0.05).Conclusion Coverage of medical insurance and effective antiviral therapy for the patients with CHB could affect their QOL.

OBJECTIVEWith functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), cerebral function imaging of acupuncture and sham acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3) in patients with essential hypertension (EH) was observed to analyze central mechanism of Taichong (LR 3) to treat EH.

METHODSEighteen EH patients were divided into a twisting acupuncture group (10 cases) and a sham acupuncture group (8 cases), which were treated with twisting manipulation and sham acu- puncture at right Taichong (LR 3), respectively. The treatments were both given with 30-second manipulation and 30- second interval for totally 5 min. During the acupuncture, fMRI was adopted to scan the cerebral function imaging of EH patients on resting state, and the acquired data were analyzed with SPM2 module in Matlab software.

RESULTSAcupunc- ture at Taichong (LR 3) in EH patients mainly increased opposite-side oxygen consumption, which generally activated left anterior cingulated gyrus (BA 32), left inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), left inferior temporal gyrus (BA 19), left middle temporal gyrus (BA 37) and right anterior central gyrus (BA 6). The activated areas were related to motor, vision and cognition of emotion. Stimulation region of sham acupuncture mainly included right anterior cingulated gyrus (BA 24), left inferior parietal lobule (BA 40) and left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 7).

CONCLUSIONThe central mechanism of Tai- chong (LR 3) on antihypertensive effect and symptom improvement is not in thalamus and medulla that are traditionally believed to control blood pressure. Taichong (LR 3) could activate anterior cingulated gyrus to regulate parasympathetic nerve and lower blood pressure, and through anterior cingulated gyrus, the connection with the surrounding areas is strengthened to improve the cognitive impairment caused by long-term hypertension.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; Cognition ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; diagnostic imaging ; psychology ; therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of liquorice in functional modulation of intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in rats.

METHODSAn in vitro diffusion chamber system (Ussing chamber) was used to examine the direct effect of liquorice decoction on rhodamine 123 (a subtrate of P-gp) transport and evaluate the permeability of rhodamine 123 or fluorescein sodium through rat jejunum membranes after oral administration of liquorice decoction.

RESULTSDirect application of liquorice decoction did not obviously affect rhodamine 123 transport across the intestinal mucosa. Oral administration of liquorice decoction (10 g/kg, twice daily for a week) significantly increased the absorption of rhodamine 123 and also enhanced rhodamine 123 secretion across the jejunum mucosa. Liquorice had no obvious effect on the transport of CF across the jejunum mucosa.

CONCLUSIONLiquorice may slightly inhibit P-gp function in the intestinal mucosa to increase the intestinal absorption of rhodamine 123.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Animals ; Glycyrrhiza ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhodamine 123 ; metabolism

Background: The present study investigated the regulatory effects of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase like-3 (METTL3) in diabetes-induced testicular damage. Methods: In vivo diabetic mice and high glucose (HG) treated GC-1 spg cells were established. The mRNA and protein expressions were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining. Levels of testosterone, blood glucose, cell viability, and apoptosis were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, MTT, and flow cytometry, respectively. Molecular interactions were verified by RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down assay. Histopathological staining was performed to evaluate testicular injury. Results: METTL3 and long non-coding RNA taurine up-regulated 1 (lncRNA TUG1) were downregulated in testicular tissues of diabetic mice and HG-treated GC-1 spg cells. METTL3 overexpression could reduce the blood glucose level, oxidative stress and testicular damage but enhance testosterone secretion in diabetic mouse model and HG-stimulated GC-1 spg cells. Mechanically, METTL3-mediated m6A methylation enhanced the stability of TUG1, then stabilizing the clusterin mRNA via recruiting serine and arginine rich splicing factor 1. Moreover, inhibition of TUG1/clusterin signaling markedly reversed the protective impacts of METTL3 overexpression on HG-stimulated GC-1 spg cells. Conclusion This study demonstrated that METTL3 ameliorated diabetes-induced testicular damage by upregulating the TUG1/clusterin signaling. These data further elucidate the potential regulatory mechanisms of m6A modification on diabetes-induced testicular injury.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic changes of the epididymal size 1 year after vasectomy.

METHODSFifty male volunteers received vasoligation. Before and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after operation, we measured the size and detected the internal echoes of the epididymis using color Doppler ultrasonography.

RESULTSThe bilateral epididymides were both thickened post-operatively in all the 50 cases, with statistically significant differences between the baseline and the 1st month, the 1st and the 2nd month, the 2nd and the 3rd month, or the 3rd and the 6th month after surgery (all P < 0.01), but not between the 6th and the 12th month (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWithin 6 months after vasectomy, the bilateral epididymides manifested a progressive thickening, but basically restored their balance of secretion-absorption after 6 months.

Epididymis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Organ Size ; Postoperative Period ; Time Factors ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Vasectomy

Persistent baculovirus infection is observed frequently in insect populations. Persistent infection can be transformed to a replicative and infective state caused by stress factors and plays an important role in regulating the size of insect population and in epizoology of baculoviruses. The aim of this study is to establish a persistently baculovirus-infected cell system to explore the molecular mechanisms of baculoviral persistence. Spodoptera exigua nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV) was serially undiluted passaged in Se301 cells to reduce virulence. Upon infection of Se301 cells with the SeMNPV up to passage 8, a few cells survived even if most of cells died due to virus infection. The surviving cells were passaged and designated as P8-Se301 cell strain. P8-Se301 cells had a population doubling time of 58-65 hours and grew slower than Se301 cells. Light microscopy and electron microscopy observation showed symptom of baculovirus infection, such as virogenic stroma, viral particles and occlusion bodies, in some of P8-Se301 cells. End-point dilution assay and infectious center assay showed that 4.14% +/- 0.99% cells continually released infectious progeny virus which replicated slower than SeMNPV in Se301 cells. The result indicated that P8-Se301 cells show a typical character trait of baculovirus persistent infection.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Nucleopolyhedrovirus ; growth & development ; physiology ; Spodoptera ; virology ; Virus Cultivation ; methods

The effect of initial ammonium chloride level on production of curdlan in Alcaligenesfaecalis was investigated. It was found that ammonium chloride was the limiting substrate for cell growth during the batch fermentation process. However, the cell growth and curdlan production could not be enhanced by solely increasing the initial ammonium chloride level. The pH drop in the broth due to the consumption of ammonium chloride also effected the cell growth and curdlan production. By simultaneously increasing the initial ammonium chloride concentration and implementing an optimal pH control strategy, which is to control pH at 7.0 in the growth phase, and then shift to 5.6 in the production phase, the biomass and curdlan production in batch fermentation were increased markedly. If the initial ammonium chloride concentration was increased from 1.1 g/L to 3.6 g/L, biomass concentration of 7.2 g/L was obtained, and the final curdlan concentration reached 30.5 g/L, which was 51.7% higher than that of the former case. As the cell growth was improved due to the increase of the initial ammonium chloride concentration, the agitation speed and aeration rates must be enhanced to suit the higher oxygen uptake requirement. However, as curdlan molecules is subject to the structural breakage due to the high shear stress at higher agitation speed, an overall optimal condition for both productivity and quality of curdlan should be considered comprehensively.
Alcaligenes faecalis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Ammonium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Culture Media ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; beta-Glucans ; metabolism

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor of the digestive system, also known as "the king of cancer" . Its incidence is increasing year by year worldwide. At present, there is still a lack of effective screening methods for pancreatic cancer, and the early symptoms are not obvious. Most pancreatic cancer is diagnosed in the late stage, and the best time for surgery has been lost, and patients often have poor response to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy, so the prognosis is very poor. The occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer are closely related to genetic background, environmental factors, basic diseases and living habits. So far, although certain risk factors have been identified, such as smoking, obesity, alcohol, chronic pancreatitis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and family history, the cause of pancreatic cancer is still not very clear. In recent years, more and more studies have shown that in addition to the already recognized risk factors for pancreatic cancer, there is a certain relationship between digestive microecological disorders and the progression of pancreatic cancer. The authors review the research status of digestive system microecology and pancreatic cancer, in order to understand the role of digestive system microecology disorders in the occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer, thus providing a new way to effectively improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer.

