Objective To evaluate the in vitro effect of ferulic acid on the proliferation of,as well as melanin synthesis,tyrosinase activity and expressions of c-kit and ERK proteins in cultured normal human epidermal melanocytes.Methods Cultured normal human epidermal melanocytes were treated with various concentrations of ferulic acid for different durations,and those remaining untreated served as the control.Then,3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium,inner salt (MTS) assay was performed to estimate cell proliferative activity at 24,48 and 72 hours,sodium hydroxide solubilization method to quantify melanin content in melanocytes at 72 hours,dopa oxidation assay to evaluate tyrosinase activity at 72 hours,Western blot to measure the expressions of c-kit and ERK1/2 proteins at 72 hours.Results Cellular proliferative activity was significantly inhibited in melanocytes treated with ferulic acid of 0.01,0.1 and 1 mg/ml for 24,48 and 72 hours compared with untreated melanocytes (all P ＜ 0.05),and the 72-hour treatment with ferulic acid of 1 mg/ml showed the strongest inhibitory effect.Ferulic acid at 0.01,0.1 and 1 mg/ml all markedly suppressed melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity,decreased the expressions of c-kit and ERK1/2 proteins in melanocytes,with significant differences in these parameters between ferulic acid-treated and untreated melanocytes (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Ferulic acid could downregulate the proliferation of,as well as melanin synthesis,tyrosinase activity,and expressions of c-kit and ERK proteins in cultured human epidermal melanocytes.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneouse trans-hepatic Cyanoacrylate (TH glue) embolization for gastric varices. Methods TH glue was injected into the gastric varices and its feeder veins in 30 patients. The endoscopy was performed at 1 week and every 3 months after the procedure, while the CT and portal vein angiography were performed at 3 months and every 6 months after the procedure to e-valuate the oblitazation results. Results The effective rate of treatment was 100%. A total of 21 patients were followed up in a mean period of 27.9 months (11-33 months) with a recurrence rate of varices at 14. 29% (3/21). Portal hypertensive gastropathy was observed in 17 patients (80. 95%), and to-bleeding occurred in 2 patients (9. 52%) due to portal hypertensive gastropathy. CT and portal vein angiography dis-played TH glue in fundic peripheral veins, perforating veins in the gastric wall and other feeding veins with-out re-ciroulation or new branches after embolization. Conclusion Peroutaneous trans-hepatic TH glue is a-ble to embolize the gastric varices and its feeding veins, which is feasible and effective in treatment of gastric varices.

Epidemiology shows that the most common psoriasis is psoriasis vulgaris. The common traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrom is the blood-heat type, which is equivalent to the progressing stage of psoriasis. This article summarized the experimental research of TCM in treating psoriasis vulgaris which is considering as the blood-heat type on the basis of the differentiation of symptoms and signs. The mechanism of clinical efficacy on treating psoriasis vulgaris which is at the blood-heat type was explained in different layers such as Th lymphocytes subgroups, Notchsignalpathway, PTH and hemorheology. This study aimed to help scholars to understand the mechanism of therapeutic effect of TCM on the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.

Objective To explore the incidence and risk factors of common complications in PICC patients during chemotherapy in Xinjiang.Methods A prospective study was conducted.The patients with PICC were treated with PICC from April 2016 to April 2017 were followed up for 10 months. The incidence of PICC complication and the influencing factors were observed dynamically during chemotherapy.Results The incidence of PICC complication was 13.6%(42/208)during chemotherapy in Xinjiang patients.The incidence of PICC was higher in the third chemotherapy cycle and the incidences of the first and sixth chemotherapy cycles were lower. Age, valve type, number of punctures, maintenance time>7d, and living conditions were the influencing factors of PICC complications(P＜0.05). Conclusions The incidence of common complications of PICC in cancer patients during chemotherapy is high in Xinjiang region.The risk factors of complications include age＜18 years,number of open-end PICCs,increased number of punctures, maintenance time>7d and living conditions for rural areas. Clinical nurses should give personalized health guidance on the causes of complications in different patients to reduce the occurrence of complications of PICC,and improve the quality of PICC use.

Objective: The neuropeptide oxytocin has been found to improve human social cognition and promote prosocial behavior. However, itis still unclear about the mechanisms underlying these effects of oxytocin on neural processes, such as visual perception and awareness.Especially, it is still unclear whether oxytocin influences perceptual salience of social stimuli in the absence of awareness. Methods: In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial we applied an interocular suppression paradigm and eye tracking methods: to investigate the influence of intranasally administered oxytocin on perceptual salience of social stimuli. Suppression times andpupillometric data were measured during subjects being presented with gradually introduced pictures of social stimuli (neutral expressionfaces) or nonsocial stimuli (grayscale watch pictures) that were suppressed and invisible in 10 men who were administered 24 IU oxytocinand 10 men who were administered a placebo. Results: The results demonstrated that the oxytocin group perceived social stimuli more quickly accompanied by subsequent larger increasingpupil diameter than nonsocial stimuli, indicating an increased unconscious salience of social stimuli. Conclusion These findings provided new insights into oxytocin’s modulatory role to social information processing, suggesting that oxytocinmight enhance attentional bias to social stimuli even after removal of awareness. Psychiatry Investig 2020;17(4):292-298