Objective: To observe the effect of vitamin A and iron supplementation on iron status during pregnancy. Methods: 167 pregnant women aged 21～33 years in the second trimester were recruited and randomly allocated to four groups: placebo; vitamin A (1.1 mg/d); iron(60 mg elemental iron); vitamin A and iron, for 10 weeks. Results:The incidences of vitamin A deficiency, anemia and iron depletion were 0.6%,7.8% and 6.2% in the second trimester respectively. Serum VA level was not changed in three supplemented groups but decreased in placebo group. Hemoglobin in all groups before and after supplementation was in normal range, with no significant differences. The improvement in serum ferritin, free erythrocyte proporphyrin and transferrin saturation was better in the group supplemented with VA+Fe than VA or Fe alone. Conclusion: The simultaneous supplementation of vitamin A and iron is better in improvement of iron status than supplementation of vitamin A or iron alone during pregnancy. Improvement of iron status by simultaneous supplementation of pregnant women with vitamin A and iron was better than supplementation with iron or vitamin A alone.

Objective To investigate the association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)in-308 loci of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)gene promoter region and chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Methods Genotypes of-308 loci of the TNF-αpromoter were examined by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP)in 142 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB group)and 150 healthy controls (HC group).The indexes for evalua-ting the curative effect were the ALT,AST,HBeAg,HBV-DNA and the viral load weight,HBV-LP and HBV-PreS1,mean-while,the correlations between related indexes and SNP in TNF-α308 loci were explored as well.Results There was no sta-tistical significance in frequency distribution difference of the genotypes and alleles of-308 loci between CHC and HC groups (P>0.05),the protective factors of TNF-α308 allele A may be not associated with CHB (OR=1.529,OR95%CI:0.872~2.684).There was no association between TNF-αgene promoter-308G/A polymorphism and the positive rates of AST, ALT,HBV-LP and HBV-PreS1 (P>0.05),however,TNF-α-308G/A polymorphism associates with the positive rates of HBeAg and HBV-DNA,and A-allele of 308 loci may increase the risk of HBeAg and HBV-DNA positive expression (HBeAg:OR=3.256,OR95%CI=1.105~9.594;HBV-DNA:OR=2.847,OR95%CI=1.059~7.655).Furthermore,A-allele compared with Gallele,statistically significant differences were observed in the certain HBVDNA viral load range of104~107 copies/ml (P <005).Conclusion TNFαgene promoter308G/A polymorphism would not be associated withCHB,but the TNFα308 gene G mutation of Aallele,which was associated with HBVDNA viral load,may be the susceptible factors of HBV infection.

Forty-eight patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome(SCS)were evaluated.Eleven of them underwent adrenalectomy(Group 1)and the other 37 cases did not(Group 2).Serum and urine corticosol, plasma ACTH and parameters related to metabolic syndrome(such as waist circumference,blood pressure,blood lipids and fasting plasma glucose)were measured.The data at diagnosis were compared with those during the survey.The results indicated that patients with SCS had a significantly high prevalence of metabolic syndrome.The symptoms and signs of metabolic syndrome could be improved after removing the tumor.Otherwise there is no improvement,some patients will even develop into overt Cushing's syndrome.

Anthropometry ; Biomarkers ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Malnutrition ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Mass Screening ; methods ; Nutrition Assessment ; Nutritional Status ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo explain the essence of pungent-hot herb property express according to in vivo and in vitro studies on its effect on calmodulin on the base of the observation of the adjustment in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis functions of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, Curculiginis Rhizoma, Cinnamomi Cortex and bitter-cold herb Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex in rats under the state of yang deficiency.

METHODThe yang-deficient model was duplicated by intramuscularly injecting hydrocortisone sodium succinate powder injection. After the intervention with Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, Curculiginis Rhizoma, Cinnamomi Cortex and bitter-cold herb Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex for seven days, TSH, T3, T4, 17-OHCS, COR, T, E2 of hypothalamus-pituitary-target gland axis and other relevant indexes were detected. The calmodulin expression in livers and L02 cells cultured in vitro was detected by using Western blot.

RESULTPungent-hot herbs Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, Curculiginis Rhizoma, Cinnamomi Cortex can significantly correct indicators of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis and calmodulin, whereas the bitter-cold herb Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex showed no obvious effect.

CONCLUSIONThe pungent-hot herb property expression may be closely related to calmodulin.

