Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Hyperoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; drug effects ; pathology ; Oxygen ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of hypothermia combined with dexamethasone on spermatogenesis and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) after testicular torsion-detorsion.

METHODSWe made unilateral testicular torsion models in 100 pubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats by 720 degree torsion of the left testis and then randomly divided them into four groups of equal number to be treated with normal temperature + physiological saline (group A), hypothermia + physiological saline (group B), normal temperature + dexamethasone (group C), and hypothermia + dexamethasone (group D). After 48 hours, we collected the testes, observed pathological changes of the testicular tissue by HE staining under the light microscope, detected the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells by TUNEL, and determined the expression of ICAM1 by Western blot.

RESULTSHE staining showed different degrees of testicular tissue injury in the four groups of rats, most obvious in group A, but mild in the other three. The ICAM1 protein expression was significantly higher in group A (0.68 +/-0. 03) than in B (0. 49 +/- 0. 06, P <0. 05) , C (0. 46 +/- 0. 09, P < 0.05) , and D (0.17 +/- 0.08, P <0.01). The nuclei were deep brown or brown. Lots of apoptotic spermatogenic cells were seen in the torsion testis of group A, with a significantly higher apoptosis index ( [33. 13 +/- 3.21 ]%) than in B ( [ 17. 12 +/-5.23 ]%, P < 0.05), C ([14.13 +/- 2.03]%, P <0.05), and D ([9.05 +/- 1.03]%, P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONHypothermia combined with dexamethasone can protect the testis from injury as well as the reproductive function of the testis after testicular torsion-detorsion and reduce the expression of ICAM1.

Animals ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

Alteration in the structural appearance of the optic disk and retinal nerve fiber layer usually precedes the development of reproducible glaucomatous visual field defects.Identification of these changes is important in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma at an early to moderate stage and in monitoring its clinical course.This paper reviews the optical coherence tomography(OCT),Heidelberg retina tomography(HRT),optic nerve head stereophotograph(ONHP)and scanning laser polarimetry(SLP) in the field of open angle glaucoma.

Dioxin, a persistent organic pollutant, is also a typical environmental endocrine disruptor.With its strong toxicity, it can persist in the environment and be enriched through the food chain.Therefore, it has attracted wide attention in recent years.In this paper, the pollution status of dioxins in the atmosphere is summarized, the risk of respiratory exposure to dioxins is introduced, the possible health effects of human exposure to dioxins are summarized, and suggestions for future control are put forward.In cities and functional areas with high dioxin concentration, long-term inhalation of pollutants has potential risks for people′s health and life span.It is suggested to carry out orderly classification of waste, track and monitor the health status of residents around the waste incinerator, and to establish relevant emission standards and limits, so as to gradually standardize and make the dioxin emission harmless.

Acetaminophen (APAP, also known as paracetamol)-induced liver injury is the leading cause of drug-induced liver injury in the world. Wuzhi Tablet (WZ, an ethanol extract of Schisandra sphenanthera) is widely used in clinical practice to protect liver function. Our previous studies have shown that pretreatment with WZ for 3 days can significantly protect against APAP-induced liver injury; however, the effect of different intervals between APAP and WZ treatment on APAP-induced liver injury remains unclear. In this study, the change in liver injury indexes, APAP metabolites, and the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes after treatment with WZ and APAP at different intervals were determined. The animal experiment was reviewed and approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Sun Yat-sen University. The results show that 0 h, 0.5 h, and 2 h pretreatment with WZ significantly protected against APAP-induced liver injury in mice, as evidenced by a significant decrease in biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and malonaldehyde (MDA). WZ inhibited the metabolic activation of APAP mediated by CYP450 enzymes and reduced the formation of APAP metabolites. This study further demonstrates that pretreatment with WZ at different intervals (0 h, 0.5 h, and 2 h before APAP dosing) exerts a significant hepatoprotective effect against APAP-induced liver injury, and a single-dose of WZ inhibits the activity of CYP450 enzymes related to APAP metabolic activation, thereby protecting against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of crypotanshinone (CPT) on the proliferation and apoptosis of DU145 prostate cancer cells as well as on the metadherin expression and the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the DU145 cells.

METHODSWe treated DU145 prostate cancer cells with different concentrations of CPT for 24, 48, and 72 hours followed by evaluation of the proliferation and apoptosis of the cells by MTT assay and TUNEL, respectively. We determined the expressions of metadherin protein and mRNA in the DU145 cells by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively at different time points after CPT treatment. We also detected the expressions of the proteins metadherin, AKT, p-AKT, and Bcl-2 in the CPT-treated DU145 cells at 48 hours.

RESULTSCPT significantly inhibited the proliferation of the DU145 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). After treatment with 10 µmol/L CPT for 24, 48, and 72 hours, the apoptosis rates of the DU145 cells were (29.42 ± 4.51), (55.07 ± 5.67) and (70.84 ± 4.66)%, respectively, significantly higher than (3.1 ± 2.48)% in the control group (P < 0.05). The expression of metadherin was remarkably downregulated at the transcription and translation levels (P < 0.05) and the expressions of the AKT signaling pathway and the Bcl-2 protein were markedly inhibited in the DU145 cells after treated with 10 µmol/L CPT for 48 hours (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCPT can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of DU145 prostate cancer cells, which may be associated with its suppression of the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by reducing the expression of metadherin in the DU145 cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of rs72689236, a new functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the gene encoding caspase-3 (CASP3), with the occurrence and development of Kawasaki disease by a meta analysis.

