Aim To investigate the effects of propofol on focal cerebral ischemia and the changes of protein kinase C isoform ?(PKC?) expression in rats brain. Methods Male SD rats were randomly allocated into five groups: Ⅰ: sham group, Ⅱ: injury group, Ⅲ: propofol (25 mg?kg-1) plus injury group, Ⅳ: propofol (50 mg?kg-1) plus injury group, Ⅴ: intralipid plus injury group. The focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 3 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and 24 h of reperfusion. 30 min before reperfusion, propofol and intralipid were infused intraperitoneal of the rats in groups Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ, respectively. After 24 h of reperfusion, rats were weighted and the neurological deficit was assessed by 5-point scale. Brain pathologic changes were observed by HE staining, the method of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) was carried out for the assessment of neural apoptosis, and immunocytochemistry was used to investigate the changes of PKC?.Results After 3 h of MCAO and 24 h of reperfusion, the weight of rats in group Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ decreased and their neurological deficits scores increased. Compared to the rats of sham group, the numbers of apoptosis neurons in striatum were marked-ly increased, and the expression of PKC? were significantly decreased in rats of injury group (P

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of patient education on patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). METHOD: From January 2009 to December 2013, 100 cases of allergic rhinitis were treated. The patients were randomly divided into experimental group or control group by Stochastic tables law,50 patients in control group accepted only drug treatment, 50 patients in experimental group accepted both drug treatment and patient education. The difference in compliance with treatment, treatment effect, incidence of adverse drug reactions and complications, average costs and times of treatment between two groups were evaluated by the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) score. The independent sample t-test and χ2 test were used for statistical analysis. RESULT: The patients of experimental group showed more positive attitude to treatment compared to the patients of control group (P < 0.01). The average scores of each classification and overall symptoms after treatment in experimental group were lower than those in control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse drug reactions (nose-bleed, dry nose,nasal mucosa ulcer)and complications in patients with AR (asthma, chronic cough, secretory otitis media) in experimental group was lower than that in control group, with statistically differences (P < 0.05). The average times of treatment and costs of diagnosis and treatment(calculation of budesonide nasal spray)in experimental group were significantly lower than those in control group (P < 0.01). The total score for RQLQ and the scores of seven dimensions in experimental group were lower than those in control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Patient education can help the patients with AR to cooperate actively with treatment, to reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions and AR complications, and to save medical costs and improve the quality of life.
Budesonide ; therapeutic use ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Incidence ; Patient Education as Topic ; Patient Participation ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; therapy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective:Dipeptidyl peptidase I(DPPI),a lysosomal cysteine protease for serine proteases activation,highly expressed in granule immune cells.This study used collagen induced arthritis(CIA) rat model to investigate the effects of Triperygium Wilfordii Polyglucoside(TWP) on DPPI activity and the pharmacological mechanism in RA treatment.Methods:Rats were divided into four groups randomly,the blank control group,the CIA model group,the high dose (5.0 mg/100 g body-weight) and low dose(2.5 mg/100 g body-weight)treatment group.Bovine collagen-Ⅱ plus complete Freund′s adjuvant injected twice in rats.Physical assessments were carried out.12 days post-injections,the rats of treatment group were intragastric administered with TWP every day.The rats were killed after two week administrations.Serum and synovial membrane homogenates were collected and DPPI activity was detected by fluorescence substrate.Joint HE staining and cell counting were carried out,Zymography was used to detect the MMP-2/9 activity in synovial fluids.Total protein in synovial membrane homogenates were measured by BCA method.Results:TWP could reduce the number of CIA synovial tissue mast cells,inhibited DPPI activity in the synovial fluids and in serum.The expression levels of MMP-2/9 activity and synovium total protein content were also reduced by TWP.Conclusion:Triperygium Wilfordii Polyglucoside has inhibitory effects on DPPI activity on CIA rats,which might be the one of the pharmacological mechanisms in RA treatment.

Objective:To observe the clinical effects of acupoint thread-embedding method for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in pattern of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency.
Methods: A total of180 cases in conformity with the diagnostic criteria of NAFLD in pattern of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 90 cases in each group, and finally 88 cases in the treatment group and 90 cases in the control group were recruited for statistics. The treatment group was managed by acupoint thread-embedding method, and the control group was treated by oral administration of Polyene Phosphatidylcholine capsules. Both groups were treated for 6 months. Before and after the treatment, liver enzymology, blood fat test, abdominal B ultrasonic examination, and assessment of clinical effects were respectively processed.
Results:After treatment, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) decreased in the treatment group, and were significantly different from those in the control group after treatment (allP<0.05). There was no statistically significant inter-group difference in the degree of fatty liver (by B ultrasound examination) before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the improvement degree of fatty liver in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rates were 89.8% in the treatment group and 76.7% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).
Conclusion:The acupoint thread-embedding method can reduce the levels of ALT, AST, TC and TG in NAFLD patients, and can improve the pathologic degree of fatty liver and its clinical effects are remarkably better than that of oral medications.

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference between the acupoint embedding therapy and polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules in the clinical efficacy on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern.

