OBJECTIVETo explore protective effects of acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on cerebral tissue in rats with sepsis.

METHODSCecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was applied to duplicate the rat model of sepsis. According to random number table, thirty SD rats were divided into a sepsis model group (group A), a sepsis model plus electroacupuncture (EA) group (group B), and a sepsis model plus non-acupoint EA group (group C), ten rats in each one. EA with the same frequency and intensity at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and non-acupoint (0.5 cm laterally to "Zusanli") for 30 min was applied in the group B and group C, respectively. No treatment was given in the goup A. 6 hours after CLP, blood was acquired from abdominal aorta to measure the levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE). Then the rats were sacrificed by abdominal aorta exsanguination to take their cerebral tissue for measuring the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

RESULTSSix hours after CLP, the level of NSE was (3.51 +/- 0.39) ng/mL in group B, which was significantly lower than (7.72 +/- 0.64) ng/mL in group A (P<0.05). The level of NSE was (8.02 +/- 0.72) ng/mL in the group C, which had no statistical significance with group A (P>0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 in cerebral tissue in group B were significantly lower than that of group A and C (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA at "Zusanli" (ST 36) has certain protective effect on septic rat's brain, which has some relationship with decreasing levels of cerebral tissue proinflammatory cytokine and plasma NSE. EA at non-acupoint has no the same action.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Male ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; enzymology ; immunology ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Adult ; Frontal Lobe ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography ; Tuberculoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging

Objective To explore the effects of maternal cypermethrin exposure during lactation on testicle development and steroidogenesis of weaning offspring, and to provide a theoretical basis for the toxicity study of cypermethrin on reproduction.Methods Twenty-one healthy pregnant mice(clean animal) were randomly divided into three groups.Maternal mice were orally administered with different doses of cypermethrin [0,6.25 and 25 mg(/kg?d),10 ml/kg] dissolved in corn oil daily from postnatal day 1(PND1) to PND21.Fifteen male pups were randomly selected from each group and sacrificed at PND21 after exposure.The testicle organ coefficients were calculated.Serum testosterone(T) and estrogen(E2),testicle T were measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA).Histopathological changes in the testicle tissues were observed by HE stain.Testicle cells apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL).Results A significant decrease was observed in body weight and the testicle organ coefficients in cypermethrin-treated group was in a dose-dependent manner(P0.05).Histological examination showed that maternal cypermethrin exposure markedly decreased the number and layers of spermatogenic cells,increased the inside diameter(ID) of seminiferous tubules,and disturbed the array of spermatogenic cells in testicle sections of pups at PND21.No significant effect on apoptosis of testicle cells was seen.Conclusion Maternal cypermethrin exposure during lactation may damage testicles and steroidogenesis of weaning offspring.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical sense of clock-drawing test(CDT) and Mini Mental Status Examination(MMSE) in Alzheimer's disease(AD). MethodsMMSE and CDT were used to assess the intellectual ability in AD group and control group. ResultsThe orientation force, immediate memory, ability of calculation, short-term memory and speech ability in AD group were significantly decreased than that of the control group(P<0.05). The score of CDT in AD group was markedly suppression than that of control group(P<0.01). ConclusionThe CDT and MMSE are the ideal cognitive screening test to determine the degree in Alzheimer's disease.

Humans ; Heart ; Coronary Angiography ; Disabled Persons

Objective To explore the effect of Melatonin(MT) on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell (CD4+CD25+Tr)and airway inflammation in asthmatic rat.Methods Thirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,8 rats in each group.Asthmatic group:rats were immunized on day 1 and 7 by intraperitoneal inject of mixture of ovalbumin(OVA) and aluminumhydroxide.From day 14,the animals were allenged with aerosolized OVA for 20 min per day for 7 consecutive days.MT group:OVA-sensitized rats were injected intraperitoneally with 0.1 mg/kg MT 30 min before each OVA challenge.Dexamethasone group:OVA-sensitized rats were injected intraperitoneally with 0.5 mg/kg Dexamethasone 30 min before each OVA challenge.Control group:OVA for inhalation and MT for intraperitoneal injection was replaced with saline.After the last challenge,peripheral blood was stained to count the percentage of eosinophil(EOS).Then the rats were lavaged and total leukocytes counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were performed after staining with Wright-Giemsa staining.The EOS counts around the airway was counted after the histological section of lung staining with hematoxylin and eosin staining.The serum level of immunoglobulin E(IgE) was detected by immunoenhancement.The change of CD4+CD25+Tr was assessed with flow cytometry.SPSS 10.0 software was applied to analyze data. Results In asthmatic rats,the CD4+CD25+ Tr/ CD4+T cells ratio had significant negative relationship with the EOS counts around the airway and the total leukocytes counts in BALF (r=-0.73 P0.05).There was a significant decrease in the percentage of the eosinophils in peripheral blood,the eosinophil counts around the airway,the total leukocytes counts in BALF and the serum level of IgE in MT group compared with asthmatic group (Pa

OBJECTIVEAtopic dermatitis affects children's behavioral, emotional and psychological development. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life in infants with atopic dermatitis.

METHODSThe quality of life in 43 children with atopic dermatitis between the age of 3-6 months was assessed by the Childhood Atopic Dermatitis Impact Scale (CADIS). The severity of atopic dermatitis was determined by the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCOARD).

RESULTSThe scores of SCORAD and CADIS in children with atopic dermatitis were 56.9+/-11.1 and 38.0+/-7.9 respectively. There was a positive correlation between the CADIS and SCORAD scores (rho=0.934, P<0.05). The CADIS score was positively correlated with the area of skin lesions (rho=0.581, P<0.01), erythema (rho=0.417, P<0.01), excoriations (rho=0.579, P<0.01), edema/exanthema papulosum (rho=0.595, P<0.01), oozing/crusts (rho=0.436, P<0.01), skin dryness (rho=0.343, P<0.01), pruritus and sleeplessness (rho=0.344, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAtopic dermatitis adversely affects the quality of life in children with atopic dermatitis. The worse quality of life is associated with more severe atopic dermatitis.

Dermatitis, Atopic ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Quality of Life

Aim To investigate the effects of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharides (GalN/LPS)-induced acute apoptotic liver injury and its mechanism.Methods All mice were randomly divided into four groups.Mice in GalN/LPS group were co-injected with GalN (600 mg·kg~(-1),ip) and LPS (20 μg·kg~(-1), ip). Mice in PDTC+GalN/LPS group were injected with two doses of PDTC,one (100 mg·kg~(-1), ip) at 24 h before LPS and the other at 2 h before LPS (20 μg·kg~(-1), ip).Mice in control groups were treated with PDTC (100 mg·kg~(-1), ip) or saline. Ten mice in each group were observed for animal survival within 72 h after LPS treatment. Six mice in each group were sacrificed 1.5 h after LPS for collecting blood and isolating livers. The expression of hepatic TNF-α mRNA was determined by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Hepatic nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) binding activity was measured with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).Twelve mice in each group were sacrificed 8 h after LPS treatment. Serum was collected for measurement of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatocellular apoptosis and histological examination.Results Co-injection of GalN and LPS markedly increased serum ALT activity. Histopathological examination of liver sections revealed that GalN/LPS induced hepatic congestion, necrosis and massive macrophages infiltration, and increased the number of TUNEL-positive cells in mouse liver.GalN/LPS treatments, led to 90% mortality within 72 h with severe congestion and necrosis in the liver of all the dead mice. PDTC pretreatment significantly inhibited GalN/LPS-induced hepatic NF-κB activation and TNF-α expression. In contrast, PDTC aggravated GalN/LPS-triggered hepatocellular apoptosis, increased serum ALT activity, exacerbated hepatic hemorrhage and necrosis, and accelerated death.Conclusion PDTC aggravates GalN/LPS-induced acute apoptotic liver injury via inhibiting NF-κB-mediated anti-apoptotic effects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of compound Ginkgo biloba (CGB) preparations on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODThe C57BL/6 mouse NAFLD model was induced with high fat diets. Since the 2nd week after modeling, the mice were orally administered with 600 and 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) CGB for eight weeks. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL) and LPS in serum, as well as pathological changes and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hepatic tissues were observed. Changes in intestinal tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1 in intestinal tissues were determined under microscopy.

RESULTCompared with the normal group, the model group showed obvious fatty degeneration in rat livers, with notable increase in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01), significant increases in ALT, AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, and remarkable declines in ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1 (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, CGB high and low dose groups showed obvious relieves in fatty degeneration in rat livers and injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, significant reductions in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and remarkable increases in ZO-1 and Occludin expressions (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCGB can protect intestinal tight junction proteins, reduce intestinal leakage, relieve fatty degeneration and inflammations in livers and prevent NAFLD occurrence and development.

Alanine Transaminase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fatty Liver ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Food allergies, as a type of adverse immune-mediated reactions to ingested food proteins, have become a serious public health issue that harms children and adults health, with increasing incidence year by year. However, without effective therapy for food allergies, doctors-have mostly advised to avoid allergens and provided symptomatic treatment. According to the findings of many studies, allergic diseases are correlated with intestinal barrier function injury, as evidenced by the significant increase in the intestinal permeability among patients with food allergies. In this paper, recent studies on correlations between food allergies and intestinal barrier functions, intestinal barrier function injury mechanisms of allergic foods and food allergy intervention strategies based on intestinal barrier functions were summarized to provide reference for laboratory researches and clinical treatment of food allergic diseases.
Animals ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; therapy ; Humans ; Intestines ; immunology