Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the electro-clinical characteristics of epilepsy and immunological markers in patients with epilepsy after infl uenza-associated encephalopathy/encephalitis (IAE). Methods: Eighteen patients with epilepsy after IAE (8 males, 10 females; mean age of onset 6.4±6.4 years) were studied. Antibodies to glutamate receptor (GluR) ε2 (NR2B) were examined by immunoblot and ELISA. Cytokines were measured by BioPlex. Results: Mean interval between IAE and epilepsy onset was 63.2 ± 95.0 days (mean ± SD). In 16 of 18 patients, complex partial seizures were observed. Most complex partial seizures were of short durations and showed few lateralizing signs. Interictal discharges were seen in the frontal area in 7 of 14 patients. Ictal EEG showed rapid propagation to bilateral hemispheres. Patients with higher cerebrospinal fl uid levels of anti-GluRε2 antibodies, higher cerebrospinal fl uid levels of IL-1β, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 and IFN-γ during chronic stage, had higher frequency of epileptic seizures. Conclusion: This study indicates that the frontal lobes are susceptible to rapid epileptogenesis after IAE, and that epileptic partial seizures after IAE had characteristics resembling generalized seizures. Presence of anti-GluRε2 antibodies and elevated IL-1β, TNFα, and IFN-γ in cerebrospinal fl uid may be associated with intractability of epileptic seizures.

Silicosis is one of the most serious occupational diseases in China and dates back to centuries ago. In this study, we successfully established a rat model of silicosis by intratracheal silica injection for 28 days and determined hydroxyproline levels to evaluate collagen metabolism in lung homogenates. Oxidative stress status was evaluated by detecting catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Expression levels of peroxiredoxins (Prx I and Prx VI) were detected by Western blotting. Pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A) levels in rat serum and lung tissue were analyzed by ELISA, and SP-A and Prx expression levels in lung tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. The results suggest that Prx proteins may be involved in pulmonary fibrosis induced by silica. Downregulation of SP-A expression caused due to silica is an important factor in the occurrence and development of silicosis.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Lung ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxiredoxin VI ; genetics ; metabolism ; Peroxiredoxins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; genetics ; metabolism

In order to study human acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in vivo, a novel xenotransplant model was established by using neonatal NOD/SCID/IL2 receptor γ chain(null) mouse. The CD34(+)CD19(+) bone marrow (BM) cells were sorted from the CD3(-)CD4(-)CD8(-) fraction of B-ALL patients by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and injected into 100 cGy irradiated neonatal NOD/SCID/IL2rγ(null) mice through facial vein. The engraftment and proliferation of human B-ALL cells were monitored by the presence of human CD45(+)CD19(+) cells in peripheral blood (PB). Human hematopoietic chimerism in PB, BM and spleen of the recipients was examined by multiparameter flow cytometry. Morphological analyses of FACS-sorted murine marrow cells were performed by using May-Grunwald-Giemsa staining. Furthermore, leukemia cell infiltration in the organs was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The results indicated that the sorted CD34(+)CD19(+) cells were able to initiate human B-ALL in vivo. The percentages of human CD45(+)CD19(+) cells in PB, BM and spleen of the recipient mice were (83.36 ± 10.05)%, (93.88 ± 5.05)% and (88.31 ± 5.01)%, respectively. Furthermore, the phenotype and morphology of the engrafted human cells were resemble to the original B-ALL cells from the patients. Similar to the clinical features, transplanted leukemic cells infiltrated into the organs, such as liver, lung, kidney and brain in the recipients. It is concluded that neonatal NOD/SCID/IL2rγ(null) mice can support efficient engraftment of the sorted CD34(+)CD19(+) cells from human B-ALL for a long-term period. Human-mouse xenotransplant model using neonatal NOD/SCID/IL2rγ(null) mouse may provide an important system to study the biology of human B-ALL in vivo.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, SCID ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; immunology

Objective To study the effect of atmospheric particulate exposure on the expression of key molecules of Nrf2 signaling pathway involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory response factors in myocardium of rats fed with high-fat and high-glucose diet. Methods A total of 48 SD male rats were randomly divided into control group (CC group), high-fat and high-glucose diet group (HC group), atmospheric particulates group (CP group) and atmospheric particulates plus high-fat and high-glucose diet group (HP group), with 12 rats in each group.Rats were fed in individual ventilated cages (IVC).The CC and HC groups were placed in IVCs equipped with the atmospheric particulate filter, however, the CP and HP groups without the atmospheric particulate filter to make the air composition similar to the outdoor.A total of 24 rats were sacrificed for acquiring myocardial tissue after 3 and 6 months of exposure.The mRNA expression of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, VCAM-1 and MCP-1 were measured using RT-qPCR and the protein expression of VCAM-1, MCP-1 detected using western blot. Results The mRNA expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, VCAM-1 and MCP-1 and the protein expression levels of VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in HC, CP and HP groups were higher than CC group (P < 0.05).The mRNA expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, VCAM-1, MCP-1 and the protein expression levels of VCAM-1, MCP-1 in the HP group were higher than HC and CP groups (P < 0.05).The mRNA expression levels of Nrf2 in CP and HP groups after 6 months of exposure were lower than that at 3 months (P < 0.05). Conclusion The exposure of atmospheric particles, high-fat and high-glucose and their combination diets could cause myocardial tissue inflammatory responses, and activate Nrf2 signaling pathways to protect against myocardial damage.

Objective:To observe the effect of pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and sling exercise training (SET) on diastasis recti abdominis after parturition. Methods:From September to December, 2019, 90 patients with rectus abdominis separation > 2 cm and pelvic floor muscle strength above grade III were randomly divided into three groups, accepting simple pelvic floor NMES (group A), pelvic floor NMES and SET (group B), and simple SET (group C), respectively, for four weeks. The separation distance of rectus abdominis was measured before treatment, two weeks and four weeks after treatment, and four weeks follow-up. Results:The separation distance of rectus abdominis decreased in each group after treatment (F > 8.327, P < 0.01); and it was the least in group B (F > 8.327, P < 0.01), while the multiple comparison results showed that there was no significant difference between group A and group C (P > 0.05). Conclusion:Both pelvic floor NMES and SET can similarly relieve the diastasis recti abdominis after parturition, and it is more effective in combination.