Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin-3 (AQP3) in tongue tissues of rats with experimental severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and regulating effects of emodin. Methods Rat models with SAP were established by injecting 5% sodium taurocholate retrogradely into gallbladder and pancreas. SD male rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model group, and emodin group. After model establishment, rats in the emodin group received gavage with emodin 20 mg/kg each day, while rats in the model group and sham-operation group received gavage with normal saline. The mental state, thick greasy tongue fur and mortality of rats were observed every day after model establishment, and 5 days later, protein and genetic expression of AQP3 were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR. Results Compared with the model group, the mortality and the thick greasy tongue fur significantly decreased, the protein and genetic expression of AQP3 significantly decreased in the emodin group (P<0.05). On the 5th day, 11 rats in the model group survived, and 5 rats had thick greasy tongue fur. Compared with the sham-operation group, the protein and genetic expression of AQP3 in the model group were higher (P<0.05). Conclusion Emodin can improve the severity of SAP and decrease the incidence of thick greasy tongue fur significantly by reducing the protein and genetic expression of AQP3.

Objective:To explore the effects of eight-week group positive psychotherapy intervention on de-pression associated self-efficacy and subjective well-being in female nursing students.Methods:Totally 74 female nursing students with mild to moderate depression [the score of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-Ⅱ)was 14 to 28]were selected from three nursing colleges of Changsha.They were randomly divided into two groups,40 in the control group and 34 in the intervention group.Samples in the intervention group were given the eight-week group positive psychotherapy,while the control group was given nothing (the control group could receive the intervention when the intervention was proved to be effective or the control group needed treatments).The General Self-efficacy Scale(GSES)and Index of Well-being(IWB)were used to get the outcome of female nursing students'self-effica-cy,subjective well-being at baseline,the time after the intervention,3 month follow-up,6 month follow-up.Results:The interactive effect between group and time of self-efficacy,subjective well-being were statistically significant (Ps<0.05).Separate analyses showed that at baseline,there was no significant difference between two groups in all variables (Ps >0.05).At the end of the intervention,3 month follow-up and 6 month follow-up,the GSES score and IWB score in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group (Ps <0.05).Conclusion:Eight-week group positive psychotherapy could improve self-efficacy and subjective well-being of female nursing students who have mild to moderate depressive symptom.This intervention also has a long-term effect.

Objective To observe the change of capillary pericapillary cells in rats with myocardial infarction and the influence of supplementing qi and activating blood circulation herbs, and explore its mechanism of improving myocardial perfusion. Methods The rat model was established by ligaturing the left anterior descending coronary artery. On the base of ECG evaluation, successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, group treated with supplementing qi and activating blood circulation Chinese medicine (activating blood and supplementing qi group), group treated with Perindopril (Perindopril group), group treated with Tongxinluo Capsules (Tongxinluo group). The sham-operation group was taken as the control. There were totally 5 groups. The model group and the sham-operation group were treated with normal saline. The changes of myocardial capillary density (MCD) and number of pericapillary cells on the 7th, 28th day after medicinal administration were observed. Results On the 7th and 28th day, the MCD decreased significantly and the number of capillary pericapillary cells increased significantly in the model group compared with the sham-operation group (P<0.01). The MCD increased significantly in the activating blood and supplementing qi group, Perindopril group and Tongxinluo group compared with the model group (P<0.01). The number of pericapillary cells decreased significantly in the activating blood and supplementing qi group, Perindopril group and Tongxinluo group compared with the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion The supplementing qi and activating blood circulation herbs can improve regional myocardial blood supply by decreasing the number of pericytes and promoting regeneration of capillary.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect of modified Koyanagi technique with coverage by tunica vaginalis of testis in severe hypospadias.

METHODS49 cases with severe hypospadias treated from Jan. 2009 to Sep. 2011 were retrospectively studied. 25 patients underwent Koyanagi technique with coverage by tunica vaginalis of testis. 24 cases underwent one-stage Duplay + Duckett technique in the same term. The patients were followed up for 7-24 months.

RESULTSAmong the 25 children treated with Koyanagi procedure, 20 cases were cured, 5 patients had postoperative complications, including urethral fistula in 3 cases,urethral stenosis in 2 cases. At the same time, in the Duplay + Duckett group, 17 cases were cured, 7 children had postoperative complications, including urethral fistula in 4 cases, and urethral stenosis in 3 cases. All the patients with urethral fistula were repaired successfully 6 months after the first surgery; The urethral stenosis were cured by dilatation within 1 to 3 months. The successful rate in the 2 groups had no significant difference(P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONSKoyanagi technique with coverage by tunica vaginalis of testis is relatively simple with similar effect as Duplay + Duckett technique for severe hypospadias.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; surgery ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; transplantation ; Testis ; surgery ; Urethral Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; Urethral Stricture ; etiology ; therapy ; Urinary Fistula ; etiology ; surgery

Objective To determine the electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics of myocardial infarction (MI) evolution in rats and the intervention effect of Chinese herbs, and to provide basis for the establishment of the criteria for ECG diagnosis and assessment of drug therapeutic effects of rats MI. Methods Totally 140 male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, replenishing qi group, activating blood group, replenishing qi and activating blood (1∶2) and (2∶1) group as well as Tongxinluo group, each group with 20 rats. The rat MI model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The treatment groups were administrered with corresponding drugs by gavage from the first day after operation. The sham operation group and model group were given the same volume of distilled water. The 12-lead ECGs were recorded before, immediately after, 1st and 2nd week after operation respectively. The voltage value of ST segment deviation, the time limit of QRS complex and the number of animals with pathologic Q wave were evaluated for statistical analysis. Results Model group showed the elevation of ST segment, significantly prolonged time limit of QRS complex (P<0.01), and no pathologic Q wave showed immediately after operation compared with sham operation group. And all above observational indexes reached the peak at 1st week and declined at 2nd week after operation. Compared with model group at 2nd week after operation, replenishing qi and activating blood (1∶2) group and (2∶1) group all presented remarkable dropping of ST segment, shortening in time limit of QRS complex and reduction in number of rats with pathologic Q wave, of which 2∶1 group showed the most (P<0.01). Activating blood group only displayed decreases in time limit of QRS and number of rats with pathologic Q wave (P<0.05), and no significant decline in ST segment. Replenishing qi group demonstrated no significant changes in above three observational indexes (P>0.05). Thus, we proposed the criterion for the ECG diagnosis of rats MI as well as the criterion for the ECG assessment of drug therapeutic effects of rats MI. Conclusion ECG can overall and sensitively evaluate the evolution and drug therapeutic effects of MI in rats, thus providing a relatively objective and available assessment method for the experimental studies of myocardial ischemic diseases.

Objective This study aims to determine whether electroacupuncture regulates the phospholipase C(PLC)/inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate(PLC/IP3)pathway in platelet-derived growth factor receptor α-positive(PDGFRα+)cells,thereby improving gastrointestinal motility disorders in functional dyspepsia(FD).Methods 40 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,electroacupuncture group,U73122(PLC inhibitor)group,and U73122+electroacupuncture group,with 8 rats in each group.Except for the blank group,all rats were subjected to multi-factor stress intervention to establish the FD model.After successful modeling,the U73122 group was given intraperitoneal injection of inhibitor,the electroacupuncture group was acupunctured at Zusanli and Taichong points,and the U73122+electroacupuncture group was injected with inhibitor 2 hours before acupunc-ture.Ten days later,gastrointestinal motility was tested;immunoblotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of PDGFRα,PLC,P-PLC,IP3;immunofluorescence was used to detect the average fluorescence density and co-localization expression of PDGFRα and PLC,IP3;electron microscope was used to observe the gap junction(GJ)situation in the gastric antrum area.Results After modeling,the gastrointestinal motility of rats was weakened,the protein expression levels of PDGFRα,PLC,and IP3 were significantly reduced,GJ widened,and cell morphol-ogy changed;compared with the model group,the gastrointestinal motility of rats in the electroacupuncture group,U73122 group,and U73122+electroacupuncture group was significantly improved,the expression levels of PDGFRα,PLC,P-PLC,IP3 increased,GJ was slightly tight,and cell morphology recovered;there was no significant difference in the expression levels of PDGFRα,PLC,P-PLC,IP3 in the gastric antrum of U73122 group and U73122+electroacupuncture group;PDGFRα,PLC,and IP3 had fluorescence co-localization.Conclusion Electroacupuncture can improve gastrointestinal dyskinesia in FD rats by activating the PLC/IP3 pathway in PDGFRα+cells.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous syestem (CNS) triggered by an autoimmune mechanism, which is the main cause of neurological disability in young people. In MS, a variety of glial cells participate in the pathogenesis and development of the disease, and oligodendrocytes (OL) and myelin cytes are destroyed by autoimmune mediated inflammation. Impaired OL production of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC) leads to persistent demyelination, myelin fragment accumulation and axonal injury, with clinical manifestation of CNS disability. Microglia (MG), which is involved in the inflammatory response and removal of myelin debris, plays a pivotal role in OPC differentiation and OL maturation, thereby directly or indirectly influencing the process of myelin regeneration. An interactive mechanism exists between these 2 components. The comprehension of the interrelationship between the 2 factors can provide enhanced insights into the pathogenesis of MS and facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies, thereby addressing pivotal scientific challenges encountered in clinical management of MS. Therefore, this review summarizes the dynamic changes of microglia in MS and its classic animal models, explores the internal relationship between MG and OL in this process, and focuses on the beneficial effects of targeted regulation of microglia, thereby promoting OPC differentiation and myelin regeneration, in order to provide a new research direction for MS treatment.

Objective To investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of Cichorium glandulosum Boiss.et Huet.on fecal bile acid profiles in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice.Methods Twenty-four 6-week-old C57 BL/6 male mice were divided randomly into normal,model,drug-administration,and metformin groups.Mice in the normal group were fed a regular diet and mice in the other three groups were given high-fat diets.The drug-administration group was gavaged with 10 mL/kg ethanol extract of Cichorium glandulosum Boiss.et Huet.daily,and the metformin group was gavaged with 10 mL/kg metformin daily.After 10 weeks,livers were collected to measure hepatic total triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC),low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein(HDL)-C.Feces were collected and analyzed.Results Body weight(P＜0.0001),liver TG(P＜0.05),and TC(P＞0.05)were all significantly higher in model mice compared with normal mice,while LDL-C(P＞0.05)and HDL-C(P＜0.001)were significantly lower,indicating abnormal weight gain and lipid metabolism.Alcoholic extract of Cichorium glandulosum Boiss.et Huet.significantly reduced body weight(P＜0.0001),liver TG(P＜0.0001),serum TG(P＜0.05),TC(P＜0.01),and LDL-C(P＜0.05)in mice.Methodsological validation showed that the current method could accurately quantify 52 bile acids in feces.Analysis of the concentration of each type of bile acid revealed that alcoholic extract of Cichorium glandulosum Boiss.et Huet.significantly increased the secondary/primary bile acid ratio(P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that the bile acid metabolic pattern was significantly altered in all groups.Eight differential bile acids were screened in the drug-administration group relative to the model group using variable importance of projection＞1 and P＜0.05.A search of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database revealed that the differential bile acids were mainly involved in the secondary bile acid biosynthesis pathway.Correlation analysis showed that four differential bile acids,deoxycholic acid(r,=0.6445,P＜0.001),isolithocholic acid(r,=0.5879,P＜0.01),3β-deoxycholic acid(r,=0.6649,P＜0.001),and ω-rhamnoglutaric acid(rs=0.5387,P＜0.01),in feces were strongly positively correlated with body weight.Conclusions Cichorium glandulosum Boiss.et Huet.alcoholic extract may play a role in weight reduction and amelioration of dyslipidemia by modulating secondary bile acid biosynthesis and altering fecal bile acid metabolic profiles.

Objective: To compare the short-term outcomes of a collagen matrix (CM) and free gingival graft (FGG) in augmenting keratinized mucosa around dental implants. Methods: Nineteen partially edentulous patients who had undergone implant surgery or implant review from June 2017 to June 2018 at Department of Periodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology with lack of keratinized mucosa at buccal aspect of implants (<2 mm) were recruited in this study. According to the width of keratinized mucosa (KW) pre-operation, 9 patients including 5 males and 4 females were assigned into control group (KW<0.5 mm) which performed free gingival graft (17 implants) and 10 patients including 3 males and 7 females were assigned into experimental group (KW≥0.5 mm) which used collagen matrix as the grafts (15 implants). The KW at buccal aspect of each implant were measured pre-operation and 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months after surgery respectively. Each of the patients was required to fill out a questionnaire using a visual analogue scale to assess the postoperative morbidity. Results: The KWs around implants were increased significantly during the 3 months follow-up period in both groups (P<0.01). At 3 months after surgery, KW gain in control group was (3.44±1.64) mm, in experimental group was (2.30±0.82) mm, the difference between two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Meantime, the total shrinkage of KW in control group [(34±25)%] and experimental group [(51±11)%] also showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.01). However, by using collagen matrix as the grafts, augmented tissues had a much more comparable appearance with adjacent tissues than that in control group. And the patients of experimental group experienced much less postoperative bleeding than those of control group. Conclusions Both collagen matrix and free gingival graft can significantly increase the KW around implants within the 3 months post-surgery follow-up period. There were more KW gain and less shrinkage in group FGG than that in group CM. However, surgery time were reduced and the postoperative bleeding were less in group CM than in group FGG as no harvesting procedure was needed.