[Assessment of cognitive function of the elderly by serum metabolites of brain-gut axis].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of assessing cognitive function of the elderly by serum metabolites of brain-gut axis. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 100 and 60 participants from the healthy population cohort and microecological balance cohort of the longevity population in Guangxi, to constitute subset of healthy population and longevity population, respectively. A questionnaire was used to investigate the demographic characteristics of the subjects, 2-5 ml of fasting venous blood was collected from the subjects, and the serum untargeted metabolomics was determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The biomarkers related to the brain-gut axis were collected through literature retrieval, and the results were intersected with the untargeted metabolites and annotated. Spearman correlation analysis was used to screen serum metabolites of brain-gut axis associated with aging, and multiple linear regression method was used to construct biological age model. The mini mental status examination was used to evaluate the cognitive function of longevity population subsets. The differences of biological age and chronological age of longevity population subsets with different cognitive function were compared. Results: The M (Q1, Q3) of subset of healthy population and longevity population were 64 (38, 72) and 97 (95, 99) years old, respectively, and there were 50 (50.0%) and 44 (73.3%) females, respectively. Nine serum metabolites of brain-gut axis were obtained by initial screening, which were propionic acid, glutamic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), lactic acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), tryptophan, trimethylamine oxide, dopamine and canine urea. Spearman correlation analysis showed that glutamic acid and dopamine were positively correlated with aging (r values were 0.208 and 0.524, respectively, all P values<0.05), and tryptophan, 5-HT and GABA were negatively correlated with aging (r values were -0.308, -0.533 and -0.213, respectively, all P values<0.05). The biological age model was constructed as: y=49.81-1.18×10-5× GABA-1.82×10-4×5-HT+1.99×10-3×dopamine+1.65×10-6×glutamic acid -2.04×10-6×tryptophan+2.36×gender, where y was the biological age (years), the items on the right were the intercept item, the relative concentration of each metabolite, and gender (male=1, female=2). The coefficient of determination of model was 0.50 (P<0.001). The M (Q1, Q3) of the chronological age of the subset of longevity population with poor, moderate and good cognitive function were 97 (94, 100), 97 (93, 101) and 96 (94, 101) years old, respectively, and there was no statistical significance in pairwise comparison (all P values>0.05). The M (Q1, Q3) of the biological age of the subjects with better cognitive function was 51 (38, 54) years old, which was lower than that of the subjects with poor cognitive function [57 (47, 61)] (P=0.040). Conclusion: The biological age model can be constructed based on serum metabolites of brain-gut axis and used to evaluate the cognitive function of the elderly.

[A multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial comparing ergometrine with oxytocin and oxytocin alone for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage at cesarean section].

Objective: To compare oxytocin combined with ergometrine with oxytocin alone in terms of primary prophylaxis for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) at the time of cesarean section (CS). Methods: This was a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled interventional study comparing ergometrine combined with oxytocin and oxytocin alone administered at CS. From December 2018 to November 2019, a total of 298 parturients were enrolled in 16 hospitals nationwide. They were randomly divided into experimental group (ergometrine intra-myometrial injection following oxytocin intravenously; 148 cases) and control group (oxytocin intra-myometrial injection following oxytocin intravenously; 150 cases) according to 1∶1 random allocation. The following indexes were compared between the two groups: (1) main index: blood loss 2 hours (h) after delivery; (2) secondary indicators: postpartum blood loss at 6 h and 24 h, placental retention time, incidence of PPH, the proportion of additional use of uterine contraction drugs, hemostatic drugs or other hemostatic measures at 2 h and 24 h after delivery, the proportion requiring blood transfusion, and the proportion of prolonged hospital stay due to poor uterine involution; (3) safety indicators: nausea, vomiting, dizziness and other adverse reactions, and blood pressure at each time point of administration. Results: (1) The blood loss at 2 h after delivery in the experimental group [(402±18) ml] was less than that in the control group [(505±18) ml], and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). (2) The blood loss at 6 h and 24 h after delivery in the experimental group were less than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of PPH, the proportion of additional use of uterine contraction drugs, hemostatic drugs or other hemostatic measures at 2 h and 24 h after delivery, the proportion requiring blood transfusion, and the proportion of prolonged hospital stay due to poor uterine involution (all P>0.05). (3) Adverse reactions occurred in 2 cases (1.4%, 2/148) in the experimental group and 1 case (0.7%, 1/150) in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The systolic blood pressure within 2.0 h and diastolic blood pressure within 1.5 h of drug administration in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05), but the blood pressure of the two groups were in the normal range. Conclusion: The use of ergometrine injection in CS could reduce the amount of PPH, which is safe and feasible.

