Objective: To investigate the effects of culture medium osmolarity on the proliferation of human hepatoma cell line HHCC. Methods:Cell proliferation was analyzed by MTT assay and cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. Results:Hyperosmolarity decreased significantly the absorbance (A) of HHCC cells and cell number, and hyposmolarity have counter effects. Compared with control, hyperosmolarity blocked cell cycle progression at the G 1 phase, while hyposmolarity accelerated cells into S phase from G 1 phase, and the effect of hyposmolarity was weakened by chloride channel blocker NFA. Conclusion:Culture medium osmolarity influenced the proliferation of HHCC cells by mediating cell cycle.

AIM: To investigate the changes of the redox status and the antioxidative capability in the tissue of malignant tumors. METHODS: The carcinoma tissues collected from 42 patients with primary cancer in digestive tract (13 cases of esophageal cancer, 14 cases of gastric cancer and 15 cases of colorectal cancer),the corresponding paratumor mucosa tissues were taken as the control samples. The content of oxidized and reduced glutathion (GSSG and GSH), oxidized and reduced coenzyme II (NADP+ and NADPH) were measured, the GSH/GSSG, NADPH/NADP+ ratios, and the GSH/GSSG, NADPH/NADP+ redox potentials were calculated according to Nernst formula. RESULTS: The levels of GSH and NADPH in cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in corresponding paratumor tissues (P0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The significant increase in GSH and NADPH contents in cancer tissues indicates a notable enhancement of its antioxidative capability compared with the corresponding paratumor tissues. Based on this changes, the redox potential in the cancer tissues has only slightly reductive shift, which may suggest an apparent oxidative stress existed in the cancer tissues.

Objective To identify the risk factors of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) after lung transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 90 recipients undergoing lung transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. According to the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation after operation, all recipients were divided into the PMV group (ventilation duration > 48 h, n=30) and control group (ventilation duration≤48 h, n=60). Perioperative parameters were compared between two groups, including preoperative parameters [serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)], intraoperative parameters (cold ischemia time of donor lung, blood loss), and postoperative parameters [the first red blood cell, white blood cell, platelet count, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), oxygenation index, eGFR and the mean arterial pressure in intensive care unit (ICU)]. The risk factors of PMV after lung transplantation were assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Preoperative serum creatinine level in the PMV group was 62 (53, 67) μmol/L, significantly higher than 57 (47, 62) μmol/L in the control group. Preoperative eGFR in the PMV group was 97 (93, 107) mL/min, significantly lower than 106 (102, 116) mL/min in the control group. The first postoperative oxygenation index in the PMV group was 196 (157, 286) mmHg, significantly lower than 250 (199, 354) mmHg in the control group (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the first increase of postoperative total bilirubin, the first decrease of postoperative oxygenation index and preoperative eGFR decrease were the independent risk factors for PMV following lung transplantation. Conclusions The first increase of postoperative total bilirubin, the first decrease of postoperative oxygenation index and preoperative eGFR decrease are the independent risk factors for PMV after lung transplantation.

Subthreshold depression belongs to the category of psychological sub-health.Because it does not meet the diagnostic criteria of depression,it may cause misdiagnosis,missed diagnosis,excessive medical treatment,violation of patient autonomy,poor effect or unclear adverse reactions.The ethical problems in clin-ical diagnosis and treatment are worthy of attention.This article aimed to explore the ethical issues that may exist in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of subthreshold depression,a sub-depression state,and propose so-lutions.

Background: The dietary agent sulforaphane (SFN) has been reported to reduce diabetes-induced renal fibrosis, as well as inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. Bone morphologic protein 7 (BMP-7) has been shown to reduce renal fibrosis induced by transforming growth factor-beta1. The aim of this study was to investigate the epigenetic effect of SFN on BMP-7 expression in diabetes-induced renal fibrosis. Methods: Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and age-matched controls were subcutaneously injected with SFN or vehicle for 4 months to measure the in vivo effects of SFN on the kidneys. The human renal proximal tubular (HK11) cell line was used to mimic diabetic conditions in vitro. HK11 cells were transfected to over-express HDAC2 and treated with high glucose/palmitate (HG/Pal) to explore the epigenetic modulation of BMP-7 in SFN-mediated protection against HG/Pal-induced renal fibrosis. Results: SFN significantly attenuated diabetes-induced renal fibrosis in vivo. Among all of the HDACs we detected, HDAC2 activity was markedly elevated in the STZ-induced diabetic kidneys and HG/Pal-treated HK11 cells. SFN inhibited the diabetes-induced increase in HDAC2 activity which was associated with histone acetylation and transcriptional activation of the BMP-7 promoter. HDAC2 over-expression reduced BMP-7 expression and abolished the SFN-mediated protection against HG/Pal-induced fibrosis in vitro. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that the HDAC inhibitor SFN protects against diabetes-induced renal fibrosis through epigenetic up-regulation of BMP-7.

