Objective To explore the efficacy of calmodulin antagonist berbamine(BBM) in down-regulating survivin mRNA. Methods Human breast cancer cell line MCF7 and its adriamycin-resistant counterpart MCF7/ADR were used in the study. The cells were cultured with different concentration of BBM for 72 hours. The mRNA expression level of survivin gene in both MCF and MCF7/ADR cells was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results After treating MCF7 and MCF7/ADR cells by 20?mol/L BBM, the mRNA expression level of survivin gene decreased from 0.43?0.02 to 0.21?0.04 in MCF7 cells, and from 0.57?0.05 to 0.45?0.04 in MCF/ADR cells(P

Objective To investigate the relationship between mild cognitive impairment and quality of life in hemodialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy.Methods One hundred and twenty-five hemodialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy were selected in Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology from December 2014 to December 2016,and were divided into two groups according to mild cognitive impairment,including 73 patients without mild cognitive impairment as control group,and 52 patients with mild cognitive impairment as observation group.Patients received Montreal cognitive assessment scale and kidney disease quality of life scale.Patients received clinical index detection.Results Montreal cognitive assessment scale(visual space and execution(3.0±0.7) points,naming(2.4±0.3) points,attention(4.3±0.7) points,language(2.1±0.4) points,abstraction(1.1±0.2) points,delayed recall(1.6±0.3) points,orientation(5.4±0.5) points) score,kidney disease quality of life scale(physical(70.3±3.5) points,physical constraints due to work and life(14.6±2.8) points,pain(56.4±7.1) points,general health(36.2±3.4) points,emotional status(51.3±2.6) points,social function(52.7±3.4) points,mental status(43.2±3.6) points,emotional constraints due to work and life(41.3±2.8) points,symptoms(73.6±2.1) points,work status(20.3±1.6) points,cognitive function(72.7±1.8) points,nephropathy effect(49.1±3.2) points,sexual function(53.2±4.0) points,burden of nephropathy(21.3±2.6) points,sleep quality(70.1±1.5) points,social quality(43.3±1.9) points,social support(71.2±2.3) points) score in observation group were lower than control group((4.4±0.8) points,(3.0±0.0) points,(5.4±0.5) points,(2.7±0.3) points,(1.8±0.4) points,(3.4±0.6) points,(6.0±0.0) points),((78.6±4.1) points,(25.7±3.6) points,(69.8±4.2) points,(41.0±2.7) points,(58.5±3.0) points,(61.2±3.8) points,(53.4±2.8) points,(46.5±2.4) points,(82.9±3.2) points,(24.2±2.7) points,(81.6±2.3) points,(65.3±4.0) points,(62.8±3.9) points,(35.7±2.8) points,(79.3±2.0) points,(59.7±2.4) points,(82.4±2.6) points)(t=7.667,5.502,5.558,5.857,9.364,14.250,4.112,4.038,10.603,5.321,4.326,4.403,4.613,5.361,4.262,4.315,4.923,4.224,6.265,4.804,6.712,4.316,6.787,4.573,all P<0.05).Conclusion Hemodialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy has mild cognitive impairment,while quality of life is low.

Objective To explore the efficacy of calmodulin antagonist berbamine(BBM)on multidrug resistance(MDR)reversal and its mechanism. Methods Human breast cancer cell line MCF7 and its adriamycin-resistant counterpart MCF7/ADR were used in the study.The cells were cultured with ADR and different concentration of BBM. MTT assay was used to analyze the effect of BBM on cell growth inhibition.According to the MTT assay,the 50% inhibitory concentration(IC 50 ),the multiples of drug resistance and increased sensitivity of ADR were calculated.The concentration of intracellular ADR and expression level of P-glycoprotein(P-gp)were detected by flowcytometry(FCM).The mRNA expression level of mdr1 gene was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)with ?-actin as internal reference. Results The IC 50 of ADR in MCF7 and MCF7/ADR cells were(0.98?0.06)?mol/L and(101.20?5.72)?mol/L,respectively.The resistant multiple of MCF/ADR cells to ADR was 103 folds higher than that of MCF7 cells.BBM increased the chemo-sensitivity of ADR in MCF7/ADR cells with dose-dependent relationship,i.e.when 5*!?mol/L ,10*!?mol/L and 20*!?mol/L BBM was added into the culture the chemo-sensitivity of ADR was increased to 2.76,5.88,and 28.26 folds(P

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of nano-Se-chondroitin sulfate on the growth and apoptosis of chondrocytes from patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) exposed to T-2 toxin in vitro.

METHODSSamples of the articular cartilage were obtained from 6 patients with grade II/III KBD diagnosed in line with the National Clinical Diagnostic Criteria of KBD (WS/T 207-2010) for chondrocyte separation and culture in vitro. The separated chondrocytes were treated with synthesized nano-Se-chondroitin sulfate particles and T-2 toxin, alone or in combination, and the cell growth and apoptosis were observed using MTT assay, HE staining and flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe synthesized nano-Se-chondroitin sulfate, with a selenium entrapment ratio of 10.1%, spontaneously formed nanoparticles in distilled water with sizes ranging from 30 to 200 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy suggested a possible covalent bond that bound Nano-Se and chondroitin sulfate. Within the concentration range of 50-200 ng/ml, nano-Se-chondroitin sulfate significantly inhibited T-2 toxin-induced apoptosis of the cultured chondrocytes and reduced the early apoptosis rate to (8.64∓1.57)% (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONNano-Se-chondroitin sulfate can inhibit T-2 toxin-induced apoptosis of cultured chondrocytes from KBD patients in vitro, and serves as a promising candidate therapeutic agent for KBD.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; drug effects ; pathology ; Chondroitin Sulfates ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Kashin-Beck Disease ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Nanostructures ; T-2 Toxin ; toxicity

Objective To analyze the changes and gender differences of organ coefficients, intestinal length and body size of SJ5-SPF chickens at different weeks of age,and to provide experimental data for the sex selection of laboratory chickens. Methods The body weight,the weight of 15 main organs,and length of 5 main segments of intestine and the 6 main parameters of body size of SJ5-SPF chickens at the age of 4,20,25 and 40 weeks were measured,respectively,and the organ coefficients were calculated. In addition, the gender differences in body weights, organ coefficients, intestinal lengths and body sizes between the female and male SJ5-SPF chickens at the four different weeks of age were compared, respectively. Results There were significant differences in body weights between the male and female SJ5-SPF chickens at each of the four different weeks of age(P < 0.01). The organ coefficients varied between females and males to different extents at different weeks of age. As for the intestinal length,there were no significant differences in the length of jejunum and ileum as well as rectum between the male and female chickens, while the length of duodenum, left cecum and right cecum showed gender differences at some of the four different weeks of age. During the determination of body size, there were gender differences in body length,shank length,pelvic width,chest depth and chest width at two or three of the four different weeks of age. Conclusions The organ coefficients, intestinal length and body size of SJ5-SPF chickens are affected by both their age and gender.

Objective To study the effect of age and sex on physiological and biochemical indexes of SJ5-SPF chickens at the age of different weeks. Methods Blood biochemical indexes of SJ5-SPF chickens at the age of different weeks were measured using an automatic blood analyzer, including 19 items: ALT, ALP, GGT, AST, LDH, TP, GLB, ALB, TB, DB, IBIL, GLU, TG, TCH, BUN, CRE, K+, Na+, and Ca2+. At the same time, the body temperature (T), respiratory frequency (R), heart rate (HR), diastolic pressure (DBP) and systolic pressure (SBP) of the SJ5-SPF chickens were measured using a RM6240C multi-channel physiological signal acquisition and processing system. Results (1) Among the physiological parameters, the body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure showed significant differences between the 4-week old chickens and the chickens at ages of 20, 25, and 25 weeks (P ＜ 0. 05), but there were significant differences between the males and females at the same weeks of age except body temperature. The diastolic blood pressure was only significantly different in the 40-week old male and female chickens (P ＜ 0. 01). The heart rates showed significant differences between the male and female chickens at 4, 20 and 25 weeks of age (P ＜ 0. 01). The respiratory rate and systolic blood pressure in the 4-week old male and female chickens were significantly different (P ＜ 0. 05). (2) The 19 blood biochemical indexes showed significant differences between the male and female chickens: the GGT, ALT, AST, TB, DB, IBIL, GLU, BUN and Na+at an week-age (P＜ 0. 05), the LDH, TP, GLB, ALB and CRE at two different week-ages (P＜ 0. 05), the ALP, TG and Ca2+at three different week-ages (P＜ 0. 05), and the TCH and K+at four different week-ages (P＜ 0. 05). Conclusions The above results can provide a scientific basis for diagnosis of SJ5-SPF chicken disease, animal quarantine and other related research.

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients with hypertension.Methods From October 2015 to October 2016,one hundred and fifty-one elderly hypertensive patients treated in the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technologywere selected as the observation group,and 151 healthy subjects in the same period were enrolled in the control group.The blood pressure measurement and cognitive function evaluation were given to analyze the influencing factors of elderly hypertensive patients with cognitive dysfunction.Results Diastolic pressure ((98.5 ±4.2) mmHg),systolic pressure ((157.6 ± 8.9) mmHg),pulse pressure ((59.1 ± 4.3) mmHg) and cognitive impairment rate(27.2％) in observation group were higher than those in the control group((82.7±3.6 mmHg,(122.4± 6.8) mmHg,(39.7 ± 2.5) mmHg,0.0％),the differences were statistically significant (t =4.951,5.868,8.128,P＜ 0.05).The language fluency ((2.5 ± 0.2) points),memory ability ((2.7 ± 0.4) points),visual spatial executive ability ((2.9±0.2) points),naming ability ((2.6±0.1 points),abstract generalization ability ((1.7±0.2) points),orientation ability ((5.0 ± 0.4) points),attention and calculation ability ((5.1 ±0.3) points),total score ((22.5±0.8) points)in observation group were lower than those in the control group ((2.8±0.1) points,(4.8 ± 0.2) points,(4.7 ± 0.3) points,(2.8 ± 0.2) points,(1.9 ± 0.1) points,(5.7 ±0.1) points,(5.7±0.2) points,(28.4±0.6) points) (t=4.202,10.778,9.206,3.769,4.173,4.405,4.278,5.727,P＜0.05).Diastolic pressure ((103.7 ± 2.5)mmHg),systolic pressure ((164.8 ±4.1) mmHg),pulse pressure((64.5± 1.6) mmHg)in patients with cognitive dysfunction were higher than those in patients without cognitive dysfunction ((92.6±2.8) mmHg,(145.7±3.9) mmHg,(46.3± 1.5) mmHg) (t =4.195,4.310,6.913,P＜0.05).Age distribution (≤65 years old in 9 cases,＞65 years old in 32 cases),BMI index distribution (≤24 kg/m2 in 11 cases,＞24 kg/m2 in 30 cases) in patients without cognitive dysfunction were better than those in patients with cognitive dysfunction ((≤ 65 yeas old in 64 cases,＞ 65 years old in 46 cases),(≤ 24 kg/m2 in 68 cases,＞ 24 kg/m2 in 42 cases)).The differences were statistically significant (x2 =15.700,14.657,P ＜ 0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis showed that cognitive function in elderly hypertensive patients was related to age,BMI index,diastolic blood pressure and pulse pressure (OR (95％CI):4.265 (2.038 ～ 8.927),3.991 (1.956～8.142),3.294 (1.532 ～ 7.084),3.521 (1.640 ～ 7.561),5 (2.375 ～10.528);P=0.000).Condusion Age,BMI index,diastolic blood pressure,systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure are influencing factors in elderly hypertension patients with cognitive dysfunction.

Objective:To explore the damage of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) to the subbasal nerve plexus (SNP) and its related mechanisms by comparing SNP changes in wide-field mosaic between before and after PRP treatment in diabetic patients.Methods:A randomized controlled study was conducted.Fifty-seven patients (114 eyes) with type 2 diabetes mellitus and binocular diabetic retinopathy (DR) stage IV to receive PRP treatment in Shanxi Eye Hospital from April to November 2019 were enrolled.The subjects were randomly divided into horizontal-vertical laser group and vertical-horizontal laser group according to a random number table.Twenty-nine eyes from 29 patients were assigned to the horizontal-vertical laser group with the photocoagulation sequence of temporal-nasal-inferior-superior.Twenty-eight eyes from 28 patients were assigned to the vertical-horizontal laser group with the photocoagulation sequence of inferior-superior-temporal-nasal.The severer eyes of each subject were chosen as the treatment eye and the contralateral eyes were chosen as the control eye.Corneal confocal laser scanning microscopy (CCM) was performed before PRP treatment, 1 week after each photocoagulation, and 1 month after the completion of PRP treatment to collect images of the SNP over an area of 2-3 mm around the whorl-like pattern.Captured images at each time were merged into one image by using the Photoshop CC 2017 image processing software, and then the nerve fiber length (NFL) of whorl-like pattern was measured by Neuron J image analysis software.McGill pain questionnaire was used to investigate the pain of patients after each photocoagulation.The NFL changes of SNP at different time points were compared between different eyes and different photocoagulation sequence groups.The study protocol adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by an Ethics Committee of Shanxi Eye Hospital (No.201804b). Written informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to entering the study cohort.Results:After PRP treatment, there were different degrees of neural structure loss of SNP nerve fibers in 11 treatment eyes, but there was no significant change in SNP nerve fibers in the control eyes.There were significant differences in NFL between the treatment eyes and the control eyes at various time points ( Feyes=2.020, P=0.039; Ftime=4.062, P=0.001). In the horizontal-vertical laser group, different degrees of neural structure loss on the photocoagulation side were found in SNP nerve fibers after the first and second photocoagulation.In the vertical-horizontal laser group, different degrees of neural structure loss on the photocoagulation side were found in SNP nerve fibers after the third and fourth photocoagulation.There was no significant difference in NFL of treatment eyes between the two groups ( Fgroup=0.099, P=0.754), but there was a significant difference in NFL at various time points before and after treatment ( Ftime=5.231, P<0.001). There were 9 (9/57) patients who complained of pain after PRP, which occurred at the first time of photocoagulation in 7 of them. Conclusions:SNP damage may occur after PRP in patients with DR, and SNP is prone to be damaged on the photocoagulation side when performing horizontal photocoagulation.

The immune checkpoint blockade therapy has profoundly revolutionized the field of cancer immunotherapy. However, despite great promise for a variety of cancers, the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors is still low in colorectal cancer (CRC). This is mainly due to the immunosuppressive feature of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Emerging evidence reveals that certain chemotherapeutic drugs induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), demonstrating great potential for remodeling the immunosuppressive TME. In this study, the potential of ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) as an ICD inducer against CRC cells was confirmed using in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches. The ICD efficacy of Rg3 could be significantly enhanced by quercetin (QTN) that elicited reactive oxygen species (ROS). To ameliorate in vivo delivery barriers associated with chemotherapeutic drugs, a folate (FA)-targeted polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified amphiphilic cyclodextrin nanoparticle (NP) was developed for co-encapsulation of Rg3 and QTN. The resultant nanoformulation (CD-PEG-FA.Rg3.QTN) significantly prolonged blood circulation and enhanced tumor targeting in an orthotopic CRC mouse model, resulting in the conversion of immunosuppressive TME. Furthermore, the CD-PEG-FA.Rg3.QTN achieved significantly longer survival of animals in combination with Anti-PD-L1. The study provides a promising strategy for the treatment of CRC.