Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mucinoses

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of pBBADs-OXM-transformed bifidobacteria on the body weight of obese mice.

METHODSB. longum was transformed with pBBADs-OXM by electroporation, and arabopyranose-induced oxyntomodulin expression by the bacterium was detected by ELISA. pBBADs-OXM-transformed bifidobacteria was administered orally obese mice on a daily basis with pBBADs-GFP-transformed bifidobacteria as the negative control, and the body weight changes of the mice were observed.

RESULTSOXM was detected by ELISA not only in the supernatant but also the precipitant of the transformed bacterial culture. The body weight of the obese mice fed with pBBADs-OXM-transformed bifidobacteria decreased significantly compared with that of the mice in the obese model group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAdministration of pBBADs-OXM-transformed B.longum can reduce the body weight of obese mice.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Appetite Depressants ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Bifidobacterium ; genetics ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Electroporation ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Obesity ; drug therapy ; Oxyntomodulin ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of corticosterone on the expression of the neuronal migration protein lissencephaly 1 (LIS1) in developing cerebral cortical neurons of fetal rats.

METHODSThe primary cultured cerebral cortical neurons of fetal Wistar rats were divided into control group, low-dose group, and high-dose group. The neurons were exposed to the medium containing different concentrations of corticosterone (0 μmol/L for the control group, 0.1 μmol/L for the low-dose group, and 1.0 μmol/L for the high-dose group). The neurons were collected at 1, 4, and 7 days after intervention. Western blot and immunocytochemical staining were used to observe the change in LIS1 expression in neurons.

RESULTSWestern blot showed that at 7 days after intervention, the low- and high-dose groups had significantly higher expression of LIS1 in the cytoplasm and nucleus of cerebral cortical neurons than the control group (P<0.05), and the high-dose group had significantly lower expression of LIS1 in the cytoplasm of cerebral cortical neurons than the low-dose group (P<0.05). Immunocytochemical staining showed that at 1, 4, and 7 days after corticosterone intervention, the high-dose group had a significantly lower mean optical density of LIS1 than the control group and the low-dose group (P<0.05). At 7 days after intervention, the low-dose group had a significantly lower mean optical density of LIS1 than the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCorticosterone downregulates the expression of the neuronal migration protein LIS1 in developing cerebral cortical neurons of fetal rats cultured in vitro, and such effect depends on the concentration of corticosterone and duration of corticosterone intervention.

1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase ; analysis ; genetics ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Corticosterone ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Fetus ; drug effects ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between noise and blood pressure and/or hypertension, and its age characteristic.

METHODSThe pure tone audiometric and blood pressure examinations were performed in 14537 workers from 157 factories. Hearing impairment was used as a surrogate indicator of cumulated noise exposure. The associations of hearing impairment and duration of noise exposure with blood pressure and hypertension were analyzed respectively after age and gender stratification.

RESULTSMost of the objects were males (81.2%), younger than 35 years old (77.8%), and the duration of exposure to noise was less than 5 years (73.6%). The prevalence of hearing impairment in males was significantly higher than that in males, and increased with age and duration of noise exposure. Only in males with age younger than 35 years old, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures of subjects with sensorineural hearing loss significantly enhanced, and the diastolic blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension increased with duration of noise exposure. The risk of hypertension in males with sensorineural hearing loss significantly increased, the odds ratios in subjects with age younger than 35 years old and with age older than 35 years old were 3.0 (95%CI: 1.5 ∼ 6.1) and 2.1 (95%CI: 1.2 ∼ 3.4), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe severe hearing impairment induced by noise was associated with hypertension. It is suggested that people should pay attention to the effects of noise on hypertension in young workers.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Male ; Noise, Occupational

OBJECTIVETo investigate the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-2 (NOD-2) gene expression in deep caries and the effects of NOD-2 agonist muramyl dipeptide (MDP) on the differentiation of human dental pulp cells (hDPC).

METHODSNOD-2 gene level in deep caries and healthy pulp tissue was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (realtime-PCR). Realtime-PCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to evaluate NOD-2 gene and protein expression. Dentin sialoprotein (DSP) protein level was assessed when hDPC were challenged by different concentrations of MDP for 24 hours, and sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), osteocalcin (OCN) mRNA and osteopontin (OPN) protein level were detected at different time points after incubation with 0.1 mg/L MDP.

RESULTSNOD-2 mRNA level was higher in pulp tissue of deep caries (0.2610 ± 0.0824) than that in healthy controls (0.0024 ± 0.0002), P < 0.05. The expression of NOD-2 gene and protein increased in a time denpendent manner upon stimulation with MDP. Immunofluorescence confirmed that NOD-2 protein was located in cytoplasm. Moreover, 0.1 mg/L MDP augmented DSP protein level. DSPP and OCN mRNA were elevated with time and reached the peak at 12 h and down-regulated. OPN protein level also increased with time.

CONCLUSIONSDental pulp NOD-2 expression are up-regulated in pulp tissue of deep caries. MDP may be related to the differentiation of hDPC.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine ; pharmacology ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dental Caries ; pathology ; Dental Pulp ; cytology ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Osteopontin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phosphoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Sialoglycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThere was a hospital outbreak of venous diethylene glycol poisoning in Guangzhou, China. It is the only massive episode of venous diethylene glycol poisoning in history. Here we report its clinical features, laboratory findings, and imaging appearances.

METHODSThe clinical features of 15 venous diethylene glycol poisoning patients with liver disease were analyzed and summarized. Their laboratory findings and imaging appearances were comparatively analyzed before and after poisoning.

RESULTSAll poisoned patients presented with oliguric acute renal failure with anuria after a mean of 6 days. Carbon dioxide combination power of 13 patients dropped after a mean of 9 days with valley value on the 10th day, when metabolic acidosis developed. Gastroenteric symptoms or aggravation of gastroenteric symptoms were displayed in 11 patients after a mean of 9 days. Neurological system impairment was observed in 10 patients after a mean of 14 days. Seven patients had low fever after a mean of 6 days. Causes of death of 14 patients included multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, severe lung infection and massive haemorrhage of digestive tract. Blood creatinine and urea nitrogen were abnormal after a mean of 5 days with peak value on the 11th and 14th days, respectively. Serum calcium had no obvious change, and phosphorus was distinctively increased. Liver functions did not change significantly. Poisoned patients had higher white blood cell counts, but lower red blood cell counts and hemoglobin value. Of the 7 patients who exhibited mild, moderate or severe patchy consolidation shadowing in the lung, 2 manifested mild or severe gaseous distention and dilation of gastroenteric tract.

CONCLUSIONSMain features of venous diethylene glycol poisoning in patients with liver disease include oliguric acute renal failure, metabolic acidosis, gastroenteric symptoms or aggravation of gastroenteric symptoms, neurological system impairment and low fever, with a mortality rate of 93.33% in poisoned patients. There is also higher white blood cell counts and anemia, patchy consolidation shadowing in the lung, gaseous distention and dilation of gastroenteric tract, which occurs later than mild patchy consolidation shadowing and earlier than moderate patchy consolidation shadowing in the lung.

Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Benzopyrans ; poisoning ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Contamination ; Ethylene Glycols ; poisoning ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective: To quantitatively measure biological parameters of nanophthalmos and analyze the correlation between axial length (AL) and the other biological parameters. Methods: The clinical data of 71 eyes of 43 patients identified with nanophthalmos (AL≤20 mm) from September 2012 to August 2018 in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center were retrospectively analyzed.All enrolled patients underwent ophthalmological examinations including best-corrected visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, Goldmann applanation tonometry, A-scan ultrasound examinations, ultrasound biomicroscopy, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and nonmydriatic fundus photography.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between AL and all biological parameters.This study followed the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (NO.2017KYPJ092). All patients signed informed consent. Results: Of the 43 patients, the average age was (46.00±12.75) years, the mean intraocular pressure was (24.97±14.87)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). The mean best corrected visual acuity was 1.14±0.79, the mean refraction was (11.61±4.09)D.The mean AL, central corneal thickness (CCT), central anterior chamber depth(ACD), anterior chamber width (ACW), len thickness(LT) and vitreous cavity length(VCL) was (17.13±1.57)mm, (550±60)μm, (1.64±0.37)mm, (11.17±0.61)mm, (5.01±0.51)mm and (10.10±1.80)mm, respectively.The average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (mRNFLT), macular foveal retinal thickness (FRT) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was (98.51±40.93), (294.46±116.83) and (488.72±133.06)μm, respectively.The ratio of ACD to AL, LT to AL, and VCL to AL was 9.6%, 29.4% and 59.3%, respectively.The ACW and VCL were positively correlated with AL(r=0.432, 0.978; both at P<0.001); whereas, LT and FRT were negatively correlated with AL(r=-0.272, P=0.027; r=-0.679, P<0.001). There was no correlation between CCT, central ACD, mRNFLT, SFCT and AL (r=0.153, -0.053, -0.322, 0.063; all at P>0.05). Conclusions Nanophthalmos has the characteristics of narrow anterior and posterior segment structure.The ratio of LT to AL is increased and the ratio of VCL to AL is decreased.The AL is positively correlated with ACW and VCL, negatively correlated with LT and FRT.

Objective: Diagnostic efficacy of serum markers is low for heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HF-pEF) as compared to heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.We sought to explore the diagnostic value of serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2) combined with interleukin-33 (IL-33) for the diagnosis of HF-pEF in this study. Methods: A total of 376 patients with HF-pEF (HF group), 376 matched-control patients without heart failure who shared similar clinical characteristics (non-HF group) were included in the study.Another 500 healthy individuals were recruited for assessing the normal ranges of IL-33 and sST2.Serum levels of NT-proBNP were measured by chemi-luminescence assay, while IL-33 and sST2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 were not normally distributed in healthy population.Serum concentrations of IL-33 and sST2 were significantly higher in HF-pEF patients than in patients in non-HF group (median, IL-33: 0.437 μg/L vs. 0.127 μg/L, P<0.01; sST: 0.118 μg/L vs. 0.067 μg/L, P<0.01). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was 0.763 (95%CI 0.729-0.795, P<0.01), with 71.01% sensitivity and 66.75% specificity, the AUC was 0.884 (95%CI 0.859-0.908, P<0.01), with 80.05% sensitivity and 81.91% specificity in patients with serum IL-33 higher than 0.117 μg/L (median level of serum IL-33 in healthy individuals, n=306). The AUC of NT-proBNP for detecting HF-pEF was 0.83, with 74.73% sensitivity and 84.57% specificity.The AUC of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was significantly higher than NT-proBNP in population with high serum IL-33 (AUC: 0.88 vs. 0.83, P<0.01). Conclusion Serum sST2 could serve as a satisfactory biomarker for HF-pEF diagnosis, especially for patients with high serum IL-33 concentrations.