Objective To explore the prenatal ultrasonographic features of fetuses diagnosed as echogenic bowel and chromosomal abnormalities. Methods From September 2009 to June 2013, eighty cases diagnosed as echogenic bowel by prenatal ultrasound screening in our hospitals underwent chromosomal karyotype analysis and were followed up till fetal birth. The prenatal ultrasonographic features were carefully correlated with the postnatal findings. Results Prenatal ultrasoundand chromosomal findings of the 80 cases were:(1) Fifty-eight cases of fetuses with echogenic bowel alone (72.5%, 58/80, without chromosomal karyotype abnormalities). (2) Eleven cases of fetuses with additional ultrasound soft markers (13.8%, 11/80, without chromosomal karyotype abnormalities). The ultrasound examination revealed 8 cases of choroid plexus cysts, 1 case of single umbilical artery, 1 case of shorter nasal bone, and 1 case of echogenic intracardiac focus. (3) Five cases of fetuses with severe functional abnormalities or complex structural malformations and normal chromosomal karyotype. The ultrasound examination revealed 3 cases of structural cardiac malformations, 1 case of heart failure and 2 cases of central nervous system malformations. Of them,one case showed complex malformations (right ventricular dysplasia syndrome, cerebellar dysplasia and single umbilical artery), whereas the remaining 4 cases only involve single malformation. (4)Six cases had chromosomal abnormalities (7.5%, 6/80), including 3 cases of abnormal chromosome microdeletions, and 3 cases of abnormal chromosome numbers (1 21-trisomy syndrome, 1 18-trisomy syndrome, and 1 triploid syndrome). All of them had severe structural malformations and abnormal soft markers. The ultrasound examination revealed 2 cases of severe cardiac malformations, 2 cases of central nervous system malformations, 1 case of pericardial/peritoneal effusion, and 1 case of placental chorionic multiple hemangioma. One case of holoprosencephaly (donor of the twins) ended with intrauterine death. The associated abnormal soft markers include nuchal fold (NF) thickening, choroid plexus cysts, umbilical cord cysts, single umbilical artery, and placental chorionic hemangioma. Conclusions The fetuses with echogenic bowelaloneusualyhaveagoodprognosis.Insomecases,echogenicbowelmaydisappearduringvfolow-up.The fetuses complicated with severe structural malformations and chromosomal abnormalities have poor prognosis. For the fetuses diagnosed of echogenic bowel by prenatal ultrasound screening, systematic ultrasound examination should be carried out and clinical chromosomal karyotype analysis was suggested.

Objective To demonstrate the superiority and feasibility of using bioluminescent image to monitor the islet graft after islet transplantation.Methods Diabetic models were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptomycin into mature male C57BL/6 mice.Islets were harvested from the pancreas of C57BL/6 and Bclb/c mice by digestion and purification,and transfected with Lueiferase gene.The mouse diabetic models were divided into iso-transplantaion group (n=20) and allo-transplantation group (n=7).The islets of C57BL/6 were transplanted into iso-transplantaion mice with different doses (10,50,110 and 200,n=5 in every dose),and Bclb/c mouse islets were transplanted into allo-transplantation group.The islets were transplanted into the subcutaneous fat tis- sue near left scapula.The receptor mice were scanned with CCD camera to get bioluminescent images at different scheduled time points,and the changes in random blood glucose of allo-transplantation group were observed.Results On day 6 after transplantation,the scanning image showed that the pi- xel intensity from the region of interest (ROI) was increased with the increased number of islet grafts and they had a positive correlation.The random blood glucose was reduced to the normal level in the first 2 days,and then increased again to the diabetic level on 11 days averagely,while pixel intensity from the ROI reached the peak on day 6-7,and then reduced rapidly after islet transplantation in allo- transplantation group.The beginning of pixel intensity reduction occurred on day (6.14?0.90), while that of the random blood glucose raise occurred on day (10.00?0.82) after transplantation,and the former alteration occurred obviously earlier than the latter (P

