Objective: To investigate the effects of Wuling Capsule, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on hippocampal neurogenesis by examining the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and connexin 43 (Cx43) in rats with depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS), and thereby to explore its antidepressant mechanism. Methods: Forty-five adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n=15), untreated group (n=15) and Wuling group (n=15). All rats except those in the control group were subjected to 3-week CMS to induce depression. At the same time Wuling Capsule was daily added to the diet of the rats in the Wuling group at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight for 21 days. The degree of depression was determined by sucrose preference test. BDNF expression and neurogenesis were tested by using immunohistochemical staining with BDNF and 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) antibodies; and the mRNA and protein expression levels of Cx43 in hippocampus were examined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Results: The numbers of BDNF-positive neurons and BrdU-positive particles in dentate gyrus (DG) were significantly decreased in CMS rats as compared with the normal rats, and the same changes were found in Cx43 mRNA and protein expressions. After Wuling Capsule treatment, the depressed behaviors were improved. Moreover, the reduced expression levels of Cx43 mRNA and protein and fewer newborn neurons induced by CMS were recovered to the normal levels. However, BDNF-positive cells remained low in DG. Conclusion: Wuling Capsule can improve the low hippocampal neurogenesis in rats subjected to CMS and the antidepressant effects are related to enhancing the Cx43 expression but not through BDNF mediation.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the activity of superoxide dismutase (T-SOD)as well as its manganese superoxide dismutase isozyme (Mn-SOD),concentration levels of hypersensitive c-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and coronary heart disease.Methods The levels of serum T-SOD,Mn-SOD and hs-CRP were measured in 81 patients with coro-nary heart disease and 60 healthy controls,respectively.T-SOD was measured by colorimetricmethod and hs-CRP was meas-ured by latex enhanced immune turbidimetric assay.Results Compered with the control group,activity of T-SOD,Mn-SOD in CHD group were significantly decreased (t=9.41,6.34,all P<0.01).However,hs-CRP in CHD group were significantly increased to those in controls (t=3.09,P<0.05).The activity of T-SOD,Mn-SOD were negatively correlated with hs-CRP (P<0.01).Conclusion The variation of T-SOD,Mn-SOD activity and hs-CRP content were closely related to the occur-rence and development of CHD,they could be the impor tant indicators for riskfactors assessment of CHD.Moreover,con-joint analysis the correlation of T-SOD,Mn-SOD and hs-CRP has certain guiding significance for the clinical treatment and prognosis of coronary heart disease.

Aim To establish a novel acute hyperuricemia mouse model and apply it to evaluate the hyporucicemia effects of Ulodesine, a purine nucleoside phosphorylase(PNP) inhibitor.Methods The mice were intraperitoneal injected inosine and subcutaneous injected Oteracil potassium to induce accumulation of uric acid, and the animal blood was collected from eyeball or vena angularis in different time points.The levels of serum uric acid were measured and determined to test whether the acute hyperuricemia mouse model were successful or not.In order to verify the hyperuricemia seen in the model was associated with the accumulation of inosine, which was converted to uric acid by action of PNP,hyporucicemia effects of Ulodesine, a PNP inhibitor, was assessed in an enzyme assay and confirmed by using the newly established model.Result Accumulation of uric acid in the blood of mouse models was observed by combined injections of intraperitoneal 200 mg·kg-1 inosine and subcutaneous 200 mg·kg-1 Oteracil potassium respectively after 1.5 h.The enzyme assay indicated that Ulodesine was a potently PNP inhibitor with IC50 of 2.293 nmol·L-1.IV injection of Ulodesine eliminated uric acid accumulations in blood of the mouse model, which was expected as the in vivo action of Ulodesine.Conclusions A novel acute hyperuricemia mouse model is established.This is a relatively easy and more effective protocol to generate the hyperuricemia in mice, which will be a useful platform to assess the anti-hyperuricemia activity of PNP-target drugs in vivo.

Objective To observe the role of abatacept in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy in rats. Methods Type 2 diabetic nephropathy rat model was established, and was randomly divided into abatacept group and non-intervention group, 15 each. 15 normal rats were served as control group ( NC) . The abatacept group was given abatacept for 8 weeks. The control group was set at the same time period. Then the blood biochemical indexes, blood flow parameters of renal main artery, elasticity of renal parenchymal, HE staining of renal parenchymal and ultrastructure of podocytes were all evaluated. The expression of CD31, CD34, podocin, nephrin, and B7-1 in renal parenchyma were detected. Results Compared to the NC group, the fasting blood glucose, creatinine clearance rate, urine albumin excretion rate, and kidney hypertrophy index in the non-intervention and abatacept groups were significantly increased (P<0. 05);creatinine clearance rate, urine albumin excretion rate, and kidney hypertrophy index in the abatacept group were significantly lower compared to the non-intervention group (P<0. 05). There were significant differences in peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and mean velocity among these 3 groups, and these differences were ranked as non-intervention groupabatacept>control groups (P<0. 05). There were significant differences in the stiffness of kidneys among these three groups, with the differences ranked as non-intervention>abatacept>control groups (P<0. 05). HE staining and transmission electron microscope observation showed that there were obvious changes in the renal parenchyma of rats in the non-intervention group and the abatacept group, and the changes of kidney in the non-intervention group were worse than those in the abatacept group. CD31 and CD34 expression in kidney parenchyma of rats in the abatacept group and non-intervention group were higher than those in the control group, the abatacept group and non-intervention group>the control group (P<0. 05), while no significant differences between the abatacept group and non-intervention group in CD31 and CD34 expression (P>0. 05). There were significant differences in podocin and nephrin expression in kidney parenchyma of rats among these three groups, and these differences were ranked as the control>abatacept>non-intervention groups (P<0. 05). There were significant differences in B7-1 expression in kidney parenchyma of rats among these three groups, and these differences were ranked as the control

Objective:To construct nursing quality evaluation indicator system for comprehensive stroke center, so as to provide reference for standardized nursing quality evaluation of comprehensive stroke center.Methods:From September 2018 to December 2019, based on the theory of Donabedian′s structure-process-outcome quality model, literature review, semi-structured interview, Delphi method and analytic hierarchy process were used to determine nursing quality evaluation index system and index weight for comprehensive stroke center.Results:A total of 16 experts from comprehensive stroke center were consulted for two rounds. The clinical working time was 24.63±10.08 years, and the effective recovery rates of two rounds were 100%. The authority coefficient of experts was 0.888, and the coordination coefficients W of two rounds were 0.229 and 0.283 respectively.Finally, a nursing quality evaluation indicator system for comprehensive stroke center was constructed, including 3 first-level indicators, 13 second-level indicators and 46 third-level indicators. Conclusions:The established nursing quality evaluation indicator system for comprehensive stroke center covers the whole process of stroke emergency, stroke unit, and follow-up, which is scientific and reliable, and provides an evaluation tool for daily nursing quality monitoring and continuous quality improvement in comprehensive stroke centers.

Objective To investigate the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on a rat model of hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP). Methods A total of 72 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model group, Rheum officinale group, and fecal microbiota group, with 18 rats in each group. After 8 weeks of feeding with high-fat diet, the rats in the sham-operation group were given sham operation, and those in the other three groups were given retrograde pancreaticobiliary injection of 5% sodium taurocholate to induce acute pancreatitis; after modeling, the rats in the Rheum officinale group were given enema with Rheum officinale , and those in the fecal microbiota group were given enema with fresh fecal microbiota solution. Blood, pancreatic, and terminal ileal tissue samples were collected at 6, 24, and 36 hours after surgery. HE staining was used to observe histopathological changes of the pancreas and the intestine; an automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure the serum levels of amylase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HLD-C); ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and endotoxin as an index for intestinal permeability. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test or the Tamhane T2 test was used for further comparison between two groups; the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups, and the Bonferroni method was used for further comparison between two groups. Results Compared with the sham-operation group, the Rheum officinale group and the fecal microbiota group had no significant increase in the pathological score of the terminal ileum at 6 and 24 hours, and there was no significant difference between the fecal microbiota group and the sham-operation group at 36 hours (all P > 0.05). At 36 hours, the Rheum officinale group and the fecal microbiota group had a significantly lower serum level of amylase than the model group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the Rheum officinale group had a significantly lower serum level of ALT at 36 hours ( P < 0.05) and a significantly lower serum level of AST at 24 hours ( P < 0.05), while the fecal microbiota group had a significantly lower level of ALT at each time point ( P < 0.05) and a significantly lower serum level of AST at 24 and 36 hours (all P < 0.05). The Rheum officinale group and the fecal microbiota group had significant reductions in the serum levels of TC and TG (all P < 0.05); compared with the Rheum officinale group, the fecal microbiota group had a significantly higher serum level of HDL-C at 24 and 36 hours (all P < 0.05), and compared with the model group, the fecal microbiota group had a significantly lower serum level of HDL-C at each time period (all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the inflammatory indices IL-6 and TNF-α between the fecal microbiota group and the sham-operation group at each time point (all P > 0.05), and the Rheum officinale group had significantly higher levels than the sham-operation group (all P < 0.05); both the Rheum officinale group and the fecal microbiota group had a significantly lower serum level of endotoxin than the model group (all P < 0.05), and the fecal microbiota group had a significantly lower level of endotoxin than the Rheum officinale group within 6 hours of treatment ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Both Rheum officinale and fecal microbiota transplantation can improve tissue inflammation and intestinal permeability in HLAP rats and can improve lipid metabolism and alleviate the progression of pancreatitis to a certain extent, and fecal microbiota transplantation shows a better clinical effect than Rheum officinale alone, but more randomized controlled trials are needed for further investigation.

Excess activation of cardiac fibroblasts inevitably induces cardiac fibrosis. Emodin has been used as a natural medicine against several chronic diseases. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of emodin on cardiac fibrosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Intragastric administration of emodin markedly decreased left ventricular wall thickness in a mouse model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy with excess fibrosis induced by transaortic constriction (TAC) and suppressed activation of cardiac fibroblasts induced by angiotensin II (AngII). Emodin upregulated expression of metastasis associated protein 3 (MTA3) and restored the MTA3 expression in the setting of cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, overexpression of MTA3 promoted cardiac fibrosis; in contrast, silence of MTA3 abrogated the inhibitory effect of emodin on fibroblast activation. Our findings unraveled the potential of emodin to alleviate cardiac fibrosis upregulating MTA3 and highlight the regulatory role of MTA3 in the development of cardiac fibrosis.