This study was purposed to investigate the effects of interferon (IFN)-γ on expression of adhesion molecules in mesenchymal stromal cells derived from human umbilical cord tissue (UC-MSC). The UC-MSC were isolated from human umbilical cord by tissue culture. The expressions of specific markers on UC-MSC were detected by flow cytometry in the physiological condition. The adipogenic and osteogenic induction of UC-MSC was detected by alizarin and Oil red O staining. UC-MSC were exposed to IFN-γ (100, 1 000, 10 000 U/ml) for 24 h, the expressions of CD54, CD58, CD44, CD49d, CD62p, CD62L, CD102 and CD106 on cell surface were detected using flow cytometry. The results showed that in physiological condition, UC-MSC extremely low expressed CD102, CD106, CD62P, CD62L, while the expression of CD54 was relatively high (41.58 ± 0.83)%. When stimulated by IFN-γ, the expression of CD102, CD106, CD62P, CD62L increased slightly, but still low (< 5%), while CD54 and CD58 upregulated concentration-dependently up to (59.66 ± 1.36)% and (43.96 ± 0.62)% respectively. The expression of CD49d upregulated to (51.33 ± 0.74)% when UC-MSC exposed to IFN-γ 100 U/ml. CD44 increased to (73.22 ± 1.93)% when UC-MSC exposed to IFN-γ 1 000 U/ml. It is concluded that IFN-γ can elevate significantly the expression of CD54, CD49d, CD44 and CD58, but has no significant effect on CD102, CD106, CD62P and CD62L expression on the surface of UC-MSC.
Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology

Vpr, an auxiliary protein of HIV-1(Human immunodeficiency virus type 1), exerts important functions to promote viral replication and AIDS progression. In this study, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screening assay using human cDNA library to further investigate the molecular mechanism of various functions of Vpr RelB, a key protein in NF-kappaB signaling pathway, was identified as a Vpr interaction protein by co-immunoprecipitation. Further investigations indicated that RelB not only promoted the Vpr-mediated activation of NF-kappaB reporter gene, but also enhanced the transactivation of HIV LTR. Moreover, the results showed that RelB promoted Vpr-induced cell cycle G2/M arrest. Collectively, these results indicated that RelB might interact with Vpr and regulate its transcriptional activation and cell cycle arrest.
Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Division ; G2 Phase ; HIV Long Terminal Repeat ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; Transcription Factor RelB ; physiology ; Transcriptional Activation ; vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; physiology

OBJECTIVEUtilizing the hypoxia inducible factor 1/hypoxia reaction element (HIF-1/ HRE) gene regulation system to construct antisense vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165) cDNA eukaryotic expression vector promoted by HRE, and investigate its targeted inhibiting VEGF expression of osteosarcoma cells in hypoxia environment.

METHODSEukaryotic expression plasmid with HRE promoter was constructed containing luciferase reporter gene and antisense VEGF165 cDNA by using PCR and recombinant DNA techniques. The recombinant vectors were transfected into osteosarcoma cells with lipofectin method. Hypoxia-inducible reporter gene expression was determined by liquid scintillation analyzer and the expression of VEGF protein was detected by ELISA method.

RESULTSThe eukaryotic expression plasmid containing antisense VEGF165 and luciferase promoted by HRE was constructed successfully. After being transferred into MG63 cells, luciferase expression was increased 3.5 x 10(2) times and VEGF protein expression decreased 45% under hypoxia condition.

CONCLUSIONAntisense VEGF165 cDNA expression, efficiently realized by HRE promoter under hypoxia condition, provides an experimental basis for targeted antiangiogenesis of tumors.

Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; genetics ; Luciferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

Ten compounds were isolated and purified from cell suspension cultures of Cudrania tricuspidata with silica-gel column chromatography, semi-preparative HPLC and Sephadex LH-20. On the base of their physicochemical properties and spectral data, their structures were identified as 1, 3, 5-trihydroxy4-(3, 3-dimethylallyl) xanthone (1), wighteone (2), 6-prenylapigenin (3), licoflavone C(4), cudraflavanone C(5), erythrivarone A (6), derrone (7), carthamidin (8), genistein (9) and aromadendrin (10). Among them, compounds 2-10 were flavonoids, and compound 1 was a xanthone which was isolated from the plant for the first time.
Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavanones ; isolation & purification ; Flavones ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; Genistein ; isolation & purification ; Moraceae ; chemistry ; cytology ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; cytology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Xanthones ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the current status and existing problems in the implementation of stroke care continuity in China, and to collect relevant suggestions for solving these problems. Methods Focus group interviews were used, to survey thirty-six nursing managers and senior nurses in neurology departments or rehabilitation programs in 24 cities of 13 provinces. The interview team members presided over the meetings, with full-time staff taking notes and recordings, and the results of the interviews were summarized and organized in a timely manner after the interview. Results At present, most of the general hospitals surveyed are doing their best to continue supporting nursing care for patients discharged from hospitals in different forms following their rescue of the acute phase. However, they are faced with such challenges as insufficient nursing manpower, and discontinuity between different medical institutions, which result in oversimplified nursing care and fragmented care. Conclusions Stroke nursing practitioners are working on continuous nursing care, with quite some challenges as well. Nursing care continuity is an important step towards establishing and improving a scientific and rational grading nursing care system.

Amarogentin is an efficacious Chinese herbal medicine and a component of the bitter apricot kernel. It is commonly used as an expectorant and supplementary anti-cancer drug. β-Glucosidase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes the glycosidic bond between aryl and saccharide groups to release glucose. Upon their interaction, β-glucosidase catalyzes amarogentin to produce considerable amounts of hydrocyanic acid, which inhibits cytochrome C oxidase, the terminal enzyme in the mitochondrial respiration chain, and suspends adenosine triphosphate synthesis, resulting in cell death. Hydrocyanic acid is a cell-cycle-stage-nonspecific agent that kills cancer cells. Thus, β-glucosidase can be coupled with a tumor-specific monoclonal antibody. β-Glucosidase can combine with cancer-cell-surface antigens and specifically convert amarogentin to an active drug that acts on cancer cells and the surrounding antibodies to achieve a killing effect. β-Glucosidase is injected intravenously and recognizes cancer-cell-surface antigens with the help of an antibody. The prodrug amarogentin is infused after β-glucosidase has reached the target position. Coupling of cell membrane peptides with β-glucosidase allows the enzyme to penetrate capillary endothelial cells and clear extracellular deep solid tumors to kill the cells therein. The Chinese medicine amarogentin and β-glucosidase will become an important treatment for various tumors when an appropriate monoclonal antibody is developed.
Amygdalin ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Iridoids ; therapeutic use ; Prodrugs ; therapeutic use ; beta-Glucosidase ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and the clinical effectiveness of Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment (SGNA) in nutritional assessment of hospitalized children with CP. METHODS: A total of 208 children with CP, aged 1-5 years, who were hospitalized from April to October 2019 were enrolled as subjects. SGNA was used to investigate nutritional status, and the Z-score method recommended by the World Health Organization was used as a reference standard to validate the clinical effectiveness of SGNA. RESULTS: The detection rate of malnutrition in children with CP was 42.3% by SGNA and 39.4% by the Z-score method (P>0.05). The application of SGNA showed high consistency between different evaluators (κ=0.621, P<0.001). With the Z-score method as the reference standard, SGNA had a sensitivity of 80.5%, a specificity of 82.5%, a positive predictive value of 75.0%, and a negative predictive value of 86.7%, and high consistency was observed between the two evaluation methods (κ=0.622, P<0.001). SGNA was moderately consistent with weight-for-age Z-score and height-for-age Z-score (κ=0.495 and 0.478 respectively, P<0.001) and was poorly consistent with weight-for-height Z-score (κ=0.197, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a relatively high incidence rate of malnutrition in children with CP. SGNA can be used as a tool to assess the nutritional status of children with CP.
Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Malnutrition ; Nutrition Assessment ; Nutritional Status ; Treatment Outcome

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk scores for in-hospital mortality in Chinese ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods:Present data are obtained from the prospective, multicenter Chinese AMI (CAMI) registry, 107 hospitals from 31 provinces, municipalities or autonomous districts in China took part in this study. From January 2013 to September 2014, 17886 consecutive ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients admitted to these 107 hospitals were enrolled. For each patient, TIMI and GRACE risk scores were calculated using specific variables collected at admission. Their prognostic value on the primary endpoint (in-hospital mortality) was evaluated. Results:Mean age of this patient cohort was (61.9±12.4)years, 76.5% (n=13685) patients were males. The in-hospital mortality was 6.4%(n=1 153)and the median length of hospital stay was 10.0 days. The incidence of cardiac arrest at admission were 4.3% (n=764). Coronary reperfusion therapy including fibrinolytic therapy(n=1782), primary percutaneous coronary intervention (n=7763) and emergent coronary artery bypass grafting (n=10) were applied to 9555 (53.4%) patients and the median of time to reperfusion was 300.0 minutes. The predictive accuracy of TIMI and GRACE for in-hospital mortality was similar:TIMI risk score (AUC) [area under the curve:0.7956; 95% confidence interval (95%CI:0.7822~0.8090)] and GRACE risk score (AUC:0.8096; 95%CI:0.7963~0.8230). Conclusions:The TIMI and GRACE risk score demonstrate similar predictive accuracy for in-hospital mortality and there are some disadvantages in risk stratification by these two risk scores for Chinese STEMI patients.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of moxa-cone moxibustion at lung's back- METHODS: Sixty SPF-grade healthy male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an LY294002 group (LY group), an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a moxibustion group, 12 mice in each group. Asthma model was replicated by using ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization. Except the mice in the normal group, all the mice were intraperitoneally injected with sensitization solution (containing 15 μg of OVA and 30 mg of aluminum hydroxide) on the 1st day, 7th day and 14th day, 0.5 mL per mice; from the 15th day, 1% OVA solution was atomized for 20 min, once a day for 2 weeks; the mice in the normal group was treated with identical operations but with 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The mice in the LY group were treated with injection of LY294002 at tail vein on the 13th day, 14th day and 15th day. At the beginning of the 15th day, The mice in the EA group were treated with EA at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Zhongfu" (LU 1) with disperse-dense wave, frequency of 2 Hz/20 Hz, intensity of 1 mA, 15 min each time, once a day for 2 weeks. The mice in the moxibustion group was treated with moxa-cone moxibustion at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Zhongfu" (LU 1) from the 15th day, three moxa-cones per acupoint, once a day for 2 weeks. On the 16th day, 18th day and 22nd day, the incubation period of asthma was recorded. On the 29th day, all the samples were collected. The expressions of IL-17 and IL-10 in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by ELISA method. The pathological changes of lung tissue were observed by HE staining. The percentage of Th17, Treg and Th17/Treg ratio in spleen tissue were detected by flow cytometry method. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the incubation period of asthma in the model group was significantly shortened ( CONCLUSION The Th17/Treg is imbalanced in asthmatic body. The moxibustion at lung's back-
Animals ; Asthma/therapy* ; Lung ; Male ; Mice ; Moxibustion ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th17 Cells

In order to explore the chloroplast genome characteristics of Sophora flavescens and the phylogenetic relationship of the genus, this study used high-throughput sequencing technology to sequence and functionally annotate the chloroplast genome of Sophora flavescens. The results showed that the full length 154 165 bp of Sophora flavescens chloroplast genome showed a typical four-stage structure. The chloroplast genome contains 123 genes, including 77 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Sequence analysis revealed 104 SSR loci, most of which consisted of A and T. In addition, the chloroplast genome codon preference is weak, and the coding region is biased towards the use of A and T bases. A comparative analysis of two different regions of Sophora flavescens chloroplast genome revealed four differential genes. Based on the maximum likelihood method (ML) for phylogenetic analysis of Sophora flavescens and 16 other leguminous, it was found that the relationship between Sophora flavescens and the genus Sophora alopecuroides is the closest. This study provides an important theoretical basis for the genetic variation, breeding and phylogenetic analysis of Sophora flavescens, and has certain reference value.