AIM:To explore the molecular mechanism of panaxadiol saponin(PDS)by observing Toll like receptor(TLR)2 and TLR9 mRNA expression induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS).METHODS:Rats were divided into LPS,LPS+PDSL,LPS+PDSM and control group,respectively.Nitric oxide synthase(NOS)activity,nitric oxide(NO)content,LPO content,SOD activity and TLR2 and TLR9 mRNA expression were assayed 4 h after intravenous injection of LPS.RESULTS:NOS activity,NO content,LPO content of LPS+PDSL group and LPS+PDSM group were significantly lower than those in LPS group.TLR2 mRNA expression in the liver tissue of LPS+PDSL group and LPS+PDSM group was decreased compared with LPS group.CONCLUSION:PDS has a protective effect on liver tissues by triggering the down-regulation of TLR2 expression,reducing NOS activity,and NO content.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of short-term forest bathing on human health.

METHODSTwenty healthy male university students participated as subjects and were randomly divided into two groups of 10. One group was sent on a two-night trip to a broad-leaved evergreen forest, and the other was sent to a city area. Serum cytokine levels reflecting inflammatory and stress response, indicators reflecting oxidative stress, the distribution of leukocyte subsets, and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations were measured before and after the experiment to evaluate the positive health effects of forest environments. A profile of mood states (POMS) evaluation was used to assess changes in mood states.

RESULTSNo significant differences in the baseline values of the indicators were observed between the two groups before the experiment. Subjects exposed to the forest environment showed reduced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory level, as evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor a levels compared with the urban group. Serum cortisol levels were also lower than in the urban group. Notably, the concentration of plasma ET-1 was much lower in subjects exposed to the forest environment. The POMS evaluation showed that after exposure to the forest environment, subjects had lower scores in the negative subscales, and the score for vigor was increased.

CONCLUSIONForest bathing is beneficial to human health, perhaps through preventive effects related to several pathological factors.

Baths ; China ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Life Style ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Male ; Nature ; Recreation ; Stress, Physiological ; Testosterone ; blood ; Trees ; Young Adult

Objectives: This study aimed to observe the change of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation rate (AA-Ag) and short-term adverse reactions after taking 50 or 100 mg/d aspirin(enteric-coated sustained-release formulation) or 100 mg/d aspirin (enteric-coated aspirin tablet)in the elderly Chinese population (aged 60 years or older). Methods: A total of 1 194 participants aged 60 or older, who should be recommended to take aspirin therapy due to medical reasons, were recruited and randomly assigned into three groups to receive enteric-coated sustained-release aspirin tablet (50 mg, once daily, group A), or 100 mg, once daily (group B) or enteric-coated aspirin tablet 100 mg once daily (group C), respectively. AA-Ag was measured after (14±3)days of aspirin treatment. Adverse events and bleeding events were recorded during the (28±3)days of follow-up. Results: The AA-Ag in group A (n=347), B (n=338) and C (n=332) post 14-day aspirin therapy were 6.65 (4.03,10.84)%, 5.89(3.22,10.03) % and 6.00(3.68,10.09) %, respectively (P>0.05). During the 28 days follow-up, the adverse events rate of group A (n=388), B (n=387) and C (n=385) was 3.87%,3.36%, and 7.95%, and the mild bleeding events rate was 3.09%, 2.33%, and 6.23%, respectively. Adverse events rate and mild bleeding events rate were significantly higher in group C than in group A and B (P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with 100 mg-dose aspirin, 50 mg-dose aspirin achieves similar anti-platelet aggregation effect in this elderly Chinese population. The short-term adverse events and mild bleeding risk of aspirin with enteric-coated sustained-release formulation were fewer than that of enteric-coated formulation.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of uric acid on coronary artery calcification in the natural population in Beijing.

METHODSFrom April to July 2012, 903 subjects from the natural population(aged 37-76 years for men, aged 42-76 years for women)in Xishan community, Beijing, were selected to accept a survey on the risk factors of cardiovascular. Blood tests and CT coronary artery calcium scans were carried out.

RESULTSAt the 1 Quartile(1 Q), 2 to 3 Quartile(2-3 Q)and 4 Quartile(4 Q)of uric acid levels, the prevalence rates of coronary artery calcium were 37.2% , 45.5% , 60.6% (P<0.001) and the coronary artery calcium scores were (109.7±333.1)AU, (133.9±356.9)AU, (200.8±459.4) AU (P < 0.001)respectively. Data from the univariate logistic regression analysis showed that with the increase of uric acid, the prevalence rates of coronary artery calcium also increased(OR2-3Q = 1.41, 95% CI:1.02-1.95, P = 0.040; OR4Q = 2.60, 95% CI:1.78-3.80, P < 0.001). However, the relationship between uric acid and coronary artery calcium disappeared when using the multivariate logistic regression analysis(OR2-3Q = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.60-1.43, P = 0.713;OR4Q = 1.38, 95% CI:0.80-2.39, P = 0.247).

CONCLUSIONUric acid did not seem to be an independent risk factor for coronary artery calcium, although the prevalence and extent of coronary artery calcium increased along with the increasing trend of uric acid.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Uric Acid ; blood ; Vascular Calcification ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the blood test patterns for blood donors after nucleic acid detection in blood center.

METHODSThe collected blood samples after voluntary blood donors first were detected by conventional ELISA, then 31981 negative samples were detected via HBV/HCV/HIV combined nucleic acid test of 6 mixed samples(22716 cases) or single samples(9265 cases) by means of Roche cobas s201 instrument. The combined detection method as follows: the blood samples were assayed by conventional nucleic acid test of 6 mixed samples, at same time, 6 mixed samples were treated with polyethylene glycol precipitation method to concentrate the virus, then the nucleic acid test of blood samples was performed; the single detection method as follows: firstly the conventional nucleic acid test of single sample was performed, then the positive reactive samples after re-examination were 6-fold diluted to simulate the nucleic acid test of 6-mixed samples. The positive rate of positive samples detected by combined nucleic acid test, positive samples detected by nucleic acid test of mixed virus concentration and positive samples detected by single nucleic acid test was statistically analyzed. In addition, for HBVpersons the serological test yet should be performed.

RESULTSIn 22 716 samples detected by nucleic acid test of 6 mixed samples (MP-6-NAT) , 9 cases were HBV(0.40‰, 9/22716); at same time, the detection of same samples by nucleic acid test of mixed sample virus concentration showed 29 cases of HBV(1.28‰, 29/22716). In 9265 samples detected by single nucleic acid test(ID-NAT) 12 cases showed HBV(1.30‰, 12/9265), meanwhile the detection of these 12 samples with HBVby 6-fold dilution for virus concentration found only 4 samples with HBV. In serological qualified samples, ID-NAT unqualified rate was 1.28‰, which was higher than that of MP-6-NAT(0.4‰) (χ=8.11, P<0.05); but there was no statistical difference between unqualified rate of ID-NAT and MP-6-NAT(1.3‰ vs 1.28‰)(χ=0.00, P>0.05). In 41 samples with HBsAgHBV DNAdetected by ELISA, 36 samples were confirmed to be occult HBV infective(OBI) by HBsAb, HBcAb test of ELISA; out of these 41 samples, 33 samples showed HBcAb(91.66% of OBI), 5 might be HBV "window period" infective, moreover the HCV RNA and HIV RNA positive samples were not found.

CONCLUSIONTo avoid the missdiagnosis of donors with low level of virus, the nucleic acid test must be carried out after virus concentration of mixed samples when the blood test pattern of donors is nucleic acid test of mixed samples, otherwise the single nucleic acid test must be performed to obtain more high detected rate of virus nucleic acid. The HBcAb serologic test and physical examination of donors before blood donation must be enhanced on basis of serological test of HBsAg; for high risk people, the persuading no blood donation is simplest pattern.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted. Clinical data from ASD patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and who underwent FMT in the Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University or Jinling Hospital between May 2012 to May 2021 were retrospectively collected. Scores derived from the autism behavior checklist (ABC), the childhood autism rating scale (CARS), the Bristol stool form scale (BSFS), and the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) were analyzed at baseline and at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th, 24th, 36th, 48th and 60th month after FMT. Records of any adverse reactions were collected. Generalized estimating equations were used for analysis of data on time points before and after FMT. Results: A total of 328 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. Their mean age was 6.1±3.4 years old. The cohort included 271 boys and 57 girls. The percentage of patients remaining in the study for post-treatment follow-up at the 1st, 3rd, 12th, 24th, 36th, 48th and 60th month were as follows: 303 (92.4%), 284 (86.7%), 213 (64.9%), 190 (57.9%), 143 (43.6%), 79 (24.1%), 46 (14.0%), 31 (9.5%). After FMT, the average ABC score was significantly improved in the first 36 months and remained improved at the 48th month. However, the average score was not significantly different from baseline by the 60th month (1st-36th month, P<0.001; 48th month, P=0.008; 60th month, P=0.108). The average CARS score improved significantly during the first 48 months and remained improved at the 60th month (1st-48th month, P<0.001; 60th month, P=0.010). The average BSFS score was also significantly improved in the first 36 months (with an accompanying stool morphology that resembled type 4). This improvement was maintained at the 48th month. However, the average score was similar to baseline at the 60th month (1st-36th month, P<0.001; 48th month, P=0.008; 60th month, P=0.109). The average GSRS score was significantly improved during the first 24 months, but not afterwards (1st-24th month, P<0.001; 36th month, P=0.209; 48th month, P=0.996; 60th month, P=0.668). The adverse events recorded during treatment included abdominal distension in 21 cases (6.4%), nausea in 14 cases (4.3%), vomiting in 9 cases (2.7%), abdominal pain in 15 cases (4.6%), diarrhea in 18 cases (5.5%), fever in 13 cases (4.0%), and excitement in 24 cases (7.3%). All adverse reactions were mild to moderate and improved immediately after suspension of FMT or on treatment of symptoms. No serious adverse reactions occurred. Conclusion: FMT has satisfactory long-term efficacy and safety for the treatment of ASD with gastrointestinal symptoms.
Autism Spectrum Disorder/therapy* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Feces ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Retrospective Studies