Bletilla striata has been used as traditional Chinese medicine for several centuries. In recent years, the quality and quantity of wild B. striata plants have declined sharply due to habitat deterioration and human over-exploitation. Therefore, it is of great urgency to evaluate and protect B. striata wild plant resource. In this study, sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers were applied to assess the level and pattern of genetic diversity in twelve populations of B. striata. The results showed a high level of genetic diversity (PPB = 90.48%, H = 0.349 4, I = 0.509 6) and moderate genetic differentiation among populations (G(st) = 0.260 9). Based on the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA), twelve populations gathered in three clusters. The cluster 1 included four populations. There are Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Xuancheng and Hangzhou. The seven populations which come from Hubei Province, Hunan Province, Jiangxi Province and Guizhou Province belonged to the cluster 2. The cluster 3 only contained Wenshan population. Moreover, Mantel test revealed significant positive correlation between genetic distances and geographic distances (r = 0.632 9; P < 0.000 1). According to the results, we proposed a series of conservation consideration for B. striata.
China ; Genetic Markers ; Genetic Variation ; Genetics, Population ; Orchidaceae ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics

ABSTRACT:OBJECTIVE To explore intervention of Gualou Qumai Tang(GLQM) in preventing the development of diabetic nephropathy(DN) through P38MAPK signaling pathway methods.METHODS Except those in the normal group,SD rats of DN model were established by with unilateral nephrectomy and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ)induced produc-tion.Then rats were randomly divided into five groups:the model group,and the four treated groups treated with low dose of GLQM-L,medium dose of GLQM-M,high dose of GLQM-H,positive medicine (valsartan),The treatments were given via gastrogavage every day starting from the 4th week of modeling,groups treated with high,medium and low dose of GLQM were given via gastrogavage to 5.6,2.8,1.4 g/kg,positive drugs(valsartan)group were given via gastrogavage to 4.8×10 -3 g/kg,the normal group and model group were given 2.8 g/kg distilled water,once a day for 12 weeks.we observed the sign of rats and the rat glomerular,renal tubular structure changes with the optical microscope.Then we observed the sign of rats and the expreion the basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF),Insulin-like Growth Factor(IGF),Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1) changes in renal issues of rats by using ELISA.The protein expression of p-p38MPK,p-CREB,FN were immuno-histochemically investigated.The mRNA expressions FN in renal tissue we examined using qPCR method.The protein expres-sion of p-p38MPK,p-CREB,FN in renal tissue we also examined using Western Blot method.RESULTS The pathologic changes of the renal tissue apparented in the model group.The bFGF,IGF,MCP-1 in renal tissues of rats with model were higher than the nomal group,there were significant difference among the model group and the norml group(P <0.01).The bFGF,IGF,MCP-1 in renal tissues of rats with GLQM and valsartan were lower than the model group,there were significant difference among them(P <0.05~0.01).The protein expression of p-p38MAPK,p-CREB,FN in renal tissues with model were higher than the normal group(P <0.05~0.01).The mRNA expression of FN in renal tissues of rats with GLQM were lower than the model group(P <0.05~0.01);the protein expression of p-p38MAPK,p-CREB,FN in renal tissue of rats with GLQM were lower than the model group(P <0.05 ~0.01).CONCLUSION GLQM can reatrain the activation of p38MAPK signaling pathway and be effective in repair and regeneration of the damaged tissue,it is also slow down the process of DN.