Objective To observe the expression of the polysialic acid neural cell adhesion molecule ( PSA-NCAM) in the hippocampus of rats after exposure to low intensity ( 16 Hz,90 dB) infrasound for different periods.Methods One hundred and twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into infrasound exposure and normal groups.The exposure group was tjem further divided into 1 day,7 days,14 days and 21 days exposure groups.After exposure,the rats' brains were removed and an immunohistochemical technique was used to observe the expression of PSA-NCAM in the hippocampus after 1,7,14 or 21 days of exposure. Methods The expression of PSA-NCAM had increased significantly after exposure for 7 days. It peaked at 14 days,then had decreased by 21 days,but always remaining higher than in the normal group.After the infrasound exposure had ended,the expression of PSA-NCAM demonstrated a tendency of decrease over time,and the least was on the 21st day.The largest decrease was observed in the 14 days exposure groups. Conclusion 16 Hz,90 dB infrasound can increase the expression of PSA-NCAM in the hippocampus,at least in rats.This suggests that low intensity infrasound might initiate recovery of an injured central nervous system.Migration of neural stem cells may aid in the repair of neural injuries resulted from infrasound exposure.

The application of nanotechnology significantly benefits clinical practice in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management. Especially, nanotechnology offers a promise for the targeted delivery of drugs, genes, and proteins to tumor tissues and therefore alleviating the toxicity of anticancer agents in healthy tissues. This article reviews current nanotechnology platforms for anticancer drug delivery, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, nanoshells, carbon nanotubes, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, and nucleic acid-based nanoparticles [DNA, RNA interference (RNAi), and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)] as well as nanotechnologies for combination therapeutic strategies, for example, nanotechnologies combined with multidrug-resistance modulator, ultrasound, hyperthermia, or photodynamic therapy. This review raises awareness of the advantages and challenges for the application of these therapeutic nanotechnologies, in light of some recent advances in nanotechnologic drug delivery and cancer therapy.
Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Dendrimers ; therapeutic use ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liposomes ; therapeutic use ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; therapeutic use ; Nanoparticles ; therapeutic use ; Nanoshells ; therapeutic use ; Nanotechnology ; trends ; Nanotubes, Carbon ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Polymers ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of different operation time to percutaneous balloon pulmonic valvuloplasty (PBPV) to critical pulmonary valve stenosis (CPS).

METHODTwenty-one infants (age ≤ 60 days at operating day) suffered from CPS, diagnosed by fetal echocardiogram and confirmed by echocardiography after birth, were enrolled in this case-control-study with written informed consent during April 2007 to December 2011. Of the 21 cases, 7 had prenatal diagnosis in our prenatal diagnosis center (prenatal group, Pre) and 14 were referred from other hospitals, who were divided into postpartum group A (Post A, referred within 28 days after birth) and postpartum group B (Post B, referred 29 to 60 days after birth). To Pre-group, the integrative interventional protocol was cautiously made by the consultative specialists, including intrauterine diagnosis, perinatal care and urgent PBPV soon after birth. To Post-group, emergency PBPV was preformed after the referral. Tei index of right ventricular and pressure-gradient (PG) between right ventricular and pulmonary artery were measured before and at different time points one year after PBPV.

RESULTThe values of SpO2 in Pre-group ranged from 82%-92% (86.57% ± 5.34%) under the state of continuous intravenous infusion of alprostadil. PBPV was successfully preformed within 3-6 days after birth. The values of SpO2 increased to 97.33% ± 1.15% post procedure. The values of PG pre- and post- procedure were (86.34 ± 11.77) mm Hg and (31.43 ± 8.46) mm Hg respectively. Preoperative RV Tei-index was 0.68 ± 0.05, it decreased rapidly after procedure, and recovered to normal one month after procedure. Only one case showed restenosis seven months after procedure and repeated PBPV. Fourteen referral cases (6 cases in Post A group and 8 cases in Post B group, accompanied in 1 and 3 cases with heart failure), the values of SpO2 ranged from 83%-91% under state of continuous intravenous infusion of alprostadil. And the operating time was 10-57 days after birth. The values of SpO2 recovered to normal post procedure, and heart failure alleviated. Increased preoperative RV pressure obviously decreased significantly post-procedure. And increased Tei-index declined gradually, at one-year follow-up, the value of Tei-index in Post A group recovered to normal, whereas that of Post B was (0.51 ± 0.06), compared to Pre and Post A groups, the difference was significant (P < 0.05) . One case showed restenosis nine months after procedure and repeated PBPV was performed. The hypoxic exposure durations were (4.43 ± 0.68) , (16.33 ± 4.46) , (41.25 ± 9.19) , respectively, and the difference among the three groups was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTo the fetuses with definite prenatal diagnosis of critical pulmonary valve stenosis, preoperative general condition can be adjusted to more suitable for emergency operation. Early PBPV can achieve shorter hypoxic exposure and better recovery of right ventricular function post procedure. Perinatal integrated intervention for CPS can significantly improve the prognosis and quality of life in this patient population.

Catheterization ; instrumentation ; methods ; Dilatation ; methods ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Pulmonary Artery ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; congenital ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventricular Function, Right

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of prebiotics supplementation for 9 days on gut microbiota structure and function and establish a machine learning model based on the initial gut microbiota data for predicting the variation of Bifidobacterium after prebiotic intake.

METHODSWith a randomized double-blind self-controlled design, 35 healthy volunteers were asked to consume fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) or galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) for 9 days (16 g per day). 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing was performed to investigate the changes of gut microbiota after prebiotics intake. PICRUSt was used to infer the differences between the functional modules of the bacterial communities. Random forest model based on the initial gut microbiota data was used to identify the changes in Bifidobacterium after 5 days of prebiotic intake and then to build a continuous index to predict the changes of Bifidobacterium. The data of fecal samples collected after 9 days of GOS intervention were used to validate the model.

RESULTSFecal samples analysis with QIIME revealed that FOS intervention for 5 days reduced the intestinal flora alpha diversity, which rebounded on day 9; in GOS group, gut microbiota alpha diversity decreased progressively during the intervention. Neither FOS nor GOS supplement caused significant changes in β diversity of gut microbiota. The area under the curve (AUC) of the prediction model was 89.6%. The continuous index could successfully predict the changes in Bifidobacterium (R=0.45, P=0.01), and the prediction accuracy was verified by the validation model (R=0.62, P=0.01).

CONCLUSIONShort-term prebiotics intervention can significantly decrease α-diversity of the intestinal flora. The machine learning model based on initial gut microbiota data can accurately predict the changes in Bifidobacterium, which sheds light on personalized nutrition intervention and precise modulation of the intestinal flora.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the etiology and clinical features of epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of six children with EPC, and the clinical and laboratory features and prognosis were compared between the children with different etiologies. RESULTS: There were five girls and one boy, with an onset age ranging from one year and seven months to nine years. Two were diagnosed with Rasmussen encephalitis, one was diagnosed with focal cortical dysplasia, one was diagnosed with Alpers syndrome caused by POLG gene mutation, one was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome, and one was diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis. The latter two children had the predisposing factors for acute encephalopathy induced by status epilepticus and craniocerebral operation during the onset of EPC, while the other four children had natural progression of EPC. All the children had focal seizures except EPC, and symptoms included automatism, bilateral asymmetric tonic seizure, deflection, complex motor, and autonomic symptoms, with disturbance of consciousness in some children. EPC often lasted for several days or even several months. All children had abnormalities on head MRI, including local abnormal signal, cortex swelling, diffusive brain atrophy or brain atrophy at one side, local cortex thickening, and cortical necrosis. Head PET/CT scan was performed for three children and found local hypermetabolism or co-existence of hypermetabolism and hypometabolism. All the children had abnormalities on electroencephalography (EEG), with cerebral, hemispheric, or diffusive distribution of abnormal electrical activities, and during the onset of EPC, some EEG changes were recognizable and some were difficult to identify. All the children with EPC were not sensitive to antiepileptic drugs. EPC was relatively self-limiting in the child with Angelman syndrome. The child with focal cortical dysplasia underwent resection of epileptic foci and had good postoperative control, without neurological dysfunction. The child with Rasmussen encephalitis underwent functional hemispherectomy and had no attack after surgery, with neurological dysfunction. The child with Alpers syndrome had the worst prognosis. CONCLUSIONS EPC is a special type of epileptic seizures. Immune inflammation and metabolic etiologies are the main causes of EPC in children, and the selection of treatment regimens, treatment outcome, and prognosis depend on etiology.
Electroencephalography ; Epilepsia Partialis Continua ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of astrocyte exosomes on hypoxic-ischemic neurons.

METHODSRat astrocytes were cultured in vitro, and differential centrifugation was used to obtain the exosomes from the cell supernatant. Transmission electron microscopy, Nanosight, and Western blot were used for the identification of exosomes. BCA method was used to measure the concentration of exosomes. Rat neurons were cultured in vitro and then divided into control group, exosome group, oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) group, and OGD+exosome group (n=3 each). The OGD and OGD+exosome groups were cultured in glucose-free medium under the hypoxic condition. The exosome and OGD+exosome groups were treated with exosomes at a final concentration of 22 &mu;g/mL. The control and OGD groups were given an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline. ELISA was used to measure the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in neurons. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling was used to measure the apoptotic index of neurons.

RESULTSThe identification of exosomes showed that the exosomes extracted by differential centrifugation had the features of exosomes. Compared with the control and exosome groups, the OGD group had significant increases in LDH level and apoptotic index (P<0.05). Compared with the OGD group, the OGD+exosome group had significant reductions in LDH level and apoptotic index (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe exosomes from astrocytes have a protective effect on neurons with hypoxic-ischemic injury.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Astrocytes ; physiology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Exosomes ; physiology ; Glucose ; deficiency ; Hydro-Lyases ; analysis ; Neuroprotection ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

ObjectiveTo explore and establish the liver injury risk prediction model of indirect toxicity of Chinese medicinals under the condition of compound formulas， and provide new ideas and methods for the study of evaluation of liver injury of Chinese medicinals based on indirect toxicity. MethodsTaking Buguzhi （Fructus Psoraleae） pre-parations as model drug， the combined Chinese medicinals with Buguzhi （Fructus Psoraleae） of high frequency are screened out， and their components and action targets were obtained through TCMSP， TCMIP and PharmMapper databases. The association strength value and risk value of Chinese medicinals that acted on the nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） pathway were analyzed. For those having greater values than the median association strength value and risk value were regarded as indirect Chinese medicinals of liver injury risk. In this way， a prediction model of liver injury risk of Chinese medicinals was constructed based on immune activation-related indirect liver injury process （taking NF-κB pathway as an example）. And verification of the prediction model was performed using Heshouwu （Radix Polygoni Multiflori） preparations. ResultsThe prediction model of liver injury risk based on important immunoactivated pathway （taking NF-κB pathway as an example） found that Yinyanghuo （Herba Epimedii） （association strength value = 0.18， risk value = 0.25） was a Chinese medicinal with potential risk of indirect liver injury within Buguzhi （Fructus Psoraleae） prepartions， which may increase the risk of liver injury by positively regulating Bruton's tyrosine kinase （Btk） and protein kinase C theta （PKCθ） on NF-κB pathway. Further verification of prediction model by Heshouwu （Radix Polygoni Multiflori） preparations showed that Buguzhi （Fructus Psoraleae） （association strength value = 0.25， risk value = 0.33） and Tusizi （Semen Cuscutae） （Semen Cuscutae， association strength value = 0.34， risk value = 0.33） may increase the liver injury risk of Heshouzu. ConclusionThe liver injury risk prediction model of indirect toxicity of Chinese medicinals has been constructed in this study， providing metho-dological reference for the identification of Chinese medicinals of indirect liver injury risk under the condition of compound formulas.

Objective: The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and glycemic indices, including plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postload glucose (2h-PG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), remains inconclusive. We aimed to explore the associations between glycemic indices and SUA levels in the general Chinese population. Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional analysis using the first follow-up survey data from The China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort Study. A total of 105,922 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 40 years underwent the oral glucose tolerance test and uric acid assessment. The nonlinear relationships between glycemic indices and SUA levels were explored using generalized additive models. Results: A total of 30,941 men and 62,361 women were eligible for the current analysis. Generalized additive models verified the inverted U-shaped association between glycemic indices and SUA levels, but with different inflection points in men and women. The thresholds for FPG, 2h-PG, and HbA1c for men and women were 6.5/8.0 mmol/L, 11.0/14.0 mmol/L, and 6.1/6.5, respectively (SUA levels increased with increasing glycemic indices before the inflection points and then eventually decreased with further increases in the glycemic indices). Conclusion An inverted U-shaped association was observed between major glycemic indices and uric acid levels in both sexes, while the inflection points were reached earlier in men than in women.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glycated Hemoglobin A/analysis* ; Glycemic Index ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid/blood*