Background Flicker light can induce myopia,but its mechanism remains unclear.As one of immediate early genes,early growth response-1 (Egr-1) gene can generate rapid response to visual stimulation,however,its effect on the formation and development of myopia is below understood.Objective This study was to investigate the dynamic expression of Egr-1 gene in retinas of flicker light-induced eyes (FL) and compare the results with form deprived eyes (FD).Methods One hundred and fifty 28-day-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to the normal control group,FD group and FL group.The right eyes of mice were occluded with a semitransparent hemispherical thin plastic shell for 2 weeks in the FD group,and the right eyes of mice were stimulated by 2 Hz flicker light for 2 weeks in the FL group,and then the mice were fed in the normal light environment for 1 week.The refractive state and axial length of the model eyes were measured by murine-specific eccentric infrared photorefraction and A-scan ultrasonography before modeling and 1 hour,I day,1 week,2 weeks after modeling as well as 1 week after termination,respectively.The mice were sacrificed in above-mentioned time points to isolate the retinas.The expressions and location of Egr-1 protein and mRNA in the retinas were detected by Western blot,and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and immunochemistry.The expressions of Egr-1 markers,neuron and protein kinase C (PKC)-α,in the retinas were assayed by using immunofluorescence.The care and use of the animals followed the administration regulations for experimental animals of Jiangsu Province.Results Two weeks after modeling,the refraction of the FL group was (0.32±0.14) D,which was significantly lower than (-0.66±0.43)D in the FD group (t=6.78,P=0.00).One hour after modeling,The expression levels of Egr-1 mRNA in mouse retinas were 0.626±0.044 and 0.695±0.058 in the FD group and FL group,which were significantly declined in comparison with 1.009±0.089 of the normal group (t=14.81,P=0.01;t=9.15,P=0.03).In 2 weeks after modeling,the expression levels of Egr-1 mRNA were still lower in the FD group and F:L group compared with the normal group (all at P＜0.05).However,the expression levels were significantly elevated in the FD group and FL group compared with the normal group (t=4.13,P=0.01;t=4.26,P=0.01) at 1 week after termination.Western blot showed a dynamic decrease in the expressions of Egr-1 protein with lapse of time in the FD group and FL group with the lowest expressing level in the second week after modeling.In I week after termination of modeling,the expressing level was raised in the FD group or the FL group,but it was still lower than that ir the normal group (t =6.32,P=0.00;t =5.45,P=0.01).Egr-1 protein was mainly expressed in the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) layer,inner nuclear layer and photoreceptor layer in the normal mice,and the expression intensity was obviously weaker in the FD mice and FL mice 2 weeks after modeling.Htowever,the expression was enhanced in 1 week after termination of modeling.Neuron and PKC-α were strongly expressed in the RGCs and bipolar cells in the normal mice.Conclusions The eyes show a myopic trend after induce of flicker light in B6 mice.The expression level of Egr-1 gene in the retina down-regulates with the reduce of refraction in FL eyes,and its dynamic expressing change is consistent between the FD eyes and FL eyes.

OBJECTIVERespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly all children under two years of age. It is poorly understood why a few children who were infected with RSV develop bronchiolitis that require hospital admission while most have a relatively minor illness. Several recent studies have obtained some indications for the involvement of genetic heterogeneity in RSV bronchiolitis, implying that the clinical outcome of RSV infection perhaps is determined by genetic factors. Regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted RANTES plays a key role in the pathophysiology of RSV bronchiolitis. The purpose of this study was to explore the genetic association between the RANTES gene promoter -28C/G polymorphism and RSV bronchiolitis in Chinese Han ethnic group population.

METHODSThe study recruited 238 hospitalized patients (186 male and 52 female) under 12 months of age, with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis due to RSV, the sex, age, hospital stay, SaO2 at the time of admission, personal and family history of atopy were recorded. The 288 healthy control subjects (206 male and 82 female), who had no evidence of personal or familial history of atopy and no history of wheezing, were chosen at the same time. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the polymorphism at position -28C/G of the RANTES promoter. The total IgE concentrations in serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The absolute peripheral blood eosinophil counts were measured by using an automated hematology analyzer.

RESULTSThe distribution of RANTES -28C/G gene polymorphism was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Compared to control subjects, significant difference was demonstrated for genotypes and allele frequencies of the RANTES -28C/G polymorphism in patients with RSV bronchiolitis (G = 10.22, P < 0.01; chi2 = 9.708, P < 0.01). Compared with the wild type CC, the -28G allele carriers demonstrated a 2.09-fold increased risk of RSV bronchiolitis (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.32 - 3.30, P < 0.01). Interestingly, both the percentage of personal history of atopy and the percentage of family history of atopy for the -28G allele carriers were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that for those CC homozygotes carriers in RSV bronchiolitis. Compared with the wild type CC, the -28G allele carriers demonstrated a 1.85-fold increased risk of the personal history of atopy (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.01 - 3.38, P = 0.045) and a 1.91-fold increased risk of the family history of atopy (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.03 - 3.54, P = 0.037), and the absolute peripheral blood eosinophil counts for the -28G allele carriers were significantly higher (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe RANTES gene promoter -28C/G polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to RSV bronchiolitis, and the -28G allele is an important predisposing factor for the personal history of atopy and the family history of atopy in RSV bronchiolitis.

Alleles ; Bronchiolitis ; genetics ; virology ; Case-Control Studies ; Chemokine CCL5 ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; complications ; genetics

OBJECTIVERespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly all children under two years of age. It is not understood why some develop serious bronchiolitis. Whether there is a genetic component is not known. The nature of the association between RSV bronchiolitis and subsequent wheezing remains unknown. interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a potent neutrophil chemokine and activator, which plays a role in virus-induced wheezing diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the genetic association between the IL-8 gene promoter -251A/T polymorphism and RSV bronchiolitis and post-bronchiolitis wheezing in children.

METHODSTotally 320 children who were hospitalized for bronchiolitis together with positive immunofluorescence for RSV were recruited in this study from Jan. 2002 to Jan. 2004. A group of 272 healthy children were enrolled as controls. The age of these children ranged from 1 to 12 months. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the polymorphism at position-251 of the IL-8 promoter in RSV bronchiolitis and control groups. The total IL-8 and IgE concentrations in serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with RSV bronchiolitis were followed up in order to analyze the occurrence of wheezing post-bronchiolitis.

RESULTS(1) Both A allele and T allele were detected at -251 of the IL-8 promoter; the prevalence of the A allele in RSV bronchiolitis group was 45.6%, as compared with 37.7% in normal group. The prevalence of IL-8-251A allele was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). (2) For genotypes T/T, A/T, A/A in RSV bronchiolitis, level of serum IL-8 were (17 +/- 6) ng/L, (21 +/- 7) ng/L, (24 +/- 9) ng/L, respectively, the difference was significant among the three genotypes (P < 0.01). (3) The prevalence of the A allele in the group who wheezed after the episode of RSV bronchiolitis was 54.6%, as compared with 35.8% in the group who had bronchiolitis but did not go on to wheeze. The prevalence of IL-8-251A allele was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPolymorphism of IL-8 promoter-251A/T was associated with susceptibility to RSV bronchiolitis in children. The association of IL-8-251A with severe RSV bronchiolitis is most marked in the children who go on to wheeze.

Adolescent ; Alleles ; Bronchiolitis ; complications ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Mapping ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-8 ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Respiratory Sounds ; etiology ; genetics ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; complications ; virology

OBJECTIVETo study the association between rs1079595 polymorphisms in the DRD2 gene and the distractibility in school-age children.

METHODSThe genotyping at rs1079595 was performed and the distractibility was measured based on the temperament questionnaire in 120 8-12 years old school-age children in order to analyze the effects of the rs1079595 polymorphism and its interaction with the gender, age and delivery mode on the distractibility.

RESULTSThere was an association between the distractibility and rs1079595 polymorphisms. The distractibility score in children with GG/GT genotypes was significantly higher than in children with the TT genotype (4.3 ± 0.6 vs 4.0 ± 0.7; P<0.05). The interaction between rs1079595 polymorphisms and the delivery mode produced an effect on the distractibility. The normal delivery children with T alleles were associated with a low distractibility (OR=0.037, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe distractibility based the temperament might be influenced by the rs1079595 polymorphism and its interaction with the delivery mode in school-age children.

Child ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; genetics ; Temperament

OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanisms of cultured neurons injury mediated by nitric oxide and free oxygen radical during hypoxia and oxidative stress. METHODS: The cultured newborn rat neurons were treated with hypoxia, H2O2 and pretreated superoxide dismutase (SOD) respectively. We examined the content of NO, malonaldehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and SOD in cultured supernatant. RESULTS: Comparing with that of control group, the content of NO, LDH, MDA increased and the content of SOD decreased in hypoxia group and H2O2 group. The content between NO and SOD showed the negative correlation. Administration of 200 U/ml SOD before oxidative stress could efficiently decrease the release of NO, LDH and MDA in neurons. The content of NO, LDH and MDA manifested in positive correlation in each group. CONCLUSION Hypoxia and oxidative stress increased NO production which strengthen neurons injury induced by free radical. SOD played an important role in elimination of free oxygen radicals and protecting neurons from injury by NO.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Hydrogen Peroxide/toxicity* ; Neurons/pathology* ; Nitric Oxide/physiology* ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVEMechanical ventilation support is a very important method for the salvage of serious patients. However, it can result in the formation of an adherent matrix of bacteria on the surfaces of implanted materials which is termed "biofilm". Biofilm is dense bacterial communities attached to a solid surface and surrounded by an exopolysaccharide matrix. One of the most important features of bacterial biofilm is their resistance to antimicrobial agents and host immune system components. As a consequence, diseases involving biofilm are generally chronic and difficult to treat. The present study was conducted to explore the relationship between ETT-biofilm and the lower respiratory infection by observing microbial colonization and associated biofilm accumulation on the surface of endotracheal tubes (ETTs) removed from neonates treated with intubated mechanical ventilation.

METHODSTwenty neonates undergoing mechanical ventilation (from January to June in 2005) were recruited into this study. Clinical data about lower respiratory infection for each case were collected. ETTs were collected at the first time of extubation. A sterile control tube was also processed. For each ETT, a 1-cm-long cross-sectional segment was divided into two portions for both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and aerobic/anaerobic cultures. The presence of biofilm on the surface of ETTs were examined by SEM, meanwhile, bacteria harvested from the surface of ETTs and the secretions of lower respiratory tract were isolated, identified and assessed on antimicrobial susceptibility, respectively.

RESULTSThe diagnosis on admission of the twenty cases included: neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (10), meconium aspirate syndrome (2), severe asphyxia (2), pneumatothorax (2), severe pneumonia (1), scleredema neonatorum (1), inborn pulmonary hypoplasia (1) and recurrent apnea (1). Thirteen cases did not present symptoms and signs of lower respiratory infection before mechanical ventilation. However, during the mechanical ventilation process, symptoms and signs of lower respiratory infection presented and lasted until extubation. Nine of the above mentioned thirteen cases (70%) had the same duration of tube use as mechanical ventilation duration (mean: 3.6 days). Observation by SEM showed that colonization was time dependent and the incidence of microbial colonization increased when the duration of tube use exceeded one days (12/20). There were no obvious bacterial colonies except that some amorphous material was noted in 5 of 20 ETTs as early as one day of tube use. Up to 2 days of tube use (4/20), attached bacterial colonization was seen embedded in amorphous material (3/4). Up to 3 days (7/20), a layer of biofilm formation presented on ETTs (5/7). Furthermore, biofilm architecture became more mature and complex if the duration exceeded 3 days. Neither bacteria nor biofilm formation was seen on the control ETT. The results of aerobic/anaerobic cultures showed that there were 14 cultures from ETTs (normal flora grew in 4) and 7 pathogens were isolated; 13 cultures from the secretions of lower respiratory tract (normal flora grew in 1) and 10 pathogens were isolated. Seven samples had the same pathogen both on the surface of ETTs and in the secretions of lower respiratory tract, which accounted for 50% of the positive cultures from ETTs, including Xanthomonas maltophilia (2), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), Acinetobacter lwoffii (1), Acinetobacter baumannii (1) and normal flora (1). The gram-negative bacteria isolated from the surface of ETTs and the secretions of lower respiratory tract presented multi-resistance to antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONSThe ETT-biofilm develops into mature and complex form with the duration of tube use increase. This study provides evidence that there is correlation between microbial colonization, biofilm formation on the surface of ETTs and the lower respiratory infection in neonates who were intubated and ventilated for a prolonged period. ETT-Biofilm could also be a possible source of the recurrent infection. Increased attention must be paid to modification of the ETT to prevent or substantially reduce biofilm formation.

Acinetobacter baumannii ; isolation & purification ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Biofilms ; Colony Count, Microbial ; Equipment Contamination ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; adverse effects ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; methods ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Trachea ; microbiology

Urban traffic is closely related to the daily life of the public,and air pollution in the traffic microenvironment has become a public health problem that cannot be ignored.This paper reviews the comparative studies of air pollutant exposure levels among different modes of transportation in multiple cities in China.By com-paring the exposure levels of pollutants among different modes of transportation,this paper provides a reference for protecting the health of the public in daily transportation and selecting targeted control measures.

Objective: To explore the protective effect of formula of Gougancai decoction (FGD) on acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats, in order to provide basis for the development of pharmaceutical preparations or healthcare products. Method: Sixty rats were randomly divided into normal group, Silymarin group (120 mg·kg^-1) and FGD groups (475, 950, 1 900 mg·kg^-1). The normal group and the model group were given equal volume of saline by gavage, while the other groups were administered with the corresponding dose of drugs according to the body weight. After 10 days, the acute liver injury model was established with 12% carbon tetrachloride peanut oil solution (5 mL·kg^-1), except the normal group. All of the rats were put to death to collect serum and liver tissues. The contents of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBIL), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were detected by biochemical methods, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in liver tissues were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbnent assay(ELISA). Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) protein expression in liver tissues were detected by Western blot, and htoxylin eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the variation of liver histopathological. Result: Compared with the normal group, the serum activities of AST, ALT, ALP and the content of TBIL, MDA in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 in liver tissue were remarkably increased (P<0.01), but the serum activities of SOD, GSH-Px were significantly decreased (P<0.01), the expression of NF-κB was enhanced in liver tissue (P<0.01), and PPAR-γ was down-regulated (P<0.01), indicating the successful modeling of acute liver injury. Compared with the model group, FGD could reduce the activities of AST, ALT, ALP and the contents of TBIL, MDA (P<0.05, P<0.01), decease the level of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 (P<0.05, P<0.01), and down-regulate the expression of NF-κB (P<0.05, P<0.01), but up-regulate the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and the expression of PPAR-γ (P<0.05, P<0.01). The liver tissue lesions were alleviated to varying degrees. Conclusion: FGD has a protective effect on CCl₄-induced acute liver injury in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the activation of PPAR-γ and the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway, with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects.

A proportion of patients experience acute or even prolonged cognitive impairment after surgery, a condition known as postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). It is characterized by impairment in different cognitive domains and neuroinflammation has been implicated as one of the inciting factors as strategies targeting inflammation tend to improve cognitive performance. Siegesbeckia Orientails L. (S. Orientails) is a common Chinese medicinal herb used for managing chronic inflammatory diseases. We investigated if pretreatment with S. Orientails before surgery confers any neuroprotective effects in postoperative animals in terms of reducing inflammation and mitigating cognitive impairment. Three-month-old male C57BL/6N mice were fed different doses of S. Orientails extract for 14 days before they underwent a laparotomy. After cognitive testing they were sacrificed on postoperative day (POD) 3. Our results showed that animals with extract pretreatment demonstrated memory improvement in a dose-dependent manner compared with control. Further, evidence for the attenuation of systemic and neuroinflammation was found in the pretreated animals, along with the inhibition of inflammatory pathways and significantly reduced tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Taken together, these results demonstrated a neuroprotective effect of S. Orientails in postoperative animals, indicating a therapeutic potential of S. Orientails in minimizing POCD and the possibility of utilizing this traditional Chinese medicine perioperatively.
Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cognition Disorders ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Memory ; Mice ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Phosphorylation ; Plants, Medicinal

Objective To explore the overall level,distribution characteristics,and differences in household fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) pollution caused by fuel burning in urban and rural areas in China. Methods The relevant articles published from 1991 to 2021 were retrieved and included in this study.The data including the average concentration of household PM_2.5 and urban and rural areas were extracted,and the stoves and fuel types were reclassified.The average concentration of PM_2.5 in different areas was calculated and analyzed by nonparametric test. Results The average household PM_2.5 concentration in China was (178.81±249.91) μg/m³.The mean household PM_2.5 concentration was higher in rural areas than in urban areas[(206.08±279.40) μg/m³ vs. (110.63±131.16) μg/m³;Z=-5.45,P<0.001] and higher in northern areas than in southern areas[(224.27±301.66) μg/m³ vs.(130.11±140.61) μg/m³;Z=-2.38,P=0.017].The north-south difference in household PM_2.5 concentration was more significant in rural areas than in urban areas[(324.19±367.94) μg/m³ vs.(141.20±151.05) μg/m³,χ²=-5.06,P<0.001].The PM_2.5 pollution level showed differences between urban and rural households using different fuel types (χ²=92.85,P<0.001),stove types (χ²=74.42,P<0.001),and whether they were heating (Z=-4.43,P<0.001).Specifically,rural households mainly used solid fuels (manure,charcoal,coal) and traditional or improved stoves,while urban households mainly used clean fuels (gas) and clean stoves.The PM_2.5 concentrations in heated households were higher than those in non-heated households in both rural and urban areas (Z=-4.43,P<0.001). Conclusions The household PM_2.5 pollution caused by fuel combustion in China remains a high level.The PM_2.5 concentration shows a significant difference between urban and rural households,and the PM_2.5 pollution is more serious in rural households.The difference in the household PM_2.5 concentration between urban and rural areas is more significant in northern China.PM_2.5 pollution in the households using solid fuel,traditional stoves,and heating is serious,and thus targeted measures should be taken to control PM_2.5 pollution in these households.
Humans ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis* ; Cooking ; Environmental Exposure/analysis* ; China ; Rural Population