Abstract Introduction: Propofol is a widely used anesthetic and its dose is closely related to aging. Telomere length (TL) is a unique heritable trait, and emerging as a biomarker of aging, health and disease. Telomerase RNA component (TERC) plays an important role in maintaining TL. We proposed a hypothesis that propofol dose in general anesthesia can be predicted by measuring TL before operation, which greatly reduced the risk of anesthesia, especially the elderly. Methods: The association between the propofol dose in anesthesia induction and: TL in the DNA of peripheral blood leukocytes; body weight; sex; difference of the Bispectral Index (BIS) before and after anesthesia induction in patients was evaluated by multivariable linear regression analyses. The mutation at the 5’end or 3’end of TERC was detected. We recruited 100 patients of elective surgery. Results: We found that propofol dose in anesthesia induction was clearly correlated significantly with TL (r = 0.78, p < 0.001), body weight (r = 0.84, p = 0.004), sex (r = 0.83, p= 0.84, p = 0.004), sex (r = 0.83, p = 0.004), and difference of BIS before and after anesthesia induction (r = 0.85, p = 0.029). By comparing the absolute values of standardized regression coefficients (0.58, 0.21, 0.19, and 0.12) of the four variables, it can be seen that TL contributes the most to the propofol dose in anesthesia induction. However, the mutation at the 5’ end or 3’ end of TERC was not found. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that the propofol dose in anesthesia induction was clearly correlated with genetically determined TL. TL may be a promising predictor of the propofol dose, which is beneficial to improve the safety of anesthesia and reduce perioperative complications.

Abstract Objectives: The degree of endolymphatic hydrops in Meniere’s disease may be related to hearing loss. However, the results of prior studies have been inconsistent. We aimed to investigate the relationship between endolymphatic hydrops and hearing loss characteristics in Meniere’s disease. Methods: This study included 54 patients (62 ears) with Meniere’s disease. Patients underwent three-dimensional real inversion recovery sequences for magnetic resonance imaging and puretone audiometry. Endolymphatic hydrops were assessed according to Gurkov’s criteria (2011). Correlations between different degrees of endolymphatic hydrops and pure-tone audiometry, as well as staging, were analysed. Results: Pure tone audiometry and staging were higher for vestibular endolymphatic hydrops complicated by cochlear ones than isolated cochlear or vestibular hydrops (both p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between vestibular endolymphatic hydrops and pure-tonal audiometry or staging (all p > 0.05). The degree of hydrops in the middle turn was correlated with the mid-frequency hearing threshold (p<0.05). The degree of cochlear hydrops was correlated with the audiometry, low-frequency hearing thresholds, mid-frequency hearing thresholds and staging (p<0.01). Conclusion: The types and sites of endolymphatic hydrops based on a 3D-real inversion recovery sequence can be used to indicate the degree of hearing loss in patients with Meniere's disease. Level of evidence: Level III.

SUMMARY: Gastrin plays a vital role in the development and progression of gastric cancer (GC). Its expression is up-regulated in GC tissues and several GC cell lines. Yet, the underlying mechanism remains to be investigated. Here, we aim to investigate the role and mechanism of gastrin in GC proliferation. Gastrin-overexpressing GC cell model was constructed using SGC7901 cells. Then the differentially expressed proteins were identified by iTRAQ analysis. Next, we use flow cytometry and immunofluorescence to study the effect of gastrin on the mitochondrial potential and mitochondria-derived ROS production. Finally, we studied the underlying mechanism of gastrin regulating mitochondrial function using Co-IP, mass spectrometry and immunofluorescence. Overexpression of gastrin promoted GC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. A total of 173 proteins were expressed differently between the controls and gastrin- overexpression cells and most of these proteins were involved in tumorigenesis and cell proliferation. Among them, Cox17, Cox5B and ATP5J that were all localized to the mitochondrial respiratory chain were down-regulated in gastrin-overexpression cells. Furthermore, gastrin overexpression led to mitochondrial potential decrease and mitochondria-derived ROS increase. Additionally, gastrin-induced ROS generation resulted in the inhibition of cell apoptosis via activating NF-kB, inhibiting Bax expression and promoting Bcl-2 expression. Finally, we found gastrin interacted with mitochondrial membrane protein Annexin A2 using Co-IP and mass spectrometry. Overexpr ession of gastrin inhibits GC cell apoptosis by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction through interacting with mitochondrial protein Annexin A2, then up-regulating ROS production to activate NF-kB and further leading to Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decrease.

RESUMEN: La gastrina juega un papel vital en el desarrollo y progresión del cáncer gástrico (CG). Su expresión está regulada al alza en tejidos de CG y en varias líneas celulares de CG. Sin embargo, el mecanismo subyacente aun no se ha investigado. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el papel y el mecanismo de la gastrina en la proliferación de CG. El modelo de células CG que sobre expresan gastrina se construyó usando células SGC7901. Luego, las proteínas expresadas diferencialmente se identificaron mediante análisis iTRAQ. A continuación, utilizamos la citometría de flujo y la inmunofluorescencia para estudiar el efecto de la gastrina en el potencial mitocondrial y la producción de ROS derivada de las mitocondrias. Finalmente, estudiamos el mecanismo subyacente de la gastrina que regula la función mitocondrial utilizando Co-IP, espectrometría de masas e inmunofluorescencia. La sobreexpresión de gastrina promovió la proliferación de células CG in vitro e in vivo. Un total de 173 proteínas se expresaron de manera diferente entre los controles y las células con sobreexpresión de gastrina y la mayoría de estas proteínas estaban implicadas en la tumorigenesis y la proliferación celular. Entre estas, Cox17, Cox5B y ATP5J, todas localizadas en la cadena respiratoria mitocondrial, estaban reguladas a la baja en las células con sobreexpresión de gastrina. Además, la sobreexpresión de gastrina provocó una disminución del potencial mitocondrial y un aumento de las ROS derivadas de las mitocondrias. Por otra parte, la generación de ROS inducida por gastrina resultó en la inhibición de la apoptosis celular mediante la activación de NF-kB, inhibiendo la expresión de Bax y promoviendo la expresión de Bcl-2. Finalmente, encontramos que la gastrina interactuaba con la proteína de membrana mitocondrial Anexina A2 usando Co-IP y espectrometría de masas. La sobreexpresión de gastrina inhibe la apoptosis de las células CG al inducir la disfunción mitocondrial a través de la interacción con la proteína mitocondrial Anexina A2, luego regula el aumento de la producción de ROS para activar NF-kB y conduce aún más a la disminución de la relación Bax/Bcl-2.

Resumen Objetivo: realizar una revisión sistemática de los estudios observacionales que analizan la asociación entre la ingesta de alimentos ultraprocesados (UPF) y el riesgo de depresión. Material y métodos: la búsqueda se adhirió a las directrices Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA); se realizó una búsqueda de estudios observacionales publicados hasta junio de 2020 en las bases de datos PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library y Web of Science, seguida de búsquedas manuales adicionales. Ocho revisores, que trabajaron de forma independiente en equipos de dos, seleccionaron los estudios para su elegibilidad, extrajeron los datos y evaluaron el riesgo de sesgo. Los desacuerdos se resolvieron a través de la discusión o, si era necesario, a través de la adjudicación de un tercero. Se evaluaron los estudios transversales mediante la lista de comprobación metodológica de la Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) y los estudios de cohortes y de casos y controles mediante la escala Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS) para la calidad. Se utilizó un formato tabular para resumir los artículos. Resultados: finalmente se seleccionaron 28 estudios que evaluaban la ingesta de UPF y el riesgo de depresión, 21 de los cuales tenían un diseño transversal, 6 un diseño de cohortes y 1 un diseño de casos y controles. De ellos, 4 estudios de cohortes y 17 estudios transversales encontraron que el consumo de UPF se asociaba positivamente con la depresión o los síntomas depresivos. Conclusiones: nuestra revisión demostró que la mayoría de los estudios incluidos en la revisión sistemática mostraron que el consumo de UPF está asociado con el riesgo de depresión. Los estudios futuros deberían considerar el uso de evaluaciones validadas del consumo de alimentos y métodos estandarizados de evaluación de la depresión para promover la comparabilidad entre los estudios.

Abstract Objective: to conduct a systematic review of the observational studies analyzing the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and the risk of depression. Material and methods: the search adhered to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA); a search for observational studies published until June 2020 was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, followed by additional manual searches. Eight reviewers, working independently in teams of two, screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We resolved disagreements through discussion or, if necessary, through adjudication by a third (LH). And the study assessed cross-sectional studies using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) methodological checklist and cohort and case-control studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for quality. We used a tabular format to summarize the articles. Results: twenty-eight studies evaluating UPF intake and risk of depression were finally selected, 21 of which had a cross-sectional design, 6 studies had a cohort design, and 1 had a case-control design. Of these, 4 cohort studies and 17 cross-sectional studies found that consumption of UPF were positively associated with depression or depressive symptoms. Conclusions: our review demonstrated that most studies included in the systematic review showed that UPF consumption is associated with the risk of depression. Future studies should consider the use of validated food intake assessments and standardized depression assessment methods to promote comparability between studies.

Abstract Long non-coding RNA AK001796 was initially identified altered in lung cancer. Recent research showed it could participate in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the general biological role of AK001796 and its underlying mechanisms in HCC remain unclear. Here we demonstrated that the expression level of AK001796 in HCC tissues and cell lines was up-regulated. Silencing AK001796 suppressed the proliferation ability of HCC cells. Through dual luciferase reporter assays and loss/gain of functions studies, we identified that AK001796 could bind to miR-150, a star microRNA, promoting HCC proliferation. Furthermore, it was reported that growth factor receptor binding protein 2-associated binder 1 (GAB1) is a target gene of miR-150. Owing to AK001796 being a decoy for miR-150 and binding the same putative sites of miR-150 as GAB1, we presented that inhibition of miR-150 in AK001796 silencing cells reversed the reduction in GAB1. Subsequently, our findings demonstrated that silencing AK001796 can impair phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-AKT. In conclusion, our investigation revealed that AK001796 promoted proliferation by enhancing phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-AKT through AK001796/miR-150/GAB1 axis in HCC. These results provided further evidence for the critical roles of AK001796 accumulating HCC and suggested that AK001796 might act as an HCC biomarker in clinical treatment.

RESUMO Introdução: Devemos prestar atenção aos exercícios físicos e psicológicos ainda na fase do crescimento dos atletas para garantir uma melhor qualidade geral de seu desempenho. O treinamento psicológico pode ser uma ferramenta eficaz para melhorar o nível técnico e as habilidades da natação. Objetivo: Este artigo discute a relação entre educação em saúde mental e intensidade de treinamento nos nadadores universitários. Métodos: A saúde mental de nadadores profissionais em esportes universitários é explorada com os sujeitos do estudo sendo submetidos a um teste de treinamento de 10 semanas. A comparação dos efeitos clínicos entre diversas modalidades de formação psicológica é executada e analisa-se a autogestão dos nadadores. Num segundo momento, este artigo realiza estatísticas e análises sobre o questionário e dados experimentais. Resultados: A capacidade de exercício do grupo controle foi significativamente melhorada após o treinamento de relaxamento, treinamento de tensão e treinamento de controle de pensamento (P<0,05). Os resultados mostraram que o efeito de aprendizagem do grupo experimental foi significativamente melhor do que o do grupo controle (P<0,05). Conclusão: O treinamento psicológico da autorregulação no treinamento tem um bom efeito na melhoria da qualidade mental dos jogadores esportivos competitivos. Essa abordagem melhora o desempenho do atleta de forma mais eficaz do que outras abordagens. O método de treinamento psicológico da autorregulação é um método que os treinadores de natação devem prestar atenção e defender vigorosamente. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos – investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

ABSTRACT Introduction: We should pay attention to physical and psychological training still in the growth phase of athletes to ensure a better overall performance quality. Psychological training can be an effective tool to improve the technical level and skills of swimming. Objective: This paper discusses the relationship between mental health education and training intensity in college swimmers. Methods: The mental health of professional swimmers in college sports is explored with study subjects undergoing a 10-week training trial. The comparison of clinical effects between various psychological training modalities and swimmers’ self-management is analyzed. In a second step, this paper performs statistics and analysis on the questionnaire and experimental data. Results: The exercise ability of the control group was significantly improved after relaxation training, tension training, and thought control training (P<0.05). The results showed that the learning effect of the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Psychological training and self-regulation in training have a good effect on improving the mental quality of competitive sports players. This approach improves athletes’ performance more effectively than other approaches. The psychological self-regulation training method is one that swimming coaches should pay attention to and advocate vigorously. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMEN Introducción: Debemos prestar atención al entrenamiento físico y psicológico todavía en la fase de crecimiento de los deportistas para garantizar una mejor calidad general de su rendimiento. El entrenamiento psicológico puede ser una herramienta eficaz para mejorar el nivel técnico y las habilidades de natación. Objetivo: Este trabajo analiza la relación entre la educación en salud mental y la intensidad del entrenamiento en nadadores universitarios. Métodos: Se explora la salud mental de los nadadores profesionales de deportes universitarios con sujetos de estudio sometidos a una prueba de entrenamiento de 10 semanas. Se realiza la comparación de los efectos clínicos entre varias modalidades de entrenamiento psicológico y se analiza la autogestión de los nadadores. En un segundo paso, este documento realiza estadísticas y análisis sobre el cuestionario y los datos experimentales. Resultados: La capacidad de ejercicio del grupo de control mejoró significativamente tras el entrenamiento de relajación, el entrenamiento de tensión y el entrenamiento de control del pensamiento (P<0,05). Los resultados mostraron que el efecto de aprendizaje del grupo experimental fue significativamente mejor que el del grupo de control (P<0,05). Conclusión: El entrenamiento psicológico de la autorregulación en el entrenamiento tiene un buen efecto en la mejora de la calidad mental de los jugadores deportivos de competición. Este enfoque mejora el rendimiento de los atletas de forma más eficaz que otros enfoques. El método de entrenamiento de autorregulación psicológica es uno de los que los entrenadores de natación deberían prestar atención y defender enérgicamente. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Abstract This study aims to investigate the effect of five-flavor sophora flavescens enteric-coated capsules (FSEC) on TNF-α-induced inflammatory bowel disease and its molecular mechanism. Wistar Rats were divided divided into 6 groups: Normal control group (group A): normal diet, drinking water; Model group (group B): 100 μg/L TNF-α; FSEC high-dose group (group C): 100μg/L TNF-α + FSEC (432 mg/kg); FSEC medium-dose group (group D): 100 μg/L TNF-α + FSEC (216 mg/kg); FSEC low-dose group (group E): 100 μg/L TNF-α + FSEC (108 mg/kg); Positive control group (group F): 100 μg/L TNF-α + 500 mg/kg sulfasalazine (SAZ). Animals in each group were intragastrically administered twice daily for 7 days. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours after the last treatment and colon tissues were collected for subsequent experiments. The results of HE staining showed that the colonic tissue of TNF-α-fed animals appeared damage, while the colonic tissue of animals treated with FSEC was improved to various degrees, and the histological characteristics of colon were basically recovered in the high-dose group, suggesting that FSEC could be used to treat TNF-α-induced colonic tissue damage. According to the results of ELISA and immunohistochemistry, the recovery of colonic tissue structure in rats treated with different doses of FSEC might be related to the decrease of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, TLR-4 and NF-κB proteins expression. According to the results of Western blotting, TNF-α-pretreated IEC-6 cells cultured with medicated serum decreased the expression of TRIF and IFN-γ proteins. These results suggest that FSEC has a protective effect on ulcerative colitis (UC), and the mechanism may be through inhibiting the activation of TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway and preventing the release of related inflammatory factors.

