Food allergies, as a type of adverse immune-mediated reactions to ingested food proteins, have become a serious public health issue that harms children and adults health, with increasing incidence year by year. However, without effective therapy for food allergies, doctors-have mostly advised to avoid allergens and provided symptomatic treatment. According to the findings of many studies, allergic diseases are correlated with intestinal barrier function injury, as evidenced by the significant increase in the intestinal permeability among patients with food allergies. In this paper, recent studies on correlations between food allergies and intestinal barrier functions, intestinal barrier function injury mechanisms of allergic foods and food allergy intervention strategies based on intestinal barrier functions were summarized to provide reference for laboratory researches and clinical treatment of food allergic diseases.
Animals ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; therapy ; Humans ; Intestines ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of compound Ginkgo biloba (CGB) preparations on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODThe C57BL/6 mouse NAFLD model was induced with high fat diets. Since the 2nd week after modeling, the mice were orally administered with 600 and 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) CGB for eight weeks. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL) and LPS in serum, as well as pathological changes and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hepatic tissues were observed. Changes in intestinal tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1 in intestinal tissues were determined under microscopy.

RESULTCompared with the normal group, the model group showed obvious fatty degeneration in rat livers, with notable increase in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01), significant increases in ALT, AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, and remarkable declines in ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1 (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, CGB high and low dose groups showed obvious relieves in fatty degeneration in rat livers and injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, significant reductions in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and remarkable increases in ZO-1 and Occludin expressions (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCGB can protect intestinal tight junction proteins, reduce intestinal leakage, relieve fatty degeneration and inflammations in livers and prevent NAFLD occurrence and development.

Alanine Transaminase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fatty Liver ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Objective To analyze the Oncomelania hupensis snail situation in schistosomiasis surveillance sites in Hubei Province from 2009 to 2014. Methods From 2009 to 2014,207 schistosomiasis endemic villages from 13 cities were selected as the surveillance sites in Hubei Province,where the surveillance of snail situation was performed,and the data about the in?dexes of snail situation during the 6 years were collected and analyzed statistically. Results From 2009 to 2014,totally 80 963.47 hm2 of snail areas were investigated,and 45 309.77 hm2 of area with snails as well as 364.93 hm2 of area with infected snails were found out,and 1 646 125 snails were captured. In the 207 surveillance sites,the density of living snails was reduced from 0.493 3 snail/0.1 m2 in 2009 to 0.339 3 snail/0.1 m2 in 2014,with a decline rate of 31.22%;the density of infected snails was reduced from 0.000 7 snail/0.1 m2 in 2009 to 0 in 2014;the infection rate of snails was reduced from 0.14%in 2009 to 0 in 2014. The infection rates of snails in the third?rank villages,endemic areas in inner embankment,ditch environment and weed environment were relatively higher. Conclusions The snail situation of Hubei Province has been declined steadily. However, the environment of snail breeding has not been changed completely. In order to consolidate the control achievements further ,the measures including mollusciciding and snail control projects should be strengthened.

AIM: To investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), fosinopril, captopril and angiotensin II AT 1 antagonists, valsartan on tissue factor (TF) expression on monocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: Mononuclear leukocytes from normal delivered female umbilical veins were incubated with bacterial LPS in presence or absence of different ACE inhibitors .At the end of incubation, the cells were disrupted by 3 freeze-thaw cycles. TF procoagulant activity was assessed by a one-stage clotting assay. RT-PCR was used to check TF mRNA expression, and GAPDH mRNA was used for parallel assay. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: The results showed that increased expression of TF mRNA induced by LPS was inhibited by fosinopril, captopril and valsartan, respectively, and the procoagualant activity of monocytes was also reduced. [

Objective To determine the reliability of Chinese- version of Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (CPQOL) between self-raters. Methods Family members of 21 children with cerebral palsy from rehabilitation centers or hospitals, 2 members of the same one, and 18 teenagers with cerebral palsy from a special school along with one of their parents, answered CPQOL. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between family members, as well as teenagers and their parents were calculated, and the differences of scores of each dimension between parents and teenagers were compared. Results The reliability between family members was acceptable (ICC=0.49-0.86) in all the dimension of CPQOL, which was good in the function and acquired service dimensions, and was moderate in participation and body health dimensions. The reliability was weaker between parents and teenagers (ICC=0.29-0.73), which was acceptable in the dimensions of function, and participation and body health; and very low in the dimension of welfare and acceptance. The teenagers often rated better than their parents did, especially in the dimension of participation and body health (P<0.05). Conclusion The reliability of CPQOL is acceptable when rated by family members of cerebral palsy children, especially in the dimensions of function and service acquired. It is weaker between parents and children, especially in the dimension of welfare and acceptance.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; Melanosis ; complications ; congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; complications ; congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Skin ; metabolism ; pathology

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Adrenal Glands ; pathology ; surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue ; pathology ; surgery

To establish single- and double-transfected transgenic cells stably expressing hMATE1, hMATE1 cDNA was cloned by RT-PCR from human cryopreserved kidney tissue, and subcloned into pcDNA3.1(+) plasmid by virtue of both HindIII and Kpn I restriction enzyme sites. Subsequently, the recombined pcDNA3.1(+)- hMATE1 plasmid was transfected into MDCK, MDCK-hOCT1 or MDCK-hOCT2 cells using Lipofectamine 2000 Reagent. After a 14-day-cultivation with hygromycin B at the concentration of 400 µg · mL(-1), all clones were screened with DAPI and MPP+ as substrates to identify the best candidate. The mRNA content of hMATE1, the cellular accumulation of metformin with or without cimetidine as inhibitor, or transportation of cimetidine was further valuated. The results showed that all of the three cell models over expressed hMATE1 mRNA. The cellular accumulation of metformin in MDCK-hMATE1 was 17.6 folds of the control cell, which was significantly inhibited by 100 µmol · L(-1) cimetidine. The transcellular transport parameter net efflux ratios of cimetidine across MDCK-hOCT1/hMATE1 and MDCK-hOCT2/hMATE1 monolayer were 17.5 and 3.65, respectively. In conclusion, cell models with good hMATE1 function have been established successfully, which can be applied to study the drug transport or drug-drug interaction involving hMATE1 alone or together with hOCT1/2 in vitro.
Animals ; Biological Transport ; Cimetidine ; pharmacology ; DNA, Complementary ; Dogs ; Drug Interactions ; Humans ; Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells ; Metformin ; pharmacology ; Organic Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

Higenamine (HG) is a potent cardioactive benzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Aconiti tuber which has long been used as a cardiotonic in traditional Chinese medicine. HG exerts various effects on the cardio-circulatory system inotropic and chronotropic in isolated rat atria. It also relaxes isolated rat aorta. It inhibits epinephrine, ADP or collagen-induced platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma. HG inhibits LPS-induced nitrate accumulation and the expression of iNOS mRNA in RAW 264.7 cells. HG lowers blood pressure in rats and increases the recovery rates in acute thrombosis model of mice, and lower the weight of thrombus formed in the arterio-venous shunt model of rats. Higenamine also has ameliorative effects in the LPS-induced DIC model.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tetrahydroisoquinolines ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use