To investigate the effects of microRNA-29a (miR-29a) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and its specific mechanisms, we used H9C2 myocardial cells to establish a myocardial ischemia model by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R), and microRNA-29a inhibitor was interfered. Annexin V/propidium iodide and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of cell death. C57 mice were used to establish were used to establish the I/R injury model, and H&E staining was used to detect pathologic damage to heart tissues. The expressions of miR-29a silent information regulator factor 2-related enzyme 1 (SIRT1) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), as well as pyroptosis-related proteins were determined by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. The serum levels of 2-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), lactate dehydrogenase-1 (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB activity (CK-MB), IMA, and inflammatory factors in I/R rats were significantly up-regulated. In the I/R group, the expression of miR-29a was significantly up-regulated while SIRT1 was remarkably down-regulated. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed SIRT1 was a direct target of miR-29a. Inhibition of miR-29a significantly up-regulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1a/nuclear respiratory factor-2 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase while remarkably down-regulating levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and malondialdehyde in I/R. The oxidative stress that was induced by I/R injury was also suppressed by inhibition of miR-29a. All these effects of miR-29a inhibition were reversed by small interfering SIRT1. The in vitro H/R results showed that NLRP3caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis was activated in H/R but was significantly inhibited by the inhibition of miR-29a. Inhibition of miR-29a improved myocardial I/R injury by targeting SIRT1 through suppressing oxidative stress and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIn this study, we showed for the first time that miR-29a could improve myocardial I/R injury through inhibition of pyroptosis.

The COVID‐19 outbreak negatively impacted the mental health and emotions of many individuals. The study presented here explores the mental health and emotion regulation experienced by undergraduate nursing students in China during the pandemic. Potential risk factors related to negative mental health symptoms were identified in this study. An online cross‐sectional study including 342 respondents was performed from March 6, 2020, to April 1, 2020, at a University in China. A Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7), Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9), and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) were used to evaluate mental health and emotions. The statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, or comorbid anxiety and depression were 55.0%, 56.4%, and 31.6%, respectively. The mean score of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression was 29.36 ± 8.00 and 15.55 ± 5.14. Lower scores for cognitive reappraisal and higher scores for expressive suppression were susceptible to symptoms of anxiety, depression, or comorbid anxiety and depression. Issues with mental health occurred in nursing students during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Findings from this study provide a better understanding of the association between mental health and emotion regulation, which will help direct psychological intervention that relieves these issues during the pandemic.

These findings suggested that ACE2 activation by resorcinolnaphthalein improved endothelial function and suppressed neointimal formation in the prevention of severe PAH by the mechanism of mediating the levels of the components of the renin-angiotensin system.

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of lncRNA XIST and its relationship with miR-133a in myocardial I/R injury. H9C2 cells treated by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) were used to establish an in vitro I/R model. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) for XIST and miR-133 mimics, inhibitor, and suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS2) recombinant plasmids were used to transfect the cells. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry analysis, and cell viability was used for 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm binding between XIST and miR-133a, as well as miR-133a and SOCS2. To inhibit or overexpress XIST, miR-133a, or SOCS2 in I/R mice, we used recombinant lentivirus vectors and adenovirus vectors for tail vein injection. The expression of XIST, miR-133a, and SOCS2 was determined by quantitative real-time PCR, and LC3 I/II and Beclin1 was determined by western blotting. The expression of XIST and SOCS2 was significantly upregulated, whereas the miR-133a level was remarkably downregulated in both H/R H9C2 cells and I/R mice myocardial tissues. In both H/R H9C2 cells and I/R mice, the inhibition of XIST led to decreased apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of miR-133a reversed these effects. Similarly, overexpression of miR-133a resulted in reduced apoptosis and autophagy, which were reversed by overexpression of SOCS2. The inhibition of XIST and overexpression of miR-133a also promote cell viability of H/R cells. The dual-luciferase reporter assay significantly showed that XIST directly targeted on miR-133a, and miR-133a directly targeted on SOCS2. The inhibition of XIST could improve myocardial I/R injury by regulation of the miR-133a/SOCS2 axis and inhibition of autophagy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the United States, recommendations for annual influenza vaccination gradually expanded from 2004 to 2008, to include all children aged $6 months. The effects of these policies on vaccine uptake and influenza-associated health care encounters are unclear. The objectives of the study were to examine the annual incidence of influenza-related health care encounters and vaccine uptake among children age 6 to 59 months from 2000-2001 through 2010-2011 in Davidson County, TN. METHODS:We estimated the proportion of laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits by enrolling and testing children with acute respiratory illness or fever. We estimated influenza-related health care encounters by multiplying these proportions by the number of acute respiratory illness/fever hospitalizations and ED visits for county residents. We assessed temporal trends in vaccination coverage, and influenza-associated hospitalizations and ED visit rates. RESULTS:The proportion of fully vaccinated children increased from 6% in 2000-2001 to 38% in 2010-2011 (P , .05). Influenza-related hospitalizations ranged from 1.9 to 16.0 per 10 000 children (median 4.5) per year. Influenza-related ED visits ranged from 89 to 620 per 10 000 children (median 143) per year. Significant decreases in hospitalizations (P , .05) and increases in ED visits (P , .05) over time were not clearly related to vaccination trends. Influenza-related encounters were greater when influenza A(H3N2) circulated than during other years with median rates of 8.2 vs 3.2 hospitalizations and 307 vs 143 ED visits per 10 000 children, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Influenza vaccination increased over time; however, the proportion of fully vaccinated children remained ,50%. Influenza was associated with a substantial illness burden particularly when influenza A(H3N2) predominated.

Tea is one of the most heavily consumed beverages in the world. The relationship between tea drinking and human health is becoming a subject of intense study by scientists throughout the world. In this paper, we first provide a comprehensive analysis of the medical literature on tea published in China during the past 20 years, and then highlight some recent studies in China on the relationship between tea and several human diseases. During the period 1982-2002, 691 research papers related to tea and health have been published in 290 Chinese journals. These studies showed that tea and tea constituents have various biological activities and suggested that tea drinking might be beneficial to human health. Tea has potential in the prevention or adjuvant treatment of several diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The trend and future direction in medical research on tea in China are also briefly discussed.

The aim of this multicenter study was to demonstrate the distribution pattern of atherosclerotic stenosis and its trend with aging between extracranial and intracranial arteries and its distribution between the anterior and posterior circulations in Chinese patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke. In addition, the risk factors for the distribution pattern were illustrated. From June 2015 to May 2016, 9,346 patients with ischemic stroke from 20 hospitals were enrolled. Carotid artery ultrasonography and transcranial color-coded sonography/transcranial Doppler were used to evaluate the extracranial and intracranial arteries. The distribution pattern of atherosclerotic stenosis and its trend with aging were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for the distribution pattern. Among the 9,346 patients, 2,882 patients (30.8%) had at least one artery with a degree of stenosis ≥50%. Among patients with arterial stenosis, the proportion of patients with intracranial artery stenosis was higher than those with extracranial artery stenosis (52.6% vs. 27.6%), and the proportion of anterior circulation artery stenosis was higher than that in the posterior circulation (52.2% vs.26.2%). With aging, the proportion of intracranial artery stenosis alone decreased; at the same time, the proportion of extracranial artery stenosis and extracranial plus intracranial artery stenosis increased (trend χ2=6.698, P=0.001). Hypertension (OR 1.416, P=0.008) and family history of stroke (OR 1.479, P=0.014) were risk factors for intracranial artery stenosis. Male, aging, and smoking were factors more related to extracranial artery stenosis. Aging (OR 1.022, P<0.001) and hypertension (OR 1.392, P=0.019) were related to posterior circulation artery stenosis. Intracranial arteries and anterior circulation arteries were susceptible to stenosis in Chinese patients with ischemic stroke. However, the distribution pattern of atherosclerotic stenosis was dynamic and varied with aging. Aging and different risk factors contribute to this distribution pattern.

Background/Aims: Renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a very common clinical event and usually leads to ischemic acute renal failure (ARF). In the present study, we investigated the protective role of vitamin C in renal function and renal arterial relaxation following ischemic injury. Methods: IRI model in mice was used. Various biochemical parameters including nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH), total reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were examined. Doppler was used to investigate renal arterial resistance. The isolated renal arterial rings served for hypoxia/reoxygenation analysis. Acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced relaxations of isolated renal arterial rings were exerted. Results: Vitamin C supplementation preserved kidney morphology and renal function following IRI. It was shown that pretreatment with vitamin C for mice subjected to IRI significantly elevated renal NO and GSH levels after reperfusion. Meanwhile, vitamin C administration decreased resistance index of renal artery and ameliorated oxidative stress secondary to IRI. The total ROS level in renal artery was decreased whereas the renal arterial SOD expression was increased by vitamin C supplementation following IRI. Pretreatment with vitamin C significantly potentiated the ACh and SNP-induced relaxations in both control and hypoxic renal arterial rings. Conclusion: Vitamin C protects kidney function and renal arterial reactivity against IRI. The protective role of vitamin C is linked to ROS, SOD, GSH and NO levels in renal ischemic injury.