OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between arachidonic acid (AA) and acute red blood cells damage in rats, and to build a model with hidden blood loss in vivo, and to explore the pathological mechenism of hidden blood loss.

METHODSA total of 50 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats weighing (200 ± 20) g were randomly divided into five groups (n = 10): control group and four experimental groups. The rats in the experimental groups were given 0.5 ml different concentrations of AA dilu- ents, 5, 10, 20, 40 mmol/L respectively. The blood samples were collected from orbital venous at the beginning and 24, 48, 72 hours after administration. Then the changes of hemoglobin (Hb) ,red blood cell count (RBC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH- PX) activity, total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and hydrogen peroxide (H202) in the blood samples were tested.

RESULTSSignificant hidden blood loss occurred when the concentration was 10 mmol/L in the experimental group, with the RBC and Hb sharply reduced in blood samples. The Hb and RBC were reduced in all the experimental groups and control group at 24 hours after administration, while in the experimental groups they changed more obviously. The GSH-PX activity, T-SOD activity and H₂O₂were also significantly reduced in all groups, and the changes showed significant differences. The Hb and RBC were relatively stable in the control group and the experimental groups at 48 hours after administration; while GSH-PX activity, T-SOD activity and H₂O₂were all significantly decreased, and the changes in the experimental groups were more notable.

CONCLUSIONElevated levels of AA in the blood causes oxidative stress in the red blood cells, leading to the damage of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which is responsible for hidden blood loss.

Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; toxicity ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; blood ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

AIM: To study the effect of calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) on icariin (ICA) induced mouse embryonic stem cells ( mESCs) to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in vitro.METHODS:mESCs were cultured to embry-oid bodies ( EBs) by direct suspension method and the differentiation of EBs into cardiomyocytes was induced by ICA.The expression of cardiac specific proteinsα-actinin and cardiac troponin-I ( cTnI) was analyzed by Western blot and immuno-fluorescence.The differentiation rate was determined by flow cytometry.The ultrastructure of the derived cardiomyocytes was further characterized by transmission electron microscopy.The expression of cardiac-specific transcription factors Nkx2.5 and GATA-4,as well as CaSR was detected by Western blot.RESULTS: After induction with ICA, the positive characteristics of myocardial cells appeared in the EBs cultured for 2 d.The expression of cardiac-specific sarcomeric pro-tein actinin (α-actinin) and cTnI showed an overall upward trend by Western blot in different phases of ICA induced differ-entiation.The expression of CaSR, Nkx2.5 and GATA-4 was the highest at an early stage of ICA-induced differentiation. Neomycin (an activator of CaSR) up-regulated CaSR, NKx2.5 and GATA-4 expression in the EBs at early stage of ICA-in-duced differentiation, all of which were reversed by NPS2390 ( an inhibitor of CaSR) .CONCLUSION:CaSR is function-ally expressed in mESC-derived cardiomyocytes, and activation of CaSR is involved in the differentiation of mESCs into car-diomyocytes by facilitating the expression of NKx2.5 and GATA-4.

Objective To study the effect of serotonergic efferent projection of the dorsal rophe nucleus (DRN) on the activity of substantia nigro pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmenta area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons after lesioning of the DRN by the neurotoxin 5,7-drhydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) in rot. Methods The changes in the firing rote and firing pattern of SNc and VTA dopaminergic neurons were observed with extrocellular recording in control and the lesioned rats. Results The results showed that the mean firing rotes of the fast-firing dopaminergic neurons of the SNc in control and the lesioned rots were (5.34±0. 13 ) Hz (n = 23 ) and ( 7.13±0. 49 ) Hz (n=37), respectively. The mean firing rote of the fast-firing dopaminergic neurons of the SNc in the lesioned rats was significantly increased when compared to that of control rots (P<0.01), while the mean firing rote of the slow-firing dopaminergic neurons of the SNc did not change. The mean firing rotes of dopaminergic neurons of the VTA in control and the lesioned rots were (5.27±0. 38)Hz (n=35) and (3.6±0.2)Hz (n=52), respectively. Lesioning of the DRN induced a significant decrease in the mean firing rote of dopaminergic neurons of the VTA. The firing pattern of SNc and VTA dopaminergic neurons changed towards a more bursting or irrgular firing after the lesioning. Conlusion These data suggest that the serotonergic efferent projections of the DRN significantly affect the activity of SNe and VTA dopaminergic neurons.

Objective To study the changes in neuronal activity of the zone incerta (ZI) following the unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway. Methods Eiectrophysiological recordings of ZI neurons were made in normal rats and in two groups of rats at different time intervals after injection of 6-hydrodopamine (6-OHDA) into the pars compacta of snbstantia nigra by extracellular recording in vivo. Results The results showed a significant increase in the mean firing rate of ZI during the second and fourth weeks after 6-OHDA lesion [-n=32, (3.6±2. 2)Hz, P<0.001; n=35, (9.3±6.6)Hz, P<0. 001, respectively] compared to that of normal rats [n=39, (9.2±5.2)Hz]. However, no significant change was observed between two groups of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. With regard to firing pattern, 7.7%(3/39) of ZI neurons discharged regularly, 82.1% (32/39) irregularly and 10. 3% (4/39) in bursts in normal rats. During the second week after 6-OHDA lesion, the regular, irregular and bursting firing neurons recorded in the ZI were 9.4% (3/32), 59. 4% (19/32) and 31.3% (10/32), and during fourth week, the regular, irregular and bursting firing neurons were 14.3% (5/35), 57.1% (20/35) and 28. 6% (10/35), respectively. The firing pattern of the neurons in the three different groups did not change significantly. Conclusion These results suggest that the firing rate of ZI neurons in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats is increased significantly, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease.

Objective:To explore the epidemiological characteristics and the antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, and to provide the evidence for the rational use of antimicrobial agents to treat Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Methods:The positive microbiological laboratory identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae from sputum of children with respiratory infections during January 2010 to December 2017 in Children′s Hospital of Soochow University were retrospectively analyzed. The positive rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae of different genders, ages, years and seasons were compared. The annual detection rates and trends of drug resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin, amoxicillin and cefotaxime were analyzed by Mann-Kendall trend test. The seasonal decomposition of time series was conducted to assess the association between Streptococcus pneumoniae detection rate and season. Enumeration data was compared using χ2 test. Results:Of the 88 480 sputum specimens, the total positive rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 10.3%(9 081/88 480). The detection rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children aged 0 to <0.5 years old, 0.5 to <2 years old, 2 to <3 years old, 3 to <5 years old, and 5 to <15 years old were 4.2%(1 407/33 224), 13.1%(3 191/24 390), 14.9%(2 417/16 252), 17.9%(1 474/8 246) and 9.3%(592/6 368), respectively. The difference was statistically significant ( χ2=2 421.6, P<0.01). The detection rates were 8.1%(1 321/16 306) from January to March, 10.9%(2 194/20 207) from April to June, 8.5%(2 141/25 058) from July to September, and 12.7%(3 425/26 909) from October to December. The discrepancy of positive rates in different seasons showed statistical significance ( χ2=311.5, P<0.01). During 2010 to 2017, significant decreases in antibiotic resistant rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin, amoxicillin and cefotaxime were detected (tau=-0.93, -0.93 and -0.71, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The detection rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae in sputum of children with respiratory infections may present seasonal pattern and vary between different ages of children. The resistance to β-lactam antibiotics has declined.

AIM:To observe the functional expression of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in the mouse em-bryonic stem cells (mESCs).METHODS:The expression and distribution of CaSR were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence observation in 129 mouse ES-D3 cells.The intracellular concentration of free calcium ([Ca2+]i) was determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy .The cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry .RE-SULTS:CaSR protein was expressed in mESCs .Extracellular calcium or neomycin significantly increased the expression of CaSR and [Ca2+]i.Neomycin increased the cell viability , up-regulated the protein expression of p-ERK2.These effects of neomycin were inhibited by NPS2390.CONCLUSION:CaSR is expressed in mESCs .The activation of CaSR is involved in the proliferation of mESCs .

Objective To explore the expression of silencer of death domains(SODD) and its clinical significance and relationship with phospho-NF-?B-p65 proteins in bone marrow cells of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL)in children,and the expression of SODD and phospho-NF-?B-p65 in Jurkat cells treated with chemotherapeutic drugs in order to find a new chemotherapeutic target.Methods The expressions of SODD and phospho-NF-?B-p65 proteins in bone marrow cells were detected by immunohistochemistry in 25 children with ALL.The apoptosis incidence was measured by Annexin-V-Fluorescence/PI double-labeling flow cytometry and the expression of SODD and phospho-NF-?B-p65 proteins were determined by Western blotting in Jurkat cells.Results It was found that the expression of SODD and active p65 expression in ALL were significantly higher than those in healthy control group.The expression of SODD and phospho-NF-?B-p65 proteins in the high-risk(HR) group was significantly higher than those in standard-risk(SR) group(Pa

OBJECTIVEThe ventral part of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays an important role in initiation and control of voluntary movement, mood and cognition. However, after the degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway, the neuronal activity of the ventral mPFC and the role of serotonin(1A) (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT(1A)) receptors in the firing of the neurons are still unknown. The present study is to investigate the change of neuronal activity in the ventral mPFC and the effect of systemic administration of the selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY-100635 on the activity of the neurons in normal and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats.

METHODSSingle unit responses were recorded extracellularly with glass microelectrodes from ventral mPFC neurons in normal rats and 6-OHDA unilaterally lesioned rats in vivo.

RESULTS6-OHDA lesion of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) significantly increased the firing rate with no change in the firing pattern of neurons of the ventral mPFC in rats. Systemic administration of WAY-100635 (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) did not change the mean firing rate and firing pattern of ventral mPFC neurons in normal rats. In contrast, WAY-100635 significantly decreased the mean firing rate of the neurons in rats with 6-OHDA lesion of the SNc.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that the degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway results in an increase of neuronal activity of ventral mPFC and dysfunction of 5-HT(1A) receptor.

Action Potentials ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Neostriatum ; physiology ; Neural Pathways ; drug effects ; physiology ; physiopathology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; physiology ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology ; Piperazines ; pharmacology ; Prefrontal Cortex ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Pyridines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A ; metabolism ; Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Antagonists ; Serotonin Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Substantia Nigra ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the firing activity of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) in a rat model of Parkinson disease (PD).

METHODS2 and 4 weeks after unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway in the rat by local injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the right substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), the firing activity of noradrenergic neurons in LC was recorded by extracellular single unit recording.

RESULTSThe firing rate of LC noradrenergic neurons increased significantly 2 and 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesions compared to normal rats, respectively (P < 0.05). The percentage of irregularly firing neurons was obviously higher than that of normal rats during the fourth week after SNc lesion (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLC noradrenergic neurons are overactive and more irregular in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. These changes suggest an implication of the LC in the pathophysiological mechanism of PD.

Action Potentials ; physiology ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Locus Coeruleus ; pathology ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the comprehensive workplace health promotion intervention effect in a pharmaceutical company.

METHODSThe evaluation was conducted by using questionnaires, access to information, on-site surveys, satisfaction surveys and interviews.

RESULTSAfter the intervention, the awareness rate of the staff on "Occupational Disease Prevention Law", occupational disease prevention measures, the definition of hypertension, HIV transmission and high blood pressure, coronary heart disease preventive measures, have been raised from 72.4%, 13.8%, 67.5%, 45.8%, 51.7% to 97.8%, 19.9%, 82.3%, 94.7%, 53.1% respectively. The lifestyle of the staff has been improved, the improvement rate of smoking, drinking, having breakfast 4 times a week and above are 98.5%, 70.2% and 30.6% separately. Out of the 47 evaluation indicators, 41 meet the requirements, 5 basically meet the requirements.

CONCLUSIONAfter implementing workplace health promotion activities, the level of occupational safety and health management of the pharmaceutical company has been enhanced, the physical and mental health of the staff have been promoted. The WHP comprehensive interventions are feasible and effective.

Drug Industry ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Occupational Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workplace