3 suppressed the ability of proliferation, invasion and migration in A549 cells (P<0.05). After knockdown of DERL3, the expression level of Vimentin was decreased, while E-cadherin expression increased (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Knockdown of DERL3 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of A549 cells.