Research on Teaching Reform of Basic Medical Courses in Comprehensive Universities Oriented Towards“Clinical Competency”

Through this study,we aim to construct a teaching model for basic medical courses that enhances“clinical competency.”We explore the optimal methods and pathways for the organic integration of exam-oriented teaching and professional teaching,optimize teaching efficiency,improve teaching quality and educational effectiveness,and provide theoretical support for the cultivation of clinical medical talents in China.The goal is to establish a talent cultivation objective oriented towards“clinical competency,”promote the teaching reform of basic medical courses in comprehensive universities,facilitate the transition of basic medical course teaching from“teacher knowledge presentation”to“student knowledge construction,”and cultivate high-quality medical talents with clinical competency.

New perspectives on DNA methylation modifications in ocular diseases

The methylation of DNA is a prevalent epigenetic modification that plays a crucial role in the pathological progression of ocular diseases.DNA methylation can regulate gene expression,thereby affecting cell function and signal transduction.Ophthalmic diseases are a kind of complex diseases,and their pathogenesis involves many factors such as genetic,environmental and individual differences.In addition,inflammation,oxidative stress and lipid metabolism,which abnormal DNA methylation is closely related to,are also considered to be major factors in eye diseases.The current understanding of DNA methylation in eye diseases is becoming more complex and comprehensive.In addition to the simple suppression of gene expression by hypermethylation,factors such as hypomethylation or demethylation,DNA methylation in non-promoter regions,interactions with other epigenetic modifications,and dynamic changes in DNA methylation must also be considered.Interestingly,although some genes are at abnormal methylation levels,their expression is not significantly changed,which indirectly reflects the complexity of gene regulation.This review aims to summarize and compare some relevant studies,and provide with new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of different eye diseases,such as glaucoma,retinoblastoma,and diabetic retinopathy.

Basic fibroblast growth factor improves learning and memory deficits in a mouse model of vascular dementia: Associated with the role of free radicals clearance?

BACKGROUND： Basic fibroblast growth factor （bFGF） exhibits neuroprotective functions, but the possible mechanisms of bFGF on vascular dementia remain unclear. OBJECTIVE： To explore the neuroprotective effects of bFGF on a mouse model of vascular dementia, with focus on oxidative damage. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at the Medical College of Beihua University from March to December 2008. MATERIALS： bFGF was purchased from Peprotech, USA. METHODS： A total of 80 healthy, Kunming mice were randomly assigned to control, sham-surgery, model, and bFGF groups. The model and bFGF groups were used to establish vascular dementia models by repetitive cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in a conscious state. In addition, bFGF group mice were intraperitoneally injected with bFGF （100 pg/kg） following model establishment, once a day for 7 consecutive days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The Morris water maze was used to determine the influence of bFGF on learning and memory abilities in vascular dementia mice. The pathomorphological changes in hippocampal CA1 neurons were observed by Nissl staining. Superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde changes were analyzed using biochemical analysis methods. Annexin V-FITC/PI-double-labeled flow cytometry was used to detect neuronal apoptosis. RESULTS： Learning and memory functions in model mice significantly decreased, as characterized by prolonged latency and reduced time and number of platform crossings （P 〈 0.01, P 〈 0.05）. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly reduced, malondialdehyde content was significantly increased （P 〈 0.01）, and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis was increased （P 〈 0.01） following vascular dementia, bFGF increased superoxide dismutase activity, decreased malondialdehyde content, and reduced hippocampal neuronal apoptosis （P 〈 0.01）, which resulted in improved learning and memory in mice with vascular dementia. CONCLUSION： bFGF improved learning and memory deficits in mice with vascular dementia by reducing free radical injury and inhibiting hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.

Basic fibroblast growth factor improves learning and memory functions in chronic stress mice

Four weeks of uncertain stress was used to establish an animal model of chronic stress. Basic fibroblast growth factor was injected daily for 15 days following stress induction. Cell morphology in the hippocampal CA3 region of chronic stress mice revealed cell damage. Nitric oxide content and calcium concentration were significantly increased in the hippocampus, and learning and memory functions were significantly decreased. After basic fibroblast growth factor intervention, Ca2~ overload was decreased and neuronal damage was relieved in hippocampal neurons, which improved learning and memory functions in chronic stress mice. Latency was prolonged and the number of errors was decreased in a passive avoidance test.

Surviving the shift: College student satisfaction with emergency online learning during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)epidemic disrupted education systems by forcing systems to shift to emergency online leaning.Online learning satisfaction affects academic achievement.Many factors affect online learning satisfaction.However there is little study focused on personal characteristics,mental status,and coping style when college students participated in emergency online courses.regression analyses were performed to identify factors that affected online learning satisfaction.RESULTS Descriptive findings indicated that 62.9%(994/1580)of students were satisfied with online learning.Factors that had significant positive effects on online learning satisfaction were online learning at scheduled times,strong exercise intensity,good health,regular schedule,focusing on the epidemic less than one hour a day,and maintaining emotional stability.Positive coping styles were protective factors of online learning satisfaction.Risk factors for poor satisfaction were depression,neurasthenia,and negative coping style.CONCLUSION College students with different personal characteristics,mental status,and coping style exhibited different degrees of online learning satisfaction.Our findings provide reference for educators,psychologists,and school adminis-trators to conduct health education intervention of college students during emergency online learning.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma mutation in familial partial lipodystrophy type three:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Familial partial lipodystrophy disease(FPLD)is a collection of rare genetic diseases featuring partial loss of adipose tissue.However,metabolic difficulties,such as severe insulin resistance,diabetes,hypertriglyceridemia,and hyperte-nsion frequently occur alongside adipose tissue loss,making it susceptible misdiagnosis and delaying effective treatment.Numerous genes are implicated the occurrence of FPLD,and genetic testing has been for conditions linked single gene mutation related to FPLD.Reviewing recent reports,treatment of the disease is limited to preventing and improving complications in patients.In 2017,a 31-year-old woman with diabetes,hypertension and hypertriglyceri-demia was hospitalized.We identified a mutation in her peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARG)gene,Y151C(p.Tyr151Cys),which results in a nucleotide substitution residue 452 in the DNA-binding domain(DBD)of PPARG.The unaffected family member did not carry this mutation.Pioglitazone,a PPARG agonist,improved the patient’s responsiveness to hypoglycemic and antihyper-tensive therapy.After one year of treatment in our hospital,the fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin of the patient were close to normal.

水通道蛋白-4的激活可促进胶质淋巴系统功能及脑出血后血肿清除

有效清除血肿对于改善脑出血(ICH)患者的临床结局至关重要。由水通道蛋白-4(AQP4)促进的胶质淋巴系统在脑脊液(CSF)流入和代谢废物清除方面发挥关键作用。本研究探讨胶质淋巴系统在脑出血病理中的作用,重点关注AQP4。本研究建立了胶原酶诱导的脑出血模型,并通过米非司酮作为激动剂、TGN-020作为抑制剂以及Aqp4基因敲除来调控AQP4表达。采用荧光示踪和多模态磁共振成像(MRI)观察胶质淋巴系统功能、血肿和水肿体积。使用改良Garcia量表(modified GarciaScale)进行神经功能缺损评分。采用RT-qPCR和Westernblotting量化AQP4表达,并利用免疫荧光探索其细胞定位。检查脑组织切片中的神经元形态、退行性改变和铁沉积。脑出血后第3天,AQP4激动剂组表现出AQP4蛋白表达增加和血管周围极化增强、血红蛋白水平降低以及铁沉积减少。抑制组则呈现相反的趋势。AQP4的激活改善了胶质淋巴系统功能,导致分布范围更广、神经功能改善和血肿减少。AQP4的药理学抑制和基因敲除具有相反的效果。由AQP4促进的胶质淋巴系统在脑出血后的血肿清除中发挥关键作用。上调AQP4可改善胶质淋巴系统功能,促进血肿清除,并促进脑组织恢复。

Efficacy and Safety of Lianhua Qingke Tablets in the Treatment of Long Coronavirus Disease (COVID) Cough: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Clinical Study

Lianhua Qingke tablets,a patented traditional Chinese medicine that has validated clinical efficacy for treating cough caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection,lack rigorous evidence-based research evaluating their effect on long coronavirus disease(COVID)cough.A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,multicenter clinical study was conducted among patients with long COVID cough from 19 hospitals and 23 community health centers in China.Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either Lianhua Qingke tablets or placebo orally for 14 days(four tablets,1.84 g,three times a day).The primary endpoint indicator was the disappearance of cough,with the remission of cough also considered.Among 482 randomized patients,480(full analysis set 480;per-protocol set 470;safety set 480)were included in the primary analysis.According to the full analysis,the time until cough disappearance was significantly shorter in the trial group than in the control group,with a significant increase in the 14-day cough disappearance rate.Accordingly,the time to cough remission was significantly shorter in the trial group than in the control group.The change in the total symptom score was significantly greater in the trial group than in the control group on days 7 and 14,consistent with the results indicated by the visual analog scale(VAS)and cough evaluation test(CET)scores.No serious adverse events were recorded during the study.Lianhua Qingke tablets significantly improved the clinical symptoms of patients with long COVID cough.

Clinical Efficacy Observation of a Jing Ethnic Prescription in Treating Chronic Atrophic Gastritis

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of a Jing ethnic prescription in treating chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). Methods: A total of 182 CAG patients admitted to our hospital were randomly divided into a control group (91 cases) and a treatment group (91 cases) based on their admission order. The control group received conventional treatment, while the treatment group was treated with a Jing ethnic prescription. The clinical efficacy, changes in gastric mucosa-related indicators, and systemic inflammatory markers were compared between the two groups. Results: After treatment, the overall effective rate in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The levels of trefoil factor 2 (TFF2) in the gastric mucosa increased, and the levels of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) decreased in both groups. However, the improvement in these indicators was significantly better in the treatment group (P Conclusion: The custom formula of the Jing ethnic group shows comparable clinical efficacy to conventional treatment for chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), but it demonstrates significantly better effects in reducing systemic inflammatory responses. Specifically, the treatment group showed superior results in the following aspects compared to the control group: increased levels of TFF2, decreased levels of NF-κB, and reduced serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, and hs-CRP.

Analysis of the Effect of GINS4 Regarding the Proliferation and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells

Objective: To analyze the role and influence of the GINS4 gene in breast cancer progression and to explore its expression in triple-negative and non-triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. Methods: Single-gene analysis of GINS4 was performed by breast cancer RNA transcriptome data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expression of GINS4 in triple-negative and non-triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. The knockdown effects of GINS4 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines on the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells were examined by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) and Transwell assays. Results: Bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression of GINS4 in breast cancer was significantly higher than that in normal breast tissues (P > 0.05). At the same time, cell experiments confirmed that GINS4 was highly expressed in human breast cancer cell lines with normal breast cells as reference and in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines as reference, where the ability of proliferation and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells decreased after GINS4 knockdown. Conclusion: GINS4 is a gene associated with breast cancer malignancy, which can act as a novel tumor marker and has the potential as a new therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Research on the Investigation and Determination of Advantageous Diseases in Jing Ethnic Medicine

Objective: This paper aims to summarize and establish advantageous diseases in Jing ethnic medicine. Methods: The study employed literature review analysis, expert consultation, field investigation, folk visits, and clinical questionnaire surveys to summarize and conclude the advantageous diseases in Jing ethnic medicine. Results: The book “Jing Ethnic Medicine” records a total of 130 single prescriptions, 165 empirical prescriptions, and 99 dietary therapy prescriptions. Among these, the most frequently recorded prescriptions are for colds (17), coughs (22), gastric pain (31), diarrhea (22), abdominal pain (3), rheumatism (8), hepatitis (11), trauma (34, including injuries from poisonous fish, jellyfish stings, and falls), skin diseases (23), postpartum conditions (10), pediatric fever (3), pediatric malnutrition (4), and pediatric diarrhea (7). A total of 38 questionnaires were distributed and all 38 were valid, revealing that the top five advantageous diseases are colds (including pediatric colds and fever), abdominal pain, gastric pain, skin diseases, and bone pain. Conclusion: The advantageous diseases in Jing ethnic medicine are relatively clear, and standardized research on the diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for gastric diseases, pediatric abdominal heat pain (colds), and abdominal pain (gallstones) should be conducted.

Mendelian randomization analysis:the causal relationship between statins and eye diseases

Background:The specific role of statins in the field of ophthalmology is not clear.Statins have the advantages of pleiotropic,relatively safety and low cost,and are a promising choice for the prevention and management of eye diseases.Nevertheless,there is a divergence of findings regarding the correlation between statin treatment and ocular conditions.Hence,our intention is to investigate the impact of statins on eye conditions through the utilization of Mendelian randomization(MR).Methods:The UK Biobank provided data on five statins,while the FinnGen database provided data on six eye diseases,including age-related macular degeneration,glaucoma,diabetic retinopathy,senile cataract,drug-induced cataract,and other cataracts.Causality exploration involved the utilization of various methods including inverse variance weighted(IVW),weighted median,weighted multivariate(weighted mode),and MR-Egger regression.To assess the reliability of the findings,funnel analysis,MR-Egger regression,leave-one-out method,and Cochran’s Q test were employed.Additionally,reverse MR analysis was performed to evaluate the potential for reverse causality between statin use and eye diseases.Results:Based on IVW analysis,there were three pairs of positive results with significant(P<0.05)causal relationship,including atorvastatin and drug-induced cataract(odds ratio(OR)=1.65E-05,95%confidence interval(CI):2.24E-09–0.12;P_(IVW)=0.02),rosuvastatin and drug-induced cataract(OR=2.77E-18,95%CI:7.53E-35–0.1;P_(IVW)=0.04)and fluvastatin with senile cataract(OR=0.5,95%CI:0.25–0.99;P_(IVW)=0.05).No significant causal relationship was observed between other types of statins and eye diseases.Sensitivity analysis found that the results were robust.Reverse MR analysis indicated no evidence of reverse causality between statin use and the examined eye diseases.Conclusion:Our study finally verified the strong causal relationship between three drugs and two diseases(atorvastatin and rosuvastatin and drug cataract,fluvastatin and senile cataract).This study confirms that statins may reduce the risk of certain eye diseases and provides new insights into the prevention and treatment of eye diseases.Furthermore,the lack of reverse causality reinforces the reliability of these associations.

Splicing factor proline and glutamine-rich is a prognostic biomarker and correlated with clinical pathologic features and immune infiltrates in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally.Splicing factor proline and glutamine-rich(SFPQ)is a multifunctional protein that controls various biological functions.As a potential therapeutic target and a promising prognostic indicator,the potential effects and processes of SFPQ in HCC require further investigation.Methods:The RNA sequencing data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus,International Cancer Genome Consortium,and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases to analyze SFPQ expression and differentially expressed genes(DEGs).We utilized the LinkedOmics database to identify co-expressed genes.A Venn diagram was constructed to determine the overlapping genes between the DEGs and the co-expressed genes.Functional enrichment analysis was performed on the overlapping genes and DEGs.Furthermore,our study involved functional enrichment analysis,a protein-protein interaction network analysis,and an analysis of immune cell infiltration.The cBioPortal and Tumor Immune Single-cell Hub were utilized to investigate the genetic alterations of SFPQ and the single-cell transcriptome visualization of the tumor microenvironment.A ceRNA network was established with the assistance of the ENCORI website.Finally,we elucidated the clinical significance of SFPQ in HCC by employing Kaplan-Meier survival analysis,univariate and multivariate Cox regression,and prognostic nomogram models.Results:The expression of SFPQ in HCC tissues was significantly elevated compared to normal tissues.GSEA results indicated that increased expression of SFPQ was associated with pathways related to HCC.The ceRNA network,including SFPQ,hsa-miR-101-3p,AC023043.4,AC124798.1,AC145207.5,and GSEC,was constructed with the assistance of ENCORI.High SFPQ expression was related to a poor prognosis in HCC and its subtypes.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that elevated SFPQ expression is an independent predictive factor.Conclusions:The overexpression of SFPQ may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker,indicating a poor prognosis in HCC.

实验性NIDDM模型胰岛素抵抗的评估

目的 用糖耐量曲线下面积 (SBG)、胰岛素释放曲线下面积 (SIns)、胰岛素敏感指数 ,这些临床糖尿病常用的指标对非胰岛素依赖型糖尿病 (non insulin- dependentdiabetes mellitus,NIDDM)模型胰岛素抵抗评估。方法 大鼠尾静脉注射小剂量链尿佐菌素 ,使大鼠糖耐量异常 ,然后加喂高热量食物 ,引起动物肥胖 ,饲养 8wk,可形成类似 NIDDM的肥胖大鼠模型 ,并设置对照组 ,同时测定了大鼠糖耐量试验过程中血清葡萄糖 (BG)、胰岛素 (Ins) ,并计算了 SBG、SIns、胰岛素敏感指数。结果 1模型组糖耐量试验 ,血清 BG糖耐量下降 ,Ins在糖负荷后 2 h明显升高 (P<0 .0 1) ;2 Ins敏感指数较对照组明显降低 (P<0 .0 1) ;3SBG明显上升 (P<0 .0 1) ;SIns无明显变化 ,SIns/ SBG下降 (P<0 .0 1)。结论 SBG、SIns、胰岛素敏感指数可较好反映 Ins作用 ,B细胞储备功能及 Ins敏感性 ,可广泛用于实验性糖尿病基础研究和作为临床正确评价 IR的指标。

A case-control study of risk factors for severe hand-foot-mouth disease in Yuxi, China, 2010–2012

Dear Editor,Here,we report the risk factors for severe hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD)determined by our case-controlstudy.Our findings could help disease prevention and in-tervention initiatives.Patients with severe HFMD displayfatal clinical manifestations with sequelae,requiring≥7days of hospitalization.A tota1 of 249 severe cases treat-ed at Yuxi Children’s Hospital were included in the

Expression and significance of homeodomain protein Cdx2 in gastric carcinoma and precancerous lesions

AIM： To investigate the expression and significance of caudal-related homeobox transcription factor （Cdx2） in gastric carcinoma （GC） and precancerous lesions. METHODS： The expression of Cdx2 in GC, precancer- ous lesions and normal gastric mucosa were detected using immunohistochemical method. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, alcian blue/periodic acid-schiff and high iron diamine/alcian blue staining were used to classify intestinal metaplasia （IM） and GC. RESULTS： Cdx2 was not detected in normal gas- tric mucosa. Cdx2 expression was detected in 87.1% （101/116） of IM, 50% （36/72） of dysplasia and 48.2% （41/85） of GC. The Cdx2-expressing cells in IM were more prevalent than in dysplasia and carcinoma （P 〈 0.05）. There was no relationship between Cdx2 ex- pression and the classification of IM or the degree of dysplasia. Expression of Cdx2 was significantly higher in intestinal-type carcinoma than in diffuse and mixed- type carcinoma （P 〈 0.05）. Positive expression of Cdx2was mainly found in moderately to well differentiated GC. There was a negative association between nuclear Cdx2 expression and lymph node metastasis and tumor, nodes, metastasis stage of GC （P 〈 0.05）. The patients with Cdx2-positive expression showed a higher survival rate than those with Cdx2-negative expression （P = 0.038）. Multivariate analysis revealed that the expres- sion of Cdx2 and lymph node metastasis were indepen- dent prognostic indicators of GC （P 〈 0.05）.

Tong xie yao fang relieves irritable bowel syndrome in rats via mechanisms involving regulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine and substance P

AIM: To investigate whether the Chinese medicine Tong Xie Yao Fang(TXYF) improves dysfunction in an irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) rat model. METHODS: Thirty baby rats for IBS modeling were separated from mother rats(1 h per day) from days 8 to 21, and the rectum was expanded by angioplasty from days 8 to 12. Ten normal rats were used as normal controls. We examined the effects of TXYF on defection frequency, colonic transit function and smooth muscle contraction, and the expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and substance P(SP) in colonic and hypothalamus tissues by Western blot and RT-PCT techniques in both normal rats and IBS model rats with characterized visceral hypersensitivity.in normal rats and 4.5 ± 1.58 in IBS model rats(P < 0.001). However, the defecation frequency was significantly decreased(3.0 ± 1.25 vs 4.5 ± 1.58, P < 0.05), while the time(in seconds) of colon transit function was significantly increased(256.88 ± 20.32 vs 93.36 ± 17.28, P < 0.001) in IBS + TXYF group rats than in IBS group rats. Increased colonic smooth muscle tension and contract frequency in IBS model rats were significantly decreased by administration of TXYF. Exogenous agonist stimulants increased spontaneous activity and elicited contractions of colon smooth muscle in IBS model rats, and all of these actions were significantly reduced by TXYF involving 5-HT and SP down-regulation. CONCLUSION: TXYF can modulate the activity of the enteric nervous system and alter 5-HT and SP activities, which may contribute to the symptoms of IBS.

New progress in roles of nitric oxide during hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury

Hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a clinical condition which may lead to cellular injury and organ dysfunction. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in HIRI is complicated and inconclusive. NO produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation plays a protective role during early HIRI. But eNOS overexpression and the resulting excessive NO bioavailability can aggravate liver injury. NO induced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) may have either a protective or a deleterious effect during the early phase of HIRI, but it may protect the liver during late HIRI. Here, we reviewed the latest findings on the role of NO during HIRI: (1) NO exerts a protective effect against HIRI by increasing NO bioavailability, downregulating p53 gene expression, decreasing inflammatory chemokines, reducing ROS via inhibiting the mitochondrial respiratory chain, activating sGC-GTP-cGMP signal pathway to reduce liver cell apoptosis, and regulating hepatic immune functions; (2) eNOS protects against HIRI by increasing NO levels, several eNOS/NO signal pathways (such as Akt-eNOS/NO, AMPK-eNOS/NO and HIF-1 alpha-eNOS/NO) participating in the anti-HIRI process, and inhibiting over-expression of eNOS also protects against HIRI; and (3) the inhibition of iNOS prevents HIRI. Thus, the adverse effects of NO should be avoided, but its positive effect in the clinical treatment of diseases associated with HIRI should be recognized.

Notoginseng Saponin Rg1 Prevents Cognitive Impairment through Modulating APP Processing in Aβ1-42-injected Rats

With the intensification of the aging process of the world,Alzheimer's disease(AD),which is the main type of senile dementia,has become a primary problem in the present society.Lots of strategies have been used to prevent and treat AD in animal nlodels and clinical trials,but most of them ended in failure.Panax notoginseng saponins(PNS)contain a variety of monomer compositions which have been separated and identified.Among of the monomer compositions,notoginseng saponin Rg1(Rg1)accounts for 20%of the cultivation of panax notoginseng roots.And now PNS have been reported to be widely used to treat cardicerebrovascular diseases and have neuroprotective effects to restrain theβ-amyloid peptide(Aβ)25-35-niediated apoptosis.Moreover,it is reported that PNS could accelerate the growth of nerve cells,increase the length of axons and promote synaptic plasticity.Whether Rg1 can ameliorate the cognitive impairment and the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated.To study the preventive effect of Rg1 on cognitive impairment and the possible mechanism,we established the cognitive impairment model in rats through Aβ1-42(2.6μg/μL,5μL)injection and then treated the rats with Rg1(25,50 and 100 mg/kg)administered intragastrically for 4 weeks.We observed that Aβ1-42 could induce spatial learning and memory deficits in rats.Simultaneously,Aβ1-42 injection also resulted in the reduced neuron number in comuammonis 1(CA1)and dentate gyrus(DG)of hippocampus,as well as the increased level of hyperphosphorylatedβ-amyloid precursor protein(APP)at Thr668 site with up-regulation ofβ-APP cleaving enzyme 1(BACE1)and presenilin 1(PS1)and down-regulation of a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain-containing protein 10(ADAM 10)and insulindegrading enzyme(IDE).Administration of Rg1 effectively rescued the cognitive impairment and neuronal loss,and inhibited theβ-secretase processing of APP through reducing APP-Thr668 phosphorylation and BACE1/PS1 expression,and increasing the expression of ADAM 10 and IDE.We concluded that Rg1 might have neuroprotective effects and could promote learning and memory ability,which might be a viable candidate in AD therapy probably through reducing the generation of Aβand increasing the degradation of Aβ.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo: From biological characteristics to therapeutic mechanisms

Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response to chronic injuries, characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix or scar tissue within the liver;in addition, its formation is associated with multiple cytokines as well as several cell types and a variety of signaling pathways. When liver fibrosis is not well controlled, it can progress to liver cirrhosis, but it is reversible in principle. Thus far, no efficient therapy is available for treatment of liver fibrosis. Although liver transplantation is the preferred strategy, there are many challenges remaining in this approach, such as shortage of donor organs, immunological rejection, and surgical complications. Hence, there is a great need for an alternative therapeutic strategy. Currently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is considered a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of liver fibrosis;advantageously, the characteristics of MSCs are continuous self-renewal, proliferation, multipotent differentiation, and immunomodulatory activities. The human umbilical cord-derived (hUC)-MSCs possess not only the common attributes of MSCs but also more stable biological characteristics, relatively easy accessibility, abundant source, and no ethical issues (e.g., bone marrow being the adult source), making hUC-MSCs a good choice for treatment of liver fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics of hUC-MSCs and their paracrine effects, exerted by secretion of various cytokines, which ultimately promote liver repair through several signaling pathways. Additionally, we discuss the capacity of hUC-MSCs to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells for compensating the function of existing hepatocytes, which may aid in amelioration of liver fibrosis. Finally, we discuss the current status of the research field and its future prospects.