Objective To examine the association of pro-hepcidin with iron metabolism and inflammation in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with erythropoietin (EPO) resistance.Methods Forty MHD patients and twenty healthy controls were enrolled in the study.Among MHD patients,20 were hyporesponsive to EPO therapy and 20 were normal responsive to EPO therapy.Complete blood red cell count (RBC),Hb concentration,hematocrit (Hct),reticulocyte count (Ret),and serum ferritin (SF),serum iron (Fe),total ironbinding capacity (TIBC),saturation rate of transferrin (TSAT),transferrin (TF),hyper-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP),pro-hepcidin were measured in all the patients and controls.Differences were compared between groups.Influencing factors were analyzed by Pearson correlation.Predicting value of pro-hepcidin was investigated by ROC curve.Results Serum levels of SF,pro-hepcidin and hs-CRP were significantly higher in MHD patients than those in healthy controls (P＜0.01),while serum TF was lower in MHD patients (P＜0.05).Serum levels of SF,pro-hepcidin and hs-CRP were significantly higher in EPO resistant patients as compared to normal responsive cases (P＜0.01).Serum prohepcidin level was positively correlated with SF (r=0.843,P=0.000) and hs-CRP (r=0.695,P=0.001).In predicting EPO resistance,area under ROC curve of pro-hepcidin,SF and hs-CRP was 0.713,0.769 and 0.958 respectively.Conclusions EPO resistance is correlated with inflammation and iron metabolism.Serum pro-hepcidin,SF and hs-CRP may be used as markers of EPO resistance in MHD patients.

BACKGROUND:Increasing evidence has shown that lovastatin with less toxicity to normal cels has crucial effects on proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of various cancer cels. However, its roles in glioma stem cels remain unclear.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of lovastatin on proliferation and apoptosis of glioma stem cels.
METHODS: Flow cytometric sorting was used to separate glioma stem cels from human glioblastoma cel line U87. Effects of lovastatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of glioma stem cels were determined by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. Furthermore, expression levels of Ki67, Bax and Bcl-2 in glioma stem cels treated with lovastatin were detected using western blot analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The CD133-positive glioma stem cels were sorted from human glioblastoma cel line U87 with a positive percentage of 85%. MTT assay showed that lovastatin inhibited the proliferation of glioma stem cels in dose (5, 10, 20 μmol/L)- and time (24, 48, 72, 96 hours)-dependent manners. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 10 μmol/L lovastatin (48 hours) induced apoptosis in glioma stem cels. In addition, the expression level of Ki67 was decreased by lovastatin treatment in a dose-dependent manner, and the Bcl-2 and Bax expression levels were reduced and increased by 10 μmol/L lovastatin treatment, respectively. In conclusion, lovastatin can inhibit cel proliferation and induce apoptosis of glioma stem cels, and lovastatin may be a potential drug for treatment of brain tumors.

BACKGROUND:Several studies have reported that quercetin can inhibit the proliferation and migration but promotes apoptosis of tumor cel s. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of quercetin on the proliferation and apoptosis of glioma stem cel s and the signal pathway involved. METHODS:Glioma stem cel s were isolated by immunomagnetic beads and treated in culture medium containingdifferent concentrations of quercetin (0, 25, 50, 100μmol/L). Cel proliferation was measured by MTT and apoptosis measured by flow cytometry at 48 hours after culture. The expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and survivin, which are related to apoptosis, were detected by western blot. The expression of proliferating cel nuclear antigen (PCNA), which is related to proliferation, was also detected by western blot. The expression of STAT3 and p-STAT3 was also determined by western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Compared with the control (0μmol/L) group, quercetin inhibited the proliferation of glioma stem cel s in a dose-depended manner (P<0.05). With the increase of the concentration of quercetin, the expression of PCNA was increased (P<0.05). (2) Quercetin induced apoptosis of glioma stem cel s dose-dependently (P<0.05). With the increase of the concentration of quercetin, the expression of Bcl-2 and survivin was decreased, while the expression Bax was increased. (3) Quercetin could also inhibit phosphorylation of STAT3 dose-dependently, but the level of STAT3 was not changed. To conclude, these results show that quercetin could inhibit the proliferation of glioma stem cel s and promote apoptosis via the STAT pathway.

Objective:To analyze the clinical effect of TREVO stent thrombectomy combined with tirofiban on patients with acute large-artery occlusion of the anterior circulation.Methods:Seventy-two patients with acute large-artery occlusion of the anterior circulation accepted thrombectomy in our hospital from November 2016 to May 2020 were divided into two groups according to different treatment methods: 35 patients in the control group were treated with TREVO stent thrombectomy, and 37 patients in the treatment group were treated with TREVO stent thrombectomy combined with tirofiban via intra-variceal injection. The success rate of recanalization, specific conditions of thrombolysis, improvement degrees of nerve defect, coagulation function, prognoses 90 d after thrombectomy, and complications were compared between the two groups.Results:The success rate of postoperative vascular recanalization in the treatment group and control group was 91.89% (34/37) and 88.57% (31/35), respectively, without statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). The time and times of thrombotomy in the treatment group were significantly shorter/smaller than those in the control group (P<0.05). The National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) scores of patients from the treatment group 14 d after thrombectomy were significantly lower than those of the control group ( P<0.05). The postoperative thrombin time, prothrombin time, and activated partial thrombin time of the treatment group were significantly longer than those of the control group ( P<0.05). The good prognosis rate of patients in the treatment group and control group 90 d after thrombectomy was 86.49% (32/37) and 60.0% (21/35), with significant differences ( P<0.05); and the incidence of complications was 8.11% (3/37) and 14.29% (5/35), without significant differences ( P>0.05). Conclusion:TREVO stent thrombectomy combined with tirofiban has a significant effect on treatment of acute large-artery occlusion of the anterior circulation, enjoying high safety.

Objective:To investigate the effects of ketogenic diet on seizures, electroencephalogram(EEG) changes and neurobehavioral development in children diagnosed with epilepsy.Methods:A total of 122 children diagnosed with spastic epilepsy in Nanyang Central Hospital from March 2016 to March 2019 were enrolled.The patients were divided into the observation group and the control group, by the computerized random number table method with 61 cases in each group.The children in the control group were treated with conventional therapy, and the children in the observation group were combined with the ketogenic diet on the basis of conventional treatment.The Gesell developmental schedules scale scores were compared between the two groups to evaluate seizure control and EEG improvement.Results:The seizure control in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group [78.69%(48/61 cases) vs.54.10%(33/61 cases)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 12.114, P <0.05). The EEG improvement in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group [81.97%(50/61 cases) vs.55.74%(34/61 cases)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=13.623, P<0.05). After 12 months of treatment, the children in the observation group had significantly higher fitness, gross motor, fine motor, language, and personal social, and total development quotient scores than the control group [(56.64±13.29) scores vs.(46.04±12.86) scores, (54.84±12.18) scores vs.(47.62±11.91) scores, (54.44±10.70) scores vs.(44.31±11.56) scores, (51.48±12.99) scores vs.(42.04±11.18) scores, (57.88±11.04) scores vs.(47.42±13.16) scores, (275.28±54.71) scores vs.(227.42±55.79) scores], the differences were statistically significant ( t=5.997, 5.887, 6.003, 5.889, 6.007, 6.010, all P<0.05). Conclusion:The ketogenic diet can significantly reduce seizures, improve EEG and neurobehavioral development in children with epilepsy.

Objective:To explore the correlation of plasma kallikrein and bradykinin receptor 1 with prognosis of cerebral infarction in elderly rats after ischemic stroke.Methods:A total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the stroke model group(intraperitoneally injected with 150 μl 0.9% saline, n=10), the DX-88 group(intravenously injected with kallikrein inhibitor DX-88 30 μl/time, n=10), the R-954 group(intravenously injected with bradykinin B1 receptor antagonist R-954 30 μl/time, n=10)and the DX-88 combined with R-954 treatment group(intravenously injected with DX-88 and R-954, n=10). Protein expression levels of plasma kallikrein and bradykinin receptor 1 were determined by Western blotting.mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and caspase-3 were analyzed by using qRT-PCR.A neurologic function scale was used to score cerebral nerve injury and calculate the middle cerebral infarction area and cerebral swelling in experimental rats.Cerebral blood-brain barrier permeability was assessed by the cerebral infarction area.Results:Neurological injury scores decreased in the DX-88, R-954 and DX-88 + R-954 groups compared with the stroke model group(5.35±1.35, 6.49±1.16, 4.92±0.92 vs.11.17±2.18, F=15.589, P=0.022). Compared with the stroke model group, the cerebral infarction area was reduced in the DX-88, R-954 and DX-88+ R-954 groups[(4.35±1.05) mm 2, (5.43±0.26) mm 2, (3.88±0.13) mm 2vs.(8.26±1.24) mm 2, F=13.476, P=0.034)]. The extent of brain swelling was smaller in the DX-88, R-954 and DX-88+ R-954 groups than in the stroke model group[(31.28±7.45) %, (35.19±8.57) %, (19.68±3.14) % vs.(74.26±15.66) %, F=16.587, P=0.026)]. Plasma kallikrein protein levels were lower in the DX-88 and DX-88+ R-954 groups than in the stroke model group( P<0.05). The expression of bradykinin-1 receptor mRNA was lower in the R-954 and DX-88+ R-954 groups than in the stroke model group( P<0.05). The above results indicated that antagonism of plasma kallikrein and bradykinin receptor 1 played an important role.mRNA transcription levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and caspase-3 were higher in the stroke model group than in the DX-88, R-954 and DX-88+ R-954 groups( F=12.665、14.574 and 13.665, P=0.021、0.015 and 0.003). Conclusions:Inhibiting plasma kallikrein and bradykinin receptor 1 may provide protection against cerebral nerve injury in cerebral ischemia, and improve the prognosis of cerebral infarction.

OBJECTIVE：To establish HPLC fingerprint of different products of suet oil-baked Epimedium brevicornum ，and to screen the optimal baking technology. METHODS ：HPLC method was adopted. Using icariin as reference ，HPLC fingerprints of 22 batches of samples were drawn. The similarity was evaluated by using Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatographic Fingerprint（2012 edition），and common peaks were confirmed. HCA ，PCA and OPLS-DA analysis were performed by SIMCA 14.1 statistical software. Taking variable importance in the project ＞1 as criteria ，biomarkers affecting the quality difference of suet oil-baked E. brevicornum were screened ；using mass marker as index ，the baking technology was screened by baking technology. RESULTS：There were 18 common peaks in 22 batches of samples. The similarities were between 0.831 and 0.991. Totally 7 common peaks were identified ，i.e. epimedin A ，epimedin B ，epimedin C ，icariin，sagittatoside A ，sagittatoside B ，baohuoside Ⅰ. The 22 batches of samples were clustered into two categories ，S19-S22 were clustered into category Ⅰ and S 1-S18 were clustered into category Ⅱ. The category Ⅱ was sub-clustered into category Ⅱa（S15-S18），category Ⅱb（S10-S14），category Ⅱc （S1-S9）；the result of PCA analysis was consistent with above results. OPLS-DA showed that the biomarkers affecting the quality difference were icariin ，sagittatoside B and baohuoside Ⅰ. The results of kinetic studies showed that the content of icariin when baked at 180 ℃ for 25 min or 190 ℃ for 20 min，that of baohuoside Ⅰ when baked at 180 ℃ for 30 min or 190 ℃ for 15 min and that of epimedin B when baked at 210 ℃ for 18 min were the highest ；according to above results ，the optimal baking technology was baking at 180 ℃ for 25-30 min or 190 ℃ for 15-20 min. CONCLUSIONS ：Established fingerprint is stable ， reliable and reproducible. The multivariate statistical analysis can be used for the changes of chemical components in E. brevicornum under different baking condition and preliminary selection of baking technology.