Andrographis paniculata is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with a wide cultivation in south China. The market demand has been increasing steadily in recent years. However, there are problems such as disordered production, pesticide residues and heavy metal content in the process of Andrographis paniculata production. Pollution- free cultivation is an effective strategy to solve this problem, and it is also the development direction of the Chinese herbal medicine planting industry at this stage. In order to guide the cultivation of pollution-free and high-quality Andrographis paniculata, this study established a pollution- free fine cultivation technology system of Andrographis paniculata including precise cultivation and site selection. In addition, soil improvement, scientific pollution-free planting mode and high- efficiency integrated pest control technology help solve problems such as pesticide residues and heavy metal content. This paper provides a reference for the pollution-free and fine cultivation of Andrographis paniculata.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of action of Dingchuan granules in intervening respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia based on network pharmacology and animal experiments.Methods The potential active ingredients and targets of each traditional Chinese medicine in Dingchuan granules were obtained from TCMSP and TCMID databases,and the active ingredients of the drugs in Dingchuan granules were screened according to ADME pharmacokinetic parameters;the potential disease targets of respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia were obtained from Genecards,OMIM,and DisGeNet databases;the protein-interaction networks of intersecting targets were visualized by using String platform;the key core targets were visualized by using David database;and the intersection targets were visualized by using David database.Interaction networks were constructed using the String platform to visualize the intersecting targets;GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the key core targets were performed using the David database;and then the relevant networks for the intervention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Pneumonia in the Dingchuan particles were constructed using the Cytoscape software(3.9.1).Respiratory syncytial virus(RSV)-induced respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia in young rats was selected for experimental validation.Results The results of the network pharmacology showed that the 177 potential active ingredients of Dingchuan granules acted on 144 targets,and there were 1075 targets related to respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia,and 55 drug-disease intersecting targets were obtained,of which 25 core targets were ALB,IL6,CASP3,EGFR,VEGFA,etc.The GO function of Dingchuan granules was also investigated,and the GO function of Dingchuan was investigated.The results of GO function enrichment analysis showed that the biological processes involved mainly include positive regulation of transcription,positive regulation of RNA polymerase II promoter transcription,positive regulation of gene expression,negative regulation of apoptosis,etc.The KEGG pathway enrichment mainly involves the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,the cancer pathway,the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway,the IL-17 signaling pathway and so on.The KEGG pathway enrichment mainly involves PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,etc.Animal experiments initially showed that the fixed wheezing granules can play a role in inflammation and immune response by regulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,thus participating in the inflammatory and immune response.Compared with the normal group,the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in the lung tissues of young rats in the model group were significantly higher(P<0.05),the viral load was significantly higher(P<0.05),the pathological score of lung tissue damage was significantly higher(P<0.05),and the content of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α in alveolar lavage fluid(BALF)was significantly higher(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the expression of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins in the lung tissues of young rats in each dose group and the positive control group was reduced(P<0.05),the viral load was significantly reduced(P<0.05),the pathological scores of lung tissue injury were significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the contents of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α in BALF were significantly reduced(P<0.05).Conclusion The study revealed the synergistic mechanism of multi-component,multi-target,and multi-pathway action of Dingchuan granules for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia.It was verified by animal experiments that RSV infection in young rats probably activated the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,which caused the release of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α.Dingchuan granules could effectively down-regulate the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,inhibit the release of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α,and thus achieve the anti-inflammatory effect.

Hypersplenism is an important complication of cirrhotic portal hypertension, and splenectomy is an important means to treat hypersplenism in cirrhosis. It is realized that hypersplenism played a pathological role in the course of cirrhosis. This article analyzes and compares the changes in the condition of patients with cirrhosis between splenectomy with and without hyperfunction, and comprehensively discusses the pathological role and mechanism of hypersplenism in the course of cirrhosis, in order to strengthen the clinical prevention and treatment of hypersplenism in cirrhosis and to better improve the condition and prognosis of patients with cirrhosis.

Objective:To analyze the characteristics of postoperative thoracic deformation in patients who underwent multi-rib autologous rib cartilage transplantation auricle reconstruction based on 3dMD imaging system.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted using 3dMD data of the thorax from patients who underwent auricle reconstruction surgery using multiple autologous costal cartilages at the First Department of Ear Reconstruction of the Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from July to September 2019. The normal-side chest wall image was superimposed on the rib-harvested side chest wall for automatic registration and alignment, with distance numerical data presented in a Cartesian heat map through color mapping technology. By observing the areas where the rib-harvested side thorax had obvious deformation, the distance difference of the concave and convex peaks on the sagittal diameter was measured to judge the degree of thoracic deformation in children (≤10 mm as none; >10-20 mm as mild; >20-30 mm as moderate; >30 mm as severe).Results:A total of 42 children were included, with 27 males and 15 females, aged from 7 to 12 years old. The Cartesian heat map of thoracic deformation showed that the obvious concave area of the chest wall was located at the junction of the middle and inner one-third of the clavicle and the 7th rib, and the obvious convex area was located in the area from the nipple to the 5th rib. The measurement range of the protrusion peak in the upper chest nipple area was from -7.638 9 to -14.288 4 mm; the measurement range of the depression peak in the rib arch area was from 7.238 7 to 14.653 2 mm. The range of the distance difference between the concave and convex peaks was from 14.877 6 to 28.941 6 mm.The degree and incidence of thoracic deformation in children: mild in 5 cases; moderate in 37 cases.Conclusion:Based on the analysis with 3dMD photogrammetry, the overall characteristics of chest wall deformation in patients who underwent ear reconstruction with autologous rib cartilage grafts were the coexistence of protrusion in the upper chest nipple area and depression in the area where the rib cartilage was harvested, with changes occurring on the sagittal diameter.