OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Changji'an Capsule (CA) on mRNA expressions of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hypothalamus and colon and serum levels of adreno-cortico-tropic hormone (ACTH) in rats of diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) model rats.

METHODSTotally 48 SD rats were randomly divided into six groups, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the Pinaverium Bromide group (PB, 0.018 g/kg), the high dose CA group (2.812 g/kg), the medium dose CA group (1.406 g/kg), and the low dose CA group (0.703 g/kg), 8 in each group. The IBS-D rat model was established by using separation of breast milk + stimulation of acetic acid + constraint of four limbs. Normal saline was given to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication lasted for 14 successive days by gastrogavage. The serum content of ACTH was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of NPY mRNA in the colon and the hypothalamus were detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the serum ACTH content significantly increased (P < 0.01), the NPY mRNA expression in the colon and the hypothalamus obviously decreased (P < 0.01) in the model control group. Compared with the model group, the serum ACTH obviously decreased in the high dose CA group, the medium dose CA group, and the PB group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The NPY mRNA expression in the colon and the hypothalamus were obviously up-regulated in the high dose CA group, the medium dose CA group, the low dose CA group, and the PB group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCA could modulate the abnormity of brain-gut axis of IBS-D rats possibly by up-regulating NPY mRNA expressions in the hypothalamus and the colon and down-regulating the ACTH content in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Colon ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuropeptide Y ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo isolate and identify Streptococcus mutans (Sm) and Streptococcus sobrinus (Ss) in dental plaque of children with high dmft and no caries by selective medium, biochemical methods and arbitrarily primed-polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR).

METHODSA total of 401 3-4-year-old children from seven kindergartens were recruited using cluster sampling and their dental caries status were examined. From 30% of children with the highest dmft score (dmft >/= 5), 20 children were chosen randomly as test group and 20 age and gender-matched caries-free children were selected as control. Plaque samples were collected from buccal surfaces of the molars and plated onto TYCSB plate. Sm and Ss were primarily identified by colony morphology and biochemical characteristics. Then chromosomal DNA of the strains was isolated and Sm or Ss were confirmed by AP-PCR.

RESULTSThe proportion positive for Sm and Ss in children with high dmft was 100% and 40% respectively while that in caries-free children was 75% and 5% by AP-PCR analysis. The differences were statistically significant between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe proportions positive for Sm and Ss detected by AP-PCR method were significantly higher in children with high dmft than in caries-free children and it is a risk factor for high dmft in deciduous teeth harboring Sm and Ss.

Child, Preschool ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Dental Plaque ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Streptococcus mutans ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Streptococcus sobrinus ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo provide basis for quality control of Zijingpi, DNA identification was used based on NCBI nucleotide database analysis.

METHODFirstly, total DNA of Zijingpi was extracted. Secondly, the ITS sequence was amplified by PCR with universal primer of ITS and PCR products was directly sequenced after purification. Finally, ITS sequence similarity and phylogenetic tree were used for identification.

RESULTThe ITS sequence information of the mainstream commercial drugs of Zijingpi was obtained.

CONCLUSIONIt is firstly reported that the mainstream commercial drugs of Zijingpi was the bark of Schisandra sphenanthera.

DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Schisandra ; classification ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of serotype and the positive rate of toxins among vibrio cholerae non-O(1) isolated from environmental waters in Foshan city.

METHODSWater specimens were collected from river and cultured for vibrio cholerae non-O(1). The PCR method was used to detect cholerae enterotoxin (CT) gene; the ELISA method was used to detect heat-stable toxin (ST) and heat-labile toxin (LT).

RESULTS478 vibrio cholerae non-O(1) strains were isolated from 1 644 water specimens, with a positive rate of 29.07%. Serological assay showed that the main serotype of vibrio cholerae non-O(1) in Foshan city is VBO(7). Positive rate of CT, ST and LT were 1.91%, 13.14% and 12.17%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSA few non-O(1) strains were found to have several virulent factors simultaneously, and the results suggest that vibrio cholerae non-O(1) in environmental waters is potentially pathogenic and may affect people's health. It is necessary to pay attention to the prevention of diarrhoea caused by vibrio cholerae.

China ; Enterotoxins ; genetics ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seasons ; Serotyping ; Vibrio cholerae non-O1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Water ; analysis ; Water Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-induced trophoblast apoptosis in the development of intrahepatic cholestasis during pregnancy (ICP).

METHODSTwenty pregnant women with ICP and 20 normal pregnant women undergoing cesarean section were enrolled in this study. The number of placenta syncytial knots in these women was determined using HE staining. The mRNA expressions of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-3, and caspase-7 were detected using RT-PCR in the placental tissues of the women and also in HTR-8/SVneo cells treated with different doses of deoxycholic acid (DCA). Caspase-3 and caspase-7 activities were also detected in DCA-treated HTR-8/SVneo cells using commercial assay kits, and the presence of apoptotic bodies in the cells were detected with electron microscopy.

RESULTSCompared with normal placental tissues, the placenta from women with ICP showed significantly increased syncytial knots (P<0.01) and obviously enhanced mRNA expressions of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-3, and caspase-7 (P<0.05). In HTR-8/SVneo cells treated with different doses of DCA (0, 10, 50, and 100 µmol/L), the mRNA expressions of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-3 and caspase-7 were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05) and the protein levels of GRP78 and CHOP were also increased dose-dependently. Treatment with DCA at 50 µmol/L for 24 h significantly upregulated caspase-3 and caspase-7 activity in the cells (P<0.05), and the cells treated with 50 µmol/L DCA for 12 h showed the presence of apoptotic bodies.

CONCLUSIONThe activation of ERS and enhanced apoptosis of the trophoblasts occur in the placenta of women with ICP. DCA can significantly increase the expressions of ERS markers and thus lead to trophoblast apoptosis, suggesting that ERS-induced trophoblasts apoptosis may play a key role in the development of ICP.

Objective:To compare the feasibility and safety of a new portable endoscopic system and the conventional endoscopic system for the detection and emergency treatment of abdominal trauma in animal models.Methods:Three healthy Bama pigs, which were fasted and water deprivation for 8 h before surgery and then underwent induction anesthesia. A layer-by-layer incision was made into the abdominal cavity of Bama pigs. An artificial pneumoperitoneum was established using a laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum machine. A bullet model was inserted into the abdominal cavity to build the bullet wound model. After the bullet model was removed, a shrapnel model was inserted into the mid-abdomen to build the shrapnel wound model. The two types of endoscopic system were used to detect, remove bullet model or shrapnel model of the three Bama pigs respectively. The procedure order of the two systems was assigned according to the random number table method. The surgical success, operation time, endoscopy pipeline patency, endoscopic operation satisfaction, adverse events and equipment defects were recorded.Results:Three surgeries were performed using the new portable endoscopic system and three other surgeries using the conventional endoscopic system, all of which were successful. The time of the new portable endoscopic system to find and remove the bullet model, and the shrapnel model were 232.33±11.68 s, 300.33±57.70 s, 170.00±44.44 s and 52.67±2.52 s, respectively. The corresponding time of the conventional endoscopic system were 232.67±21.20 s ( t=-0.054, P=0.962), 256.67±67.00 s ( t=0.880, P=0.472), 176.00±52.42 s ( t=-0.111, P=0.922), 58.67±14.84 s ( t=-0.832, P=0.493), respectively. There was no significant difference between the two systems ( P>0.05). The endoscopy tubes of the two endoscopic systems were both smooth. The operator was satisfied with the endoscopic procedures of both endoscopic systems, and no adverse event or device defect occurred. Conclusion:The portable endoscopic system proves to be safe and feasible for the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal trauma in animal models.

OBJECTIVE: To deduce the region that the geographical species of Lucilia sericata come from and determine the scene of crime (SOC) based on the gene analysis of mtDNA CO II. METHODS: A 635 bp region for CO II of 4 Lucilia sericata (belong to 2 geographical species) were collected and sequenced, compared with the data of GenBank. A neighbour-joining tree with the Tamura and Nei model was constructed by MEGA2.1 package. The number of inherit intervals of inner-species were analyzes by Kimura's two-parameter model and used for construction the relationships between hereditary and latitude interval by SPSS10.5 soft. RESULTS: It showed that they had the relationships between inherit and latitude interval for the 8 geographical species of Lucilia sericata for CO II. CONCLUSION This method can be the evidence deducing the region that the geographical species of Lucilia sericata come from and further to determine the scene of crime (SOC).
Animals ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Genetics, Population ; Geography ; Muscidae/genetics* ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Species Specificity ; Weather

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy profile of entecavir capsule (ETV) as a chronic hepatitis B therapy, as compared to lamivudine (LAM).

METHODSIn this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group evaluation of ETV, 232 subjects were administered a 96-week course of 0.5 mg/day ETV or 100 mg/day LAM. PCR measurement of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was conducted throughout the treatment course to determine achievement of complete virologic response (CVR; defined as less than 500 copies/ml of HBV DNA) or experience of virology rebound ( more than 500 copies/ml of HBV DNA after achievement of CVR).

RESULTSAfter week-48 of treatment, the ETV group showed a higher CVR rate (90.3% vs. LAM: 59.4%) and lower virology rebound rate (1.9% vs. LAM: 13.9%). After week-96 of treatment, the ETV group continued to have a higher CVR rate (86.0% vs. LAM: 71.4%), and virology rebound was experienced by significantly less subjects in the ETV group (1.2% vs. LAM: 11.9%, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONETV therapy can quickly and continuously suppress HBV replication in chronic hepatitis B patients, and has a lower resistance rate than LAM. Compared to LAM, ETV may be a superior long-term treatment choice for chronic hepatitis B.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Guanine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Young Adult

Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of morinidazole combined with appendectomy in treating purulent or gangrenous appendicitis.Methods Double-blind randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial was designed and conducted.Totally 437 patients were included,219 in the control group and 218 in the experimental group.Cases of purulent or gangrenous appendicitis were enrolled and assigned to each of the two groups.The control group received ornidazole injection for 5 to 7 days while the experimental group received morinidazole injection.Both groups underwent appendectomy.Clinical response,micrombiological outcomes,overall response were evaluated.Adverse events and side effects were recorded.Results No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the clinical healing rate at 5-10 days after medicine withdrawal,anaerobia clearance and overall healing rates.Adverse events occurred in 140 patients (32.1％).Incidence of adverse events in the control group and the experimental group was 34.7％ and 29.4％,respectively (P ＞ 0.05).The overall incidence of side effects was 15.1％ (66 cases).Side effects were less seen in the experimental group compared with that in the control group (11.5％ vs.18.7％,P ＜ 0.05).The most frequent side effects were aminotransferase rising,thrombocytosis,nausea,vomiting and electrocardiographic abnormality.Conclusions The effect of morinidazole plus operation was comparable with ornidazole in treating purulent or gangrenous appendicitis.The safety of morinidazole is better than ornidazole.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on energy metabolism and oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Worms in three adult stages (young adult stage, egg-laying stage and peak egg-laying stage) were investigated under 50 Hz, 3 mT ELF-EMF exposure. ATP levels, ATP synthase activity in vivo, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and changes of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were detected, and worms' oxidative stress responses were also evaluated under ELF-EMF exposure. The results showed that ATP levels were significantly increased under this ELF-EMF exposure, and mitochondrial ATP synthase activity was upregulated simultaneously. In young adult stage, worms' ROS level was significantly elevated, together with upregulated TAC but with a decreased ROS-TAC score indicated by principal component analysis. ROS level and TAC of worms had no significant changes in egg-laying and peak egg-laying stages. Based on these results, we concluded that ELF-EMF can enhance worm energy metabolism and elicit oxidative stress, mainly manifesting as ATP and ROS level elevation together with ATP synthase upregulation and ROS-TAC score decrease in young adult C. elegans.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Animals ; Caenorhabditis elegans ; radiation effects ; Electromagnetic Radiation ; Energy Metabolism ; Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; analysis