OBJECTIVETo explore the intervention of Fagopyrum cymosum (Trev.) Meisn alcohol extract (FAE) on defecation function and motor functions of isolated colons of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) rats and to study its underlying mechanism.

METHODSThe D-IBS rat model was established by neonatal pups maternal separation (NMS) combined with intracolonic infusion of acetic acid (AA). Adult IBS rats were randomly divided into the pre-intervention control group (n = 10, with no gastrogavage), the normal saline control group (n = 10, administered with normal saline by gastrogavage), the pre-treatment model group (n = 8,with no gastrogavage),the normal saline model group (n = 8, administered with normal saline by gastrogavage), the low dose FAE group (n = 8, administered with 6 g/kg FAE by gastrogavage), the high dose FAE group (n = 8, administered with 24 g/kg FAE by gastrogavage), and the Pinaverium Bromide group (n = 8, administered with 0.02 g/kg Pinaverium Bromide by gastrogavage). All medication was performed once daily for 2 weeks. The abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) was employed to evaluate the visceral hypersensitivity; their loose and watery stool grade was assessed by Bristol scores for stool consistency; and their fresh feces weight was calculated. In vitro effect of different concentrations of FAE and Pinaverium Bromide (0.02 μg/mL) on spontaneous contraction and spasmodic contraction induced by acetylcholine (Ach) in rats' isolated colon were observed and the influence on the intestinal calcium channel was evaluated.

RESULTSCompared with the pre-intervention control group, the pain pressure threshold and the maximum tolerance pressure decreased significantly in the pre-intervention model group (P < 0.05), and the loose and watery stool grade and fresh feces weight increased drastically (P < 0.01). Compared with the normal saline control group, the pain pressure threshold and the maximum tolerance pressure decreased significantly in the normal saline model group (P < 0.05), and the loose and watery stool grade and fresh feces weight increased markedly (P < 0.01). Compared with the normal saline model group, the pain pressure threshold of 24 g/kg FAE and Pinaverium Bromide group significantly increased (P < 0.05). The loose and watery stool grade and fresh feces weight decreased obviously in the low dose FAE group, the high dose FAE group, and the Pinaverium Bromide group (P < 0.05). FAE (30, 100, 300, 1,000, and 3,000 μg/mL) and Pinaverium Bromide could significantly inhibit spontaneous contraction of isolated intestines (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and FAE (30, 100, and 300 x 10(-6) g/mL) could remarkably inhibit their spasmodic contraction and contractile tension induced by Ach and Ca2+ respectively (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in a concentration-dependent manner. Pinaverium Bromide also could significantly inhibit Ach and Ca2+ induced contraction.

CONCLUSIONEffective components of FAE improved the defecation function and inhibited enterospasm induced intestinal hyperactivity in IBS model rats via antagonizing calcium channel competitively and inhibiting colonic motility dose-dependently.

Acetic Acid ; Animals ; Defecation ; drug effects ; Diarrhea ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fagopyrum ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Rats

Objective To detect the ascites CD64 index of patients with decompensated cirrhosis ,and explore the value in the di-agnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) .Methods Decompensated cirrhosis with ascites patients were divided into non-SBP group ,SBP suspected group and SBP diagnosed group .Two control groups were composed of patients with ascites culture pos-itive and non-SPB group .SBP suspected group were further grouped according to abdominal pain and the percentage of peripheral blood neutrophils .The CD64 index was detected by flow cytometry .Compared the difference of ascites CD64 index after treatment , and analyzed diagnosis performance of procalcitonin in human peripheral blood and ascites white blood cell count of SBP .Results The level of the ascites CD64 index was significantly higher in SBP diagnosed group (179 .39 ± 65 .56)and SBP suspected group (115 .49 ± 58 .42)than that of non-SBP group(26 .88 ± 26 .05)(P<0 .01) .The differences of the ascites CD64 index between SBP suspected associated with abdominal pain group and SBP suspected associated with painless group was not statistically significant (P>0 .05) .The level of the ascites CD64 index in SBP suspected with percentage of peripheral blood neutrophils elevated group was increased significantly than non-elevated group(P<0 .05) .CD64 index level in effective treatment group was significantly lower than the ineffective treatment group(P<0 .01) .The area of the ascites CD64 index under the curve was greater than procalcitonin in human peripheral blood and ascites WBC count ,and had a higher sensitivity and specificity .Conclusion The detection process of the ascites CD64 index is fast and with less influential factors ,which provides a new choice for the clinical diagnosis of SBP .

