OBJECTIVETo examine the effect and mechanism of artesunate (Art) on embryo development.

METHODSRat embryo and placental glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)and malondialdehyde (MDA) were identified by using DTNB (dithionitrobenzene) direct method and TBA (thiobarbituric acid). We investigated the damage of decidual cells caused by Art using cell culture techniques.

RESULTSSubcutaneous administration of Art in rats on d 6 approximate, equals d 10 of gestation induced developmental toxicity. Absorption increased when progressively increased doses were given (r=0.996,P<0.01). Twenty four hours post injection, GSH-Px in embryo decreased significantly while MDA content was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). GSH Px: study group was(43.7+/-10.7)micromol/min.mg(-1)Hb, control group was(54.5+/-10.1)micromol/min.mg(-1)Hb; MDA:study group was(230.2+/-19.8)nmol/g tissue, control group was(150.4+/-44.1)nmol/g tissue. Placental GSH-Px activity was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.01). After cultured human decidual cells were exposed to Art for 24 h, the LC50 was (25.2+/-3.5)mg/L.

CONCLUSIONArt may induce developmental toxicity in rat embryo and placenta by neutralizing the antioxidant defense mechanism.

Animals ; Antimalarials ; toxicity ; Artemisinins ; toxicity ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Placenta ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sesquiterpenes ; toxicity

Objective: To establish a nomograph model for prediction of cervical central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) among patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma (PTC), so as to provide the evidence for designing personalized treatment plans for PTC. Methods : The data of patients that underwent thyroidectomy and were pathologically diagnosed with PTC post-surgery in the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2018 to 2021 were collected. Patients' data captured from 2018 to 2020 and from 2021 were used as the training set and the validation set, respectively. Predictive factors were screened using a multivariable logistic regression model, and the nomograph model for prediction of CLNM risk was established. The predictive value of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the adjusted curve. Results: Totally 1 820 PTC cases were included in the training set, including 458 cases with CLNM (25.16%), and 797 cases in the validation set, including 207 cases with CLNM (25.98%). The prediction model is p=ey/(1+ey), y=0.761 + 0.525 × sex + (-0.039) ×age + 0.351 × extrathyroid invasion + 0.368 × neck lymph node enlargement + 1.021×maximum tumor diameter + (-0.009) × TT4 + (-0.001) × anti-TPOAb. The area under the ROC curve was 0.732 for the training set and 0.731 for the validation set, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a good fitting effect (P=0.936, 0.722). Conclusion The nomograph model constructed in this study has a high predictive value for CLNM among patients with PTC.

Objective To find out the best method for elimination of uranium contamination in rat tissues as low as possible by removal of shrapnel fragments. Methods Experimental rats were divided into six groups: route group, decontamination before surgery group, decontamination in incision group, changing surgical appliances group, removing tissues around group, and comprehensive method group. Uranium concentrations in tissues and fluids in all groups were measured at 7, 14, and 21 d after operation. The efficiency of decontamination by different methods was compared. Results The highest uranium concentration in tissues was found in the route group, but the lowest in the comprehensive method group, and the second lowest in removing tissues around group. Conclusion The comprehensive method is the best one in all of the surgical removal methods. The soft tissues around DU shrapnels should be removed if they are not critical organs.

BACKGROUNDMurine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) early protein M112-113 is involved in viral DNA replication and believed to play a crucial role in the viral pathogenesis. To investigate the biological function of M112-113 protein in the pathogenesis of the brain disorders caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV), a screening for proteins interacting with M112-113 was performed by a yeast two-hybrid system.

METHODSBait plasmid pGBKT7-M112-113 was constructed and transformed into AH109 yeast. After confirmation of the expression of MCMV M112-113 in yeast, the bait yeast was mated with a prey yeast containing mouse brain cDNA library plasmid to screen the proteins interacting with M112-113. Interactions between M112-113 and the obtained proteins were verified by yeast two-hybrid assay and chemiluminescent co-immunoprecipitaion.

RESULTSTwo proteins interacting with M112-113 were identified, including metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1) and zinc finger, CCHC domain containing 18 (ZCCHC18). M112-113 protein could interact with MTA1 or ZCCHC18 in yeast and mammalian cells.

CONCLUSIONThe interactions of M112-113 with MTA1 or ZCCHC18 may be related to the pathogenesis of MCMV-associated disease in central nervous system.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Humans ; Immunoprecipitation ; Mice ; Muromegalovirus ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Protein Binding ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques ; Viral Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of microRNA-21(miR-21) in ovarian epithelial carcinoma and its association with the clinicopathological features.

METHODSThe expression of miR-21 was detected by Stem-loop real-time RT-PCR in 48 cases of ovarian epithelial carcinomas, 24 cases of benign ovarian epithelial tumors and 15 cases of normal ovarian tissues.

RESULTSThe relative expression level of miR-21(2-(DeltaDelta)CT) was 4.849-/+1.813 in the ovarian epithelial carcinomas, significantly higher than that in the benign ovarian tumors and normal ovarian tissues (P<0.01), but comparable between the latter two groups. The expression of miR-21 was not correlated to the histological type, but increased significantly with the progression of the clinical stages and histological grading (P<0.01), showing a close correlation to lymphatic metastasis.

CONCLUSIONMiR-21 might play a role as an oncogene in the tumorigenesis and development of ovarian epithelial carcinoma, and is possibly correlated to the progression and prognosis of ovarian epithelial carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the risk factors of cardiovascular disease in adolescents with a family history of hypertension.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 3874 adolescents ages 13-18 years,with normal BP in 3724 people.Based on family history of hypertension (FH),the cohort of adolescents were dichoto- mized as postive family history (FH~+,n=1145) and negative (FH~-,n=2579).Height,weight,waist circum- ference,hip circumference,blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) were determined.Results FH~+ adolescents had signifi- cantly higher levels of body mass index(BMI),waist circumference,WHR,FPG,TC and LDL-C(P

Objective To clone and identify the differentially expressed genes of rat intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC 6) before and after exposure to high dose radiation so as to provide proof for the investigation of the molecular mechanisms in the repair of radiation damage of intestinal epithelial cells. Methods A subtractive cDNA library for differentially expressed genes was constructed by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and T/A cloning technique after IEC 6 cells were exposed to radiation at the dose of 35 Gy ? ray. The expressed sequence tag (EST) library was screened by reverse Northern hybridization. Positive clones were sequenced and the similarity was searched against the DNA database in GenBank. Limited clones were identified by Northern hybridization. Results More than 2 000 white clones were harvested after the library amplification. Ninety six of them were randomly picked out for PCR amplification, and 15 positive clones which corresponded to 12 individual genes were identified by reverse Northern hybridization. These genes were involved in cell skeleton, cell stress, cell cycle control, and signal transduction, etc. In addition, a novel cDNA sequence was also obtained. Conclusion A subtractive cDNA library for differentially expressed genes in IEC 6 cells exposed to the radiation at the dose of 35 Gy ? ray has been successfully constructed with SSH and T/A clone techniques. Several positive ESTs which correspond to genes involving in cell skeleton, cell stress, cell cycle control, and signal transduction are identified. These genes may play important roles in the process of the damage and repair of the intestinal epithelial cells exposed to radiation.

Objective To evaluate the biological effect of a kind of protective cover against inhalation of depleted uranium (DU) dust particles. Methods At 1 and 3 d after inhalation of DU dust particles, uranium concentrations in the blood, lung, bronchia, kidney, and liver of the rats in the protected group and non protected group were measured and the efficiency of protection was calculated. Results Uranium levels in all tissues and fluids of the rats in the protected group decreased significantly to 71.2%-96.1% as compared with those in non protected group. Conclusion The protective cover is effective to reduce the harm due to inhalation of DU dust particles.

Objective:To investigate the effects of anemoside B4 on apoptosis of retinal cells in diabetic rats.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: the normal control(control), diabetic rats(DM)and diabetic rats treated with Anemoside B4(B4)groups(n=20, each group). Rats in the DM and B4 groups were rendered diabetic with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ, 60 mg/kg). After 3 days of successful modeling, rats in the B4 group were intraperitoneally injected with anemoside B4(5 mg/kg), twice/day, for 8 weeks, while rats in the control and DM groups were injected with an equivalent volume of normal saline.After 8 weeks of anemoside B4 and normal saline injection, rats were sacrificed and retinas were harvested for examination.Paraffin sections of retina were stained with the hematoxylin-eosin(H-E)method for morphological evaluation.Protein levels of Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by using Western blot.The expression of caspase-3 mRNA was detected with quantitative PCR.Results:H-E staining results showed the control group had intact retinal structure and clear morphological features, whereas disordered retinal structure, thinner layers, and sparse and disorganized cells were seen in the DM group.However, retinal structure and morphology were improved after treatment with anemoside B4.Compared with the control group, the protein expression of Bcl-2 was lower( t=57.81, P<0.01), the protein expression of Bax was higher( t=10.47, P<0.01), and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was lower( t=23.98, P<0.01)in the DM group.Compared with the DM group, the protein expression of Bcl-2 was higher( t=41.07, P<0.01), the protein expression of Bax was lower( t=6.811, P<0.01), and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was higher( t=14.70, P<0.01)in the B4 group.Caspase-3 mRNA expression was higher in the DM group than in the control group( t=7.916, P<0.01), but was lower in the B4 group compared with the DM group( t=6.221, P<0.01). Conclusions:Anemoside B4 can inhibit the apoptosis of retinal cells by up-regulating Bcl-2 expression and down-regulating Bax and caspase-3 expression in diabetic rats.

BACKGROUNDDiabetes management could be improved by diabetes education, through influencing attitudes towards diabetes, knowledge and behaviors of patients. The purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of diabetes education on glycemic control, and to assess the attitude, knowledge and self-care behavior in patients with type 2 diabetes in China.

METHODSThis questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 50 medical centers across China from April to July of 2010. The patients with type 2 diabetes were eligible for the study. The information of glycemic control and diabetes education was collected. The diabetes attitude scale-3 formulae, a questionnaire of diabetes knowledge and Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities scale were used to assess attitude, knowledge and the self-care of patients, respectively.

RESULTSAmong the 5961 eligible respondents (3233 males; mean age (59.50 ± 12.48) years; mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (8.27 ± 2.23)%), most patients (79.8%) considered themselves educated on diabetes. Compared with patients without diabetes education, their educated counterparts showed significant lower value of HbA1c, after controlling for age, gender, body mass index and duration of diabetes (P < 0.01). The patients who received diabetes education also performed significant higher scores on attitude, knowledge and self-care than their uneducated counterparts. Patients with lower income or education level tended to have higher glucose levels, and showed lower percentage of patients received diabetic education.

CONCLUSIONSChinese patients with diabetes education achieved better glycemic control than un-educated patients. Our study indicates effort is required to provide professional education to patients, with emphasis on lower income and lower education level populations.

Aged ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Data Collection ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Self Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires