The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-injury effect and protective mechanism of hydrogen-enriched water in a rat model of acute liver injury induced by aflatoxin B (AFB). Healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, model group (AFB group) and hydrogen-enriched water treatment group (AFB+H group). The rat model of acute liver injury induced by AFB was established by single intragastric administration of AFB (2.0 mg/kg), and then the rats were treated with hydrogen-enriched water intragastrically. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissue. Blood samples were taken from vena cava to measure serum liver function indexes. Live tissue was sampled to detect malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents. Western blot was used to detect phosphorylation levels of MAPK signaling pathway proteins (ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK). The results showed that, compared with the AFB group, the AFB+H group exhibited increased body weights, alleviated acute liver injury, decreased activities of serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, as well as total bilirubin level in the serum. Meanwhile, hydrogen-enriched water decreased MDA content and increased GSH content in liver tissue. AFB-increased phosphorylation levels of ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK in liver tissue were down-regulated significantly by hydrogen-enriched water treatment. These results suggest that hydrogen-enriched water can alleviate liver injury induced by AFB, and its mechanism may be related to the reduction of oxidative stress and the inhibition of MAPK signal transduction pathway activation.
Aflatoxin B1 ; Animals ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Deuterium Oxide ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; pathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

【Objective】 To study the molecular mechanism of 95 samples of serological ABO subtypes. 【Methods】 A total of 95 samples with discrepancy between forward and reverse blood grouping were subjected to serological confirmation, and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). For those subtype alleles could not be detected by PCR-SSP, ABO gene exon 1-7 sequencing and gene single strand sequencing were performed successively to determine the mutation site and the gene location. 【Results】 A total of 34 ABO alleles were detected in 95 samples. Five common ABO alleles (ABO^*A1.01, ABO^*A1.02, ABO^*B.01, ABO^*O.01.01 and ABO^*O.01.02) and 29 rare ABO alleles were identified, including 16 named alleles by ISBT (ABO^*A2.01, ABO^*A2.05, ABO^*A2.13, ABO^*A3.07, ABO^*AW.37, ABO^*AEL.05, ABO^*B3.01, ABO^*B3.05, ABO^*BW.03, ABO^*BW.07, ABO^*BW.27, ABO^*BEL.03, ABO^*cisAB.01, ABO^*cisAB.05, ABO^*BA.02, ABO^*BA.04) and 5 named alleles by dbRBC(A223, B309, Bw37, Bel09, Bw40)and eight unnamed alleles [ABO^*B.01+ 978C>A, ABO^*A1.02+ 248A>T, ABO^*B.01+ 125dupT, ABO^*B.01+ (98+ 1G>A), ABO^*A1.02/ABO^*B.01+ 1A>G, ABO^*A1.02/ABO^*O.01.01+ 28G>T, ABO^*A1.02/ABO^*B.01+ 538C>T, ABO^*A1.02/ABO^*O.01.01+ 797insT] .The last four samples could not be verified by single strand because of insufficient samples. In 95 samples, 76 samples (21 named alleles of ISBT and dbRBC) were identified by PCR-SSP, and the remaining 19 samples were identified by exon 1-7 sequencing of ABO gene, of which 8 were identified as unnamed alleles, and the remaining 11 samples were not identified as subtype alleles. 【Conclusion】 The molecular genetic mechanism of 95 serological ABO subtypes was revealed, and 8 rare novel alleles were identified. The detection of ambiguous blood groups is influenced by factors such as patient pathology and physiology, therefore the combination of serological testing and genetic testing is suggested for the identification of ABO subtype.

Objective To investigate the changing trend and epidemiological characteristics of the incidence and mortality of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with age, period and birth cohort in Chinese population. Methods Based on the data of incidence and mortality of CKD in Chinese population aged 20-80 years from 1990 to 2019 in GHDx database, joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the incidence and mortality trend of CKD. An age-period-cohort model was constructed to analyze the effects of age, period, and birth cohort on the trend of CKD incidence and mortality. Results Joinpoint regression analysis showed that the standardized incidence rate of chronic kidney disease in Chinese population increased from 146.37/100 000 in 1990 to 161.52/100 000 in 2019, while the standardized mortality rate decreased from 12.98/100 000 in 1990 to 11.23/100 000 in 2019. The APC model analysis showed that the risk of CKD incidence and death in the Chinese population increased with age, while the risk of CKD incidence increased with the increase of period. The risk of death did not change significantly with the increase of period. The cohort born later had a lower risk of CKD incidence and death compared to the cohort born earlier. Conclusion At present, the age effect and period effect of the incidence and death risk of chronic kidney disease in China are dominant. It is important to take effective measures and intervene in a timely manner, especially to strengthen the protection of older high-risk groups born earlier.

