Benzene ; toxicity ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans

AIM To evaluate the value of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and to investigate its mechanism. METHODS① Thirty four BXSB lupus mice were averagely and randomly divided into ATO treated group and control group. The mice of ATO treated group were given (ip) ATO 0.4 mg·kg-1 every other day until d 105 and the observation was ended on d 210. The survival rate of mice was recorded, and the levels of serum IgG and anti-dsDNA antibody were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ② Other 20 BXSB lupus mice were also divided into 2 groups and treated as above and sacrificed on d 90. The spleen and kidneys of each mouse were removed and total RNA was extracted. The levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) mRNA in renal and spleen tissues were measured by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTSUp to d 210, 8 mice died in ATO treated group and 13 died in control group. On d 90 and d 105, the average levels of serum anti-dsDNA antibody (A450 nm) were (0.335±0.011) and (0.223±0.017) in ATO treated group, and (0.688±0.016) and (0.683 ±0.014) in control group. On d 90, the expressions of IFN-γ mRNA in spleen and renal tissues of ATO treated group were significantly lower than that of control group. On d 105, the serum level of IgG was much lower in ATO treated group than that in control group, which were (4.9±1.3) and (6.9±1.0)g·L-1, respectively. CONCLUSION ATO elevates the survival rate, lowers the serum levels of IgG and anti-dsDNA antibody, and depresses the expression of IFN-γ mRNA in spleen and kidney tissues of BXSB mice.

Objective: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on cognitive function in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging rats, and the correlation between the effect and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-ASC-Caspase-1 signaling pathway. Methods: Forty-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=10), a model group (n=12), an EA-7 d group (n=12) and an EA-21 d group (n=12). Except the control group, the other three groups received 42 consecutive days of intraperitoneal injection of D-gal to establish aging rat models with cognitive dysfunction. The control group received the same amount of normal saline via intraperitoneal injection. Two EA groups were given EA therapy for 21 consecutive days (began from the 22nd day of modeling) or 7 consecutive days (began from the 36th day of modeling) accordingly at Dazhui (GV 14), Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36). After modeling/ intervention, all four groups received behavioral evaluations by Morris water maze (MWM) test, novel object recognition (NOR) test and step-down passive avoidance (SDPA) test followed by the Western blot (WB) detection of the expression levels of hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1. Results: MWM (place navigation test, PNT) results showed that the escape latency in the model group was significantly longer than that in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among the other three groups on the 1st day of the test (P>0.05). From the 2nd day to the 4th day of the test, there was no significant difference between the EA-21 d group and the control group (P>0.05) in the escape latency; the escape latency was significantly shorter in the EA-21 d group than in the model group and the EA-7 d group (P<0.05). MWM (spatial probe test, SPT) results showed that the time spent in the target quadrant was significantly shorter and platform crossover number was significantly lower in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05). The time spent in the target quadrant was longer in the EA-7 d group than in the model group (P<0.05), but was shorter than that in the control group and the EA-21 d group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the swimming speed among the four groups (P>0.05). NOR results showed that there was no significant difference in the recognition ratio between the EA-7 d group and the EA-21 d group (P>0.05), and the recognition ratio was significantly higher in the two EA groups than in the model group (P<0.05), but was lower than in the control group (P<0.05). SDPA results showed that the electric shock number was higher in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05), and the differences among the other three groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The model group had the shortest step-down latency, followed by the EA-7 d group, the EA-21 d group and the control group in order (P<0.05). The WB results indicated that the expression level of NLRP3 was significantly lower in the control group and the EA-21 d group than in the model group and the EA-7 d group (P<0.05). The expression levels of ASC and Caspase-1 were significantly higher in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among these three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: NLRP3 inflammasome may be involved in the development of cognitive decline in aging rats; 7 consecutive days of EA intervention can partially improve the cognitive impairment in aging rats though the effect is rather limited; 21 consecutive days of EA intervention may improve the learning and memory abilities in aging rats via downregulating the expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins in hippocampus.

Breast ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; blood supply ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; blood supply ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; blood supply ; parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Microcirculation ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; pathology

Objective To explore the effect of fibroblast growth factor receptors 1-dominant negative strategy (FGFR1-DN) on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) after osteogenic induction.Methods BMSCs were transfected with eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA 3.1 (+)-DN FGFR1 and pcDNA3.1 (+)-FGFR1.The experiment was conducted in 4 groups:FGFR1-DN transfection group,FGFR1 transfection group,pcDNA3.1(+) empty vector transfection group and non-transfection group.The ALP activity of BMSCs was detected in logarithmic growth phase after osteogenic culture.The qualitative detection of ALP activity was carried out immunohistochemically while the quantitative detection by cALP kit.The ALP activity was compared between the 4 groups at 7 and 14 days after osteogenic induction.Results Compared with 7 days,the ALP activity at 14 days was significantly increased in the 4 groups,and the increase in FGFR1-DN transfection group was significantly higher than in the other 3 groups (P ＜ 0.05).At both 7 and 14 days,the ALP activity in FGFR1-DN transfection group was the highest while that in FGFR1 transfection group was the lowest (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions FGFR1-DN can promote the ALP activity of BMSCs during osteogenesis.This may provide an experimental basis for the joint application of local gene therapy and tissue engineering and for construction of tissue engineered bone with better biocompatibility.

Aconitine ; poisoning ; Aconitum ; chemistry ; poisoning ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Charcoal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hemoperfusion ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Poisoning ; drug therapy

Objective To assess the clinical significance of antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide(anti - CCP) in a cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods The anti - CCP was tested by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 22 patients with JIA(9 boys, 13 girls), with a mean age of 9.1 years(range 1.1 - 16). As control groups, anti - CCP were also tested in sera of 20 healthy children, and 30 adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Results Positive anti - CCP were found in sera of 2 patients with JIA(9.1 %), both with lower titre comparing with those of adult patients with anti - CCP positive. In the control groups, none of healthy children was positive for anti - CCP, but 16/30(53. 3%) adults with RA showed anti - CCP positivity. Conclusion Anti - CCP can be detected in children with JIA, but are less frequently present than in adults with RA, so anti - CCP has limited diagnostic value to JIA.

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness and safety of manual acupuncture for memory loss and sleep quality in chronic insomniacs.Methods:A total of 60 eligible participants were enrolled and randomized into either a treatment group or a control group,with 30 cases in each group.The treatment group was intervened by manual acupuncture whereas the control group was given sham acupuncture.In the two groups,the interventions were offered once every other day and three times a week,for 8 weeks in total.Before and after the treatment,Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and eventrelated potentials (ERPs) were used to assess the patients' sleep quality and memory,respectively.Meanwhile,adverse events were monitored and recorded.Results:After 8-week treatment,both the treatment group and the control group showed a significant decrease in the PSQI global score (P＜0.001,P＜0.01),and the decrease in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P＜0.001).The intra-group comparisons of ERPs indicated that,the latencies of N1 and P3 were shortened and the amplitudes of N1 and P3 were increased in the treatment group after the intervention,and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05,P＜0.001);in the control group,there were no significant changes in the latency and amplitude after the treatment (P＞0.05).The between-group comparisons of ERPs showed that the treatment group was more effective than the control group in shortening the latency of P3 (P＜0.01).Conclusion:Acupuncture can be a safe and effective treatment option for chronic insomnia coupled with memory impairment.

Erythropoiesis ; physiology ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; Mitochondrial Degradation

Aged ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male