OBJECTIVE To explore the protective effects and mechanisms of Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) on H2O2-induced hippocampal neurons aging in vitro. METHODS The primary culture hippo-campal neurons(7 d)were randomly placed into six groups:normal control group,H2O2(200 μM)treat-ment group,and H2O2+Rg1(1,5 and 10μM)groups.The neurons were with Rg1(1,5 and 10 μmol·L-1) for 6h. H2O2(200 μmol·L-1) was added to the medium and incubate for 18 h. The Dihydroethidium (DHE) staining was performed for ROS production assessment. The LDH release and Hoechst 33258 were performed to examine the neuronal damage and apoptosis. The immunoblot was used to deter-mine the expression of β-Gal,NOX2,p22phox,p47phox,NLRP-1,ASC and Caspase-1 in hippocampal neurons.The ELISA was performed to detect the levels of IL-1β and IL-18 released in the supernatant in hippocampal neurons.RESULTS Rg1(5 and 10 μmol·L-1)significantly reduced the ROS production, attenuated H2O2-induced neuronal damage and apoptosis (P<0.05, P<0.01). The immunoblot results showed that Rg1(5 and 10 μmol·L-1)treatment significantly decreased the expression of β-Gal,NOX2, p22phox,p47phox,NLRP-1,ASC and Caspase-1 in hippocampal neurons(P<0.05,P<0.01).Additionally, Rg1(5 and 10 μmol·L-1)treatment significantly decreased IL-1β and IL-18 release in the supernatant. CONCLUSION The protective effect of Rg1 in H2O2-induced hippocampal neurons aging may be due to inhibit NOX2-NLRP1 activation.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of polymorphisms of PR domain containing 16 gene (PRDM16) with essential hypertension in ethnic Uygur population from Xinjiang, China.

METHODSFunctional regions of the PRDM16 gene were sequenced in 48 Uygur subjects with essential hypertension selected from 480 hypertensive patients and 819 normotensive controls. Representative variations were genotyped with TaqMan-PCR method. Association of variations of PRDM16 gene with hypertension was analyzed.

RESULTSFor the 4 genotyped representative variations (rs2236518, rs2282198, rs2493292 and rs870171), no significant difference in genotype distribution and allele frequencies has been found between the patient and control groups (P>0.05). By ANOVA analysis, none of the polymorphisms was significantly associated with systolic or diastolic blood pressure (P>0.05). Nor was significant difference in haplotypic frequencies between the two groups detected (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONWe have found no association between the four polymorphisms (rs2236518, rs2282198, rs2493292 and rs870171) of the PRDM16 gene with essential hypertension in ethnic Uygur population from Xinjiang.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Blood Pressure ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of ultrafiltration on diuretic sensitivity in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction and diuretic resistance. Methods: This was a single-center randomized controlled trial. A total of 148 heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction admitted to the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from June 2010 to June 2020 were enrolled in this study, and these patients were randomly divided (ratio 1:1) into the ultrafiltration group (n=74) and the control group (n=74). All patients were treated with diuretics, cardiotonic, vasodilator and other comprehensive drugs according to relevant guidelines. After grouping, the patients in the control group were treated with standard treatment plan, while patients in the ultrafiltration group were treated with ultrafiltration on top of standard therapy. Diuretic drugs were discontinued during ultrafiltration, and intravenously furosemide (40 mg) was given immediately and 24 hours after the end of ultrafiltration. Clinical data including gender, age, complicated diseases, New York Heart Association (NYHA) function classification, etc. were collected. Effectiveness indicators include urine volume (the first 12-hour and 24-hour urine volume and the second 24-hour urine volume after using diuretic), body weight and dyspnea severity score. Safety indicators include systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, serum Na⁺ concentration, blood K⁺ concentration and the number of deaths before and after intervention. Results: Two patients in the control group died due to worsening heart failure after randomization and were excluded in this study, 146 patients were finally analyzed (72 patients in the control group and 74 patients in the ultrafiltration group). There were 93 males, and the age was (68.3±11.2) years. There was no significant difference between patients in the ultrafiltration group and the control group in gender, age, body weight, course of disease, dyspnea severity score, NYHA function classification Ⅲ/Ⅳ, the proportion of patients with severe edema of both lower limbs, the proportion of patients with complicated diseases, and basic medication (all P>0.05). After using diuretics, the urine volume of the first 12-hour and 24-hour and the second 24-hour were significantly higher in the ultrafiltration group than in the control group (all P<0.05). Body weight decreased significantly after ultrafiltration treatment as compared with that before intervention in the ultrafiltration group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the dyspnea severity score was significantly improved in the ultrafiltration group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, serum Na⁺ concentration, blood K⁺ concentration of patients between ultrafiltration group and control group before and after intervention (all P>0.05). During the clinical diagnosis and treatment, 2 male patients in the control group died, and the cause of death was aggravation of basic diseases complicated with acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock. There was no death in the ultrafiltration group, and there were no obvious clinical adverse events during and after ultrafiltration. Conclusion: Ultrafiltration therapy is safe and can improve diuretic sensitivity in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction and diuretic resistance.
Aged ; Diuretics/therapeutic use* ; Furosemide/therapeutic use* ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke Volume ; Ultrafiltration

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) and its risk factors in very preterm infants (VPIs) during hospitalization in China. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was performed on the medical data of 2 514 VPIs who were hospitalized in the department of neonatology in 28 hospitals from 7 areas of China between September 2019 and December 2020. According to the presence or absence of EUGR based on the evaluation of body weight at the corrected gestational age of 36 weeks or at discharge, the VPIs were classified to two groups: EUGR group (n=1 189) and non-EUGR (n=1 325). The clinical features were compared between the two groups, and the incidence of EUGR and risk factors for EUGR were examined. RESULTS: The incidence of EUGR was 47.30% (1 189/2 514) evaluated by weight. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher weight growth velocity after regaining birth weight and higher cumulative calorie intake during the first week of hospitalization were protective factors against EUGR (P<0.05), while small-for-gestational-age birth, prolonged time to the initiation of total enteral feeding, prolonged cumulative fasting time, lower breast milk intake before starting human milk fortifiers, prolonged time to the initiation of full fortified feeding, and moderate-to-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia were risk factors for EUGR (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is crucial to reduce the incidence of EUGR by achieving total enteral feeding as early as possible, strengthening breastfeeding, increasing calorie intake in the first week after birth, improving the velocity of weight gain, and preventing moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia in VPIs.
Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gestational Age ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors