Objective To investigate the expression of transforming growth factor β1,transforming growth factor beta receptor(TBR)Ⅰ,TβR Ⅱ,Smad4 and C-Jun in rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and to find out the mechanisms of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.Methods A total of 18 male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group(n=9)and model group(n=9).The rats in control group were fed with normal diet,and those in model group were fed with fat-rich diet(consisted of 10%lard oil+2%cholesterol).An rats were sacrificed at the 20th week.The levels of TGFβ1,TβR Ⅰ and TβR Ⅱ mRNA were examined by RT-PCR.The expressions of TGFβ1 and Smad4 in liver tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry.The expression of C-Jun protein was detected by Western blotting.Results The NAFLD model was successfully established.The immunohistochemistry examination revealed that TGFβ1 and Smad4 were expressed weekly in control group,but strongly expressed in model group.RT-PCR showed that A values of TGFβ1,TβR Ⅰ and TβR Ⅱ mRNA were 0.46±0.12,5.z4±2.70 and 3.35±1.95,respectively,in model group,which were higher than those in control group(0.21±0.09,1.36±0.77 and 0.52±0.19,all P values＜0.01).The Western blotting results demonstrated that the expression of C-Jun protein in model group(0.93±0.41)was higher than that in control group (0.32±0.25,P=0.001).Conclusion TGFβ1/Smad4 signal pathway might be involved in the development of hepatic fibrosis in NAFLD.Blocking TGFβ1/Smad4 signal pathway will be helpful in treatment of NAFLD.

AIM: To explore the predisposing factors, population characteristics and clinical features of severe fungal keratitis.
METHODS:The data of 233 cases 233 eyes of severe fungal keratitis in my hospital from January, 2008 to November, 2013 was retrospectively reviewed. The predisposing factors, population characteristics and clinical features were analyzed.
RESULTS: In 233 cases of severe fungal keratitis, the number of male patients was 153 ( 65. 7%) and the number ratio of male to female was 1. 9:1. The average age of them was (52. 7±11. 3), and most of them were middle-aged and elderly people living in the rural area (78. 1%) and were farmers ( 66. 1%) with low literacy (59. 7%). In 233 cases, 188 cases (80. 7%) possessed a clear history of ocular trauma, mainly caused by plant-based trauma (60. 9%). 90 cases (57. 3%) were infected with Fusarium, and 47 cases ( 29. 9%) by Aspergillus. The main treatment of severe fungal keratitis was surgery (87. 9%). 83 cases ( 52. 9%) were treated with penetrating keratoplasty, and in Fusarium and Aspergillus infected patients with severe fungal keratitis, 58. 4% ( 80/137 ) were performed with penetrating keratoplasty. In addition, patients treated with eye enucleation or evisceration, 68. 4% (13/19) were infected with Fusarium species.
CONCLUSION: Patients with severe fungalkeratitis in our hospital are mainly elderly male farmers living in rural, because of low economic condition and poor diagnosis consciousness. The main pathogens are Fusarium and Aspergillus species, and the major treatment is penetrating keratoplasty. Most of patients with poor clinical outcomes are infected with Fusarium species.

Objective To investigate the relationship of alcohol intake and hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with hepatitis B virus infection.Methods A total of 553 patients with HCC and 160 control subjects affected with hepatitis B virus were recruited.Serum virology,serum biochemistry,as well as demographic information were studied.Finally,risk factors were selected by stepwise Logistic regression analyse.Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated for each risk factor.According to alcohol intake,HCC patients were divided into three groups,then to observe the differences between them.Results Elevated AST,GGT,ALP and AFP levels were seen more frequently in the HCC case groups compared to control group (P ＜ 0.05 ).Multivariate analysis revealed that heavy alcohol use,smoking,positive family history of liver cancer is associated with HCC development among patients with hepatitis B virus infection.Significantly increased risk was found among patients for heavy alcohol use [A =2.66(2.01-3.50) ] and for smoking [A =2.51(1.66-3.80) ] and for positive family history of liver cancer [A =1.64( 1.04-2.59) ].Compared to patients who did not have alcohol use,elevated GGT and ALP were seen more frequently in patients who had alcohol use either mild or heavy ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Heavy alcohol use,smoking,positive family history of liver cancer is positive correlation with HCC development among patients with hepatitis B virus infection in China.In patients with hepatitis B virus infection who also has history of heavy alcohol,the most risk factor of HCC is hepatitis B virus infection,not alcohol.

OBJECTIVEEnvironmental estrogens at an elevated concentration are known to produce adverse effects on human and animal life. However, the majority of researches have been focused on industrial discharges, while the impact of livestock wastes as a source of endocrine disrupters in aquatic environments has been rarely elucidated. In order to investigate the contribution of environmental estrogens from livestock, the estrogenic activity in water samples from a farm wastewater treatment plant was analyzed by a recombinant yeast screening method.

METHODSThe extracts prepared from 15 selected water samples from the farm wastewater treatment plant, among which 6 samples were from pre-treatment section (influents) and 9 from post-treatment section (effluents), were analyzed for estrogenic activity by cellar bioassay. Yeast cells transfected with the expression plasmid of human estrogen receptor and the Lac Z reporter plasmid encoding beta-galactossidase, were used to measure the estrogen-like compounds in the farm wastewater treatment plant.

RESULTSThe wastewater samples from influents showed a higher estrogenic potency than the effluent samples showing a low induction of beta-galactossidase relative to solvent control condition. By comparison with a standard curve for 17 beta-estradiol (E2), estrogenic potency in water samples from the influents was calculated as E2-equivalent and ranged from 0.1 to 150 pM E2-equivalent. The estrogenic potency in water samples from the effluents was significantly lower than that in the influents, and 7 water samples had less detectable limit in the total of 9 samples.

CONCLUSIONYeast bioassay of estrogenic activity in most of the samples from the farm wastewater after disposal by traditional sewage treatment showed negative results.

Agriculture ; Biological Assay ; methods ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estrogens ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Genetic Engineering ; Industrial Waste ; analysis ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; drug effects ; genetics ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical findings and treatment of paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) with Castleman's disease.

METHODSTo investigate the clinical, histopathologic and CT findings of 8 cases paraneoplastic pemphigus with Castleman's disease.

RESULTSAll of 8 patients were diagnosed PNP first and were found Castleman's tumor incidently during routine examination. All 8 cases showed severe erosion or ulcer of the oral mucosa with various skin lesions. Histopathologically, there were intraepidermal acantholytic vesicle, basal cell liquefaction, necrotic keratinocytes in the epidermis and lymphocyte infiltration in the upper dermis. CT scan appeared solitary mass in these patients. Some of them were attacked by bronchiolitis obliterans. All 8 patients were failed by use of predisone. Obvious relief of PNP and pulmonary lesion occurred after tumor was rescted.

CONCLUSIONSParaneoplastic pemphigus with Castleman's disease is a rare disease. The key step is to find and resect the tumor in abdomen. CT scan should be used to detect the tumor in patients with PNP, especially, when predisone was failed in treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Castleman Disease ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Pemphigus, Benign Familial ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies

A rapid, sensitive and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of yogliptin and its metabolite in Wistar rat plasma. Linagliptin and dexamethasone were chosen as the internal standards of yogliptin and its metabolite, (R)-8-(3-hydroxypiperidine- -yl)-7-(but-2-yn-1-yl)-1-((5-fluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)methyl)-3-methyl- H-purine-2, 6 (3H, 7H)-dione, respectively. After a simple protein precipitation using acetonitrile as the precipitating solvent, both analytes and ISs were separated on a Grace Altima HP C18 column (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 5 microm) with gradient elution using methanol (containing 0.1% formic acid, 4 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate)-0.1% formic acid (containing 4 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate) as the mobile phase. A chromatographic total run time of 4.4 min was achieved. Mass spectrometric detection was conducted with electrospray ionization under positive-ion and multiple-reaction monitoring modes. Linear calibration curves for yogliptin and its metabolite were over the concentration range of 0.5 to 500 ng x mL(-1) with a lower limit of quantification of 0.5 ng x mL(-1). The intra- and inter- assay precisions were all below 14%, the accuracies were all in standard ranges. The method was used to determine the concentration of yogliptin and M1 in Wistar rat plasma after a single oral administration of yogliptin (27 mg x kg(-1)). The method was proved to be selective, sensitive and suitable for pharmacokinetic study of yogliptin and M1 in Wistar rat plasma.
Animals ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Dexamethasone ; blood ; Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Linagliptin ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Objective Environmental estrogens at an elevated concentration are known to produce adverse effects on human and animal life. However, the majority of researches have been focused on ndustrial discharges, while the impact of livestock wastes as a source of endocrine disrupters in aquatic environments has been rarely elucidated. In order to investigate the contribution of environmental estrogens from livestock, the estrogenic activity in water samples from a farm wastewater treatment plant was analyzed by a recombinant yeast screening method. Methods The extracts prepared from 15 selected water samples from the farm wastewater treatment plant, among which 6 samples were from pre-treatment section (influents) and 9 from post-treatment section (effluents), were analyzed for estrogenic activity by cellar bioassay. Yeast cells transfected with the expression plasmid of human estrogen receptor and the Lac Z reporter plasmid encoding β-galactossidase, were used to measure the estrogen-like compounds in the farm wastewater treatment plant. Results The wastewater samples from influents showed a higher estrogenic potency than the effluent samples showing a low induction of β-galactossidase relative to solvent control condition. By comparison with a standard curve for 1713-estradiol (E2), estrogenic potency in water samples from the influents was calculated as E2-equivalent and ranged from 0.1 to 150 pM E2-equivalent. The estrogenic potency in water samples from the effluents was significantly lower than that in the influents, and 7 water samples had less detectable limit in the total of 9 samples. Conclusion Yeast bioassay of estrogenic activity in most of the samples from the farm wastewater after disposal by traditional sewage treatment showed negative results.

One of the primary purposes of the innovative development of ethnomedicines is to use their excellent safety and significant efficacy to serve a broader population.To achieve this purpose,modern scientific and technological means should be referenced,and relevant national laws and regulations as well as technical guides should be strictly followed to develop standards and to perform systemic research in producing ethnomedicines.Finally,ethnomedicines,which are applied to a limited extent in ethnic areas,can be transformed into safe,effective,and quality-controllable medical products to relieve the pain of more patients.The innovative development path of ethnomedicines includes the following three primary stages:resource study,standardized development research,and industrialization of the achievements and efforts for internationalization.The implementation of this path is always guaranteed by the research and development platform and the talent team.This article is based on the accumulation of long-term practice and is combined with the relevant disciplines,laws and regulations,and technical guidance from the research and development of ethnomedicines.The intention is to perform an in-depth analysis and explanation of the major research thinking,methods,contents,and technical paths involved in all stages of the innovative development path of ethnomedicines to provide useful references for the development of proper ethnomedicine use.

Innovative development extends the vitality of ethnomedicines.Developing ethnomedicines is not only beneficial to the public but also to the related industry and transforms economic growth,driving local social and economic development further.Its economic benefit can be used to optimize and promote the hardware and software of the platform,as well as support the sustainable development of ethnomedicines.Apart from research and discussion on the innovative development of ethnomedicines on the basis of theory and regulations,this series of articles also summarizes cases that are conducive to the overall understanding of the necessity and feasibility of the innovative development.In terms of industrial development,large enterprises and products,such as Yunnan Baiyao,Guizhou Miao ethnomedicines,Cheezheng Tibetan Medicine,products developed from Dengzhanhua (Erigeron breviscapus),the Gold series of Yi ethnomedicines,and products developed from Sanqi (Panax notoginseng),in China are introduced and summarized,focusing on resource superiority,sustainable innovation,standard research and development,and production,as well as intellectual property protection.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of transferrin receptor 2 (TfR2) mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) of children with hyperplastic anemia (HA), to analyze the correlation of TfR2 mRNA expression level with Hb level, bone marrow erythroid hyperplasia, iron status in body and underlying diseases, and to evaluate the role of TfR2 in erythroid hemopoiesis and the useful value in diagnosis of HA. The experiment was divided into 2 groups: test group, in which 40 patients with HA were enrolled, and control group in which 10 patients without erythroid disorders and hematological malignancies confirmed by bone marrow examination were enrolled. The bone marrow samples of patients in mentioned above 2 groups were collected, the TfR2 mRNA expression in BMMNC of patients with HA was detected by fluorescence-quantitative PCR, the correlation of HA with bone marrow erythroid hyperplasia, iron status of body and underlying diseases was analyzed. The results showed that the relative level of TfR2 mRNA expression in HA patients was significantly higher than that in control patients. The TfR2 mRNA expression level negatively correlated with Hb level in peripheral blood (r = -0.715), while it positively correlated with ratio of bone marrow erythroblasts (r = 0.533). It is concluded that TfR2 mRNA expression in HA patients increases and closely correlates with hyperplasia status of bone marrow and anemia level in peripheral blood.
Adolescent ; Anemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Erythroid Precursor Cells ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptors, Transferrin ; metabolism