A yeast strain KM12 , which can convert conjugated anthraquinone of rhub arb to free anthraquinone , was screened. And it is identified as Kluyveromyces marxianus by 26S rDNA. The percentage of free an-thraquinone in total anthraquinone of rhub arb as an indicator was used to investigate the effect of culture medium component and fermentation processing conditions, such as seed age, fermentation time and liquid volume on con-version of conjugated anthraquinone by KM12. The optimal fermentation medium was determined by orthogonal test L9(43) and the composition (%) is yeast extract 1, glucose 2, and rhubarb 2. The 5% (V/V) of the seed culture inoculated 36-48 h was inoculumed to fermentation medium in shake flask to ferment at 30℃, 200 r?min-1 for 4 days. TLC analysis showed most of conjugated anthraquinone decomposed or converted into free anthraquinone in fermented rhub arb . It was concluded that the side effect of severe diarrhea caused by Chinese medicine rhub arb can be alleviated through fermentation processing by KM12 strain .

Objective To investigate the molecular mechanism of Loureirin A mediated anti-hepatic fibrosis by evaluting its effects on proliferation , secretion ofα-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), and expression of rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro . Methods Primary hepatic stellate cells were isolated and cultured from Sprague-Dawley rats. After activating and inducing primary hepatic stellate cells from qHSC to aHSC, the activated hepatic stellate cells model in vitro was established. Then we observed the morphological changes of static hepatic stellate cells and activated hepatic stellate cells with inverted phase contrast microscope. Cultured hepatic stellate cells were treated with different concentrations of loureirin A and the inhibitory rate of HSCs proliferation was measured by MTT assay. The expression of Frizzled-4 was measured by western blot analysis. The content ofα-SMA and TGF-β1 in the cultured HSCs'supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . Results Loureirin A the proliferation of inhibited activated hepatic stellate cells in a time-dose-dependent manner compared with the control group,IC50=0.30 μg/μL. After loureirinA treatment of the HSCs, western blot analysis showed that Frizzled-4 expression level was obviously lower than control group. Loureirin A also inhibitedα-SMA and TGFβ1 (P<0.05) secretion in the cultured HSCs'supernatant in different degree by the assay of ELISA. Conclusions The molecular mechanism of Loureirin A and Wnt signaling pathway mediated anti-hepatic fibrosis and anti-angiogenesis may involve down-regulation the expression of Frizzled-4, inhibiting the synthesis and secretion ofα-SMA,TGF-β1and the proliferation of HSCs.

Objective To compare the application of main concept analysis(MCA)and story narration as-sessment(SNA)in aphasia discourse assessment,and study their clinical applicability.Methods A total of 8 apha-sic and 22 healthy control subjects were recruited.Local sequential picture materials were used to elicit language samples.The differences between groups in the assessment results of the MCA and the SNA were compared,the consistency of the assessment results of the two methods were also analyzed.The inter-rater and the intra-rater reli-ability of the two methods was discussed.Results The results of the MCA showed that the number of accurate and complete(AC)main concepts(P＜0.01),the number of accurate and complete main concepts per minute(AC/min)(P＜0.05)and main concept scores(MC scores)(P＜0.05)of the aphasia group were significantly lower than those of the healthy group.The number of absent(AB)main concepts(P＜0.05)were significantly higher than those of the control group.As for the result of SNA,the score of the content of sub picture description(P＜0.05),the total score of sub picture description(P＜0.05)and the total score of overall description(P＜0.05)in the aphasia group were significantly less than those in the control group(P＜0.05).No significant difference be-tween the standardized scores of the two methods were observed,and inter-rater and the intra-rater reliability were both in a good range.Conclusion The clinical applicability of the two methods is excellent and the evaluation results are conststent.The MCA has outstanding advantages in evaluating the quality and quantity of information,while SNA examines the syntax and content organization,which can reflect the overall discourse performance.

ObjectiveTo investigate the comprehensive spoken communication performance of children with disabilities, and explore the related individual and environmental factors. MethodsFrom August to November, 2022, questionnaires of Communication Function Scale for Children based on ICF-CY were distributed online to parents of healthy children and children with disabilities aged two years to five years and eleven months in Shanghai, Nanjing and other areas. ResultsA total of 500 copies were sent out, and 407 valid questionnaires were returned, including 84 healthy children, 85 with hearing impairment, 119 with mental retardation, 35 with cerebral palsy and 84 with autism. There were significant differences in the comprehensive spoken communication function performance among the children with different impairment types (F = 127.618, P < 0.001). The comprehensive spoken communication ability was significantly poorer in the children with disabilities than in the healthy children (P < 0.05), and the ability was better in hearing-impaired children than in the children with other disabilities (P < 0.05). The higher the education of mother (r = -0.311, P < 0.001) and father (r = -0.280, P < 0.001), and family annual income (r = -0.228, P < 0.001), the better the children's comprehensive spoken communication performance; the children's comprehensive spoken communication performance was better when the family used Putonghua as unified communication language (r = 0.210, P < 0.001). ConclusionThe comprehensive spoken communication performance for children with disabilities is heterogeneous among different impairment types, and is affected by parents' education, family annual income, and family communication language.

