Objective To assay the level of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and healthy controls and compare the difference between SLE group and control group, and to analyze between the level of NETs and related laboratory parameters. Methods Forty-four females patients with SLE were recruited as research subjects, with 24 cases in the active stage and 20 in stable stage. Forty-two healthy female volunteers matched in age were enrolled as control subjects. The fluorescence intensity of NETs in neutrophils was detected by fluorospectrophotometry. The concentration of neutrophil elastase in plasma was quantitatively detected. Statistical analysis of the difference of level of NETs between the SLE group and control group was conducted. Then the correlation between the fluorescence intensity of NETs and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), and anti-histone, and anti-nucleosome, and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) was analyzed respectively. The same tests were conducted for the level of NE. The results of the two groups were compared using analysis of variance and the relevance was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis. NETs morphosis was observated by immunoflurescence method, and the difference of NETs between SLE group and control group was analyzed. Results ① The fluorescence intensity of NETs was significantly increased in SLE group(241±139) than that in the control group (173±135), (t=2.31, P<0.05).②The concentration of NE in the SLE group (102±47) was significantly higher than that in the control group (62±22), t= 4.38, P<0.01. No difference of NETs [(274±168) vs (211±102), t=1.52, P>0.05] and NE concentration [(104±43) vs (96±48), t=0.50, P>0.05] between SLE active stage and stable stage was detected. ③ The fluorescence intensity of NETs in SLE patients was positively correlated with SLEDAI, but had no obvious correlation with anti-dsDNA, anti-histone, anti-nucleosome, CRP or ESR, respectively. ④Images under confocal microscope showed that more NETs generated by PMN from SLE patients than that from controls. Conclusion The generation of NETs is enhanced in female patients with SLE. And NETs may relate to disease activity. However, NETs may not induce the production of autoantibodies.

Objective: To investigate the effect of rhubarb on gastrointestinal blood perfusion in critical illness and hemorrhagic shocked rats.Methods: Clinical Study: Sixty-four septic patients, who suffered from stress ulcer, were treated with rhubarb at a dose of 25 mg/kg. Twenty-five non-septic patients were taken as control. The gastrointestinal perfusion was evaluated by intramural pH (pHi). Animal study: SD rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital at a dose of 20 mg/kg. Blood-letting were performed in the animals. Blood pressure reduced to 5.32 kPa and maintained for 120 mins. They were resuscitated at the end of shock by reinfusing all of the shed blood. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: Normal control, shock group, therapeutic group (shocked rats were treated with 50 mg/kg rhubarb at the end of shock) and rhubarb group (normal rats were treated with rhubarb). Laser Doppler was applied to estimate the gastrointestinal blood perfusion. Results: Clinical Study: The gastrointestinal pHi in septic patients was much lower than that in the control, whereas rhubarb could obviously elevate gastrointestinal pHi (P<0.001). In addition, rhubarb also had good effect on gastric hemorrhage caused by stress ulcer. Animal Study: Although the shocked rats were resuscitated completely, their gastrointestinal blood perfusion was much lower than that in the control. Rhubarb could significantly improve the blood perfusion in gastrointestinal mucosa and mesentery (P<0.01). Furthermore, rhubarb also increase the gastrointestinal perfusion in normal rats. Conclusion: Rhubarb could improve gastrointestinal blood perfusion in critical illness and shocked rats.

·AIM: To study the effect of an intravitreal injection of angiostatin on vascular leakage in the retina and iris of oxygen-induced retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).·METHODS: Brown Norway rats at postnatal day 7 (P7) were exposed to hyperoxia (750mL/L O2 )for 5 days (P7-12) and then returned to normoxia to induce retinopathy. Angiostatin was reconstituted in sterile Phosphate Buffered Saline(PBS) and diluted to desired different concentrations. Angiostatin solution was injected into the vitreous of the right eye of the ROP rats at P14 and the age-matched normal rats through pars plana using a glass capillary, and the left eye received the same volume of sterile PBS as the control. Vascular permeability was quantified at 1, 2 and 3 days after the injection by measuring albumin leakage from blood vessels into the retina and iris using the Evans blue method and normalized by total protein concentrations. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in retina was evaluated using the Western Blot analysis and immuno-histochemistry 24 hours following the injection.·RESULTS: ROP rats showed significant increases of vascular permeability in the retina and iris (P<0.01). Angio-statin reduces vascular permeability in a dose-dependent manner in the retina of ROP rats. The reduction showed a time course trend. [Angiostatin injection reduced retinal vascular permeability by approximately 1.5 and 2-fold at P15 (P<0.05) and P16 (P<0.01), respectively.] Angiostatin injection significantly reduced VEGF levels in the retina of ROP rats but did not affect retinal VEGF levels in normal rats.·CONCLUSION: Angiostatin significantly decreases pa-thological vascular permeability in the retina and iris of ROP rats but not in normal rats. Angiostatin down-regulates VEGF expression in retina of ROP rats. These results suggest that angiostatin may have a therapeutic potential in the treatment of ROP and other diseases with vascular leakage.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to investigate the value of child oral health for Chengdu parents, their intentions, and factors influencing their decision to acquire oral insurance coverage for their childrens.

METHODSA total of 562 Chengdu parents were interviewed using questionnaires by convenient sampling, and the results were analyzed using SPSS 20.0.

RESULTSThe age of children (B = -1.741, P = 0.004), age of parents (B = 2.031, P = 0.003), level of oral discomfort (B = 0.569, P = 0.000), incurring/not incurring oral care expenses in the previous year (B = 1.897, P = 0.014), the last time parents' had teeth cleaned (B = 0.777, P = 0.006), and acquiring/not acquiring commercial insurance coverage (B = 1.632, P = 0.031) significantly influenced the intention of acquiring child oral insurance.

CONCLUSIONChild oral health, health and insurance awareness of parents, and other factors influenced the intention of parents to purchase oral insurance coverage for their children, which were significant to establish pediatric dental insurance.

Child ; China ; Dental Care ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Insurance, Dental ; economics ; Oral Health ; economics ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires

To explore the relationship and possible mechanism of reproductive function of bisphenol A (BPA) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Serum specimens were collected from 43 PCOS patients and 37 healthy women.And the level of BPA was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The serum level of BPA in PCOS were significantly higher than that in the control group.And the inter-group difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).The patient level of BPA was positively related with obesity and basic luteinizing hormone (LH) (P ＜ 0.05).In the PCOS group,no significant correlation existed between hyperandrogenemia and non-hyperandrogenemia (P ＞ 0.05).Although no difference existed between insulin and non-insulin resistance,the level of BPA in insulin resistance group was lower than in non-insulin resistance group.A higher level of BPA may be associated with obesity and basic LH in PCOS.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of etanercept combined leflunomide to treat ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its safety.Methods:90 cases with AS patients admitted in our hospital from June 2016 to January 2015 were selected.The patients were divided into observation group and control group by random number table method,45 cases in each group.Observation group was treated with etanercept combined with leflunomide,the control group were treated by leflunomide only.Morning stiffness time,AS activity index (BASDAI),AS measurement index (BASMI) were recorded before and after treatment in two groups,the total effective rate and adverse reaction were compared between the two groups.Results:After treatment,the BASDAI and morning stiffness time,BASMI of two groups of patients compared with before treatment were decreased,and the indexes above of the observation group were significantly lower than the control group,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05);The effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05);During the course of treatment,the main adverse reactions occurred in patients with liver function damage,diarrhea and allergic skin rash,but there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P＞0.05).Conclusion:Etanercept combined with leflunomide can obtain ideal effect,and low incidence rate of adverse reaction,it is worth popularizing in clinical use.

Objective To observe the effect of Xijiaodihuang decoction on the release of inflammatory mediators and prognosis in elderly patients with sepsis.Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. Seventy-four patients with sepsis admitted to the Department of Geriatrics of Changshu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Affiliated to Nanjing University of TCM from March 2015 to February 2017, and they were divided into a TCM treatment group and a control group randomly, 37 cases in each group, there were 2 patients transferred to other department during the period of study to continue treatment, 2 patients discharged automatically and 1 case transferred to other hospital in the TCM treatment group; and there were 3 patients transferred to other hospital, 1 patient discharged automatically, 1 patient dead in 7 days after entering the control group and 1 patient transferred to other department during the period of observation to continue treatment in the control group. Finally, 32 patients were in TCM treatment group and 31 patients in the control group, completing the study. All patients in the two groups received conventional treatment of sepsis, patients in the TCM treatment group took Xijiaodihuang decoction 100 mL concentrated [rhinoceros horn (replaced with buffalo horn) 30 g, rehmannia root 24 g, peony 12 g, tree peony bark 9 g] taken orally or by nasal feeding, and patients in the control group received the same amount of normal saline, the two groups were treated 1 time a day for consecutive 7 days to complete 1 therapeutic course, then the treatment efficacy was evaluated in the two groups. The differences of serum interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), white blood cells (WBC), C-reaction protein (CRP), lactate levels between the two groups were compared before treatment and on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day after treatment, the incidence of staying in intensive care unit (ICU), time of staying in ICU and 28-day mortality were also observed. The 28-day survival rate between two groups was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve.Results After treatment in the two groups, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α had a tendency of increase at first and then decrease. After treatment for 14 days, the IL-1β was significantly lower in the TCM treatment group than that of the control group (ng/L: 83.27±21.84 vs. 96.73±26.33), the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in TCM treatment group were obviously lower than those in the control group since 7 days after treatment [IL-6 (ng/L): 48.27±24.13 vs. 62.15±24.34, TNF-α (μg/L): 1.41±0.31 vs. 1.96±0.29]. IL-6 and TNF-α were still lower than those in the control group until 14 days after treatment [IL-6 (ng/L): 29.25±18.57 vs. 56.24±23.61, TNF-α (μg/L) 1.35±0.28 vs. 1.83±0.22, allP < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in WBC and CRP between the two groups before and after treatment (bothP > 0.05). After treatment, the lactate in the control group was gradually decreased, while in the TCM treatment group, the lactate level after treatment presented a tendency firstly decreased and then elevated, and after treatment for 3 days in TCM treatment group, the level of lactate began markedly lower than that in the control group (mmol/L: 1.26±0.43 vs. 2.01±0.59,P < 0.05). The ICU hospitalization rate and ICU length of stay in the TCM treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group [56.25% (18/32) vs. 83.87% (26/31), (10.2±5.4) days vs. (13.5±5.8) days], and the 28-day mortality was also obviously lower in TCM treatment group than that in control group [9.37% (3/32) vs. 29.03% (9/31)]. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the 28-day survival rate in TCM treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group (P = 0.045).Conclusion Xijiaodihuang decoction can reduce the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and lactate in serum, reduce the incidence of staying in ICU, decrease the time of staying in ICU and improve the prognosis of elderly patients with sepsis.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of Rbl on action potentials and force of contraction in guinea pig ventricular papillary muscles.

METHODThe ventricular papillary muscles of guinea pig were isolated regularly and immersed with Tyrode, s solution. The effects of Rbl (purified saponins of panaxnotoginseng) on the action potentials (AP), the slow action potentials and the force of contraction (FC) of the muscles were studied. The AP and FC were measured synchronously.

RESULTRbl shortened the duration of AP, including APD2O and APD90, and reduced the FC(n = 5, P < 0.01), but didn't affect the rest potential (RP), the amplitude of action potential (APA), overshot (OS) and maximal upstrok velocity (Vmax). Rbl also decreased the APA of slow action potential, but quinidine had no such effects.

CONCLUSIONRbl may be a channel blocker.

Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Animals ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Ginsenosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Panax ; chemistry ; Papillary Muscles ; physiology

Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; CD28 Antigens ; blood ; metabolism ; CD4 Antigens ; blood ; metabolism ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Immunophenotyping ; methods ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neprilysin ; blood ; metabolism ; Receptors, Complement 3d ; blood ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo develop a screening program for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) carriers, and to assess the carrier frequency and detection rate in Shanghai region.

METHODSQuantitative analysis of the SMN1 gene by real-time PCR was developed using specimens from 15 SMA patients and 76 SMA parents from 38 affected nuclear families. A pilot screening was carried out for 1741 asymptomatic pregnant women. Frequencies of SMN1 alleles were determined with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

RESULTSForty five out of the 1741 women were identified as SMA carriers by the presence of single copy of SMN1. The frequencies of no copy, 1 copy, 2 copy and 3 copy alleles were 1.37 U+00D7 10-2, 9.45 U+00D7 10-1, 2.80 U+00D7 10-2 and 1.27 U+00D7 10-2, respectively. The adjusted SMA carrier frequency was 1:35 with a detection rate of 94.49%. For those with a negative screening result, individuals with 3 copies carried a higher residual risk.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of SMA carriers in Shanghai region is similar with that in Caucasian populations. Carrier screening has high detection efficiency. An effort should be made to further distinguish SMN1 gene copy numbers for those with more than 2 copies, since accurate determination of 2 and 3 copy allele frequencies is essential for post-screening genetic consulting.

Alleles ; Female ; Gene Dosage ; Gene Frequency ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Pilot Projects ; Pregnancy ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein ; genetics