Abstract Objective Abnormal complement activation is associated with periodontitis. W54011 is a novel non-peptide C5aR antagonist (C5aRA) that exhibits favorable anti-inflammatory effects in various inflammatory models. However, whether W54011 inhibits periodontitis has not yet been fully elucidated. To address this, we have investigated the probable anti-inflammatory mechanism of W54011 in LPS-treated inflammation in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Methodology HGFs were isolated from healthy gingival tissue samples using the tissue block method and were identified with immunofluorescence staining. The CCK8 assay and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) were used to select the optimal induction conditions for Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and C5aRA (according to supplementary data S1, S2 and S3). The levels of inflammatory cytokines, C5aR, and the activation of NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways were determined by RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting. Results Immunofluorescence results showed that vimentin and FSP-1 were positive in HGFs and Keratin was negative in HGFs. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that C5aRA inhibited LPS-stimulated nuclear translocation of p-p65. RT-qPCR and Western blotting showed that C5aRA reduced the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, C5aR, p-p65, p-IκBα, p-JNK, p-c-JUN, and TLR4 in LPS-induced HGFs. Conclusion These findings suggested that C5aRA attenuated the release of inflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced HGFs by blocking the activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Functional training values the athletes’ physical activity and the integral exercise proper of the practiced sport. Tennis frequently integrates this exercise into regular training, aiming to enrich teaching. Objective: Compare the effects of functional training in daily exercise on the tennis players’ strokes based on the athletes’ performance. Methods: A research sample of 18 young male tennis players in tennis clubs were used. The volunteers were randomly divided into two groups, control and experimental. The control group received traditional physical training methods in their daily training. The experimental group had functional physical training added to their daily training. Before and after training, the ITN and functional movement screening methods were used to study the hitting quality of the tennis players. Finally, a mathematical and statistical analysis of the results ascertained in the tests was performed. Results: After 12 weeks, the mean level and accuracy of the experimental group were significantly higher (P<0.05). The control group showed a slight improvement in the mean level and ball accuracy but without statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion: Functional training associated with regular training positively improved the quality of hitting in tennis players. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMEN Introducción: El entrenamiento funcional valora la actividad física de los deportistas y el ejercicio integral propio del deporte practicado. El tenis integra con frecuencia este ejercicio al entrenamiento regular, con el objetivo de enriquecer la forma de enseñanza. Objetivo: Comparar los efectos obtenidos por la inserción del entrenamiento funcional en el ejercicio diario sobre los golpes de los tenistas en función del rendimiento de los deportistas. Métodos: Se utilizó una muestra de investigación compuesta por 18 jóvenes tenistas masculinos en clubes de tenis. Los voluntarios se dividieron aleatoriamente en dos grupos, el de control y el experimental. El grupo de control recibió métodos tradicionales de entrenamiento físico en su formación diaria. Al grupo experimental se le añadió el entrenamiento físico funcional en su entrenamiento diario. Antes y después del entrenamiento, se utilizaron los métodos de cribado del movimiento funcional y del ITN para estudiar la calidad del golpe de los tenistas. Por último, se realizó un análisis matemático y estadístico de los resultados obtenidos en las pruebas. Resultados: Después de 12 semanas, el nivel medio y la precisión del grupo experimental fueron significativamente mayores (P<0,05). El grupo de control mostró una ligera mejora en el nivel medio y en la precisión de la bola, pero sin significación estadística (P>0,05). Conclusión: El entrenamiento funcional asociado al entrenamiento regular mostró un efecto positivo en la mejora de la calidad del golpeo en tenistas. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

RESUMO Introdução: O treinamento funcional valoriza a atividade física dos atletas e o exercício integral próprio do esporte praticado. O tênis frequentemente integra este exercício ao treinamento regular, visando enriquecer a forma de ensino. Objetivo: Comparar os efeitos obtidos pela inserção do treinamento funcional no exercício diário sobre aos golpes dos jogadores de tênis com base no desempenho dos atletas. Métodos: Utilizou-se uma amostra de pesquisa composta por 18 jogadores de tênis jovens do sexo masculino em clubes de tênis. Os voluntários foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos, controle e experimental. O grupo de controle recebeu métodos tradicionais de treinamento físico em seu treinamento diário. O grupo experimental teve o treinamento físico funcional adicionado em seu treinamento diário. Antes e depois do treinamento, os métodos de triagem do ITN e do movimento funcional foram usados para estudar a qualidade de acerto dos jogadores de tênis. Finalmente, realizou-se uma análise matemática e estatística dos resultados apurados nos testes. Resultados: Após 12 semanas, o nível médio e a precisão do grupo experimental foram significativamente superiores (P<0,05). O grupo de controle mostrou uma leve melhora no nível médio e na precisão da bola, porém sem significância estatística (P>0,05). Conclusão: O treinamento funcional associado ao treinamento regular demonstrou um efeito positivo na melhoria da qualidade de acerto nos golpes dos jogadores de tênis. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

Abstract Objectives: Lung cancer was one of the most common malignancies around the world. It has great significance in to search for the mechanism of occurrence and development of lung cancer. LIM Domain Binding protein 2 (LDB2) belongs to the LIM-domain binding family, it can be used as a binding protein that combined with other transcription factors to form the transcription complex for regulating the expression of target genes. The expression of microRNA-96-5p (miR-96-5p) has been investigated in various tumors. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of LDB2 and miR-96-5p in lung cancer. Methods: Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to detect the expression of LDB2 and miR-96-5p. The proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of H1299 cells were analyzed by CCK8, transwell, and wound healing assay after LDB2 or miR-96-5p transfection. Luciferase activities assay and western blot were used to reveal the targeted regulation between LDB2 and miR-96-5p. Results: Here the authors found LDB2 was down-regulated in lung cancer tissues and negatively correlated with miR-96-5p expression, it could promote or inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of H1299 cells after LDB2 knockdown or overexpression and regulate the expression of cyclinD1, MMP9, Bcl-2, and Bax via ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, miR-96-5p exerted its function by directly binding to 3′-UTR of LDB2 and regulating expression of LDB2. miR-96-5p could promote the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of H1299 cells. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that LDB2 can act as a new regulator to inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis via the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and miR-96-5p may be a potential promising molecular by targeting LDB2 in lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine whether the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale was associated with the short- and long-term prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis. METHODS: A total of 247 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the hospital from April 2019 to October 2020 were retrospectively selected as study subjects, and the immediate and long-term prognosis after thrombolysis was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale and divided into good prognosis group (119 cases) and poor prognosis group (128 cases) based on the effect of thrombolysis. Both groups were treated with alteplase, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of the two groups was compared, and the factors affecting the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke were analyzed. RESULTS: After intravenous thrombolysis, 24 h, and 7 days of treatment, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale in the poor prognosis group was higher than those of patients in the good prognosis group, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). The results of the multivariate analysis suggested that National Institute of Health Stroke Scale before treatment was an independent factor associated with the 3-month (OR: 1.068, 95%CI 1.015–1.123, p=0.011) and long-term poor prognosis (OR: 1.064, 95%CI 1.012–1.119, p=0.015) in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis after adjustment of age, gender, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumer, onset-to-door time, door-to-needle time, and imaging score. CONCLUSION: The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale could be a promising indicator for the prognosis, and active intervention is needed to improve the quality of life in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Abstract In this study, systematic pharmacological methods were used to reveal the potential pharmacological targets of baweixiaoyaosan in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). We identified 133 potential active compounds through data mining and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion evaluation systems. Then, the target of potential active compounds is predicted by a system model based on random forest and support vector machine methods. Next, construct herbal ingredient-target networks and target-disease networks for further analysis of multi-directional treatment methods. At the same time, we also performed gene ontology enrichment analysis, tissue location analysis, and pathway analysis on 76 potential targets. Finally, we conducted the Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi compatibility analysis of the formula and scientifically explained the different functions of different herbs in the formula. In short, we found that the formula mainly exerts the effect of treating MDD through the four functional modules of inflammation inhibition, neuroprotection, monoamine neurotransmitter and liver. This research not only explores the mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment of MDD from a multi-scale perspective, but also provides a reference for future research on BWXYS. It plays a role in promoting the widespread use of BWXYS.

Abstract Background Previous studies have suggested that systemic metabolic abnormalities are closely related to psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and indirect bilirubin (IBIL), two essential active substances in hepatic metabolism that have been demonstrated as an oxidative and anti-oxidative factor respectively, have been proved to be involved in oxidative stress damage and inflammation in several human diseases. However, their role in PsA remains unclear. Methods In this retrospective comparative cohort study, a case group of 68 PsA patients and a control group of 73 healthy volunteers from the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University were enrolled. Serum GGT, IBIL, GGT/IBIL ratio and C-reactive protein (CRP), a well applied bio-marker of systemic inflammatory in PsA, were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, the relationship of GGT, IBIL and GGT/IBIL with CRP were explored in PsA patients. Finally, the patients were divided into high inflammation group and low inflammation group according to the median value of CRP. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used for the association of systemic inflammation level with GGT, IBIL and GGT/IBIL. Results Compared with healthy controls, PsA patients exhibited significantly higher serum GGT, GGT/IBIL, and CRP levels and lower IBIL levels. Serum GGT and GGT/IBIL were positively correlated with CRP, whereas IBIL were negatively correlated with CRP. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that serum GGT was a risk factor for high CRP in PsA, whereas IBIL was a protective factor. Furthermore, GGT/IBIL was a better indicator of high CRP condition in PsA patients than either GGT or IBIL alone, as determined by the receiver operating characteristic curves. Conclusion GGT and IBIL may participate in the pathogenesis of PsA. Additionally, GGT, IBIL and the balance of the two may reflect systemic inflammation mediated by oxidative stress events related to metabolic abnormalities to a certain extent.

Abstract Introduction/objectives Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a classic prototype of the multisystem autoimmune disease and follows a relapsing and remitting course. Triptolide is a diterpene triepoxide extracted from Chinese medicine Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, with potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties. Our previous work observed that triptolide alleviated lupus in MRL/lpr lupus mice with the upregulation of regulatory T cells (Treg) proportion in previous study. In this study, we explored the proportion of follicular T regulatory (Tfr), follicular T helper (Tfh) and germinal center (GC) B cells in lupus mice and evaluated the efficacy of triptolide for lupus treatment in vivo. Methods 20 female MRL/lpr mice were randomly divided into 2 treatment groups and treated orally with vehicle or triptolide. C3H mice were all housed as controlled group and treated orally with vehicle. The percentage of Tfr cells, Tfh cells and GC B cells in spleen of mice were detected by Flow cytometric analysis and immunohistochemistry after 13 weeks of treatment. Results We found that the percentage of Tfr cells decreased in MRL/lpr mice compared with controlled mice. The percentage of Tfh cells in MRL/lpr mice was significantly higher compared with that in controlled mice. The ratio of Tfr/Tfh is also decreased in lupus mice. After treated with triptolide in MRL/Lpr mice in vivo, the percentage of Tfr cells and ratio of Tfr/Tfh increased. The proportion of GC B cells also decreased in mice treated with triptolide by FACS and immunohistochemistry. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the effect of triptolide in alleviating lupus is partly by reversing immune imbalance with increased percentage of Tfr cells and ratio of Tfr/Tfh. Triptolide might also has effect on immune response through inhibiting proliferating GC B cells.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To observe the effect of puerarin on renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats, and to explore its mechanism based on NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway. Methods: Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham-operated group (sham), model group (RIRI), and puerarin treatment group (RIRI + Pue). The model of acute renal I/R injury was established by cutting the right kidney and clamping the left renal pedicle for 45 min. Results: Renal function parameters were statistically significant in group comparisons. The renal tissue structure of rats in sham group was basically normal. Pathological changes were observed in the RIRI group. The renal pathological damage score and apoptosis rate in the RIRI group were higher than those in the sham group, and significantly lower in the RIRI + Pue group than in the RIRI group. Indicators of oxidative stress–superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione peroxidase–were statistically significant in group comparisons. Compared with the sham group, the relative expressions of NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD proteins in the RIRI group were increased. Compared with the RIRI group, the RIRI + Pue group had significant reductions. Conclusions: Puerarin can inhibit the activation of NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway, inhibit inflammatory response and pyroptosis, and enhance the antioxidant capacity of kidney, thereby protecting renal I/R injury in rats.