Paeoniflorin is the main active ingredient of Chinese herbaceous peony. This study is to investigate the protective effect of paeoniflorin (Pae) on acute brain damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. The mice were randomly assigned to the normal control, model control (LPS), as well as groups of paeoniflorin and lipopolysaccharide (Pae + LPS). Then the mice were administered intraperitioneally with normal saline or Pae (10, 30 mg · kg(-1)) once daily for 6 d. One hour after intrapertioneally treatment on the seventh day, each group were injected LPS (5 mg · kg(-1)) to establish the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide inflammation model except the normal group. The mice were sacrificed after 6 h and the brain homogenates were prepared and measured. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), succinatedehydrogenase (SDH), Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase were dectected by the colorimetric method. The levels of HO-1 and Nrf2 protein in subcellular fractions of brain tissue were detected by Western blot. The results demonstrated that the administration with paeoniflorin reduced the levels of the MDA production; significantly increase the activities of antioxidant enzyme (SOD and GSH-PX). In addition, paeoniflorin could enhance the total antioxidant capacity, decrease the level of H2O2, and increase the activities of SDH, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase. Furthermore, paeoniflorin can increase the expression of HO-1 and activate the nuclear transfer of Nrf2. Taking together, these findings suggest that paeoniflorin alleviate the acute inflammation in mice brain damage induced by LPS, which is related with its antioxidant effect and improvement of energy metabolism.
Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; drug effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism

This paper investigates the effect of myricetin (MYR) on renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in mice and its mechanism. The animal experiment has been approved by the Ethics Committee of China Pharmaceutical University (NO: 2022-10-020). Thirty-five ICR mice were divided into control, UUO, UUO+MYR, CBDL and CBDL+MYR groups. H&E and Masson staining were used to detect pathological changes in kidney tissues. Western blot (WB) was used to detect the expression of fibrosis-related proteins in renal tissue, and total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity detection kit (WST-8) was used to detect the changes of total SOD in renal tissue of CBDL mice. In vitro, HK-2 cells and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1, 10 ng·mL^-1) were used to induce fibrotic model, and high glucose (30 mmol·L^-1) was used to induce oxidative stress model, and then treated with different concentrations of MYR, WB was used to detect the expression of fibrosis and oxidative stress-related proteins, while NIH/3T3 cells were treated with different concentrations of MYR, and their effects on cell proliferation were detected by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (Brdu). The results showed that the renal lesions in UUO group and CBDL group were severe, collagen deposition was obvious, the expression of collagen-Ⅰ (COL-Ⅰ), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin (FN), vimentin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) protein was up-regulated, and the activity of SOD enzyme in CBDL group was significantly decreased. MYR partly reversed the above changes after treatment. MYR inhibited the proliferation of NIH/3T3 cells but had no effect on the proliferation of HK-2 cells, and decreased the upregulation of PAI-1, FN and vimentin in HK-2 cells stimulated by TGF-β1. MYR can also up-regulate the down-regulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in HK-2 cells stimulated by high glucose. To sum up, MYR can improve renal fibrosis in vivo and in vitro, probably by inhibiting the proliferation of fibroblasts and activating Nrf2/HO-1 signal pathway to inhibit oxidative stress.

AIM: To detect whether N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) inhibits epithelial-mes-enchymal transition in A549 cells induced by TGF-β1 through suppressing the expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and zinc finger proteins Snail (including SNAI1and SNAI2) which ultimately inhibited the deposition of type I and type III collagens.METHODS:The colocalizations of HSP27 and SNAI1/SNAI2 respectively on A549 alveolar epi-thelial cells induced by TGF-β1 were measured by confocal microscopy .The expression of HSP27, SNAI1 and SNAI2 at mRNA level was detected by real-time PCR.Western blotting analysis was used to detect the expression of HSP 27, SNAI1 and SNAI2 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in A549 cells induced by TGF-β1 and also the deposition of type I and type III collagens in A549 cells transfected with HSP27shRNA prior to TGF-β1 stimulation.RESULTS: Compared with control group, TGF-β1 increased the expression of HSP27, SNAI1, SNAI2, type I and type III collagen, which decreased significantly followed by Ac-SDKP intervention.The expression of SNAI1, type I and type III collagen decreased signifi-cantly after transfected with HSP27shRNA in A549 cells, which had the similar effect on Ac-SDKP intervention.CON-CLUSION:Ac-SDKP inhibits the transition of cultured A 549 cells to myofibroblasts and attenuates collagen synthesis by suppressing the expression of HSP 27 and zinc finger proteins SNAI 1 and SNAI2.

Objective To observe the ZEEK thrombus aspiration catheter use on the level of vascular and myocardial perfusion in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients,as well as the impact of early prognosis in order to clear the relative best use of ZEEK thrombus aspiration catheter.Methods Eighty-eight acute STEMI patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI),according to the direct use of ZEEK thrombus aspiration catheter or after pre-expansion with small balloon,divided into direct aspiration group 45 cases,and inflation pre-aspiration group 43 cases.All patients underwent stenting,observed the perfusion of the vascular and myocardial levels after stenting,after 1 month,determined N end of B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level,observed segmental wall motion score index (WMSI) and left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF).Results Direct aspiration group was significantly better than inflation pre-aspiration group in the TIMI frames count,rate of TIMI coronary myocardial perfusion grade 2-3 grade and after 2 h ST segment resolution ＞ 50％ rate [(31.3 ± 7.9) frames vs.(42.5 ± 8.5) frames,84.4％(38/45) vs.72.1％(31/43),86.7％(39/45) vs.74.4％(32/43),P＜0.01 or ＜ 0.05].After 1 month,direct aspiration group was significantly lower than inflation pre-aspiration group in the peak of creatine kinase isozyme MB,NT-proBNP and WMSI [(2141.3 ± 306.5)U/L vs.(2734.5 ± 366.1)U/L,(443.2 ± 226.4) ng/L vs.(512.9 ± 281.7) nig/L,1.32 ± 0.16 vs.1.59 ± 0.23,P ＜ 0.05],but there was no significant difference in LVEF between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Repeated aspiration to infarction responsibility lesion segments using ZEEK thrombus aspiration catheter,and direct stenting,which is superior to the thrombus aspiration and stenting placement after single or multiple pre-expansion.

Objective:To investigate and evaluate the anti-tumor activity of hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ) in vitro. Methods:CCK-8 assay was applied to detect the inhibitory effect of HCQ at different concentrations(4. 78, 9. 55, 19. 10, 38. 20,76. 40 μg?ml-1 ) on A549 cells, HepG2 cells, HT-29 cells, K562 cells, Hela cells and B16 cells. Absorbance was detected by a microplate reader, and then the inhibitory rate of the tumor cells and the IC50 was calculated. Results:Compared with those of the negative control group, the inhibitory rates of HCQ at different concentrations against the six tumor cells were all increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P<0. 01). The inhibitory rates of the tumor cells were all above 60% when the concentration reached 38. 20μg?ml-1. The IC50 was 26. 70(A549), 27. 47(HepG2), 5. 72(HT-29), 14. 03(K562), 20. 21(Hela) and 13. 62(B16) μg?ml-1, respectively. Conclusion:HCQ shows anti-tumor activity on several cancer cells in vitro. There may be a good application prospect for HCQ in the treatment of colorectal cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, melanoma and leukemia.

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture on cystathionine gamma-lyase(CSE)and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the colonic tissues of rats and to explore its mechanism for recovering the function of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICCs)in rats after colonic anastomosis . Methods Thirty SD rats were randomized into normal control group, model group(receiving colonic anastomosis) and acupuncture group. The acupuncture group received foot three-needle therapy on bilateral Zusanli(ST36), Sanyinjiao(SP6) and Taichong(LR3), once a day for 3 days after colonic anastomosis. And then the propulsive rate of the small intestine was measured. The count of ICCs with positively expressive c-kit in rat colonic tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry, the activity of CSE was observed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the activity of MPO was tested by biochemical method. Results Compared with the normal control group, the small intestinal propulsive rate in the model group was decreased, the number of ICCs with positively expressive c-kit was reduced, while the activities of CSE and MPO were increased(P<0.05). The acupuncture group had higher intestinal propulsive rate, more ICCs with positively expressive c-kit, and lower CSE and MPO activities than the model group(P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture can promote the recovering of postoperative gastrointestinal function, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of CSE and MPO activities in the colonic tissues and to the restoration of ICCs function in the focus with positive c-kit.

To investigate the prognostic effects of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy without antibiotics in treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Yihuo Qingxia method, a traditional Chinese medicine therapeutic method for replenishing qi to activate blood, clearing away heat and dredging intestines, in treating hyperlipoidemia-related severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in early stage. METHODS: One hundred and four patients with hyperlipoidemia-related SAP were divided into two groups: early group (admitted to hospital within 3 days after onset) and late group (admitted to hospital from 3 days to 7 days after onset). There were 52 cases in each group. All the patients were treated by Yihuo Qingxia method. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in 48-hour Ranson scores, CT scores, 24-hour acute physiology and chronic heath evaluation II scores (APACHE II scores), and the levels of 24-hour serum triglyceride (TG) and serum glucose in the two groups (P>0.05). At the 10th day after onset, the serum TG level in early group was lower than that in late group (P<0.01). The incidences of acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, hepatic inadequacy, congestive heart failure, shock, encephalopathy, infection and alimentary tract hemorrhage in early group were higher than those in late group (P<0.05). The mortality in early group was lower than that in the late group (P<0.05). The length of hospital stay in early group was shorter than that in late group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Yihuo Qingxia method has a good efficacy in treating hyperlipoidemia-related SAP in early stage.