Siraitia grosvenorii is a traditional Chinese medicine also as edible food. This study selected six candidate reference genes by real-time quantitative PCR, the expression stability of the candidate reference genes in the different samples was analyzed by using the software and methods of geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Delta CT method and RefFinder, reference genes for S. grosvenorii were selected for the first time. The results showed that 18SrRNA expressed most stable in all samples, was the best reference gene in the genetic analysis. The study has a guiding role for the analysis of gene expression using qRT-PCR methods, providing a suitable reference genes to ensure the results in the study on differential expressed gene in synthesis and biological pathways, also other genes of S. grosvenorii.
Cucurbitaceae ; genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reference Standards

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors of children with high dmft.

METHODSIn suburban of Guangzhou, oral health of 401 3 - 4-year-old children were examined and structured questionnaire were completed by their parents. 120 children with highest number of dmft (dmft > or = 5) and 118 caries-free children were chosen for case-control analysis.

RESULTSThe results of logistic regression analysis showed that the factors associated with high dmft were developmental defect of enamel, visible plaque index, frequency of toothbrushing, frequency of sugar consumption, and income.

CONCLUSIONSAdvocating brushing teeth at least twice daily, controlling the frequency of sugar consuming, reducing the developmental defect of enamel and paying more attention to the oral health of lower income population may effectively reduce dental caries of the children.

Child, Preschool ; Dental Caries ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Oral Health ; Oral Hygiene ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tooth, Deciduous

BACKGROUNDEven carrying an identical gene mutation, inter- and intra-family variations have been noticed worldwide in the presence and the severity of left ventricular hypertrophy and sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Modifier genes may contribute to the diversity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene has been established to be associated with parameters of left ventricular hypertrophy in community based male subjects. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association of ACE2 gene polymorphisms with the phenotype of HCM.

METHODSA total of 261 consecutive HCM patients and 609 healthy controls were enrolled into this study. The polymorphism of rs2106809 and rs6632677 were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and confirmed by sequencing. Logistic regression model and multivariate analysis were used to determine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of variations of ACE2 for HCM.

RESULTSThe T allele of rs2106809 and C allele of rs6632677 conferred increasing risk for HCM (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.77, P = 0.04; OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 - 1.21, P = 0.002, respectively), and the 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD), the TC haplotype was independently associated with a higher OR for HCM (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.21 - 1.87) after adjusted for conventional risk factors. And the risk alleles were associated with thicker interventricular septal thickness of HCM ((20.0 +/- 6.3) mm vs (17.9 +/- 5.5) mm, P = 0.03 and (21.3 +/- 5.9) mm vs (17.9 +/- 5.8) mm, P = 0.04, respectively). No association was found between the two polymorphisms with female patients with HCM.

CONCLUSIONMinor alleles of ACE2 gene might be the genetic modifier for the magnitude of left ventricular hypertrophy in male patients with HCM.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; genetics ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVE: High-fat diet (HFD) and inflammation are two key contributors to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Shenling Baizhu powder (SLBZP), a classical herbal compound, has been successfully used to alleviate NAFLD. However, its specific mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we assessed the anti-NAFLD effect of SLBZP in vivo. METHODS: Rats were fed an HFD with or without SLBZP or with probiotics. At the end of week 16, an echo magnetic resonance imaging (EchoMRI) body composition analyser was used to quantitatively analyse body composition; a micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging system was used to evaluate whole body and liver fat; and the Moor full-field laser perfusion imager 2 was used to assess liver microcirculation, after which, all rats were sacrificed. Then, biochemical indicators in the blood and the ultrastructure of rat livers were evaluated. Protein expression related to the liver Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) signalling pathway was assessed using Western blot analysis. Further, high-throughput screening of 29 related inflammatory factors in liver tissue was performed using a cytokine array. RESULTS: SLBZP supplementation reduced body weight, serum free fatty acid, and insulin resistance index (P < 0.05). It also ameliorated liver microcirculation and ultrastructural abnormalities. EchoMRI and micro-CT quantitative analyses showed that treatment with SLBZP reduced fat mass and visceral fat (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). In addition, SLBZP decreased the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated TLR4/NLRP3 signalling pathway-related proteins and altered the expression levels of some inflammatory cytokines in liver tissues. CONCLUSION SLBZP can inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation and interleukin-1β release by suppressing LPS-induced TLR4 expression in rats with HFD-induced NAFLD. Thus, SLBZP may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory damage and associated diseases.
Animals ; Liver ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy* ; Powders ; Rats ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; X-Ray Microtomography

This study explored the in vivo effects and mechanisms of the modern classical prescription Supplemented Gegen Qinlian Decoction Formula(SGDF) against diabetic kidney disease(DKD). Sixty rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, SGDF group, and rosiglitazone(ROS) group. The modified DKD rat model was established by employing the following three methods: exposure to high-fat diet, unilateral nephrectomy, and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ). After modeling, rats in the four groups were treated with double distilled water, SGDF suspension, and ROS suspension, respectively, by gavage every day. At the end of the 6 th week of drug administration, all the rats were sacrificed for collecting urine, blood, and kidney tissue, followed by the examination of rat general conditions, urine and blood biochemical indicators, glomerulosclerosis-related indicators, podocyte pyroptosis markers, insulin resistance(IR)-related indicators, and key molecules in the insulin receptor substrate(IRS) 1/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3 K)/serine threonine kinase(Akt) signaling pathway. The results showed that SGDF and ROS improved the general conditions, some renal function indicators and glomerulosclerosis of DKD model rats without affecting the blood glucose(BG). Besides, they ameliorated the expression characteristics and levels of podocyte pyroptosis markers, alleviated IR, and up-regulated the protein expression levels of the key molecules in IRS1/PI3 K/Akt pathway to varying degrees. In conclusion, similar to ROS, SGDF relieves DKD by targeting multiple targets in vivo. Specifically, it exerts the therapeutic effects by alleviating podocyte pyroptosis and IR. This study has preliminarily provided the pharmacological evidence for the research and development of new drugs for the treatment of DKD based on SGDF.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Nephropathies/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Insulin Resistance ; Podocytes ; Pyroptosis ; Rats

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.
Adult ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Imatinib Mesylate/adverse effects* ; Incidence ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pyrimidines/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Benzamides/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*