Objective : To investigate the expression of Ca2 + -independent phospholipase A2 β (iPLA2 β) in human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) induced by high glucose(HG) ，the relationship between iPLA2 β and ferroptosis and the protective mechanism of HG treated HK-2 cells． Methods: The HK-2 cells were treated with 30 mmol /L glucose，the overexpression model was constructed by transfection of iPLA2 β plasmid．Ferrostatin-1 ( Fer1) (an inhibitor of ferroptosis) and erastin (an activator of ferroptosis) were used as controls．After 36 hours of intervention，the kit detected the levels of superoxide (SOD) ，malonaldehyde(MDA) and iron in HK-2 cells．DCF immunofluorescence was used to detect intracellular reactive oxygen species ( ROS) ．The expression of ACSL4， GPX4，LPCAT3，TFR1 in HK-2 cells were measured by Western blot. Results : The expression of iPLA2 β downregulated in HG-induced injury of HK-2 cells．The levels of ROS and MDA in HK-2 cells increased，while the levels of GSH and SOD decreased．The expression of ACSL4，LPCAT3 and TFR1 decreased，and the expression of GPX4 increased in HK-2 cells．However，these indexes were improved after Fer-1 intervention．iPLA2 β overexpression could reduce the injury of HK-2 cells via attenuation of KIM-1． Further research revealed that iPLA2 β overexpression inhibited oxidative stress and ferroptosis in HK-2 cells injury induced by high glucose．Meanwhile， the improvement effect of iPLA2 β on HG-induced HK-2 cells damage could be eliminated by erastin． Conclusion iPLA2 β prevents HG-induced injury of HK-2 cells via regulating ferroptosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice and its relation with mitochondrial fusion and fission. METHODS: Male ICR mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, I/R group, I/R+DEX group and I/R+DEX+dorsomorphin group. Mouse models of cerebral I/R injury were established by modified thread occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. DEX (50 μg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally at 30 min before cerebral ischemia, which lasted for 1 h followed by reperfusion for 24 h. The neurobehavioral deficits of the mice were evaluated based on Longa's scores. The volume of cerebral infarction was detected by TTC staining. The changes in mitochondrial morphology of the brain cells were observed with transmission electron microscopy. Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), mitochondrial fusion protein (Mfn2) and mitochondrial fission protein (p-Drp1) in the brain tissues. RESULTS: DEX pretreatment significantly reduced the neurobehavioral score and the percent volume of cerebral infarction in mice with cerebral I/R injury. Treatment with dorsomorphin (an AMPK inhibitor) in addition to DEX significantly increased the neurobehavioral score and the percent volume of cerebral infarction in the mouse models. Transmission electron microscopy showed that DEX obviously reduced mitochondrial damage caused by cerebral I/R injury and restored mitochondrial morphology of the brain cells, and such effects were abolished by dorsomorphin treatment. Western blotting showed that DEX pretreatment significantly increased the expressions of p-AMPK and Mfn2 protein and decreased the expression of p-Drp1 protein in the brain tissue of the mice, and these changes were also reversed by dorsomorphin treatment. CONCLUSIONS Preconditioning with DEX produces protective effects against cerebral I/R injury in mice possibly by activating AMPK signaling to regulate mitochondrial fusion and fission in the brain cells.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; Dexmedetomidine ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Mitochondrial Dynamics ; Reperfusion Injury

Objective: To investigate the impact of immediate cessation of antiviral therapy on postpartum liver function and the factors influencing postpartum abnormality in mothers with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. One hundred eighty-eight pregnant women with HBV DNA level > 2×106 IU/ml were enrolled from June 2014 to June 2018. Demographic information and clinical data of liver function and HBV DNA load during gravidity, intrapartum and postpartum period were collected. According to the antiviral treatment recommendations during pregnancy, the women were divided into three groups, namely, tenofovir (TDF), telbivudine (LdT) and control group. Liver function abnormalities among the three groups were compared within 6 months after delivery, and the factors influencing abnormal liver function were analyzed by unconditional logistic regression. Results: Of the 188 cases, 72 cases were in the TDF group, 80 cases in the LdT group, and 36 cases in the control group. Pregnant women in the TDF and LdT groups received oral TDF (300 mg/d) and LdT (600 mg/d) from 28 ± 4 weeks of gestation till delivery. Among the 188 patients, 30 (16.0%) had abnormal postpartum liver function abnormality. The incidence of postpartum liver function abnormality [alanine aminotransferase (ALT) > 2 × upper limit of normal (ULN)] in the TDF, LdT, and control groups was 19.4%, 12.5%, and 16.7%, respectively. The postpartum peak levels of ALT (median, range) in the three groups were 34.5 (12.0-946.0) U/L, 37.5 (12.0-733.8) U/L, and 39.0 (7.0-513.0) U/L, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two indexes among the three groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of postpartum liver function abnormalities between the three groups (P = 0.944). Most of the liver function abnormalities were mild to moderate (2 × ULN≤ALT < 10 × ULN), and usually resolved spontaneously or by treatment. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that baseline ALT level during pregnancy was an independent factor associated with postpartum liver function abnormality (OR = 1.031, CI 95%: 1.005-1.058; χ² = 5.340, P = 0.021), whereas age, antiviral therapy, HBeAg-positivity, baseline HBV DNA levels, gravidity, parity, preterm delivery and delivery mode were not significantly associated with postpartum liver function abnormality. Conclusion Cessation of antiviral therapy after delivery did not significantly increase the risk of postpartum liver function abnormality in pregnant women with chronic HBV infection. The ALT level during pregnancy is a factor influencing postpartum liver function abnormality.