Animals ; Calmodulin ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Gonads ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy ; metabolism

Human tissue kallikrein-binding protein (Kallistatin, KAL), a secretory protein that participates in the regulation of multiple signaling pathways by binding to the extracellular receptor, however, at present has not been reported about the intracellular activity, and whether it has the similar biological activity with extracellular activity. Here we constructed no signal peptide KAL (NSK) into the adeno-associated virus vector to explore the intracellular activity of KAL. Both the endothelial cell and lung cancer cells could express KAL, but not secreted after rAAV2-NSK transfection. The proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were inhibited, but the apoptosis rate was not affected. The proliferation rates, mobility and tubule formation of all the three tested lung cancer cells, such as NCI-H446, NCI-H460 and A549, were inhibited to different extents. This cellular study not only confirmed the intracellular activity, but also suggested it may serve as a kind of "balance factor" in multi-targeted controlling, which may provide a new train of thoughts to explain the regulatory contradiction in PI3K-Akt signaling pathways by KAL.
Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Dependovirus ; Genetic Vectors ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Serpins ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection

The strain of DG7 isolated from the oilwater sample in DAGANG oilfield could produce surfactant ?acids and gas in the culture medium in which the diesel was sole carbon source .The strain was Gram-negative, motive, rod and growed facultatively in the 0 to 18.5% NaCl. Based on its characters, the strain was identified as a member of the genus Aeromonas, but there were some differences between this strain and the described species of this genus in some biochemical features, suggesting that it could be a new species of the genus.

BACKGROUND:The majority of studies focus on the lesions of spinal cord injury, while little evidence is available on the change of morphology and structure of distal nerve, muscle and motor endplates fol owing spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the time window change of the morphology of motor neurons and skeletal muscles caudal to the lesion after spinal cord injury in rats.
METHODS:Fifty healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group (n=5;without treatment), sham operation group (n=10), and spinal cord injury group (n=35). The sham operated rats only received laminectomy. In the spinal cord injury group, rats were subject to complete T 10 spinal cord injury by total laminectomy and cord transverse resection. Then the morphological change including sciatic nerve, motor endplate and median gastrocnemius was observed for each group at 1, 2, 4, 12, 24 weeks after injury.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The myelin sheath layers of sciatic nerve were separated partial y at 4 weeks in rats with spinal cord injury, the myelin sheaths were fragmented with the regeneration of thin-myelinated and unmyelinated axons at 12 weeks. There was a decrease in myelinated axons and an increase in thin-myelinated and unmyelinated axons at 24 weeks. (2) The synaptic gutters of motor endplate, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membrane and synaptic space were distinct at 4 weeks in rats with spinal cord injury, the degenerated motor endplates coexsisted with the intact ones at 12 weeks. The motor endplate disappeared at 24 weeks. (3) There was a slight decrease in muscle cross-sectional area at 2 weeks in rats with spinal cord injury, but no structural change was found, the membrane of myocytes was partial y weakened at 4 weeks, the border of myocytes was obscure with hyperplasia of connective tissue at 12 weeks, and myocytes gathered and in fusion at 24 weeks. As natural history of completely transected spinal cord injury in rats, there were significant changes in morphology of peripheral nerve, motor endplate and skeletal muscles caudal to the lesion at 12 weeks, and the changes were destructive at 24 weeks.

The effects of Wumeiwan (WMW) on TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and NF-kappaBp65 in rats with ulcerative colitis (UC) were investigated, the curative effectiveness of WMW vs salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) was compared, and the action mechanism was analyzed. Fifty-Six Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=14 in each group, with equal ratio of male and female): normal control group, model group, SASP group, and WMW group. Except normal control group, the rat UC models in the remaining three groups were established using the method of 2.4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) immunization and acetic acid local enema. The rats in model group, SASP group, and WMW group were treated with distilled water, SASP, and WMW respectively. The changes in the symptoms and signs were observed, and levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and the expression of NF-kappaBp65 in the colonic tissues were statistically analyzed. The results showed that the levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were significantly increased (P<0.01), while those of IL-10 significantly reduced (P<0.01) after establishment of rat UC models as compared with normal control group. The levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were obviously lower, but the level of IL-10 was obviously higher in WMW and SASP groups than those in model group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were lower, while the level of IL-10 was higher in WMW group than in SASP group. NF-kappaBp65 was expressed negatively or weakly in normal colonic tissues. The positive expression rate of NF-kappaBp65 in WMW group and SASP group was obviously lower than in model group (P<0.01), and there was significant difference between WMW group and SASP group (P<0.05). It was concluded that rat UC model was established successfully. WMW could up-regulate the expression of IL-10, down-regulate the expression of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and inhibit the NF-kappaBp65 activity to adjust immune function, indicating WMW had better curative effects on UC in rats.

Hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c)as the important marker confirmed by UK Prospective Diabetes Study and Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research 2 epidemiological survey results is closely related to diabetes and its complications ,it has been included in the diagnostic criteria of diabetes mellitus by international organizations such as International Diabetes Federation , American Diabetes Association , World Health Organization ( WHO ) since 2010.The Chinese Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes ( 2017 Edition ) issued by the Chinese Diabetes Society are still not formally included in the diagnostic criteria of diabetes in China.The reason is that although the standardization of HbA 1c testing in China has been improved gradually, the differences between different regions are still large.Reviewing the process of HbA1c standardization in the world and exploring the road of standardization in our country , it is believed that through the joint efforts of all parties , the goal will be achieved .