Objective To study the influence of high-fluoride on thyroid function and brain damage. Methods Thirty-six Wistar rats were randondy divided, according to weight and gender into 3 groups(12 rats each), i.e. control group, high fluoride group, and high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group. The rats were fed with normal tap water containing no more than 5 mg/L NaF and the tap water added 100,100 mg/L NaF, respectively. After 7 months of experiment, the rats in high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group were given with 0.04% thyroid tablet( 1.8 ml·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) by gastric perfusion for three weeks. The contents of TT_3 and TT_4 in serum were detected by radio-immunological assay; the histomorphology in thyroids and brains were observed under microscopy; and the protein level of NMDAR2B subunit of glutamate receptor in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 was measured by immunohistochemistry. Results As compared to the values of TT_3 and TT_4 in serum of rats in control group[ (0.97 ± 0.15), (84.03 ± 12.45)nmol/L], TT_3 and TT_4 in high fluoride group were obviously lower [(0.24 ± 0.07), (15.16 ± 2.08)nmol/L, all P < 0.01]; while no changes in TT_3 and TT_4 were detected in high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group[ (1.02 ± 0.19), (85.63 ± 9.55)nmol/L, all P < 0.05] as compared to controls, but higher than those in high fluoride group(all P < 0.01 ). The pathological changes including partial hyperplasy, arrangement disorder, atrophy, and decreased colloid of the thyroid follicular epithelial cells in high fluoride group were observed under microscopy. In high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group, the degree of the thyroid cellular hyperplasy was relatively slight as compared to high fluoride group. The swelling and disarrangement of neurons in the hippocampus were observed in high fluoride group, whereas the changes of the neurons were not so obvious in high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group. The grey values of NMDAR2B positive cells in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 in high fluoride group(167.05 ± 7.31 ) were significantly increased as compared to controls (92.53 ± 9.67 ) or high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group( 101.66 ± 12.21, all P < 0.01 ). Conclusions High fluoride can induce the decreased function and changed histomorphology in thyroid and result in pathological damages in the brains of rats. However, treated with thyroid tablet to those having damages induced by high fluoride, the thyroid function and morphology can be normal, and the brain damages can be alleviated. The results indicate that hypothyroidism caused by high fluoride might be an important participating factor in brain damages caused by fluorosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bronchi ; Child ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Mesh ; Trachea ; Young Adult

AIM To investigate the protection of plicamycin on apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) of rat. METHODS TUNEL, Hoechst 33258 staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and fluorescein diacetate staining were used to detect morphological and biochemical characteristics of apoptosis in primary rat CGN. RESULTS Being pre-incubated with plicamycin for 1 h and lasting for 24 h, rat CGN apoptosis induced by low potassium basal modified Eagle′s medium for 24 h was inhibited in a plicamycin concentration-dependent manner. This effective concentrations of plicamycin were from 50 to 200 nmol·L-1, and the maximum inhibitory rate of plicamycin on CGN apoptosis was near 80% at 200 nmol·L-1. CONCLUSIONPlicamycin inhibits rat CGN apoptosis induced by low potassium.

Objective To observe the abnormal Minnesota code (MC) distribution and interrelated characteristic on electrocardiograms (ECGs) of the adult Kazakh population.Methods Resting ECGs and blood press of randomly sampled 30 000 adult Kazakh people in three Northern regions of Xinjiang were continuously examined and analyzed,using Minnesota code recommended by WHO as the classification of ECG.Results The overall rate of abnormal ECG findings was 248.60‰,and the main abnormality in males was 146.83‰,compared to 157.71‰ in females.The prevalence rates of abnormal ST-T changes,the total arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation (AF) were 100.03‰,71.17‰ and 2.83‰ respectively.There were statistically significant differences among the main abnormities from the three regions.Conclusion The ECGs abnormalities of adult Kazakh people were high.There was significant relation found between the main abnormalities and hypertension.The prevalence of AF was different from the domestically reported literature that calls for further study.

BACKGROUNDSeasonal influenza epidemic occurs every year in Guangzhou, which can affect all age groups. Young children are the most susceptible targets. Parents can decide whether to vaccinate their children or not based on their own consideration in China. The aim of this study was to identify factors that are important for parental decisions on vaccinating their children against seasonal influenza based on a modified health belief model (HBM).

METHODSA cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China. A total of 335 parents who had at least on child aged between 6 months and 3 years were recruited from women and children's hospital in Guangzhou, China. Each eligible subject was invited for a face-to-face interview based on a standardized questionnaire.

RESULTSUptake of seasonal influenza within the preceding 12 months among the target children who aged between 6 months and 36 months was 47.7%. Around 62.4% parents indicated as being "likely/very likely" to take their children for seasonal influenza vaccination in the next 12 months. The hierarchical logistic regression model showed that children's age (odds ratio [OR] =2.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44-4.68), social norm (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.06-4.06) and perceived control (OR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.60-5.50) were significantly and positively associated with children's vaccination uptake within the preceding 12 months; children with a history of taking seasonal influenza vaccine (OR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.31-4.76), perceived children's health status (OR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.68-6.74), worry/anxious about their children influenza infection (OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.19-4.48) and perceived control (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.65-6.22) were positively association with parental intention to vaccinate their children in the future 12 months. However, anticipated more regret about taking children for the vaccination was associated with less likely to vaccinate children within the preceding 12 months (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08-0.52).

CONCLUSIONSThe modified HBM provided a good theoretical basic for understanding factors associated with parents' decisions on their children's vaccination against seasonal influenza.

Child, Preschool ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Influenza Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Influenza, Human ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Male

Actins ; metabolism ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Giant Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Osteoclasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) and caspase-11 during pyroptosis in macrophages of mice. Methods: J774A.1 macrophages of mice were divided into 4 groups (n=6 each) using a random number table method: non-specific siRNA (Scr-siRNA) group (S group), Scr-siRNA plus LPS/ATP group (S+ LPS/ATP group), TIPE2-siRNA group (T group) and TIPE2-siRNA plus LPS/ATP group (T+ LPS/ATP group). The corresponding siRNA and Lipofectamine2000 transfection reagents were added to each group, and transfection was performed for 24-48 h, and in addition LPS 1.0 μg/ml was then added, cells were incubated for 5 h, then ATP 5.0 mmol/L was added, and cells were incubated for 1 h in S+ LPS/ATP and T+ LPS/ATP groups.Cells were collected to detect the expression of TIPE2, caspase-11, NOD-like receptor familypyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 (by Western blot). The supernatant was collected for determination of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities and concentrations of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and IL-18 (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results: Compared with group S, the expression of TIPE2 was significantly down-regulated, the expression of caspase-11, NLRP3 and caspase-1 was up-regulated, and the activities of LDH and MPO and concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18 in supernatant were increased in group S+ LPS/ATP (P<0.05). Compared with group T, the expression of TIPE2 was significantly down-regulated, the expression of caspase-11, NLRP3 and caspase-1 was up-regulated, and the activities of LDH and MPO and concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18 in supernatant were increased in group T+ LPS/ATP (P<0.05). Compared with group S+ LPS/ATP, the expression of TIPE2 was significantly down-regulated, the expression of caspase-11, NLRP3 and caspase-1 was up-regulated, and and the activities of LDH and MPO and concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18 in supernatant were increased in group T+ LPS/ATP (P<0.05). Conclusion TIPE2 inhibits pyroptosis in macrophages through down-regulating the expression of caspase-11 in mice.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of penehyelidine hydrochloride (PHCD) on tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 8-like-2 (TIPE2)-Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) signaling pathway in a rat model of traumatic acute lung injury (ALI). Methods: Thirty SPF healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8 weeks, weighing 190-210 g, were divided into 3 groups (n=15 each) by a random number table method: sham operation group (group Sham), traumatic ALI group (group ALI) and group PHCD.ALI was induced by blunt chest trauma in ALI and PHCD groups.PHCD 2 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected immediately after blunt chest trauma in group PHCD.The rats were sacrificed and lung tissues were removed at 8 h after the model was successfully established for examination of the pathological changes and ultrastructure of lung tissues (with a light microscope or an electron microscope) and for determination of the wet to dry weight ratio (W/D ratio) and expression of TLR4 and MyD88 in lung tissues. Results: Compared with group Sham, the W/D ratio was significantly increased, TIPE2 expression was down-regulated, and the expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was up-regulated in ALI and PHCD groups (P<0.05). Compared with group ALI, the W/D ratio was significantly decreased, TIPE2 expression was up-regulated, and the expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was down-regulated (P<0.05), and the pathological changes of lung tissues and ultrastructure were significantly attenuated in group PHCD. Conclusion The mechanism by which PHCD reduces traumatic AIL is related to activating TIPE2-TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway in rats.

Objective To evaluate the effect of penehyelidine hydrochloride(PHCD)on tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 8-like-2(TIPE2)-Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)-myeloid differentiation fac-tor 88(MyD88)signaling pathway in a rat model of traumatic acute lung injury(ALI).Methods Thirty SPF healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 8 weeks,weighing 190-210 g,were divided into 3 groups(n＝15 each)by a random number table method: sham operation group(group Sham),traumatic ALI group(group ALI)and group PHCD.ALI was induced by blunt chest trauma in ALI and PHCD groups.PHCD 2 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected immediately after blunt chest trauma in group PHCD.The rats were sacrificed and lung tissues were removed at 8 h after the model was successfully established for exami-nation of the pathological changes and ultrastructure of lung tissues(with a light microscope or an electron microscope)and for determination of the wet to dry weight ratio(W/D ratio)and expression of TLR4 and MyD88 in lung tissues.Results Compared with group Sham,the W/D ratio was significantly increased,TIPE2 expression was down-regulated,and the expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was up-regulated in ALI and PHCD groups(P＜0.05).Compared with group ALI,the W/D ratio was significantly decreased,TIPE2 expression was up-regulated,and the expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was down-regulated(P＜0.05),and the pathological changes of lung tissues and ultrastructure were significantly attenuated in group PHCD.Conclusion The mechanism by which PHCD reduces traumatic AIL is related to activating TIPE2-TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway in rats.

The aim of the study is through observing the morphology of the prepared influenza virus (H1N1) with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to explore the application of AFM on the research of the external character of viruses and provide a new, simple and efficient technique for the study of the viral morphology. TEM image was obtained by negatively stained influenza virus with 1% Phosphotungstic Acid; AFM image applied the tapping mode to influenza virus without any further treatment in air at room temperature, and the morphology parameters, including length (diameter), Ra and Rq are calculated by sectional analysis. The shapes of influenza virus A are spherical, filamentous or other pleomorphous particles observed by both AFM and TEM. TEM image of influenza virus A is two-dimensional image, and viral surface has visible spikes, while AFM exhibits the three-dimensional image that can be described with several quantifiable indexes through sectional analysis. AFM phase images show viral surface clearly which is characterized by rugged feature and gear-like protuberance. As compared with TEM, AFM is a new research tool for viral morphology study with the advantages of simple sample preparing, visible interface and is intuitionistic for researchers. The surface characteristic parameters of viruses provided by AFM can be served as the main quantifiable indexes for viral morphological study.
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission