Female ; Humans ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; therapy

Objective To study the expressions of programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in liver injury of acute liver failure (ALF) in rats and the role of PD-1/ PD-L1 in liver inflammatory injury. Methods SD rats were divided into two groups: 6 in normal group and 30 in ALF model group. The ALF models in rats were induced by D-galactosamine (D-Gal). The sera and hepatic tissue samples were collected at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours after D-Gal injection. Expressions of PD-1 mRNA and PD-L1 mRNA in hepatic tissue samples were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Comparison of measurement data between groups was done by t test. Correlation test was performed using Pearson linear correlation analysis. Results The levels of alanine animotransferase (ALT) and aspartate animotransferase (AST) at 12 h of D-Gal injection were (217. 3±33. 7) U/L and (397. 2± 101.3) U/L, respectively,which were both significantly higher than those in normal group [(30. 5 ±3. 1) U/L and (78. 6±4.2) U/L, respectively; t=-8. 921 and -6. 121, respectively; both P＜0.01] and peaked at 48 h.The expression of PD-1 mRNA in model group at 12 h (0. 385±0. 074) was significantly higher than that in normal group (0. 097±0.009) (t= -7. 725, P＜0.01) , and peaked at 48 h (0. 927±0. 132),then decreased obviously at 72 h. The expression of PD-L1 mRNA in the liver tissue of normal rats was very little, while that in model group was increased gradually over time, then peaked at 48 h (0. 593±0. 105; t =- 10. 076, P＜0. 01). The expressions of PD-1 and PD-L1 were positively correlated with ALT level (r=0. 807 and 0. 792, respectively; both P＜0. 01). Conclusion The expressions of PD-1/PD-L1 may play an important role in liver inflammatory injury in rat model of acute liver failure.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of beta-Elemene on expression of ANG II and RhoA/ROCK signaling in Hepatic Stellate Cells.

METHODIn vitro, HSC-T6 cell line was cultured for 24 hours and treated with several concentration of beta-elemene (5.0, 5.0, 2.5 mg x L(-1)) and Y-27632 (30 micromol x L(-1)) for 4, 12 and 24 h. Secretion of ANG II in the supernatant was detected by Radioimmunoassay. The mRNA expression of AGT, RhoA, ROCK-1 and ROCK-2 for 4 h, 12 h, 24 h was detected by RT-PCR respectively.

RESULTOn the time point of 4h, the secretion of ANG II in supernatant by 10 mg x L(-1) beta-elemene was 50.970 +/- 8.081 pmol x L(-1), vs the control group (74.500 +/- 10.999) pmol x L(-1), P < 0.05; 5.0 mg x L(-1) and 2.5 mg x L(-) beta-elemene had no inhibitory effect on the secretion of ANG II, P > 0.05. On the time point of 12h, the secretion of ANG II in supernatant by 10 mg x L(-1), 5 mg x L(-1) beta-elemene was 83.727 +/- 6.850 pmol x L(-1), 91.090 +/- 3.226 pmol x L(-1), respectively, lower than the control (104.367 +/- 5.030 pmol x L(-1)), P < 0.01, P < 0.05. On the time point of 24h, compared with the control (116.620 +/- 7.110) pmol x L(-1)), the secretion ofANGII in supernatant by 2.5 mg x L(-1) and 5 mg x L(-1) beta-elemene was (104.133 +/- 3.296) pmol x L(-1), (100.957 +/- 2.581) pmol x L(-1), respectively, P < 0.05, P < 0.01; but the effect of 10 mg x L(-1) beta-elemene was not obviouse, P > 0.05. Compared with control group, the mRNA expression of AGT by different concentration of beta-elemene were significantly inhibited on different time point (4, 12, 24 h), F value was 30.33, 28.04, 107.19, respectively, P = 0.000. On the time point of 4h, 12 h and 24 h, the RhoAmRNA expression could be inhibited by 2.5, 5.0, 10 mg x L(-1) beta-elemene, (P = 0.000), and there existed no dose dependence. On the time point of 4 h and 24 h, ROCK-1 and ROCK-2mRNA could be inhibited by 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg x L(-1) beta-elemene, P < 0.01, but on the time point of 12 h, there was no inhibitory effect.

CONCLUSIONBeta-elemene can inhibit the expression of AGTmRNA in HSC and the secretion of ANGII in supernatant. In addition, beta-elemene can inhibit the mRNA expression of RhoA, ROCK-1, ROCK-2mRNA to further regulate the biological effect of ANG II and delay the progress of hepatic fibrosis.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sesquiterpenes ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; rho-Associated Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

The key to maximize the sensitivity of inner filter effect ( IFE)-based assay is to enlarge the overlap between the absorption spectra of the absorber and the excitation or emission spectra of the fluorophore. In this work, Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots ( QDs) were chosen for IFE-based detection of β-glucuronidase ( GUS) , since the excitation of QDs was perfectly overlapped with the absorption of the substrate of GUS, namely 4-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucuronide ( PNPG) . In addition, the phosphorescence emission from Mn-doped ZnS QDs could eliminate the fluorescence background from biological samples. Therefore, a simple turn-on phosphorescent GUS assay was developed, with the linear range of 10-300 U/L and limit of detection of 7 U/L (S/N=3).

OBJECTIVETo explore the inflammatory cascade mechanism through Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) pathway after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, and to study molecular mechanisms of Guanmaitong (GMT) Tablet for protecting brain damage.

METHODSWe used bolt-line method to block/release the middle cerebral artery, causing cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury model. GMT Tablet was given by gastrogavage. Rats were then divided into the high dose GMT group (1200 mg/kg), the middle dose GMT group (600 mg/kg), the low dose GMT group (300 mg/kg), the positive control group (Tanakan, 20 mg/kg). Their right brain tissues were fixed in 10% neutral formalin. TLR2 expressions were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The total protein was extracted from right brain tissues by ultrasonica- tion. Expression levels of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), phospho-extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK), p38-mitogen activated protein kinases (p-ERK), phospho-p38-mitogen activated protein kinases [p-p38-MAPKs(p-p38)] were assessed by Western blot. Abdominal aortic blood was withdrawn. IL-6 and IL-1β levels were detected by ELISA in brain tissues and serum.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-oepration group, expression levels of TLR2, ERK, p-ERK, p38, p-p38 protein were up-regulated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and contents of IL-6 and IL-1β in brain tissues and serum were increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Expression levels of TLR2, ERK, p-ERK, p38, p-p38 were down-regulated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and contents of IL-6 and IL-1β were reduced in brain tissues and serum in middle and high dose GMT groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSTLR2 pathway was involved in cerebral I/R injury. GMT protected neurons by down-regulating protein expressions of TLR2, ERK, p-ERK, p38, p-p38 and contents of IL-1β and IL-6.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; Tablets ; Toll-Like Receptor 2 ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cognition and health education needs on child neglect among parents/carers to the preschool children in Guangdong Province.

METHODSA total of 621 parents/carers of preschool children aged 3-6 years from four cities (Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhongshan, and Foshan) in Guangdong Province completed self-designed questionnaires concerning the cognition and health education needs on child neglects.

RESULTSOnly 5.4% of the parents/carers had a good knowledge of child neglect, and 55.9% had never heard about this term. About 90.5%-90.7%of the surveyed parents/carers were willing to learn more about child neglect and 94.6%-97.4% of them agreed that education on child neglect was necessary. It was found that normal brochures, books, newspapers, and magazines were the preferred way of education for parents/carers (77.0%); also nearly half of the parents/carers welcomed courses (55.6%) or lectures (49.1%). Most of them believed that awareness raising activities should be carried out in kindergarten (70.5%), public places (61.4%) or by providing collective training for teachers in kindergarten (59.6%).

CONCLUSIONSMost parents/carers of preschool children in Guangdong Province have a poor knowledge of child neglect. Efforts should be made to strengthen awareness raising activities on this topic via appropriate pathways.

Caregivers ; Child Abuse ; Child, Preschool ; Cognition ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Education ; Humans ; Parents

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of formula of removing both phlegm and blood stasis (TYTZ) on myocardial tissues of Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome.

METHODTotally 36 Chinese mini-swine were randomly divided to six groups: the normal control group, the model group, the Danlou tablet group, and TYTZ groups with doses of 2.0, 1.0, 0.5 g x kg(-1), with six in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of other groups were fed with high-fat diet for 2 weeks. Interventional balloons are adopted to injure their left anterior descending artery endothelium. After the operation, they were fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks to prepare the coronary heart disease model of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome in Chinese mini-swine. After the operation, they were administered with drugs for 8 weeks. The SOD activity and MDA content of each group were observed at the 0th week (before the experiment), the 2nd week after the high-fat diet (before the operation or drug administration) , the 6th week after the high-fat diet (4 weeks after the drug administration) and the 10th week after the high-fat diet (8 weeks after the drug administration). Meanwhile, the myocardial enzymogram test and the HE staining pathological observation were performed at the end of the experiment. The changes in the myocardial cell ultra-structure were observed under transmission electron microscope.

RESULTCompared with the normal control group, the model group showed significant decrease in serum SOD activity and notable increase in MDA content from the 2nd week to the end of experiment (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). In the 10th week, the CK, LDH and CK-MB levels in serum also significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), with obvious structural abnormality in myocardial tissue pathologic morphology and ultra-structure. Compared with the model group, TYTZ groups showed specific increase in serum SOD activity and oblivious decrease in the MDA level (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Meanwhile, TYTZ could significantly decrease serum CK and LDH levels in the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), attenuate the ischemia injury of myocardial tissue, and improve the ultra-structure of cardiomyocytes.

CONCLUSIONTYTZ shows an obvious protective effect on the myocardial injury in Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. Its mechanism is related to the resistance against free radical oxidation injury and the inhibition of the lipid per-oxidation.

Animals ; Coronary Artery Disease ; genetics ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mucus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of acupoint sticking therapy with Mian Tan Gao (facial paralysis paste) plus electroacupuncture (EA) for treating peripheral facial paralysis and its influence on patients' facial nerve functions, facial disability index and clinical symptoms and signs. Methods: A total of 96 peripheral facial paralysis patients were allocated into an observation group, a medicine group and an EA group by simple randomization, with 32 cases in each group. Patients in the medicine group were treated with oral mecobalamine and prednisone acetate; patients in the EA group were treated with EA on the basis of the medicine treatment; while patients in the observation group were treated with acupoint sticking therapy with Mian Tan Gao (facial paralysis paste) plus EA. After 4-week treatment, the clinical efficacy, the adverse events, and the scores of House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function grading scale, visual analog scale (VAS), clinical symptoms and signs, and facial disability index (FDI) were compared. Results: After 4-week treatment, the total effective rate was 96.9％ in the observation group, higher than 68.7％ in the medicine group and 75.0％ in the EA group (both P<0.05). After 4-week treatment, the scores of H-B grading scale, VAS and clinical symptoms and signs in the three groups dropped significantly compared with those before treatment, and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the medicine group and EA group (all P<0.05). After 4-week treatment, the facial disability index-physical function (FDIP) in the FDI in the three groups increased significantly, with a higher value in the observation group compared with that in the medicine group and EA group (both P<0.05). The facial disability index-social function (FDIS) in the FDI dropped significantly, with a lower score in the observation group compared with that in the medicine group and EA group (both P<0.05). However, the comparisons of the items above between the medicine group and the EA group showed no statistical significance (all P>0.05). The between-group comparison of the adverse event across the three groups showed no statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion: Acupoint sticking therapy with Mian Tan Gao (facial paralysis paste) plus EA can decrease H-B grade, reduce pain severity and improve clinical symptoms and signs as well as the facial disability condition in peripheral facial paralysis patients. This method produced more significant efficacy compared with oral medicine and medicine plus EA.

[Objective] To explore whether the triglyceride level is associated with incidence of acute kidney injury in patients with acute pancreatitis. [Methods] From Jan 2015 to March 2017, 184 patients with acute pancreatitis were selected and divided in to 3 groups based on different triglyceride levels: ideal triglyceride group (n = 89) , mild high triglyceride group (n = 53) and severe high triglyceride group (n =42). The incidence of acute kidney injury and its severity were compared between the three groups.[Results]The incidence of acute kidney injury in severe high triglyceride group was 33.3％, significantly higher than that in ideal triglyceride group (12.3％). The surgical treatment (16.7％ vs 4.5％) , average hospitalization days (20 days vs 14 days) and systemic inflammatory response syndrome score (3.0 vs2.3) in severe high triglyceride group were higher than those in ideal triglyceride group, and all differences between the two groups were significant. After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, body mass index and other confounders, the risk of acute kidney injury occurring in severe high triglyceride group was 2.35 times that in ideal triglyceride group (95％CI: 1.32-4.29). [Conclusion] High triglyceride level proves to be associated with high risk of acute kidney injury in patients with acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUNDRetinal vein occlusion (RVO) is one of the most common causes of visual loss. Many approaches have been tried to treat central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), and branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) with various results. However, there is no defined protocol and limited evidence to support the interventions currently used. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the traditional Chinese medicine Fufang XueShuan Tong (FXST) in treating experimentally created RVO.

METHODSRVO model was first induced in forty-four pigmented rabbits through photocoagulation following injection of rose Bengal. The rabbits were divided into four groups based on the dose of FXST administered (212 mg/kg, 424 mg/kg, 848 mg/kg and control group). The rabbits were observed for four weeks after the procedure, using color fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography and electroretinogram examination. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 and nitric oxide (NO) levels in the vitreous and histopathologic evaluation were monitored.

RESULTSThe obstructed vessels in the treatment groups reopened or anastomosed faster than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The amplitude of maximum b wave and the oscillatory potential were significantly higher in the treatment groups than in the control group (P < 0.01). At both two weeks and four weeks, VEGF and IL-6 levels in the vitreous were significantly decreased in the treatment groups (P < 0.01), while NO levels were significantly elevated (P < 0.01). At the same time, histopathologic evaluation showed different retinal neuroepithelium structures in the different groups. Immunoreactivity of VEGF was greater in the control group than in the treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONFXST was helpful in reconstructing retinal vessels in the RVO model, protecting retinal structures and improving visual function, and could inhibit the neovascular factor.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism