Objective To explore the inhibition effect of Cysteine-rich 61 (CCN1; Cyr61) specific siRNA expression vector on RNV in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).Methods One hundred and twenty healthy C57BL/6J mice were chosen and randomly divided into the experimental group and control group,with 60 mice in each group.The experimental group was intravitreously injected with CCN1siRNA recombinant plasmids.The control group was injected with vector plasmids.Adenosine diphosphate-ase stained retina flat-mounts was performed to assess the retinal vascular profiles,retinal section with HE staining was applied to count the number of new vascular cell nuclei and the protein and mRNA expression of CCN1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected by immunohistochemistry,Western blot and Real-time RT-PCR.Results Compared with control group,regular distributions,good branches and reduced density of retinal neovascularization were observed in the experimental group.The number of nucleus of vascular endothelial cells breaking through the inner limiting membrane was obviously less in the experimental group than that in the control group (t=8.756,P＜ 0.05).The expression of CCN1 and VEGF were obviously decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group (all P＜0.05).Conclusion The development of RNV of ROP can be markedly inhibited by RNA interference targeting CCN1,and CCNlsiRNA may provide an effective method for preventing vascular proliferative retinopathy.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of adult epileptic patients with interictal depression symptoms(IDs) and identify early predictors of IDs. Methods Adult patients with epilepsy were recruited ( n =110,45 females and 65 males) ,age between 16 and 67 years ( median 24 years). The sociodemographic and clinical factors of patients were recorded. Hamilton Depression Scale ( HAMD ) were applied to evaluate interictal symptoms of depression ( at least 72 hours after the last epileptic seizure). According to HAMD score,the epileptic patients were divided into IDs ( ≥8 ) and non-IDs(＜8) groups. The sociodemographic and clinical factors were compared between the two groups to identify the prevalence and early predictors of IDs in adult epileptic patients.Results The prevalence of IDs in adult patients with epilepsy was 38.2% ,49.0% in active epilepsy and 12.1 %in seizure freedom. 30.0% ,5.5% ,and 2.7% were experiencing mild-to-moderate (HAMD score≥8),moderateto-severe ( ≥ 18 ) and severe ( ≥25 ) depression. 42 patients who met the HAMD score≥8 were classified as IDs group,and the remaining 68 patients were classified as non-IDs group. With multiple stepwise backward logistic regreasion, independent predictors of IDs were epileptic seizures ( OR = 8. 845, P = 0. 003 ); symptomatic or cryprogenic epilepsy ( OR = 3.132, P = 0. 045 ); prolonged duration of illness ( OR = 1. 106, P = 0.004 ) and employment status (OR =0. 154, P=0.001 ). There were no relationship between seizure frequency and severity of IDs ( Kruskal-Wallis test, x2 = 4.5, P = 0. 104). Conclusion IDs is a frequent psychiatric comorbidity in adult patients with epilepsy. The prevalence of IDs is higher in those with active epilepsy compared with those in seizure freedom and most of them are mild-to-moderate. Epileptic seizure, symptomatic or cryprogenic epilepsy, prolonged duration of illness and employment status are independent predictors of IDs, but seizure frequency has nothing to do with the IDs severity of patients.

Objective To assess the neuropsychological characteristics in active epileptic patients and investigate itsrisk factors. Methods Ninety adult epileptic patients included 60 active epileptic patients (two or more unprovoked seizures within 12 months) and 30 age-, sex-, education-, course of disease- and seizure type-matched seizure-free subjects (without epileptic seizure for at least 1 year) . The neuropsychological tests including trail making test,digit symbol test, verbal fluency test,digit span test and hamilton depression scale( HAMD) ,were used to detect mental and motor speed, attention, language, working memory and depression symptoms respectively. The neuropsychological tests were compared between active and seizure-free epileptic patients and identified the risk factors of neuropsychological deficits in active epileptic patients. Results Compared to seizure-free subjects, active epileptic patients had significantly worse scores in digit symbol test, verbal fluency test, digit span test ((47.45 ±18. 812) vs(56.40 ±13. 631), (25. 25 ±8. 163) vs(30.40 ±8. 414), (10. 39 ±2. 228) vs( 11. 80 ± 2.074) respectively) ; more time to accomplish the trail making test A and B((64. 35 ±31.710) vs( 45. 47 ± 16. 309) , ( 133. 18 ± 47. 331 ) vs ( 98. 00 ± 35. 003 ) respectively) ; and higher scores in depressive symptoms ((9.12 ±6.219)vs(3.77 ±3.997) ,all P<0.05). Within active epileptic group,significant predictors of neuropsychological deficits were identified in a stepwise linear regression analysis: advancing age was significantly negatively correlated with digit symbol test(β = -0. 468, P = 0. 000) , digit span test (β = -0. 439, P = 0. 000), trail making test A (β =0.365, P = 0.003) and B(β = 0.346, P=0.002) ; higher scores on depressive symptoms was significantly negatively correlated with digit symbol test (β = -0.244, P = 0.015) ; mental work,high-education level and monotherapy were positively correlated with some of the cognitive function subscales. Conclusion This study suggests that active epilepsy can have a direct adverse effect on cognition and depression symptoms. Multi-drug therapy, severity of depression symptoms, advancing age, low-education level and non-mental work are the predictors of neuropsychological impairment in active epilepsy. In addition, good seizure control even after 1 year can have a beneficial impact on cognitive and depression prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the value of N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.Methods Forty-three patients with diastolic heart failure were enrolled. Pulsed wave (PW) Doppler technology was used to detect early diastolic mitral velocity (E) and TDI was performed to determine the mitral annulus velocity of early diastolic phase (Em). According to the E/Em, patients were divided into three groups: group Ⅰ (E/Em ＜8),group Ⅱ (E/Em 8-15) and group Ⅲ (E/Em ＞ 15). The plasma NT-proBNP was measured. Results The plasma NT-proBNP in group Ⅲ [( 1119 ± 3123) ng/L] was higher than that in group Ⅱ [(684± 1742) ng/L] and group Ⅰ [(276±438) ng/L] (P＜0.01),and the plasma NT-proBNP in group Ⅱ was higher than that in group Ⅰ (P ＜ 0.01 ). The plasma NT-proBNP had positive correlation with E/Em (r = 0.438,P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion The plasma NT-proBNP and TDI are useful to evaluate the left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Nicotinic acid could increase high density lipoprotein and reduce serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in human bodies, thus is frequently applied in treating low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia in clinic. However, according to the findings, nicotinic acid could also cause adverse effects, such as skin flush, beside its curative effects. In this study, bioisosterism, fragment-based search and Lipinski's Rule of Five were used to preliminarily screen out potential TCM ingredients that may have similar pharmacological effects with nicotinic acid from Traditional Chinese medicine database (TCMD). Afterwards, homology modeling and flexible docking were used to further screen out potential nicotinic acid receptor agonists. As a result, eleven candidate compounds were derived from eight commonly used traditional Chinese medicines. Specifically, all of the candidate compounds' interaction with nicotinic acid receptor was similar to nicotinic acid, and their docking scores were all higher than that of nicotinic acid, but their druggability remained to be further studied. Some of the eight source traditional Chinese medicines were used to lower lipid according to literature studies, implying that they may show effect through above means. In summary, this study provides basis and reference for extracting new nicotinic acid receptor agonists from traditional Chinese medicines and improving the medication status of hyperlipidemia.
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Structure ; Nicotinic Acids ; chemistry ; Nicotinic Agonists ; chemistry ; Protein Binding ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; agonists ; chemistry ; Receptors, Nicotinic ; chemistry

By using a micro-sensor through an endoscope,the esophageal variceal pressure in 94 patients with cirrhosis was measured.The results of the measurement were as follow:in 5 cases with Ⅱ-degree,it was 2.68?0.18 kPa,varices in 26 cases with Ⅲ-degree,it was 2.90?0.23 kPa,while in 63 cases of Ⅳ-degree varices,it was 3.51?0.33 kPa.The results suggested that there was a significant correlation between the pressure of esophageal varices with the degree of varices (r=0.313,P=0.01).The method seemed to be a valuable non-invading technic for evaluating the degree of varices.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are fibrous structures released by neutrophils and the formation process is called NETosis. NETs participate in the host innate immunity. Recent research has found that NETs is a double-edged sword. Under normal conditions, the formation of NETs can play a role in clearing pathogens and maintain the host homeostasis. However, when NETs are overproduced or not cleared in time, they can take part in the pathogenesis of many diseases. This article reviewed the formation of NETs, the mechanisms involved in NETosis and the role of NETs in the secretion of multiple cytokines in different diseases.

0.05).The expression of EG-VEGF in the gastric cancer tissue was 41.6?13.3,which significantly higher than that in tissue near gastric cancer and normal gastric tissue(P

OBJECTIVE:To study the in vitro antioxidant activity of chitosan(CTS)degradation derivatives and its preventive effects on drug-induced liver injury fibosis. METHODS:Acid hydrolysis method was used to prepare the CTS degradation deriva-tives CTS-3,CTS-6,CTS-8,CTS-10 for different hydrolysis time(3,6,8,10 h). The viscosity-average relative molecular mass and deacetylation degree of CTS and its degradation derivatives were determined,and its antioxidant activity was evaluated by de-tecting its in vitro scavenging ability on 1,1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine (DPPH) and superoxide anion (O2-) radicals. Us-ing CTS-10 for in vivo liver injury fibosis prevention test,mice were randomly divided into normal control group(water),model group(water),CTS-10 high-dose,medium-dose,low-dose groups(100,50,25 mg/mL),8 in each group. Mice were intragastri-cally administrated 0.2 mL,then withdrawal after continuous 24 d. Then levofloxacin hydrochloride was intragastrically given for 7 d to establish drug-induced liver injury model(except for normal control group). Western blot method was used to detect the expres-sions of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1)and Decorin protein in liver tissue of mice. RE-SULTS:The viscosity-average relative molecular mass of CTS,CTS-3,CTS-6,CTS-8,CTS-10 were 21.70×104,6.70×104,6.30× 104,5.01×104,4.87×104;and deacetylation degree were 83.44％,74.62％,67.28％,64.83％,54.23％,respectively. All of them had certain scavenging ability on DPPH and O2-,in which,CTS-10 was the strongest(25.47％ and 56.31％). Compared with nor-mal control group,expressions of TNF-α,TGF-β1 and Decorin protein in liver tissue in model group were enhanced (P<0.05). Compared with model group,expressions of TNF-α,TGF-β1 and Decorin protein in liver tissue in CTS-10 medium-dose and high-dose groups were weakened(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:The viscosity-average relative molecular mass and deacetylation de-gree of CTS-10 in CTS degradation derivatives are lower with stronger antioxidant activity,and show certain preventive effects on drug-induced liver injury fibosis in mice.

AIM: To study the antioxidative effect of three kinds of xanthone:methylswertianin(MET), bellidifodin(BEL) and decussatin (DEC) extracted from Swertia macrosperma C.B. clark. METHODS: Hydroxy radical was generated from H_2O_2 and VC-Fe~ 2+ system; MDA contents in liver homogenate and mitochondria were measured by thiobabituric acid assay; the hemolysis of RBC and the swelling extent of mitochondria were detected by spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS: Xanthones could inhibit the generation of MDA, the hemolysis of RBC, and the swelling of mitochondria. The inhibitory effect of BEL was stronger than that of MET and DEC. CONCLUSION: Xanthones possess a good antioxidant activity.