OBJECTIVETo explore an effective therapy for children of early cerebral palsy.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases were randomly divided into an acupoint injection group and a medication group, 60 cases in each group. The acupoint injection group was treated with scalp point injection of 0.5-1 mL brain protein hydrolysate into each point, Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20) and motor area etc. were selected; the medication group was treated with 10 mL brain protein hydrolysate by intravenous drip. The therapeutic effects in the two groups were observed, and the changes of cerebral blood flow were compared before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 91.4% in the acupoint injection group was superior to that of 73.7% in the medication group (P<0.05), the acupoint injection group could significantly improve the systolic peak velocity (Vs), end diastolic velocity (Ved) and mean velocity (Vm) of middle cerebral artery (MCA) and anterior cerebral artery (ACA), and decrease the vascular resistance index (RI) (all P<0.05), and the improvement degree was superior to the medication group (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONScalp point injection therapy can significantly improve the cerebral microcirculation of patients, and has a good therapeutic effect for early cerebral palsy.

Acupuncture Points ; Cerebral Palsy ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; drug effects ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Protein Hydrolysates ; therapeutic use ; Scalp ; blood supply ; drug effects ; physiopathology

Objective To investigate the possible mechanism that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inhibits renal tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT),and to determine whether Smurf2 expression induced by TGF-β1 can be reversed by HGF in normal rat kidney epithelial cells (NRK-52E).Methods Using rat NRK-52E cell line as an in vitro system,NRK-52E cells were incubated with 5 μg/L TGF-β1 for 0-24 h.Part of cells were pretreated with 20 μg/L HGF for 30 min or not,then incubated with or without 5 μg/L TGF-β1 for 1 h or 48 h.The other cells were transfected with pFlag-Smurf2 or Smurf2 siRNA for 24 h,then treated with or without 20 μg/L HGF for 24 h.The expressions of Smurf2,SnoN,E-cadherin,alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin (FN) were detected by Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence staining assays.Results Compared to normal control,TGF-β1 could rapidly induce Smurf2 protein expression in a short time (P＜0.01).Meanwhile,the expressions of FN and α-SMA were significantly induced,and the expression of E-cadherin was reduced in NRK-52E cells by TGF-β1.In contrast,in the NRK-52E cells pretreated with HGF,HGF could obviously inhibit Smurf2 expression induced by TGF-β1,and reversed the down-regulation of SnoN (P＜0.01) and E-cadherin (P＜0.05),the up-regulation of α-SMA (P＜0.01) and FN (P＜0.01) induced by TGF-β1.Moreover,overexpression of Smurf2 in NRK-52E cells could partly inhibit the up-regulation of SnoN protein by HGF,while down-regulation of Smurf2 could up-regulate the expression of SnoN induced by HGF.Conclusions HGF can abolish EMT induced by TGF-β1 in renal tubular epithelial cells through down-regulating Smurf2 expression and suppressing ubiquitin-proteasome dependent degradation of SnoN.

Objective To balance the covariatesby propensity score matching for better evaluating the efficiencies of surgery resection (SR) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for treatment of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods A total of 350 early-stage HCC patients treated by SR(192 cases) or TACE (158 cases) were collected from Shandong Tumor Hospital (2003 to 2011). Propensity score caliper matching was used to balance the covariance between the two groups. And then the matched data were subjected to survival analysis and the survival rates were comparedbetween the two groups. Results The covariates were imbalanced before matching; the1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year survival rates and the median survival time of SR group were 80. 92%, 49. 44%, 33. 73%, 19. 72%, and 2. 00 years, respectively; those of TACE group were 80. 02%, 53. 92%, 31. 21%, 13. 42%, and 2. 40 years, respectively; and log-rank test showed no significant differences in the survival rates between the two treatment groups (P = 0. 710 8). The covariates were balanced after matching; the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year survival rates and the median survival time of SR group were 84. 22%, 57. 68%, 36. 80%, 24. 09%, and 2. 50 years, respectively; those of TACE group were 73. 84%, 47. 26%, 28. 31%, 10. 69%, and 2. 00 years, respectively; and log-rank test showed significant difference in the survival rates between the two groups (P = 0. 018 2). The survival rate of SR group was higher than that of TACE group. Conclusion After reducing the confounding bias by Propensity score matching method, SR showes a better efficiency for early HCC patients compared with TACE.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Exendin-4 (Ex-4) on the expressions of lipid metabolism related genes in the human liver cancer HepG2 cells with insulin resistance (IR), and to elucidate the effect of Ex-4 in improvement of IR. Methods: The HepG2 cells in logarithmic growth phase were induced into IR model with high concentration of insulin, then divided into control group (HepG2 cells), IR group (HepG2 cells were treated with insulin, HepG2-IR cells), and Ex-4 group (HepG2-IR cells were treated with Ex-4). Glucose oxidase (GOD-POD) kit was used to detect the consumption of glucose. The cell morphology and intracellular lipid drip formation were observed by Oil red O staining. The triglyceride (TG) level in cells was detected by kit; qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-lc) and apolipoprotein B100 (apoBlOO). Results: Compared with control group (HepG2 cells), the glucose consumption in the HepG2-IR cells in IR group was significantly decreased (P<0. 01). Compared with IR group, the glucose consumption in the HepG2-IR cells in Ex-4 group was increased (P<0. 05). The Oil O red staining results showed that compared with control group, the fat percentage in the HepG2-IR cells in IR group was increased (P<0. 05); compared with IR group, the fat percentage in Ex-4 group was decreased (P< 0.05). Compared with control group, the level of TG in the cells in IR group was significantly increased (P< 0. 01); compared with IR group, the level of TG in the cells in Ex-4 group was significantly decreased (P<0. 05). The qT-PCR results showed that compared with control group, the expression levels of ACC FAS and SREBP-lc mRNA in the cells in IR group were increased (P<0. 01), and the expression level of apoBlOO mRNA was decreased (P<0. 05); compared with IR group, the expression levels of ACC, FAS and SREBP-lc mRNA in the cells in Ex-4 group were decreased (P<0. 05), and the expression level of apoBlOO mRNA was increased (P< 0.01). Conclusion: Ex-4 can regulate the expressions of lipid metabolism related genes in the HepG2 cells and improve IR.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects on lumbar disc snake herniation between acupuncture in combination of snake moxibustion with simple acupuncture or snake moxibustion.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases of lumbar disc herniation patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture and snake moxibustion group (group A, 60 cases), a acupuncture control group (group B, 30 cases) and a snake moxibustion control group (group C, 30 cases). In group A, acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and tender points bilateral to the spine, once a day. Additionally, at the end of acupuncture on the 1st day of a week, snake moxibustion was applied for one time. In group B and group C, acupuncture or snake moxibustion was applied respectively.

RESULTSThe excellent rate was 95.0% (57/60) in group A, which was superior to that of 70.0% (21/30) in group B and 66.7% (20/30) in group C (both P < 0.05). JOA scores in each group after treatment increased apparently (all P < 0.01), of which, the scores in group A increased much more apparently as compared with those of the other two groups after treatment (both P < 0.01). The efficacy in group A was relevant obviously with the duration of sickness, the shorter the duration of sickness was, the higher the excellent rate would be. The age of patients in group A was relevant obviously with the efficacy, the younger patient was, the higher excellent rate would be.

CONCLUSIONThe efficiency on lumbar disc hernation treated with acupuncture and snake moxibustion is superior to that with either acupuncture or snake moxibustion.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study on therapeutic effect of isolated electroacupuncture on peripheral facial paralysis.

METHODSOne hundred cases were randomly divided into an observation group of 60 cases and a control group of 40 cases. The observation group were treated by isolated electroacupuncture and the control group by normal electroacupuncture. Jiache (ST 6), Yangbai (GB 14), Dicang (ST 4), Xiaguan (ST 7), Fengchi (GB 20) and Hegu (LI 4) were selected and same drugs were administrated in the two groups. Then their therapeutic effects were observed.

RESULTSForty-five cases were cured, 11 cases were markedly effective and 4 cases improved with an effective rate of 100.0% in the observation group, and corresponding figures were 26, 2 and 10 cases, and 95.0% in the control group, the observation group being better than the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIsolated electroacupuncture has a significant therapeutic effect on facial paralysis, being better than that of normal electroacupuncture.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Facial Paralysis ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To compare the curative effect of panlong needling at Jiaji (EX-B 2) combined with western medication and western medication alone on motor dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) of liver and kidney deficiency. METHODS: A total of 98 patients with PD were randomly divided into an acupuncture and medication group (49 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a western medication group (49 cases,1 case was removed). The patients in the western medication group were given oral of levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride tablets, 125 mg each time, three times a day in the 1st week, and the dose was increased according to the needs of the patients' condition from the 2nd week until 250 mg each time, three times a day, for 16 consecutive weeks. On the basis of the same western medication treatment as the western medication group, panlong needling was applied at Jiaji (EX-B 2) from C₂ to L₅ in the acupuncture and medication group, once a day, 20 times as a course of treatment, for 4 consecutive courses. The scores of unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS-Ⅲ, UPDRS-Ⅳ), TCM symptoms score, and 39-item Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39) score were evaluated before treatment, after treatment and during follow-up of 1 month after treatment, respectively. The safety of the two groups was compared. RESULTS: After treatment and during follow-up, except the PDQ-39 score of the western medication group, the scores of UPDRS-Ⅲ, UPDRS-Ⅳ, TCM syndrome and PDQ-39 were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), and the scores of above indexes in the acupuncture and medication group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05). The total incidence of adverse reactions in the acupuncture and medication group was 10.4% (5/48), which was lower than 29.2% (14/48) in the western medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Panlong needling at Jiaji (EX-B 2) combined with western medication could significantly improve the motor dysfunction and clinical symptoms, improve the quality of life and has high safety, and the efficacy is superior to western medication alone.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Chlorophenols ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Parkinson Disease/therapy* ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome