Background:Disruption of intestinal epithelial tight junction and the followed barrier function play important roles in the pathogenesis of intestinal disorders. Curcumin could provide protection for the impaired barrier function. Aims:To investigate the protective effect of curcumin on ethanol-induced intestinal mucosal barrier disruption. Methods:Caco-2 cells were cultured to establish intestinal epithelial cell barrier model in vitro,and then were divided into control group, ethanol group and different concentrations of curcumin groups(5,20,80 μmol/ L curcumin). Trans-epithelial electrical resistance(TEER)and flux of sodium fluorescein for Caco-2 cell monolayers were measured to examine intestinal epithelial barrier function. Expression and localization of Occludin protein were measured by Western blotting and immunofluorescence,respectively. Cell structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy( TEM). Results:Compared with control group,TEER was significantly decreased and flux of sodium fluorescein was significantly increased (P < 0. 05),expression of Occludin protein was significantly decreased(P < 0. 05)in ethanol group. Immunofluorescence showed that Occludin protein expression was discontinuous and fluorescence intensity was low. TEM showed that brusher border was disorganized,and cell-cell junction was vague. When pretreated with curcumin,the above-mentioned indices were significantly improved,especially in 20 μmol/ L curcumin group( P < 0. 05). Conclusions:Curcumin protects ethanol-induced intestinal epithelial cell barrier disruption.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of nano-SiO2 on spatial learning and memory.

METHODSTwenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (C group), low dose group (L group) and high dose group (H group). The rats were intragastrically administrated with nanometer particles at 25 and 100 mg/kg body weight every day for 4 weeks. After exposure, the ability of learning and memory of rats was tested by Morris water maze, and electrophysiological brain stereotactic method was used to test long-tear potentiation (LTP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of the rats.

RESULTSThe increase rate of body weight in H group was reduced significantly compared with C group ( P < 0.05). In the space exploration experiment of Morris water maze test, the escape latency of H group was longer than that of C group (P < 0.05). The rats of H group spent less time in finding the target quadrant (P < 0.05) . The rate of LP induction of H group was significantly lower than that of C group (P < 0.05). After high fre quency stimulation (HFS), The changes of amplitude of population spike (PS) of L group and H group were lower than those of C group significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNano-SiO₂may result in impairment of spatial learning and memory ability by reducing the rate of LTP induction and the increase of PS in hippocampus.

Animals ; Dentate Gyrus ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Nanoparticles ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Silicon Dioxide ; adverse effects ; Spatial Learning ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of retinol acid (RA) and triiodothyronine (T3) on alleviating the impairment of cognitive function by sleep deprivation (SD).

METHODSMale Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: control group (C group), sleep deprivation group (SD group), sleep deprivation + RA group (SD + RA group) and sleep deprivation + T3 group (SD + T3 group). Open field test (OFT) was used to observe the nervous behavior of the rats after SD and electrophysiological brain stereotactic method was used to test long-term potentiation (LTP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of the rats. Ng protein expression was determined by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the SD group, the number of crossing in OFT, the changes of amplitude of population spike (PS) and the expression of Ng protein in hippocampus were higher significantly in the SD + RA and SD + T3 groups. All of these had not significant difference comparing with the C group.

CONCLUSIONRA and T3 may alleviate the restrain state of neural system after SD by augmenting the expression of Ng protein in hippocampus.

Animals ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Dentate Gyrus ; metabolism ; Long-Term Potentiation ; Male ; Neurogranin ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sleep Deprivation ; metabolism ; psychology ; Triiodothyronine ; pharmacology ; Vitamin A ; pharmacology

Objective To identify the genetic cause of a case of congenital hypotrichosis by a nextgeneration sequencing technology.Methods A 9-year and 3-month-old girl presented with few villous hairs at birth,which grew slowly.Skin examination showed sparse,thin,soft,woolly and light-yellow hairs,small amount of hairs on the top of the head and a less amount of hairs around the head,hairline recession and broadened forehead.No abnormality was found by ophthalmic examination.No similar aberrant phenotype was observed in the patient's parents or her younger sister.Her parents were non-consanguineous marriage.Peripheral venous blood samples were obtained from the patient,her mother and younger sister.Genomic DNA was extracted and then analyzed by a next-generation sequencing technology.The suspected pathogenic mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing and subjected to bioinformatics analysis.Results Two mutations were identified in the CDH3 gene in the patient,including a c.1057G ＞ T (p.D353Y) heterozygous mutation in exon 5 and a c.1767delC (p.I589Ifs) heterozygous mutation in exon 10.They were both novel mutations,and their pathogenicity was predicted by softwares.Sanger sequencing indicated that the c.1057G ＞ T (p.D353Y) heterozygous mutation was inherited from the patient's mother,and gene transfer analysis revealed that the c.1767delC (p.I589Ifs) heterozygous mutation was inherited from the patient's father.Conclusion The c.1057G ＞ T (p.D353Y) and c.1767delC (p.I589Ifs)heterozygous mutations may cause hypotrichosis and juvenile macular dystrophy in the patient,so careful observation and comprehensive ophthalmic examination should be performed on time for early diagnosis and treatment of eye symptoms.

As a non-physiological way of ventilation, mechanical ventilation has a great effect on the respiratory mechanics. The biggest problem of artificial airway is that it brings extra airway resistance to the respiratory tract. For different parts of the lung, positive pressure ventilation could cause different mechanic states. We can find the formation and influencing factors of transpulmonary pressure, transchest wall pressure, trans-lung-chest pressure, trans-diaphragmatic pressure, trans-pulmonary-diaphragmatic pressure, intrapleural pressure, plateau pressure and driving pressure, by analyzing the mechanic state in a unit area of the chest or diaphragm position in the way of basic mechanics. It is obviously different in the pulmonary pressure gradient caused by inspiratory driving between in spontaneous breathing and in mechanical ventilation. The pressure is transmitted from the periphery to the center in spontaneous breathing in physiological state, playing a traction role for lung tissue. The pressure is transmitted from the center to the periphery in positive pressure ventilation without spontaneous breathing, playing a pushing role for lung tissue. It can be divided into two stages in positive pressure ventilation with spontaneous breathing. The first stage is from inspiratory trigger effort to trigger sensitivity. It is similar to spontaneous inspiration in physiological state. The pressure gradient in this stage is from the peripheral to center. But the period is very short. The second stage is the positive pressure ventilation progress after the trigger sensitivity. The pressure gradient is caused by the pulling of the patient's spontaneous inhalation and the pushing of the positive pressure ventilation of the ventilator. There is a certain complementarity in the distribution and transmission of pressure, especially for non-physiological positive pressure ventilation. Therefore, through these basic mechanical analysis, clinical medical staff can better understand the impact of mechanical ventilation on respiratory mechanics.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the distribution characteristics of non-bacterial pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. METHODS: A total of 1 788 CAP children admitted to Shenyang Children's Hospital from December 2021 to November 2022 were selected. Multiple RT-PCR and capillary electrophoresis were used to detect 10 viral pathogens and 2 atypical pathogens, and serum antibodies of Chlamydial pneumoniae (Ch) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) were detected. The distribution characteristics of different pathogens were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 1 788 CAP children, 1 295 children were pathogen-positive, with a positive rate of 72.43% (1 295/1 788), including a viral pathogen positive rate of 59.68% (1 067/1 788) and an atypical pathogen positive rate of 22.04% (394/1 788). The positive rates from high to low were MP, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza B virus (IVB), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human rhinovirus (HRV), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), influenza A virus (IVA), bocavirus (BoV), human adenovirus (HADV), Ch, and human coronavirus (HCOV). RSV and MP were the main pathogens in spring; MP had the highest positive rate in summer, followed by IVA; HMPV had the highest positive rate in autumn; IVB and RSV were the main pathogens in winter. The positive rate of MP in girls was higher than that in boys (P<0.05), and there were no significant differences in other pathogens between genders (P>0.05). The positivity rates of certain pathogens differed among age groups (P<0.05): the positivity rate of MP was highest in the >6 year-old group; the positivity rates of RSV and Ch were highest in the <1 year-old group; the positivity rates of HPIV and IVB were highest in the 1 to <3 year-old group. RSV, MP, HRV, and HMPV were the main pathogens in children with severe pneumonia, while MP was the primary pathogen in children with lobar pneumonia, and MP, IVB, HMPV, RSV, and HRV were the top 5 pathogens in acute bronchopneumonia. CONCLUSIONS MP, RSV, IVB, HMPV, and HRV are the main pathogens of CAP in children, and there are certain differences in the positive rates of respiratory pathogens among children of different ages, genders, and seasons.
Humans ; Child ; Female ; Male ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human ; Antibodies ; Community-Acquired Infections ; Hospitalization ; Influenza B virus ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ; drug effects ; genetics ; Animals ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Hemolysin Proteins ; genetics ; Hemolysis ; Mice ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the optimal method of screening for Down's syndrome (DS) with maternal serum mankers.

METHODSScreening by maternal serum markers for Down's syndrome was offered to all 2886 pregnant women in Peking Union Medical Hospital during 1996.11-2001.3. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (free beta-HCG) were used as markers during the first year of pregnancy. Alpha-fetoprotein, free human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) were used as mid pregnancy and first-trimester markers in next three years. Amniocentesis and (CVS) were done in those defined as risk cases.

RESULTSThe detection rate of Down's syndrome by maternal serum markers was 3.8% (11/2886). The proportion of false positive results in group of triple markers (alpha FP, free beta-HCG, PAPP-A) was 5%.

CONCLUSIONSThe PAPP-A was a good marker to detect Down's syndrome in early pregnancy and may be used to predict the outcome during mid trimester of pregnancy. The AFP and free beta-HCG can be useful markers to detect Down's syndrome and fetal abnormality. While prenatal diagnostics can be shifted to an early pregnant period.

Adult ; Amniocentesis ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; blood ; Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A ; analysis ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; analysis

This study was purposed to investigate the effects of 25 Gy gamma-ray irradiation on the CD62p expression, platelet count and the mean platelet volume (MPV) of manually enriched platelet suspension in different time of shelf life at 22 degrees C. Each of 16 bags with plasma-rich platelet was divided into two bags, one of which was exposed to 25 Gy gamma-ray of 137Cs and the other ones was not exposed. 16 bags then were preserved for 72 hours according to AABB standards. The irradiated platelets were regarded as the observation group, and the other ones were regarded as the control group, the expression of p-selectin (CD62p) in the above 2 groups was detected by flow cytometry before irradiation and at 24, 72 hours after irradiation respectively; at the same time, the platelet count and MPV were assayed by using blood cell counter. The results showed that the expression level of CD62p on platelet in irradiated and control groups increased along with the prolonging of preservation time, the expression rate of CD62p on the platelets preserved for 24 hours was higher than that on fresh platelets with significant difference (p<0.05); the expression rate of CD62p on the platelets preserved for 72 hours obviously was enhanced as compared with platelets preserved for 24 hours (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in CD62p expression rate, platelet count and MPV between irradiated and control groups preserved for 24 and 72 hours (p>0.05), however the MPV of irradiated and control groups preserved for 72 hours was higher than that of fresh platelets (p<0.05). It is concluded that the gamma-ray irradiation does not affect the quantity and quality of platelets, but the preservation time for manually enriched platelet suspension should be shortened as far as possible.
Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Flow Cytometry ; Gamma Rays ; Humans ; P-Selectin ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Platelet Count ; Plateletpheresis ; Preservation, Biological ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To carry out genetic analysis for a fetus with confined placental mosaicism (CPM) for trisomy 2 (T2) in conjunct with fetal uniparental disomy (UPD). METHODS: Amniocentesis and chromosomal karyotyping was carried out for a pregnant woman with a high risk for chromosome 2 anomalies indicated by non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-array) and trio-whole exome sequencing (Trio-WES) were carried out. Ultrasonography was used to closely monitor the fetal growth. Multifocal sampling of the placenta was performed after delivery for copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq). RESULTS: The fetus was found to have a normal chromosomal karyotype. SNP-array has revealed multiple regions with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 2. Trio-WES confirmed the presence of maternal UPD for chromosome 2. Ultrasonography has revealed intrauterine growth restriction and oligohydramnios. Intrauterine fetal demise had occurred at 23⁺⁴ weeks of gestation. Pathological examination had failed to find salient visceral abnormality. The placenta was proved to contain complete T2 by CNV-seq. CONCLUSION T2 CPM can cause false positive result for NIPT and may be complicated with fetal UPD, leading to adverse obstetric outcomes such as intrauterine growth restriction, oligohydramnios and intrauterine fetal demise.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Amniocentesis ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2/genetics* ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Growth Retardation/genetics* ; Fetus ; Mosaicism ; Oligohydramnios ; Placenta ; Trisomy/genetics* ; Uniparental Disomy/genetics*