Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pulmonary Edema ; etiology ; Radiography, Thoracic

This study examined the promoter methylation of APO-1/CD95 (Fas) gene in bladder urothelial carcinoma and analyzed the relationship between the Fas promoter methylation and the biological behavior of bladder cancer. Promoter methylation of Fas gene was detected by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) in 4 bladder cancer cell lines, 50 human bladder urothelial carcinoma samples and l0 normal bladder tissue samples. Correlation of the aberrant methylation of Fas promoter with the clinicopathological parameters was statistically analyzed. The results showed that Fas was down-regulated at both mRNA and protein level in bladder cancer cell lines and tissue samples of bladder urothelial carcinoma. The positive rate of Fas protein expression in bladder urothelial carcinoma was 34.0% (17/50), significantly lower than that in normal bladder tissues (70.0%, 7/10) (P<0.01). Fas promoter methylation was detected, and the positive rate of Fas promoter methylation in bladder urothelial carcinoma was 42.0% (21/50), which was obviously higher than that in normal bladder tissues (0.0%, 0/10) (P<0.01). The aberrant methylation of Fas promoter was reversely correlated with Fas protein expression (P<0.05). Furthermore, the positive rates of Fas promoter methylation in high-grade and low-grade bladder urothelial carcinoma were 73.3% (11/15) and 34.2% (12/35), respectively, with significant difference shown (P<0.05). No statistical significance was found in the Fas promoter methylation among different clinical stages of bladder cancer. It was concluded that Fas promoter hypermethylation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bladder urothelial carcinoma and may serve as a prognostic indicator of bladder urothelial carcinoma.

In order to increase the production of insecticidal crystal proteins Cry1 and Cry2, firstly, Plack-ett-Burman design was applied to evaluate the effectiveness of the related nutrition factors; it was found that the soybean powder and MnSO4?H2O were significant factors for Cry1 production, but the yield of Cry2 wasn’t effected remarkably in such medium. Then the steepest ascent experiment was adopted to approach the optimal region of the medium composition. Lastly, the optimal concentration of the soybean powder and MnSO4?H2O was 11.5 and 0.02 g/L, obtained by response surface methodology (RSM). The final yields of Cry1 and Cry2 was 0.32 mg/mL and 0.11 mg/mL, increasing twice more than that in the medium optimized before. The median lethal concentration (LC50) of optimal medium was 1.09 ?L/mL. The toxicity to Heli-coverpa armigera was significantly enhanced than the old one.

Objective To study the possible relationship between the psychological health of children with hematuria and their mothers.Methods Sixty children with hematuria were tested with podiatric symptom checklist(PSC),and the findings were compared with 60 healthy children.The mothers of the patients were assessed by self-rating anxiety scale(SAS),compared with the mothers of healthy children.Results The scores of PSC in patients were higher than those in healthy children(P

Objective: To summarize the research status of the changes in local microenvironment of acupoints caused by acupuncture, provide theoretical guidance for the initiation mechanisms of local acupuncture effect at acupoints. Methods: Using acupuncture, acupoint as key words to search China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP), PubMed and other databases, the representative articles were selected for review. Results: Acupuncture could excite afferent nerves, activate cells, and promote the release of chemical substances like neuropeptide, hormone, cytokines, etc. in the local site of acupoints. Besides, it may cause mechanical deformation of connective tissues, and change chemical ions as well as ion channels. Conclusion: The microenvironment changes around acupoints are crucial to acupuncture effect; the concept of 'acupoints network' can be used to objectively describe the local changes around the acupoints after acupuncture.

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a flavonoid compound isolated from licorice. It possesses excellent antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities. This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the alleviatory effect of ISL on energy metabolism imbalance caused by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were used in in vivo experiments. The high-fat-high-glucose diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was applied to establish T2DM animal model. All animal experiments were performed in accordance with the Institutional Guidelines of Laboratory Animal Administration issued by the Committee of Ethics at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. HepG2 cells were used in in vitro experiments. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to examine the protein and mRNA levels of mitochondrial function-related targets. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in HepG2 cells were measured by the flow cytometry. Additionally, the molecular docking of ISL and key target proteins was analyzed. It was found that ISL significantly inhibited the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I and increased the protein levels of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in the livers of mice and HepG2 cells. It also obviously decreased the ROS levels and increased the MMP levels in cultured HepG2 cells. In addition, ISL promoted mitochondrial biogenesis by activating proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) and enhanced mitophagy by upregulating Parkin. It also improved mitochondrial fusion by increasing the mRNA and protein levels of mitofusin 2 (MFN2). In conclusion, ISL alleviates energy metabolism imbalance caused by T2DM through suppression of excessive mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and promotion of mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, and fusion.

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is an active chalcone compound isolated from licorice. It possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. In our previous study, we uncovered a great potential of ISL in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aims to reveal the mechanism underlying the alleviatory effects of ISL on T2DM-induced glycolipid metabolism disorder. High-fat-high-sugar diet (HFD) combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) were used to establish T2DM mice model. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Committee of Ethics at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. HepG2 cells were used in in vitro experiments, and sodium palmitate (SP) was applied to establish insulin resistance (IR) model cells. The effects of ISL on body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, and pathological changes in the livers of mice were examined. Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were applied to detect the regulatory effects of ISL on key targets involved in glucolipid metabolism. Additionally, molecular docking and analytical dynamics simulation methods were used to analyze the interaction between ISL and key target protein. The results indicate that ISL significantly downregulates the transcriptional levels and inhibits the activities of key enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis, including pyruvate carboxylase (PC), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBP). It also downregulates the transcriptional and protein levels of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), the two transcriptional factors involved in gluconeogenesis. Thus, ISL inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis in T2DM mice. In addition, ISL reduces total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels in the livers of T2DM mice. Moreover, ISL downregulates the mRNA levels of lipogenesis genes and upregulates those of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, lipid uptake, and lipid export. In conclusion, ISL suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis, promotes lipolysis, and restrains lipogenesis in T2DM mice, thereby improving the abnormal glycolipid metabolism caused by T2DM.

Based on the structure and function of acupoint and in association of the definition and principle of sensor, the acupoint is the sensitive element, being sensitive to the physical stimulation with acupuncture and moxibustion and sensitively responded to the disorders; the acupoint is the sensing element, transforming the changes of the acupoint information via the complicated internet conduction, integration and regulation, so as to generate the effects on organic body; the acupoint is the conversion element, transforming every irritation into the bioelectric signal or optical signal so that the organic body could recognize it. Therefore, the acupoint is regarded as the sensor of information in the organic body.
Acupuncture Points ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Humans ; Meridians

Objective To investigate the effect of depression symptoms on surgical outcome of posterior decompression among cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) patients. Methods Between October 2006 and October 2011 in our hospital, lami?nectomy or laminoplasty was performed in 396 cases that were enrolled in the study. There were 132 males and 264 females with an average age of 60.2 years(ranged,39-84 years). All patients were divided into depression group and non?depressed group by the 21?item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in age, sex, smok?ing status, duration of symptoms, and employment status (whether in the current working). The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores, Neck disability index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were compared after 1.5 months postoperatively. Re?sults All of 396 cases were followed up. The mean follow up duration was 32 months (range,24-50 months). There were no statistically significant differences in the CCI decline (7.1%±2.1% versus 6.8%±1.5%), expansion degree[(130.9±7.0) mm2 versus (150.8 ± 5.2) mm2] and the drift?back distance of the spinal cord [(5.7 ± 1.2) mm versus (6.2 ± 0.8) mm]. However, pa?tients with continuous depression showed poorer improvement than non?depressed patients in the surgery outcome: JOA im?proved (1.42±0.56 versus 6.76±3.12); NDI declined (7.31±2.18 versus 21.11±11.36); and VAS lightened (16.08±19.76 versus 23.85±20.79). Conclusion Depression contributed a dissatisfied surgery outcome after posterior decompression on functional re?covery, disability index and pain scores among patients of the cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Objective To improve the conventional method of quantitative assessment of regional cerebral blood flows(rCBF)by a perfusion CT study based on maximal slope model at the general infusion rate(