Objective To investigate the relationships between concentrations of free fatty acid (FFA) in maternal serum and oxidative damage levels in placental mitochondria and preeclampsia ( PE)-Methods A total of 60 women with PE and 60 normal pregnant women as control participated in this study.All were admitted to Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital for delivery from August 2010 to May 2011.Patients with PE were divided into early-onset group ( n =30,presented at ＜ 34 weeks of gestation ) and late-onset group ( n =30,presented at ≥ 34 weeks of gestation),with 30 normal pregnant women as early control group ( ＜ 34 weeks of gestation ) and 30 as late control group ( ≥34 weeks of gestation).Improved copper agent colorimetry was used to detect FFA in maternal serum Ultraviolet colorimetry was used to detect glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT) activity in maternal placenta and malondialdebyde (MDA) and permeability transiton (PT) pore in placental mitochondria.Total superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay kit-WST was used to detect SOD activity in placenta.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression in placenta.Results ( 1 ) Maternal serum FFA was ( 1.6 ±0.5 ) mmol/L in early-onset PE group and ( 1.5 ± 0.4) mmol/L in lateonset PE group,significantly elevated as compared to ( 1.0 ± 0.5 ) mmol/L in early control group and (0.9 ±0.5) mmol/L in late control group (P ＜ 0.05 ). However,no significant difference was found between early-onset and late-onset PE groups (P ＞ 0.05 ).(2) The mean placental GPX,CAT and SOD activity were significantly decreased in the early-onset PE group [ (47 ±6),( 19 ±5),(62 ± 13) U/mg]and late-onset PE group [ (67 ±6),(20 ±4),(96 ± 17) U/mg] as compared to late control group [ (80 ±3),(55 ± 3 ),( 123 ± 19 ) U/mg],respectively ( P ＜ 0.05 ).(3) The mean placental mitochondria MDA was significantly elevated in the early-onset PE group [ (115 ± 22) nmol/mg] and late-onset PE group [(90±17) nmol/mg] as compared to late control group [(52 ± 11) nmol/mg,P ＜0.05].The mean absorption value that present the permeability of placental mitochondria PT pore was significantly elevated in the early-onset PE group (0.086 ±0.013) and late-onset PE group (0.069 ±0.014) as compared to late control group (0.052 ± 0.0 12,P ＜ 0.05 ).The mean placental mtDNA expression was significantly elevated in the early-onset PE group (3.0 ±0.7) and late-onset PE group (2.8 ±0.7) as compared to late control group ( 2.6 ± 0.6,P ＜ 0.05 ).( 4 ) The mean placental mitochondria MDA concentration correlated positively with the concentrations of FFA in maternal serum in the early-onset PE group ( r =0.703,P ＜0.05 ) and late-onset PE group (r =0.457,P ＜ 0.05 ),and negatively with placental antioxidant enzyme in the early-onset PE group ( r =- 0.652,- 0.787,- 0.952 ; P ＜ 0.05 ) and late-onset PE group ( r =-0.378,-0.689,-0.854; P＜0.05).Conclusions Increased FFA in maternal serum and high levels of oxidative damage in placental mitochondria may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.Increased FFA in serum and decreased activity of antioxidant enzyme in placenta may contribute to oxidative damage levels in placental mitochondria in women with PE.

Benzene ; toxicity ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans

AIM: To investigate the difference of cognitive impairment and depression between age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ) group and the control group patients. ·METHODS: A prospective case-control study was performed from November 2014 to August 2016 in the hospital for AMD patients and sex-matched control group. The Mini-Mental State Examination ( MMSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale ( GDS ) score of each patient were collected for statistical analyzing. ·RESULTS: There were total 84 cases ( 168 eyes ) included in the study. The difference of visual acuity between the two group was statistically significant ( F=8. 953, P=0. 004) by baseline data analyzing. There were no significant differences in MMSE scores between the two groups according to educational status ( P>0. 05 ) , while the prevalence of cognitive impairment in each group was statistically significant (x2 =4. 14, P=0. 042). The difference of GDS scores, prevalence of total and mild depression between two groups were both statistically significant (F=5. 852, P=0. 018; x2=6. 372, P=0. 012; x2 = 5. 674, P = 0. 017 ). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of moderate to severe depression (x2=0. 672, P=0. 412). ·CONCLUSION: AMD patients have a higher prevalence of depression. Although MMSE score differences were not statistically significant in subgroup analysis by educational levels, AMD patients are more likely to have cognitive impairment overall.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are widely used industrial chemicals. Several BFRs were found to be at detectable level in the wildlife as well as in human, however, up to now there were few related papers which could be found for the adverse effects of BFRs on the wildlife, especially, on human. The recent research works on the biological effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) or derivates, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are reviewed in the present paper.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of compression of upper trunk brachial plexus.Methods Clinical data of 27 patient with compression of upper trunk brachial plexus were retrospective analyzed.Results All cases showed sensory disturbance in radialis sides of upper extremities.13 cases accompanied by ipsilateral breast or mid-back pain.All cases showed severe tenderness at the middle point or at the juncture between center and lower third part of posterior edge of the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle.The tenderness always radiated to the involvement limb,the affected breast or the mid-back areas.Symptoms aggravated in 55.6%(15/27)cases when the suffering limbs were set in abducens and rotated externally position.25.9%(7/27)cases showed decreased nerve conduction velocities and 7.4%(2/27)showed abnormal motor unit potential.Radioactive ray studies found no abnormalities corresponding to the symptoms.Nerve blockade at the tenderness point together with physiotherapy were effective.4 weeks after treatment the total effective rate was 82.5%(23/27),ineffective rate was 14.8%(4/27).Conclusions The features of upper trunk brachial plexus entrapment neuropathy including:paraesthesia in radialis side of upper extremities and severe tenderness at the middle or center-lower part third of posterior edge of ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle which radiates to the involvement limb,mid-back or breast.Local nerve blockade combined with physiotherapy was effective,and also one of the way for differential diagnosis.

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.

AIM: To compare the clinical results of suture method and partial eyelash resection treating for pediatric eyelid trichiasis, and screen an effective method for the treatment of pediatric lower eyelid trichiasis.
METHODS: Fifty-six cases of pediatric patients with lower eyelid trichiasis were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group in accordance with the method of drawing lots, and each group was 28 cases. The control group was treated with suture method, and the observation group was treated with partial eyelash resection. The clinical efficacy, patient satisfaction before and after treatment, and the incidence of complications were compared.
RESULTS:(1) The clinically total effective rate was 74%of the control group, which was 89% of the observation group, and there were statistical differences of the clinical efficacy between the two groups ( P<0. 05 ); ( 2 ) the satisfaction scores were (3. 89±1. 22) points and (6. 27±1-86) points of the the control group before and after treatment, which were ( 4. 00±1. 34 ) points and ( 8-95±2-34) points of the observation group, and there were statistical differences of the two groups before and after treatment (P<0. 05), and the scores of the observation group were higher than that of the control group ( P<0-05);(3) complications such as swelling and stitches off appeared in both groups, and the rate was 21% in the control group, which was 11% in the observation group, and there were statistical differences between the two groups (P<0. 05).
CONCLUSION: The treatment of children with lower eyelid trichiasis, suture method is simple and can be performed under local anesthesia in collaboration with children, but with a higher relapse rate, some patients required reoperation;partial resection of eyelashes can be more thoroughly solve the problem of pediatric eyelid trichiasis with low recurrence rate, but children need to be under general anesthesia with some of big risk. So partial resection of eyelashes is unsuitable for using in clinical practice widely and can be used in special cases.

Bacterial Proteins ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; Interleukin-8 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Internal Fixators ; Lung ; cytology ; drug effects ; Lung Diseases ; microbiology ; Pharmaceutical Solutions ; pharmacology ; Porins ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Solutions ; chemistry

AIM: To investigate the key molecular mechanism of inflammatory response in alveolar epithelial cells induced by nontypeable haemophilus influenzae(NTHi).METHODS: A549 cells were co-cultured with NTHi(multiplicity of infection,MOI: 10) and harvested 15 min and 30 min after stimulation.The phosphorylation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK) in A549 cells was detected by Western blotting.The intracellular expression of nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B) p65 was examined by flow cytometry 4 h after stimulation.A549 cells were preincubated with p38 inhibitor(SB203580) or NF-?B inhibitor(PDTC) for 1 h and then stimulated with NTHi for 24 h.The level of interleukin 8(IL-8) in the supernatants was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).RESULTS: The phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was rapidly induced by NTHi stimulation.The expression of NF-?B p65 in A549 cells after NTHi stimulation was significantly up-regulated compared with control group(P