Objective HGF and its receptor ( c-met) are principal mediators of mesenchymal-epithelial interac-tion in several different systems.Moreover, hair follicle is a model of mesenchymal-epithelial interaction.The aim of this study was to explore whether HGF/c-met signal plays a role in the control of hair follicle growth cycle.Methods To ex-amine the localization of HGF/c-met in anagen, catagen and telogen in the hair follicle of ICR mice.Results HGF was mainly located in the dermal papilla and sebaceous gland, and c-Met in the hair matrix, root sheath and epidermis.Both HGF and c-met expressions peaked during anagen, not found in catagen, and increased during telogen-anagen phase.Con-clusions Our results demonstrate a regulatory role of HGF and c-met in the control of hair follicle growth in ICR mice.

Objective To investigate the service requirements and health and safety problems in home care among senile cerebrovascular disease patients above 65 years old and provide the direction and basis for the home care.Methods 78 cases of elderly patients with cerebrovascular sequela 2 years after discharge were selected as the research objects.One-on-one interviews with patients and their families,the self-made questionnaire were sent out,the patients' service item requirements and the main health and safety problems were reorganized,then the corresponding nursing intervention was implemented.One year later,patients were revisited and investigated again.Results In elderly patients,there were many health and safety issues in home care,their nursing service demand was high.After giving corresponding nursing intervention of health guidance,the incidence of aspiration,fall,falling out of bed,bedsore,sleep disorders,urinary tract infection was effectively reduced.Conclusions The mode of family care should be established on the basis of demand of home care by elderly cerebrovascular disease patients,which conforms to the ac-tual situation of our country,in order to improve patients' self-care ability and life quality.

Aim To investigate the effect and mecha-nism of valproic acid on neuroglobin expression, and the neuroprotective role of valproic acid against H2 O2-induced neurotoxicity. Methods Western blot, RT-PCR and luciferase assay were used to detect the pro-tein levels, mRNA levels and promoter activity of mouse and human neuroglobin induced by valproic acid. Luciferase assay was used to investigate the role of transcription factor CREB in the up-regulation of neuroglobin by valproic acid. MTT assay was used to evaluate the effect of valproic acid against H2 O2-in-duced neurotoxicity. Results VPA treatment marked-ly increased the protein levels, mRNA levels and pro-moter activity of Ngb in mouse N2 a cells and human SKNSH cells. CREB specific inhibitor KG501 or CREB dominant negative mutant KCREB attenuated VPA-induced Ngb promoter activity. VPA could pro-tect N2a cells from H2 O2-induced neurotoxicity. Con-clusion CREB mediates VPA-induced Ngb up-regula-tion, which may contribute to the neuroprotective effects of VPA in oxidative stress in neurons.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy on senile female bladder neck obstruction treated with acupoint application, therapy and western medication.

METHODSFifty cases of senile female bladder neck observation were randomized into an obstrvation group and a control group, 25 cases in each one. Tamsulosin hydrochloride capsules were taken orally in the two groups, 0.2 mg every night, continuously for 100 days. In the observation group, with radix aconiti lateralis preparata, semen brassicae and fructus ligustri lucidi contained, bushentongyu plaster was used at Shenque (CV 8), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Pangguangshu (BL 28), Zhongji (CV 3) and Sanjiaoshu (BL 22), once every two days. Eight treatments made one session and 6 sessions were required totally. The international prostate symptom score (IPSS), the bother score (BS), the residual volume (RV) and the maximal urinary flow rate (MFR) were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSEvery score in IPSS after treatment was reduced apparently as compared with that before treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.01). The improvements in feeling of incomplete, bladder emptying, intermittency < 2 h, urgency, interupted urination and nocturia in the observation group were more advantageous than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 95.65% (22/23) in the observation group, higher than 85.71% (18/21) in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, RV, MFR and BS were significantly different as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of acupoint application of bushentongyu plaster and oral administration of tamsulosin hydrochloride capsules achieves the significant efficacy on senile female bladder neck obstruction as compared with the simple administration of tamsulosin hydrochloride capsules.

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Urination

OBJECTIVETo study the phenotypes and proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) mutations in families with benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE).

METHODData of all BFIE probands and their family members were collected from Peking University First Hospital between September 2006 and August 2013. Clinical phenotypes of affected members were analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples with standard protocol. Mutations in PRRT2 were screened using PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTTwenty-nine BFIE families were recruited in this study. In total, 110 family members were affected. The age of seizure onset of these affected members was between 2 and 12 months (median: 4.5 months). All probands presented with clusters of seizures. Two probands had one seizure induced by diarrhea respectively at 25 months and 31 months. In four BFIE families, four family members had a history of febrile seizures. PRRT2 mutations were found in 17 of the 29 (58.6%) BFIE families. Mutation c.649_650insC was detected in 12 of the 17 families with PRRT2 mutations. Mutation c.649delC (p.R217EfsX12) was identified in three families. Mutation c.323_324delCA (p. T108SfsX25) and c.904_ 905insG (p. D302GfsX39) were detected in one family, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe minimum seizure onset age of affected members in BFIE families was 2 months of age. The seizures often occur in clusters. PRRT2 is the major causative gene of BFIE in Chinese families. Mutation c.649_650insC is the hotspot mutation of PRRT2. A novel mutation c.323_324delCA was first reported in BFIE family. Few affected members with PRRT2 mutation presented with febrile seizures phenotype.

Age of Onset ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Epilepsy, Benign Neonatal ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; genetics ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Phenotype ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile

Objective To investigate the gene mutations in benign familial infantile epilepsy(BFIE)in Chi-na. Methods Data of all BFIE probands and their family members were collected from Peking University First Hospital and other three hospitals between October 2006 and June 2017. Clinical phenotypes of affected members were analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples with standard protocol. Mutations in PRRT2 were screened using Sanger sequencing. For families that PRRT2 mutations were not detected by Sanger sequencing,candidate gene mutations were further screened by next - generation sequencing. Results A total of 71 families including 227 affected members were collected. Genetic testing led to the identification of gene mutations in 52 families (52 / 71,73. 2％). Forty - three families had PRRT2 mutations (43 / 71,60. 6％),including 40 families with frameshift mutations(hotspot mutations c. 649_650insC and c. 649delC were detected in 29 families and 6 families,respectively),one family with nonsense mutation,one family with a loss of a stop codon,and one family with a microdeletion of the gene. C. 560_561insT and c. 679C > T were novel PRRT2 mutations. Five families had SCN2A mutations. All SCN2A mutations were missense mutations(c. 668G > A,c. 752T > C,c. 1307T > C,c. 4835C > G,c. 1737C > G). Mutation c. 752T > C, c. 1307T > C,c. 4835C > G,and c. 1737C > G were novel mutations. Three families had KCNQ2 mutations. All KCNQ2 mutations were missense mutations(c. 775G > A,c. 237T > G,c. 1510C > T). Mutation c. 237T > G and c. 1510C > T were novel mutations. One family had a novel GABRA6 mutation c. 523G > T. In 71 BFIE families,16 families had mem-bers who showed paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias(PKD)and subclassified as infantile convulsions with paroxysmal choreoathetosis syndrome(ICCA). Fifteen ICCA families were found having PRRT2 mutations (15 / 16,93. 8％). The remaining ICCA family was not detected with any pathogenic mutation. Conclusion There is high frequency of gene mutations in BFIE families. Mutations in KCNQ2,SCN2A,and PRRT2 are genetic causes of BFIE. PRRT2 is the main gene responsible for BFIE. GABRA6 mutation might be a new cause of BFIE.

The ban on addition of antibiotics in animal feed in China has made the search for new antibiotics substitutes, e.g. bacteriocin, a hot topic in research. The present study successfully isolated an antibacterial substance producing strain of Bacillus sp. from alpaca feces by agar diffusion method, using Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus and Listeria monocytogenes as indicator bacteria. The isolated strain was named as B. licheniformis SXAU06 based on colony morphology, Gram staining and 16S rRNA gene sequence. The antibacterial substance was isolated and purified through a series of procedures including (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, chloroform extraction, molecular interception and SDS-PAGE analysis. Bioinformatics analysis of the LC-MS/MS data indicated that the antibacterial substance was a bacteriocin-like substance (BLIS) with an approximate molecular weight of 14 kDa, and it was designated as BLIS_SXAU06. BLIS_SXAU06 exhibited high resistance to treatment of proteinase K, high temperature, high acidity and alkalinity. BLIS_SXAU06 was heterologously expressed in E. coli and the recombinant BLIS_SXAU06 exhibited effective antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, M. luteus, and L. monocytogenes, showing potential to be investigated further.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Bacillus licheniformis ; Bacteriocins/pharmacology* ; China ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Escherichia coli/genetics* ; Listeria monocytogenes ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

To investigate changes in the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and angiotensin (1-7) [Ang (1-7)] and to explore the role of ACE2-Ang (1-7)-Mas receptor axis in hypertension with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF).
 Methods: A total of 70 patients with primary hypertension and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF>50%) were recruited and patients were divided into a hypertension group (HBP) and a heart failure with preserved ejection fraction group (HFpEF) according to the diagnostic criteria of HFpEF. Thirty-five healthy participants were selected randomly as a control group. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) method was used to detect concentration of Ang (1-7), ACE2, angiotensin II (Ang II), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in plasma. Male Sprague- Dawley (SD) rats was randomly divided into 2 groups: An HFpEF group (n=16) and a sham group (n=8). Rats (n=8) in the AAC group were given Ang (1-7) [0.5 mg/(kg.d), intraperitoneally] for 6 weeks, and the rest were given equal dose normal saline. Then all the rats were killed, and the hearts were taken out for hematoxylineosin (HE) staining. The protein expressions of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), ACE2, and Mas receptor were detected by Western blot.
 Results: The BNP and Ang II were significantly increased in the HBP group and the HFpEF group compared with the control group (P<0.01). There were not significantly different in levels of ACE2 and Ang (1-7) between the HBP group and control group (P>0.05), whereas those levels were significantly increased in the HFpEF group compared with the HBP group and control group (P<0.01). HE staining showed obvious hypertrophy of myocardial cell in the AAC group compared with the sham group. Hypertrophy of myocardial cell in the AAC+Ang (1-7) group was significantly higher than that in the AAC group. Expressions of ACE, ACE2, and Mas receptor proteins were significantly higher in the AAC group than those in the sham group (P<0.05), while the expressions of ACE2 and Mas receptor proteins in the AAC+Ang (1-7) group were significantly higher than those in the AAC group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the ACE protein expression between groups (P>0.05).
 Conclusion: ACE2 and Ang (1-7) are important predictive factors for the severity of heart failure and myocardial remodeling of HFpEF with hypertension; ACE2-Ang (1-7)-Mas receptor axis may play a protective role in preventing myocardial remodeling in HFpEF with hypertension.
Angiotensin I ; physiology ; Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Atrial Remodeling ; physiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Heart Failure ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; physiology ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; physiology ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology ; Ventricular Remodeling ; physiology