Objective:To determine if suitable electric pulses-mediated DNA and DNA and bupivacaine complexes delivery technologies could enhance effects of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) DNA vaccines in mouse model. Methods:Vaccination of mice i.m. with plasmid DNA replicon vaccine pSCARSHc and conventional plasmid DNA vaccine pcDNASHc following electric pulses and with DNA and bupivacaine complexes. AHc-specific group antibody ELISA titers and lymphocyte proliferative responses of mice were detected and IgG1 and IgG2a isotype profiles were assayed. Results:Immune effects of DNA vaccines were enhanced following electric pulses and bupivacaine delivery. Effects of DNA vaccines following electric pulses were better than that of DNA vaccines formulated with bupivacaine,and the combined delivery technology of electric pulses and bupivacaine induced the highest level of specific antibodies and lymphocyte proliferative responses. Plasmid DNA replicon vaccine pSCARSHc induced relatively higher AHc-specific antibodies and lymphocyte proliferative responses in immunized Balb/c mice than conventional plasmid DNA vaccine pcDNASHc in these DNA delivery technologies. And vaccine pSCARSHc induced Th2/Th1-type immune responses with a general bias to Th2-type,and vaccine pcDNASHc induced Th2-type immune responses. Conclusion:Suitable electric pulses-mediated DNA and DNA and bupivacaine complexes delivery technologies could enhance effects of BoNT/A DNA vaccines in mouse model. Therefore,the methods described here potentially provide suitable strategies in developing an efficacious vaccine against botulinum neurotoxin serotype A.

AIM:To study the feasibility of recombinant adeno-associated virus(rAAV)as a vector to transfer the green fluorescent protein(GFP)gene as a target gene into rabbit retina.METHODS:Intravitreal injection of rAAV-gfp was performed in either eye for each rabbit with the other eye taken as control.At the 3rd,7th,and 14th day after injection,the eyeballs were removed,and the retinas were flat-mounted on glass slides to inspect the retinal fluorescence,respectively.RESULTS:After intravitreal injection of rAAV-gfp,the presence of fluorescent spots in the cytoplasm of retinal cells indicated that GFP gene was efficiently transferred and expressed in the rabbit retina.CONCLUSION:Recombinant adeno-associated virus is a reliable and simple vector for transferring target gene,e.g.,GFP gene,to the retina.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus( SFTSV) is a novel Bunyavirus which was first repor-ted in China in 2009. Tick is its important reservoir host and vector. Both wild and domestic animals can be naturally infec-ted. IFNAR-/ - immunodeficient mice are ideal experimental animal models. In this article, the research result of animal infection and animal models of SFTSV are summarized, which provide the basis for the control of SFTSV natural epidemic and for animal experiments.

To investigate the resources of medicinal plant, such as wild Apocynum, supervised classification based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and texture feature were used to monitor wild medicinal plants from image captured by ZY-3 and World-view-2 and compare which satellite Image are more appropriate to monitor the wild medicinal plants. The research results shows that: for more complex growth conditions wild medicinal plants Apocynum, high-resolution images Worldview-2 is more suitable for its remote identification, the low-resolution satellite ZY-3 can only recognizes the wild medicinal plants which distributed intensively. If the study target distribution is more intensive and larger scale, and cultivated type medicinal plants, the use of satellite ZY-3 in low resolution remote sensing data to identify the target can be a good choice, it is not necessary to buy high-resolution data, in order to avoid waste of expenditure, for the scattered distribution, the high-resolution satellite imagery data may be indispensable to identify targets.
Apocynum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Geographic Information Systems ; Plant Dispersal ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Remote Sensing Technology ; methods

