AIM:To study the effects of sesamin (Ses) on attenuating renal injury in spontaneously hyperten-sive rats (SHR) and its relationship with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.METHODS:Spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:model (SHR) group, Ses low-dose (80 mg/kg) group, Ses high-dose (160 mg/kg) group and captopril (30 mg/kg) group.Another 7 WKY rats were given 0.5%sodium carboxymethylcellulose ( CMC-Na, the solvent was used to dissolve the drugs) as control group.Meanwhile, the rats in drug treatment groups were given the corresponding drugs.All animals were administered intragastrically once a day, and the blood pressure was measured every 2 weeks before and after the beginning of the administration.After 12 weeks, blood urea nitrogen ( BUN) , serum creatinine ( SCr ) , urine micro-albumin ( U-mAlb ) , malondialdehyde ( MDA ) and superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) were measured.The pathological changes of the renal tissues were observed under microscope with HE and Masson staining.Ap-optotic rate of nephridial tissue was determined by TUNEL method.The protein levels of p-AKT, p-mTOR, 4EBP1, S6K1, Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by Western blot.RESULTS:Ses decreased the diastolic blood pressure of SHR, significantly ameliorated the pathological damage in the nephridial tissues.Compared with model group, Ses was obviously reduced the contents of SCr, BUN, U-mAlb, MDA and apoptotic rate of the kidney, decreased the protein levels of p-AKT, p-mTOR, 4EBP1, S6K1 and Bax, and increased the protein expression of Bcl-2 and SOD activity.CONCLUSION:The protective effects of Ses against renal injury in SHR may be related to decreasing blood pressure, increasing anti-oxidative stress, re-straining apoptosis and inhibiting over-activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Objective To observe hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in 12 patients with rheumatic disease undergoing immunosuppressive therapy and to evaluate whether preemptive antiviral therapy is necessary for patients receiving disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).Methods From January 2008 to March 2012,a total of 12 HBV-infected patients with rheumatic diseases were consecutively enrolled into this long-term follow-up study.Liver function and serum levels of HBV DNA were tested during the follow-up.Results The medium duration of follow-up was 41 months (range 16-48).Four patients received steroid treatment,and among them two patients without pre-emptive antiviral therapy developed HBV reactivation.After administr-ation of LAM or ETV,HBV replication was controlled in both patients.Five patients were treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and the other three patients received tumor necrosis factor-alpha-blocking agents.None of these patients received pre-emptive antiviral therapy.HBV reactivation did not occur in any of them.Conclusion HBV reactivation does occur in HBV-infected patients with rheumatoid diseases after immunosuppressive therapy.Pre-emptive antiviral therapy should be administered in patients who are receiving steroid therapy for rheumatic diseases.In contrast,DMARDs and TNFBA are relatively safe for HBV-infected patients with rheumatic diseases.Close monitoring of HBV DNA and ALT levels is necessary to the mana-gement of HBV reactivation.

Background and Objectives: Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a rare and serious connective tissue disease, an autoimmune disease, and a rare refractory disease. In this study, preventive effect of single systemic human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) transfusion on SSc was preliminarily explored. Methods: and Results: SSc mouse model was established by daily intradermal injection of Hypochlorite (HOCl). SSc mice were treated by single transfusion of UC-MSCs at 0.625×10 5 , 2.5×105 and 1×106 respectively. At the 42nd day of intradermal injection of HOCl, the symptoms showed up by skin and alveolar wall thickening, lymphocytic infiltration, increased collagen in skin/lung, and the increased proportion of CD3 ＋ CD4＋ CD25＋ FoxP3＋ cells (a Treg subset) in spleen. After UC-MSCs transfusion, the degree of skin thickening, alveolar wall thickening and lymphocyte infiltration were decreased, the collagen sedimentation in skin/lung was decreased, and the proportion of CD3＋ CD4＋ CD25＋FoxP3＋ cells was decreased. Conclusions UC-MSC can achieve a preventive effect in SSc mice by fibrosis attenuation and immunoregulation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding single-stranded small RNAs that regulate gene expression by recognizing homologous sequences and interfering with transcriptional, translational or epigenetic processes. MiRNAs are involved in a variety of disease processes, and regulate the physiological and pathological status of diseases by modulating target cell activity, migration, invasion, apoptosis, autophagy and other processes. Among them, let-7i is highly expressed in various systems, which participates in the process of tumors, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, fibrotic diseases, inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases, and plays a positive or negative regulatory role in these diseases through different signal pathways and key molecules. Moreover, it can be used as an early diagnosis and prognostic marker for a variety of diseases and become a potential therapeutic target. As a biomarker, let-7i is frequently tested in combination with other miRNAs to diagnose multiple diseases and evaluate the clinical treatment or prognosis.
Biomarkers ; Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; MicroRNAs/genetics*

Background and Objectives: Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a rare and serious connective tissue disease, an autoimmune disease, and a rare refractory disease. In this study, preventive effect of single systemic human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) transfusion on SSc was preliminarily explored. Methods: and Results: SSc mouse model was established by daily intradermal injection of Hypochlorite (HOCl). SSc mice were treated by single transfusion of UC-MSCs at 0.625×10 5 , 2.5×105 and 1×106 respectively. At the 42nd day of intradermal injection of HOCl, the symptoms showed up by skin and alveolar wall thickening, lymphocytic infiltration, increased collagen in skin/lung, and the increased proportion of CD3 ＋ CD4＋ CD25＋ FoxP3＋ cells (a Treg subset) in spleen. After UC-MSCs transfusion, the degree of skin thickening, alveolar wall thickening and lymphocyte infiltration were decreased, the collagen sedimentation in skin/lung was decreased, and the proportion of CD3＋ CD4＋ CD25＋FoxP3＋ cells was decreased. Conclusions UC-MSC can achieve a preventive effect in SSc mice by fibrosis attenuation and immunoregulation.

Objective: To explore mechanism of how nurse managers' transformational leadership affects patient satisfaction, and to examine the mediating role of nurses' psychological empowerment. Methods: A total of 140 nurses and 310 patients in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were surveyed. The Leadership Practice Inventory-other, the Psychological Empowerment Scale and two items from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (Chinese version) were used to measure nurse-perceived nurse managers' transformational leadership behaviors, nurses' psychological empowerment and patient satisfaction. The descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were performed using the SPSS 20.0. software package, and the structure equation modeling was performed using the MPlus 7.0. Results: Higher frequencies of nurse managers adopting transformational leadership were associated with higher level of nurses' psychological empowerment (β=0.665, P < 0.05); higher level of nurses' psychological empowerment was associated with higher overall patient satisfaction (β=0.243, P < 0.05); nurses' psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between nurse managers' transformational leadership and patients' overall satisfaction (β=0.162, P=0.014); the effects of nurse managers' transformational leadership and nurses' psychological empowerment on patients' recommendation of hospital were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions Nurse managers are encouraged to adopt transformational leadership, i.e., improving clinical and leadership skills, trying to be nurses' role model, solving problems at work, empowering and motivating nurses, thus to increase nurses' senses of empowerment, and to improve patient satisfaction eventually.

Major natural disasters seriously threaten human life and health. After earthquakes and other catastrophes, survivors are often trapped in the confined spaces caused by the collapse of ground and buildings, with relative separation from the outside world, restricted access, complex environment, and oncoming or ongoing unsafety, leading to the rescue extremely difficult. In order to save lives and improve the outcome more efficiently in the confined spaces after natural disasters, it is very important to standardize and reasonably apply the trauma assessment and first aid workflow. This study focuses on trauma assessment and first aid. From the aspects of trauma assessment, vital signs stabilization, hemostasis and bandaging, post-trauma anti-infection, and the transportation of patients, a trauma first aid work process suitable for a small space of a major natural disaster is formed, It is helpful to realize the immediate and efficient treatment of trauma in the confined spaces after natural catastrophes, to reduce the rate of death and disability and improve the outcome of patients.
Humans ; Disasters ; First Aid ; Confined Spaces ; Earthquakes

Background Acute exposure to mercury chloride (HgCl₂) can cause liver damage. Whether oleanolic acid (OA) as a hepatoprotective drug can protect against liver injury induced by acute exposure to HgCl₂ and related mechanism of action remain unclear. Objective To investigate the protective effect and possible mechanism of OA on liver injury in mice caused by acute exposure to HgCl₂. Methods Forty SPF C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into four groups with 10 mice in each group according to body weight. The four groups were named control group, OA group (300 mg·kg⁻¹), HgCl₂ group (5 mg·kg⁻¹), and OA + HgCl₂ group (300 mg·kg⁻¹ OA + 5mg·kg⁻¹ Hgcl₂). Soybean oil and OA solution were administered intragastric once a day for two consecutive days. HgCl₂ solution was injected intraperitoneally 2 h after the second intragastric administration. Mice were sacrificed after 48 h, and their serum and liver were collected. Liver coefficient was calculated. The changes of liver structure and iron deposition were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Prussian blue staining. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and tissue iron content were measured with commercial kits. Western blotting was used to detect nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4), transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1,) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11). Results The AST and ALT levels of the HgCl₂ group were (76.447±9.695) U·g⁻¹ and (98.563±24.673)U·g⁻¹, respectively, which were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). After the OA pretreatment, the liver coefficient and the above indexes were decreased to (4.769±0.237)%, (57.086±10.087) U·g⁻¹, and (87.294±27.181)U·g⁻¹, respectively. The liver coefficient and AST level of the OA + HgCl₂ group were significantly different from those of the HgCl₂ group (P<0.05). After acute exposure to HgCl₂, the hepatocytes of mice were disordered, accompanied by inflammatory infiltration, positive blue particles appeared in Prussian blue staining of liver tissue, and the above changes in liver tissue were alleviated after the OA pretreatment. The iron content in the HgCl₂ group was (3.646±0.238) μmol·g⁻¹, which was higher than that in the control group, (2.948±0.308) μmol·g⁻¹. After the OA pretreatment, the iron content decreased to (3.429±0.415) μmol·g⁻¹. Compared with the control group, acute exposure to HgCl₂ resulted in decreased levels of GSH and T-SOD, decreased protein expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, SLC7A11, and Gpx4, increased level of MDA, and increased protein expression level of TFR1 (P<0.05). After the OA pretreatment, all indicators were improved including increased GSH level, decreased MDA level, increased Nrf2, HO-1, and SLC7A11 protein expression levels, and decreased TFR1 protein expression level; compared with the HgCl₂ group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Acute HgCl₂ exposure could induce liver injury in mice, and its mechanism may involve iron overload and ferroptosis. OA may alleviate the liver injury caused by acute HgCl₂ exposure by affecting iron overload and the ferroptosis-related protein expression.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the application among intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy(3D-CRT) and conventional radiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced middle-low rectal cancer. METHODS: From January 2015 to December 2016, 93 locally advanced middle-low rectal cancer patients with clinical stage cT3N+M0 or cT4N0/+M0 who underwent preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy at Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University and had complete data were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were divided into IMRT group (17 cases), 3D-CRT group (28 cases) and CRT group (48 cases) according to different radiotherapy methods. The frequency and dose of CRT were 1 time/day, 5 times/week, for a total of 5 weeks, with a single dose of 2.0 Gy, the total dose was 50 Gy. Frequency and dose of 3D-CRT and IMRT were 1 time/day, 5 times/week, for a total of 23 to 28 times, with a single dose of 1.8 to 2.0 Gy, and a total dose of 45.0 to 50.4 Gy. The chemotherapy regimen was performed with capecitabine tablets at a dose of 825 mg/m twice a day for 5 days every week, at the same time during radiotherapy. The efficacy, chemotherapy adverse reactions and immune function of the three groups were compared. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the baseline data among the three groups (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients receiving permanent ostomy in the IMRT group and the 3D-CRT group was 29.4%(5/17) and 32.1%(9/28) respectively, which was lower than 58.3%(28/48) in CRT group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.982, P=0.030), while this proportion was not significantly different between IMRT and 3D-CRT group(χ²=0.037, P=0.848). The pathologic complete response(pCR) rate was 23.7%(22/93) in the whole study, and the pCR rate was 39.3%(11/28) in the 3D-CRT group, which was higher than that of CRT group and IMRT group [12.5%(6/48) and 29.4%(5/17)], and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.407, P=0.025), while there was no significant difference in pCR rate between CRT group and IMRT group (χ²=2.554, P=0.110). There was no adverse reaction of grade 3 or above in all three groups. No significant difference in the incidence of bone marrow suppression, abnormal liver and kidney function markers, digestive tract reaction or radiation dermatitis was found(all P>0.05). After receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the proportion of CD3/CD4 cells in the IMRT group and the CRT group decreased compared with that before treatment(23.1±9.3 vs. 31.1±10.9, 27.4±10.7 vs. 33.6±7.2, respectively); the proportion of CD3/CD8 cells was up-regulated (36.1±15.2 vs. 24.8±10.9, 30.9±14.4 vs. 24.0±8.3,respectively), and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05), while the above indexes before and after treatment were not significantly different in the 3D-CRT group(all P>0.05). After treatment, the proportion of CD4/CD8 cells in IMRT group decreased (0.8±0.6 vs. 1.6±1.0, t=3.838, P=0.003), while this proportion was not significantly different in CRT group and 3D-CRT group(all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS IMRT and 3D-CRT can reduce the rate of permanent stoma. 3D-CRT can increase pCR rate. No obvious advantage is shown in IMRT as compared with 3D-CRT in the short-term efficacy. On the contrary, an immunosuppressive status may occur. Therefore, 3D-CRT is recommended as the best preoperative treatment strategy for patients with locally advanced middle-low rectal cancer, especially for those with immunosuppression status.
Humans ; Radiotherapy ; methods ; standards ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; standards ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; standards ; Rectal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies