The fasting blood chromium and its area of 83 noninsulindependent diabetics and 24 normal subjects were determined. The results showed that both the fastng blood chromium concentrations (39.9?17.4ppb) and its area (128.8?48.5 ppb/h) of diabetics were significantly lower than that of normal subjects (80.9?28.5 ppb, 270.6?88.4 ppb/h) (P

Objective To investigate the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the glucocorticoids (GC)-mediated Alzheimer' s disease-like pathological changes in vitro.Methods Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293/wt) cells stably transfected with the longest human tau (tau441,HEK293/tau) and wild-type HEK293 cells were employed to study the role of GC.Cell viabilities of the two cell lines were examined by cell counting kit-8 ( CCK-8 ).Levels of phosphorylated tau ( p-T205 ) and dephosphorylated tau (Tau-1),β-catenin,phosphorylated β-catenin (p-β-catenin),glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β),phosphorylated GSK-3β at Ser9 (ps9-GSK-3β) and Bcl-2 were determined by Western blotting.Results Treatment with 1 μmol/L GC for 48 h decreased the viability of HEK293/wt and HEK293/tau cells to 95.5％ ±3.2％ and 77.8％ ± 4.4％ (t =6.60,P ＜ 0.05 ).Moreover,GC treatment decreased the levels of ps9-GSK-3β,Tau-1,β-catenin and Bcl-2 to 47.8％ ± 10.4％,53.9％ ± 11.7％,50.9％ ±7.6％,48.4％ ±6.5％ of control groups ( t =7.01,3.86,7.09,7.30,all P ＜ 0.05 ),and increased the relative levels of pT205,p-β-catenin to 180.5％ ± 22.2％,201.3 ％ ± 27.6％ of control groups (t =5.51,5.27,both P ＜0.05) only in HEK293/tau cells.Finally,LiCI efficiently prevented the above effects of GC in HEK293/tau cells.Conclusion GC may trigger Alzheimer' s disease-like pathological changes by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and these pathological processes seem to specifically depend on the presence of human tau.

Objective To establish animal models of functional dyspepsia with spleen deficiency and to compare the efficacy of different methods.Methods Rat models were established by iodoacetamide(IA)-treatment or combined with swimming.Appearance,body weight,food intake of the rats were observed,and serum motilin,cholecystokinin,lactate,gastrin content and urinary D-xylose excretion rates were detected to confirm whether the model of functional dyspepsia with spleen deficiency was established.Results The IA-treated rats had less food intake and a slower body weight gain.The IA-treated combined with swimming rats presented spleen-hypofunction symptoms,such as emaciation,hair dry and loose stools,their urinary D-xylose excretion rate,serum motilin,gastrin content were decreased,and serum cholecystokinin and lactate contents were increased significantly (P<0.05 for all).Conclusions All the three methods used in this study can result in symptoms of functional dyspepsia with spleen deficiency.However,IA-treatment combined with swimming models appear more close to spleen deficiency-like presentation,and the best model is the IA-treated combined with platform standing.

Objective To establish a mouse model of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) by applying mouse hepatoma Hapa 1-6 cells.Methods 108 healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 3 groups according to their body weights.Hepa 1-6 cell suspension was intravenously injected to each mouse in the three groups at a concentration of 1×106,5×106 and 1×107/mL,0.2 mL per mouse,respectively.Blood samples were collected from the mice on the 1st,5th,9th,13th,17th and 21st days after tumor cell injection.The number,ratio and relative inhibition rate of CTCs were calculated in 20,000 nucleated cells.The mortality of mice was recorded.②80 male C57BL/6 mice were averaged into 2 groups according to their body weight: control and sorafenib tosylate groups.0.2 mL of Hepa 1-6 single cell suspension was injected to each mouse through the caudal vein at a concentration of 5×106/mL.The mice were gavaged with sorafenib tosylate (50 mg/kg) for 21 days and blood samples were collected at the 3rd,8th,15th,and 21st days for CTC assessment.Results For the 1×106/mL group,the CTC inhibition rate was 25.1%,18.1%,8.9%,4.4%,2.9% and 0.3% on the 1st,5th,9th,13th,17th and 21st days,respectively,and all the mice were alive.For the 5×106/mL group,the CTC inhibition rate was 40.4%,35.4%,15.4%,9.0%,6.6% and 4.1% on the 1st,5th,9th,13th,17th and 21st days,respectively,and all the mice were alive.For the 1×107/mL group,the CTC inhibition rate was 39.1% and 33.5% on the 1st and 5th days,respectively.Some mice died immediately after intravenous injection and all mice died within 7 days.②The relative clearance of CTCs was-7.5%,4.6%,55.3% and-94.5% on the 3rd,8th,15th and 21st days of sorafenib tosylate administration.Compared with the control group,there were significant differences among the three groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusions A mouse model of circulating hepatoma cells has been established by intravenous injection of 0.2 mL of 5×106/mL mouse Hepa 1-6 cell suspension.This mouse model can be used for screening and evaluation of drugs for circulating tumor cell inhibition.

Objective To observe the biological activities of human doppel(Dpl) protein transiently expressed and Dpl-like protein PrP?32-121 on a human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y.Methods Recombinant mammalian expression plasmids containing human PRND gene and truncated PrP?32-121 fragment were generated by PCR.The expression and location of Dpl and PrP?32-121 post-transfection were observed by IFA.The cytotoxicity was measured by MTT analysis.Cellular apoptosis was investigated by flow cytometry and Western blot.Results Both Dpl and PrP?32-121 protein were expressed and mainly located on the cell membrane.Remarkable cytotoxicity was detected on SH-SY5Y cells after 24 h transfection.Meanwhile,more Annexin V/PI positively-stained cells as well as lower levels of cellular pro-caspase-3 and Bel-2 were detected in the cells receiving Dpl and PrP?32-121 expressing plasmids.Conclusion Dpl protein transiently expressed and PrP?32-121 can lead to the similar neural cytotoxicity,probably triggering the cell apoptosis program.

Objective To observe the biological activities of human doppel (Dpl) protein transiently expressed and Dpl-like protein PrPΔ32-121 on a human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. Methods Recombinant mammalian expression plasmids containing human PRND gene and truncated PrPΔ32-121 fragment were generated by PCR. The expression and location of Dpl and PrPΔ32-121 post-transfection were observed by IFA. The cytotoxicity was measured by MTT analysis. Cellular apoptosis was investigated by flow cytometry and Western blot. Results Both Dpl and PrPΔ32-121 protein were expressed and mainly located on the cell membrane. Remarkable cytotoxicity was detected on SH-SY5Y cells after 24 h transfection. Meanwhile, more Annexin V/PI positively-stained cells as well as lower levels of cellular pro-caspase-3 and Bel-2 were detected in the cells receiving Dpl and PrPΔ32-121 expressing plasmids. Conclusion Dpl protein transiently expressed and PrPΔ32-121 can lead to the similar neural cytotoxicity, probably triggering the cell apoptosis program.

Objective To explore the outcome for kidney transplant recipients who suffered from cancers after transplantation. Methods De novo cancer data in 59 transplant recipients were collected. 6 cases of native renal cell carcinomas, 4 cases of native pelvo-ureteral carcinomas, 14 cases of bladder cancers, 7 cases of prostate cancers, 9 cases of hepatocellular carcinomas, 3 cases of gastric carcinomas, 2 cases of colon cancers, 1 case of pancreatic cancer, 4 cases of breast cancers, 3 cases of cervical cancers, 2 cases of skin cancers, 2 cases of non-small cell lung cancers, 1 case of thyroid cancer and 1 case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. These data were compared with those from 59 patients in general population with the same gender, age and tumor stage. Results Overall incidence rate for de novo malignancy post-transplantation was 1. 9 % (59/3150). Urinary cancers were the most common. Compared to the general population, the overall survival was significantly worsened in transplant recipients (P<0. 01), and 5-year survival rate in transplantation group and control group was 30 % vs 75 0 %. Multivariate analyses demonstrated cancer stage to he a negative risk factor for survival of transplant recipients with de novo cancer, and surgery and functioning graft to be the positive survival predictors. Conclusion Transplant recipients experience worse outcomes than the general population for these cancers. These data suggest that cancers in transplant recipients are more aggressive biologically at the time of diagnosis.

A major barrier to the use of antimicrobial peptides as antibiotics is the toxicity or ability to lyse eukaryotic cells. In this study, a 26-residue amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptide A12L/A20L (Ac-KWKSFLKTFKSLKKTVLHTLLKAISS-amide) was used as the framework to design a series of D- and L-diastereomeric peptides and study the relationships of helicity and biological activities of α-helical antimicrobial peptides. Peptide helicity was measured by circular dichroism spectroscopy and demonstrated to correlate with the hydrophobicity of peptides and the numbers of D-amino acid substitutions. Therapeutic index was used to evaluate the selectivity of peptides against prokaryotic cells. By introducing D-amino acids to replace the original L-amino acids on the non-polar face or the polar face of the helix, the hemolytic activity of peptide analogs have been significantly reduced. Compared to the parent peptide, the therapeutic indices were improved of 44-fold and 22-fold against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. In addition, D- and L-diastereomeric peptides exhibited lower interaction with zwitterionic eukaryotic membrane and showed the significant membrane damaging effect to bacterial cells. Helicity was proved to play a crucial role on peptide specificity and biological activities. By simply replacing the hydrophobic or the hydrophilic amino acid residues on the non-polar or the polar face of these amphipathic derivatives of the parent peptide with D-amino acids, we demonstrated that this method could have excellent potential for the rational design of antimicrobial peptides with enhanced specificity.
Anti-Infective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Circular Dichroism ; Drug Design ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; drug effects ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; drug effects ; Hemolysis ; drug effects ; Humans ; Peptide Fragments ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Substrate Specificity

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of needling Danzhong(CV 17) in the treatment of postpartum hypogalactia and provide clinical evidence for indications of the point. Methods: A multi-centre single-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out. Two hundred and seventy-six puerperal women with postpartum hypogalactia were randomly allocated into acupuncture group and herb group, and respectively treated for three consecutive days. The degree of mammary fullness, the amount of milk secreted, prolactin, baby weight, the frequency and volume of artificial feeding, the number of infant urination events, and the duration of baby crying were observed. The clinical curative effects on postpartum hypogalactia were compared. Results: Hypogalactia was effectively treated in both acupuncture and herb groups. There were statistically significant differences in degree of mammary fullness, amount of milk secreted, baby weight, the frequency and amount of artificial feeding, and the number of infant urination events between pretreatment and post-treatment, but no difference between the two groups. There was no significant difference in prolactin in the acupuncture group and there was a difference in prolactin in the herb group between pretreatment and posttreatment. Conclusion: Needling Danzhong(CV 17) can effectively promote lactation.

Objective:To evaluate the protective effect of foam dressing in preventing intraoperative acquired pressure injury (IAPI), and to provide reference basis for prevention and treatment of IAPI during clinical operation.Methods:The clinical data of 455 surgical patients admitted to Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University from October 2020 to January 2021 were retrospectively collected. According to whether foam dressing was used at the compression site during operation, the patients were divided into dressing group (101 cases) and control group (354 cases). The two groups were matched with age, body mass index, preoperative Braden and cerebrovascular disease as covariates, and were finally divided into 89 patients in the dressing group and 162 patients in the control group. Logistic regression analysis and stratified analysis were used to comprehensively evaluate the actual effect of foam dressing on the occurrence of IAPI in the surgical patients.Results:Among the 251 patients, there were 14 (15.7%) cases with IAPI in the dressing group and 13 (8.0%) cases in the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant ( χ2=3.41, P>0.05). Among the patients in the prone position, compared to the control group, the dressing group can effectively reduce the risk of IAPI in surgical patients by 77% ( OR=0.23, 95% CI 0.05-0.98, P<0.05). There was no interaction between foam dressing and intraoperative surgical characteristics ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Foam dressing plays a protective role in preventing the occurrence of IAPI in patients undergoing surgery in the prone position. There was no significant protective effect of intraoperative foam dressing in patients with other surgical characteristics.