METHODSThe multi-center clinical trial was adopted and 180 cases of NAFLD of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern were randomized into an embedding therapy group and a western medication group, 90 cases in each one. On the basis of general treatment such as diet control and proper physical exercise, in the embedding therapy group, the acupoint embedding therapy was applied to Ganshu (BL 18), Tai-chong (LR 3), Fenglong (ST 40), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), once every 7 days; in the western medication group, polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules (essentiale) were prescribed, 228 mg/capsule, 2 capsules each time, three times a day. In 6 months of treatment, TCM syndrome score, liver enzymology, blood lipid and abdomen B-ultrasound examination were observed and compared before and after treatment between the two groups.

RESULTS(1) For TCM syndrome score, the total score in the embedding therapy group was lower significantly than that in the western medication group (P<0. 05); (2) For liver enzymology and blood lipid, the levels of serum alanine transarninase (ALT), serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglycerol (TG) in the embedding therapy group were reduced significantly as compared with those in the western medication group (all P<0. 05); (3) For abdomen B-ultrasound examination, the fatty liver degree in the embedding therapy group was relieved significantly as compared with that in the western medication group (P< 0. 05); (4) For clinical efficacy, the total effective rate was 89. 8%o (79/88) in the embedding therapy group, higher significantly than 76. 7% (69/90) in the western medication group(P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupoint embedding therapy achieves the definite efficacy on NAFLD of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern, better than polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Catgut ; utilization ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Spleen ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Silibinin exhibits antidiabetic potential by preserving the mass and function of pancreatic β-cells through up-regulation of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) expression. However, the underlying protective mechanism of silibinin in pancreatic β-cells is still unclear. In the current study, we sought to determine whether ERα acts as the target of silibinin for the modulation of antioxidative response in pancreatic β-cells under high glucose and high fat conditions. Our in vivo study revealed that a 4-week oral administration of silibinin (100 mg/kg/day) decreased fasting blood glucose with a concurrent increase in levels of serum insulin in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats. Moreover, expression of ERα, NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in pancreatic β-cells in pancreatic islets was increased by silibinin treatment. Accordingly, silibinin (10 μM) elevated viability, insulin biosynthesis, and insulin secretion of high glucose/palmitate-treated INS-1 cells accompanied by increased expression of ERα, Nrf2, and HO-1 as well as decreased reactive oxygen species production in vitro. Treatment using an ERα antagonist (MPP) in INS-1 cells or silencing ERα expression in INS-1 and NIT-1 cells with siRNA abolished the protective effects of silibinin. Our study suggests that silibinin activates the Nrf2-antioxidative pathways in pancreatic β-cells through regulation of ERα expression.

Objective:To investigate the association between the polymorphisms of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis related genes SKA2, AVPR1B, CRHR2 and suicide attempts in patients with depression, and the interaction between the genes and environmental factors.Methods:From March 2017 to August 2018, sixty-one patients with depression who were hospitalized for suicide were selected (case group), and 57 subjects matched with the age, gender and education level of the case group (control group) were selected in the same period.Snapshot genotyping technique was used to test the genotypes of case group and control group.Barratt impulsivity scale (BIS-Ⅱ) and life event scale (LES) were used to assess the impulsive traits and mental stress of individuals in the past year.Chi-square test and independent sample t-test were used for inter group comparison by SPSS 22.0 software.Gene-environment interaction was analyzed by the generalized multi factor dimensionality reduction. Results:The total scores of BIS-Ⅱ and LES in case group(65.05± 11.14, 34.16±27.23) were higher than those in the control group (53.30 ± 9.07, 11.67±12.64), the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05). There was no significant difference in gene frequency and allele frequency of SKA2 and CRHR2 between the two groups ( P>0.05). The genotype frequency and allele frequency of rs28373064 of AVPR1B gene were significantly different between the two groups (χ 2=5.763, 4.279, both P<0.05), but there was no significant difference after Bonferroni correction ( P>0.05). The best interaction model in GMDR was the third-order model constructed by rs28373064 of AVPR1B gene, impulsive traits and life events, with the highest accuracy of 0.789 for sample test( P=0.001). In multiple genetic models, rs28373064 of AVPR1B gene was associated with attempted suicide behavior in patients with depression(dominant model: A/G-G/G ( OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.16-0.88, P=0.021), overdominant model: A/G ( OR=0.36, 95% CI=0.15-0.87, P=0.019), log-additive model: A/A, A/G and G/G ( OR=0.44, 95% CI=0.20-0.96, P=0.034)). Conclusion:rs28373064 polymorphism of AVPR1B gene is associated with attempted suicide behavior in patients with depression.AA genotype carriers of AVPR1B gene are more likely to commit suicide under the influence of life events and impulsive.

Hyperaldosteronism is a common disease that is closely related to endocrine hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Cytochrome P450 11B2 (CYP11B2), an important enzyme in aldosterone (ALD) synthesis, is a promising target for the treatment of hyperaldosteronism. However, selective inhibitors targeting CYP11B2 are still lacking due to the high similarity with CYP11B1. In this study, atractylenolide-I (AT-I) was found to significantly reduce the production of ALD but had no effect on cortisol synthesis, which is catalyzed by CYP11B1. Chemical biology studies revealed that due to the presence of Ala320, AT-I is selectively bound to the catalytic pocket of CYP11B2, and the C8/C9 double bond of AT-I can be epoxidized, which then undergoes nucleophilic addition with the sulfhydryl group of Cys450 in CYP11B2. The covalent binding of AT-I disrupts the interaction between heme and CYP11B2 and inactivates CYP11B2, leading to the suppression of ALD synthesis; AT-I shows a significant therapeutic effect for improving hyperaldosteronism.