Objective To test the scientificity, practicability, feasibility, intelligibility, and acceptability of the Primary-Level Personnel Guiding Handbook for Schistosomiasis Control(probationary edition). Methods Twenty-seven county and village doctors were selected randomly from two schistosomiasis transmission uncontrolled counties in Jiangxi Province as pretest objects. The pretest was carried out with the focus group discussion. Results The proportions of pretest objects who considered handbook had scientificity, practicability, feasibility, intelligibility and acceptability were 59.26%, 85.19%,55.56%,51.85% and 92.59%, respectively, and the pretest objects had proposals and suggestions for modification. Conclusion According to the suggestion and proposal from the pretest objects, the handbook can be modified and published.

AIM: To study the alteration of expression of iNOS mRNA and ecNOS mRNA in peripheral leukocytes of Wistar rats fed with fructose. METHODS: Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group ( n =10) and the fructose feeding group( n =10). The fructose feeding group drank 12% fructose water for 6 months. The blood glucose, blood insulin, and the expression of iNOS mRNA and ecNOS mRNA in peripheral leukocytes of rats were determined. RESULTS: The levels of blood insulin ( P

AIM: To explore the effect of atorvastatin on the expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in the adventi-tia of ApoE-/-mice with atherosclerosis, and to investigate the underlying mechanism of atorvastatin therapy.METHODS:Male ApoE-/-mice (n =40) at 6-weeks of age were used to establish the atherosclerosis model by feeding with high fat diet. The mice were randomly divided into model group and atorvastatin group.In atorvastatin group, the mice were lavaged with atorvastatin at dose of 20 mg? kg-1? d-1 .The mice in model group were given normal saline.C57BL/6 mice of the same age served as control group, feeding with ordinary food.The mice were respectively sacrificed at the time points of 10 and 15 weeks after feeding with different diets.The ascending aorta was removed for serial sectioning.Some sections were per-formed with Movat staining in order to observe the morphological changes of the tissues, and to measure the relative athero-sclerotic plaque area and the thickness of the adventitia.Some sections were stained with Sirius red to identify the collagen synthesis.Immunohistochemistry assay was prepared to observe the expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in the adventitia at different time points.The expression of TGF-β1 at mRNA and protein levels in the thoracoabdominal aorta was measured by RT-qPCR and Western blot.RESULTS: Compared with model group, the formation of plaque in atorvastatin group signifi-cantly descended.Meanwhile the adventitial thickness and collagen synthesis also decreased.The results of immunohisto-
chemical staining showed that compared with 10 weeks-model group, α-SMA and TGF-β1 in 15 weeks-model group was in-creased.The expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in atorvastatin group decreased significantly compared with model group. The expression of TGF-β1 at mRNA and protein levels in model group were higher than those in control group.They de-creased in atorvastatin group compared with model group.Compared with 10 weeks-model group, the mRNA and protein of TGF-β1 in 15 weeks-model group were increased.CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin modulates adventitial fibroblast phenotype differentiation by suppressing expression of TGF-β1 and intervenes atherosclerotic development in ApoE.

Objective To investigate the consistency of fetal gallbladder volume (FGV) during middle-late pregnancy with three-dimensional ultrasonic virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) technique at different rotation angles,and to analyze the correlation between FGV and gestation age.Methods A total of 157 healthy pregnant women underwent prenatal screening were included.The reference range of FGV was measured with three-dimensional ultrasonic VOCAL at 30°,18° and 12° rotation angle,respectively.The correlation between FGV and gestation age was observed,and the consistency of FGV values measured with VOCAL at different rotation step angles was compared.Results The correlations between FGV values measured with VOCAL at 30°,18°,12° rotation step angles and gestation age were all excellent (r=0.92,0.88,0.90;all P＜ 0.001).The consistency of FGV values measured with VOCAL at different rotation step angles was very good (30° and 18°,ICC=0.94;30° and 12°,ICC=0.97;18° and 12°,ICC=0.94).Conclusion Three-dimensional ultrasonic VOCAL can be used to establish the reference range of fetal gallbladder volume in middle-late pregnancy.The consistency of FGV values measured with VOCAL at different rotation step angles was very good,and the correlation between FGV and gestation age was excellent.

The expression and activity of NF-κB in the synovium of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA)rats was detected in order to investigate the possible therapeutic effects of triptolide on rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The experimental Wistar rat model of CIA was set up by intradermal injection of emulsion of bovine collagen Ⅱ and the successful rate of setting-up models was evaluated by arthritis index (AI). Rats were grouped randomly into three groups: normal, model and treatment group.The expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in synovial fluid was detected by ELISA, and the expression and activity of NF-κB in synovium by immunohistochemistry method and by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) respectively. As compared with normal group, the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in synovia (P＜0.05), and the expression and activity of NF-κB (P＜0.05) in synovium were increased in model group. There was statistical difference in above-mentioned indexes between model group and treatment group. Triptolide may play a protective role in RA via downregulating the expression and activity of NF-κB in synovium.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Tongluo Juanbi granules on chondrocyte apoptosis and Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis （KOA） and study the mechanism of Tongluo Juanbi granules in the prevention and treatment of KOA. MethodThirty New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to the following five groups （n=6）： sham group， model group， low-dose and high-dose groups of Tongluo Juanbi granules （4.1 and 8.2 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and celecoxib group （10.9 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. The KOA model was established by destabilization of the medial meniscus （DMM） for six weeks. Six weeks after the modeling， the drug was given once a day for eight weeks. The pathological changes of cartilago articularis were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Safranin O-Fast Green staining. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） staining was performed to detect chondrocyte apoptosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the contents of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in synovial fluid. The mRNA and protein expression levels of genes related to the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. ResultCompared with the sham group， the cartilago articularis of the model group significantly degenerated. Mankin's score was increased （P<0.01）， and the contents of IL-1β and TNF-α in synovial fluid were increased （P<0.01）. The number of apoptosis of chondrocytes was increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in cartilage tissue were up-regulated （P<0.01）， while the mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2 were down-regulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， chondrocyte degeneration in both low-dose and high-dose groups of Tongluo Juanbi granules was improved， and Mankin's score was decreased （P<0.01）. The contents of IL-1β and TNF-α were decreased （P<0.01）， and the number of apoptosis of chondrocytes was decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in cartilage tissue were down-regulated （P<0.01）， while the mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2 were up-regulated （P<0.01）. In addition， in the above observation indicators， the high-dose group of Tongluo Juanbi granules was significantly superior to the low-dose group of Tongluo Juanbi granules. ConclusionTongluo Juanbi granules could inhibit chondrocyte apoptosis in rabbits with KOA and improve cartilage degeneration， which may be related to inhibiting inflammatory responses mediated by TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.