METHODSA literature search was performed using databases at home and abroad according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, to acquire studies on the relationship between rs72689236 and Kawasaki disease published up to November 2012, including case-control studies and transmission disequilibrium tests. An integrated meta analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1 software after the studies were screened and evaluated.

RESULTSSix studies were extracted for systematic review of the association between rs72689236 and Kawasaki disease. The frequency of allele A of the SNP was significantly higher in patients with Kawasaki disease than in the controls (OR=1.34, 95%CI=1.24-1.46, P<0.001); the risk for Kawasaki disease in children with allele A (AA+AG) increased by approximately 44% compared with children with GG (OR=1.44, 95%CI=1.27-1.65, P<0.001). The frequency of allele A of the SNP was significantly higher in Kawasaki disease patients with coronary artery lesions than in those without coronary artery lesions (OR=1.51, 95%CI=1.10-2.07, P= 0.01); the risk for coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease patients with allele A (AA+AG) increased by approximately 59% compared with Kawasaki disease patients with GG (OR=1.59, 95%CI= 1.00-2.53, P=0.05]. No association between this SNP and the therapeutic effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was found in patients with Kawasaki disease.

CONCLUSIONSThe allele A of functional SNP rs72689236 of CASP3 increases the risk for Kawasaki disease, and it may be used as the genetic marker for susceptibility to coronary artery lesions as a complication of Kawasaki disease. Currently, there is still no sufficient evidence that this SNP has an impact on the therapeutic effect of IVIG in patients with Kawasaki disease, and more studies are needed to investigate the feasibility of its application in individualized treatment.

Caspase 3 ; genetics ; Coronary Artery Disease ; etiology ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; therapeutic use ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; drug therapy ; etiology ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

The dried succulent stems of Cistanche (Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma and Cistanche tubulosa Wight.) are one of the most widely used components of traditional Chinese medicines. However, it is often confused and substituted with the roots of Orobanche pycnostachya, Boschniakia rossica (Cham. & Schltdl.) Standl., Cistanche sinensis Beck, and Cistanche salsa (C. A. Mey.) Beck. In this study, we identified psbA-trnH regions from species and tested their suitable for the identification of the above mentioned taxa. The psbA-trnH sequences showed considerable variations between species and thus were revealed as a promising candidate for barcoding of Cistanche species. Additionally, the average genetic distance of psbA-trnH ranging from 0.077% to 0.743%. In contrast, the intra-specific variation among Cistanche species was found to be significantly different from those of other species, with percentages of variation studied ranged from 0% to 0.007%. The sequence difference between the psbA-trnH sequences of Cistanche species and Orobanche pycnostachya ranged from 0.979% to 1.149%. The distance between the Cistanche species and Boschniakia rossica ranged from 1.066% to 1.224%. Our results suggest that the psbA-trnH intergenic spacer region represent a barcode that can be used to identify Cistanche species and other morphologically undistinguishable species.

OBJECTIVEKawasaki disease (KD) is a common autoimmune vasculitis. It has been regarded as the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. This study aimed to assess the relationship between genome-wide association study (GWAS)-linked gene loci and KD.

METHODBy March of 2013, the published GWAS literatures of KD were retrieved from the databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang, and the gene loci associated with KD at genome-wide significance of P < 5.0×10(-8) were determined. For each of the gene loci, one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with strong association with KD was chosen for meta-analysis. Then the published case-control studies reporting the associations of the SNPs with KD were collected from English and Chinese databases with the same criteria. The Meta-analyses were conducted with RevMan 5.1 software after screening and evaluation.

RESULTA total of 4 gene loci including FCGR2A, BLK, CD40 and HLA were observed having association with KD at genome-wide significance of P < 5.0×10(-8) in at least one GWAS. The risk alleles of the SNPs in the gene loci were all more common in patients with KD relative to controls in the systematic reviews with 8, 4, 6 and 4 extracted case-control studies, respectively[ FCGR2A rs1801274: P < 0.001, OR = 1.40, 95% CI (1.30, 1.51); BLK rs2254546: P < 0.001, OR = 1.69, 95% CI (1.52, 1.88); CD40 rs4813003: P < 0.001, OR = 1.31, 95% CI (1.22, 1.41); HLA rs2857151: P < 0.001, OR = 1.41, 95% CI (1.27, 1.57)]. The significant publication bias was not observed in the meta-analyses.

CONCLUSIONOur results confirmed the overall association of the 4 gene loci with KD in observed populations, together with the consistent presence of the relationship between BLK or HLA and KD in the populations, suggesting that it is hopeful to find the genetic marker combination predicting the risk of KD, the formation of secondary coronary artery lesions and the resistance of intravenous immunoglobulin, by further seeking the function SNPs of the gene loci and investigating the effect on the important clinical phenotypes of KD.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Linkage ; Genetic Loci ; Genetic Markers ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, IgG ; genetics

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death. Safflower attracts great attention owing to its anti-ischemia/reperfusion injury effect. Ninety-three patients with CAD were included and randomized into safflower treatment group, PCI group and control group. Low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed to measure end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion score index (WMSI) to determine the recovery of hibernating myocardium and cardiac function in all patients before treatment and after 3-month follow-up. The study was to investigate the effects of safflower on hibernating myocardial revascularization and cardiac function. It was found that LVEF was significantly improved, while the ESV and WMSI were significantly reduced after 2-week treatment in safflower and PCI treatment groups. No significant differences were found between safflower and PCI treatment groups in ESV, EDV, WMSI and LVEF after treatment Safflower injection effectively improved hibernating myocardial function.
Aged ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Myocardial Stunning ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Recovery of Function