[Clinical study of microvascular decompression in patients with coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia].

Objective: To investigate the surgical nuances and efficacy of microvascular decompression in patients with coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia. Methods: Seventeen patients suffered from coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia were treated in Department of Neurosurgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2008 to September 2017. The medical recorders, intra-operative findings and postoperative follow-up results of these patients were reviewed, and the surgical strategies and therapeutic effects of these patients were summarized. Results: The offending vessels of the patients coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia were complex. The tortuous vertebral artery shifted to the suffered side in nine patients (52.9%), among which seven cases had vertebral artery as the offending vessel or indirect offending vessel compressing facial nerve and/or trigeminal nerve. The effective rate was 100%,the cure rate was 94.1%, and the immediate relief rate was 82.4%. All the patients were followed up for more than one year without recurrence. Conclusion: Patients with coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia with tortuous vertebral artery shifted to the affected side were more common. Good surgical nuances and strategies in microvascular decompression are the guarantee of successful surgery.

[Optimization of the experimental condition on separating lipoproteins by self-constructed asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and characterize the separation effectiveness of self-constructed asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation system on proteins and lipoproteins, to achieve the optimization of the experimental conditions when separating lipoproteins by orthogonal design test and to investigate the carrier viscosity's influence on separation effectiveness. METHODS: The evaluation of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation separation capacity was conducted by using two standard proteins (carbonic anhydrase and thyroglobulin). Under the optimized separation conditions of carbonic anhydrase and thyroglobulin, the channel actual thickness (after assembling, the actual thickness of separation channel was less than initial thickness) was calculated by the analytes' elution time based on the hydrokinetic theory. With orthogonal design test the optimized experimental conditions were studied and statistical analysis was carried on to find out the factors with statistical significance which needed further exploration. RESULTS: According to the hydrodynamics principle and Stoke's function, the channel actual thickness was measured to be 164 µm by separating the two standard proteins, carbonic anhydrase and thyroglobulin, under proper experimental conditions. By the optimization based on orthogonal design test, base-line separation (the resolution had to be higher than 1.50) was achieved. The resolutions of the two experiments were 1.61 and 1.58. According to previous study/ pre-study and supporting theory, in the orthogonal design test, the total 5 factors were integrated for comprehensive investigation: the total flow rate (3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50 mL/min), focus time (3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50 min), transition time (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 min), pH of the carrier fluid(6.8, 7.00, 7.20, 7.40) and viscosity of the carrier fluid hydroxypropylmethylcellulose concentration: 0.00%, 0.03%, 0.06%, 1.00%). Among the 5 factors, viscosity was found to have the statistical significance on separation effectiveness which was further investigated. The resolution of high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein was increased by the increasing viscosity which also caused more obvious negative spikes. CONCLUSION: The separating capacities of self-constructed asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation system on lipoproteins were verified to be effective and an optimized experimental condition was found to achieve the base-line separation of high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein. Viscosity of the carrier fluid was proved to have the statistical significance on lipoprotein separation.

[The study of hearing loss after microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm].

Objective: To compare the difference of hearing loss after microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm between control and experimental groups, and to explore the possible causes. Methods: A retrospective analysis including 443 patients was performed, including 203 cases of group A (before the operation was improved) and 240 cases of group B (after the operation was improved). Chi-square test was used to compare the rate of hearing loss. Results: There were 18(8.9%) cases with postoperative hearing loss in group A, including 9 cases of conductive hearing loss and 9 cases of sensorineural hearing loss.While 2 cases of conductive hearing loss and 3 cases of sensorineural hearing loss occurred in group B. Conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss of two groups had the significant deference (P=0.015 and P=0.04). Conclusion: The type of hearing loss after microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm included conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.It could be reduced by early closing of the mastoid air chamber, avoiding continuous traction of the cerebellum, avoiding excessive irrigation and exhaust, and intraoperative auditory brainstem evoked potential monitoring.

MiR-5195-3p inhibits the proliferation of glioma cells by targeting BIRC2.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of microRNA-5195-3p (miR-5195-3p) on the proliferation of glioma cells and to explore its related mechanisms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression level of miR-5195-3p in glioma tissues and cell lines was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Online prediction websites (TargetScan and miRanda) were used to screen the potential targets of miR-5195-3p. Luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot were performed to confirm the targets of miR-5195-3p. Furthermore, the effects of miR-5195-3p on cell proliferation were detected by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide), colony formation assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: MiR-5195-3p was lowly expressed in both glioma tissues and cells. Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 2 (BIRC2) was identified as a direct target of miR-5195-3p. Over-expression of miR-5195-3p in glioma cells significantly decreased the protein expression of BIRC2. Besides, the proliferative capacity and colony formation ability were significantly inhibited after transfection of miR-5195-3p in vitro. In addition, flow cytometry indicated that an evident G1 phase arrest occurred in miR-5195-3p over-expressed group. CONCLUSIONS: In this work, we emphasized the suppressor function of miR-5195-3p in the proliferation of glioma cells. Furthermore, our findings provided an experimental basis for the research and treatment of glioma.

Functionalization-induced changes in the structural and physical properties of amorphous polyaniline: a first-principles and molecular dynamics study.

In this paper, we present a first-principles and molecular dynamics study to delineate the functionalization-induced changes in the local structure and the physical properties of amorphous polyaniline. The results of radial distribution function (RDF) demonstrate that introducing -SO3(-)Na(+) groups at phenyl rings leads to the structural changes in both the intrachain and interchain ordering of polyaniline at shorter distances (≤5 Å). An unique RDF feature in 1.8-2.1 Å regions is usually observed in both the interchain and intrachain RDF profiles of the -SO3(-)Na(+) substituted polymer (i.e. Na-SPANI). Comparative studies of the atom-atom pairs, bond structures, torsion angles and three-dimensional structures show that EB-PANI has much better intrachain ordering than that of Na-SPANI. In addition, investigation of the band gap, density of states (DOS), and absorption spectra indicates that the derivatization at ring do not substantially alter the inherent electronic properties but greatly change the optical properties of polyaniline. Furthermore, the computed diffusion coefficient of water in Na-SPANI is smaller than that of EB-PANI. On the other hand, the Na-SPANI shows a larger density than that of EB-PANI. The computed RDF profiles, band gaps, absorption spectra, and diffusion coefficients are in quantitative agreement with the experimental data.

First-principles study of the effect of functional groups on polyaniline backbone.

We present a first-principles density functional theory study focused on how the chemical and electronic properties of polyaniline are adjusted by introducing suitable substituents on a polymer backbone. Analyses of the obtained energy barriers, reaction energies and minimum energy paths indicate that the chemical reactivity of the polyaniline derivatives is significantly enhanced by protonic acid doping of the substituted materials. Further study of the density of states at the Fermi level, band gap, HOMO and LUMO shows that both the unprotonated and protonated states of these polyanilines are altered to different degrees depending on the functional group. We also note that changes in both the chemical and electronic properties are very sensitive to the polarity and size of the functional group. It is worth noting that these changes do not substantially alter the inherent chemical and electronic properties of polyaniline. Our results demonstrate that introducing different functional groups on a polymer backbone is an effective approach to obtain tailored conductive polymers with desirable properties while retaining their intrinsic properties, such as conductivity.

Induction of NADPH-diaphorase activity in the forebrain in a model of intracerebral hemorrhage and its inhibition by the traditional Chinese medicine complex Nao Yi An.

Induction of NADPH-diaphorase (NDP) activity in the rat cerebral cortex was studied after autologous blood injection into the internal capsule as experimental model of intracerebral hemorrhage. The potential inhibitory effect on NDP induction by Nao Yi An (NYA), a complex derived from materials of animal and plant origin used in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage in traditional Chinese medicine, was also investigated. In animals without therapeutic treatment 2 and 4 days after injection of autologous blood, NDP activity was highly induced in pyramidal neurons in the neocortex, piriform, and entorhinal cortices, in astrocytes and in phagocytes in the hematoma and the area surrounding it, as well as in the subcortical white matter, and in endothelial cells in both the cortex and subcortical white matter bilaterally. Oral administration of NYA failed to inhibit NDP induction in endothelial cells but demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect on NDP activity induced in pyramidal neurons and astrocytes. NDP induction in phagocytes was also inhibited by the administration of NYA. Altogether the present results suggest that intracerebral hemorrhage in the internal capsule may induce nitric oxide synthase activity in different cell populations in the cortex and that administration of NYA can selectively inhibit such induction and, thus, potentially play a neuroprotective role.

[Effects of Nao-Yi-An granule on activity of cytochrome c oxidase in hippocampus of experimental intracerebral hemorrhagic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuronal protective effects of a traditional Chinese medicine complex Nao-Yi-An granule(NYA) on experimental intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) in rats. METHODS: Eighty collagenase-induced ICH rats were used. At 12 h, 24 h, 2 d, 4 d, 7 d, cytochrome c oxidase(CO) activity was measured with histochemistry combined with gray scale scanning. Pyramidal cell(PC) counting was also employed following Nissl's staining. RESULTS: The CO activities in NYA-treated group were less than those in model control group, and the neuronal loss was less in NYA-treated group than that in model control group. CONCLUSIONS: The neuronal protective mechanism of NYA following ICH may be related with its maintaining activity of cytochrome c oxidase, which contributes to improving cellular aerobic metabolism and increasing energy supply for cells.

[The effects of bizhongxiao decotion (BZX) on T-lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of BZX on T-lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and study the mechanism of curative effects of BZX in immunization. METHODS: 42 patients with RA in active stage were divided into 1. treatment group with BZX 2. control group with western medicine and twenty healthy control group (HCG) was arranged before treatment. Their CD4+ and CD8+ were tested and the ratio of CD4+ cells to CD8+ cells was calculated before treatment and after 3 months treatment. RESULTS: In the peripheral blood of patients with RA, CD4+ was more than that of the HCG. but CD8+ was lower and the ratio of CD4+ cell to CD8+ cells was higher than that of the HCG. After 3 months treatment, CD4+ decreased, CD8+ increased and the ratio of CD4+ cells to CD8+ cells decreased. In addition, all results were similar to the normal. We found there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups in the results after treatment. CONCLUSION: There were cell immunoregulation disorders in patients with RA. BZX can regulate the disorder of T-lymphocyte subsets, help rebuild the immune steading and have effects of immune suppression similar to MTX combined medicine.

[Analysis of corneal pathologic changes and laboratory parameters in herpes simplex karatitis patients with ganhuo-shangyanzheng or ganshengyinxuzheng].

In order to investigate the relationship between Ganhuo shangyanzheng and Can-shengyin xuzheng in herpes simplex karatitis patients, we observed corneal pathologic changes and examined blood levels of prostaglandin F2 (PGF2), prostaglandin E2 (PGF2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), arginine vasopressin (AVP), norepinephrine (NR), epinephrine (E) in sixty herpes simplex karatitis patients with Ganhou shangyanzheng or Gan-shengyinxuzheng. The results showed that the corneal pathologic changes were corneal ulcer infiltrating to stroma of cornea in Ganhuo shangyanzheng patients, and refractary corneal ulcer with large amount of corneal neovascularizaton and infiltration of corneal stroma in Gan-shengyinxuzheng patients, the blood levels of PGF2, PGE2, TNF, AVP, NE, E in Ganhuo shangyanzheng patients were higher than those in Gan-shengyinxuzheng patients or healthy persons. The results suggest that these parameters may be objective parameters for differential diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine Zheng types in patients with herpes simplex karatitis.