We have shown previously that a Semliki Forest virus (SFV) replicon vectored DNA vaccine (pSFV1CS-E2) expressing the E2 glycoprotein of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) conferred full protection for pigs immunized three times with 600 microg of the vaccine. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the DNA vaccine with lower dosage and fewer inoculations. Pigs were immunized twice with 100 microg pSFV1CS-E2 (n = 5) or control plasmid pSFV1CS (n = 3), respectively. Pigs immunized with pSFV1CS-E2 developed high titers of specific neutralizing antibodies against CSFV after the booster, and the antibody titers increased rapidly upon challenge. The immunized animals showed no clinical symptoms except short-term fever and low-level viremia, whereas the control pigs immunized with the control plasmid produced no detectable antibody before challenge and showed obvious clinical signs following challenge, and 2 pigs died on 10 or 11 days post-challenge. All control animals developed extended viremia as detected by nested RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR. Severe pathologic lesions typical of CSFV infection were observed at necropsy. We conclude that the alphavirus replicon-vectored DNA-based vaccine can be potential marker vaccine against CSFV.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; blood ; immunology ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Body Temperature ; immunology ; Classical Swine Fever ; blood ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Classical swine fever virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Immunization ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Replicon ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Semliki forest virus ; genetics ; Swine ; virology ; Time Factors ; Vaccines, DNA ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Viremia ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo compare the pregnancy and obstetric outcomes in elective single versus two cleavage-stage embryo transfer.

METHODSFresh cleavage-stage embryo transfer cycles between January, 2014 and October, 2015 were reviewed, including 39 single embryo transfer (eSET) cycles and 200 double embryo transfer (DET) cycles. The clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates, multiple pregnancy rates, live birth rate, and obstetric outcomes (gestational age, preterm delivery rate and mean birth weight) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The estradiol level on the day of trigger and the oocyte number were significantly higher in eSET group than in DET group (10654.4 pmol/L vs 8284.2 pmol/L and 8.4 vs 7.0, respectively). No significant difference was found in the pregnancy rate (56.4% vs 66.0%) or live birth rate (48.7% vs 51.5%) between the two groups, and their implantation rates differed significantly (56.4% vs 37.8%). No multiple pregnancies occurred in eSET group while the rate of multiple pregnancies was 22.7% in DET group. The gestational age and mean birth weight were significantly higher in eSET group (P<0.05), and the preterm delivery rate after DET was nearly three times of that after eSET, although this difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONSElective single embryo transfer can be performed without compromising the live birth rates. Multiple pregnancy rates can be significantly reduced with eSET, which also results in a higher chance of delivering a term singleton live birth compared with DET.

Birth Weight ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Single Embryo Transfer

Objective To explore the relationship between the volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions of Gansu Province and its growing environment with metabolomics based on GC-MS. Methods The GC-MS method was used for detecting the volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from 31 different regions in Gansu province, and principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) methods were used for analyzing and evaluating its relationship with the growing environment. Results The results of PCA showed that the volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions in Gansu province were related to the altitude and the soil types. The PLS method could divide 31 samples of Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions in Gansu Province into three groups according to the difference of altitude. There were significant differences in the volatile components in the samples taken at different altitude regions. After analyzing linear loading plots from PCA and PLS, 11 charateristic components were screened out, including 7 compounds were identified by the retrieval of NIST11 database. Conclusion The volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions in Gansu Province are closely related to the altitude and the soil type.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role and significance of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway regulating GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe HCC cell line HepG2 was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against beta-catenin. Proteins were extracted and the expressions of beta-catenin, GSK-3beta, p-GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT were detected by Western blot at 72 h and 96 h respectively after transfection.

RESULTSbeta-catenin expression was inhibited at both time points and the expression at 96 h was higher than that at 72 h (t = 4.43, P < 0.05). Interestingly, GSK-3beta and p-GSK-3beta expressions increased gradually at 72 and 96 h (tGSK-3beta= 4.98, tp-GSK-3beta= 29.83, P < 0.05) respectively, and STAT3 expression showed no alteration after transfection (F = 0.49, P > 0.05). Smad3 expression was increased at 72 h (t = 10.67, P < 0.05) and decreased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P < 0.05), while TERT expression decreased at 72 h (t = 4.18, P is less than 0.05) and increased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSWnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is related to the expressions of GSK-3beta, Smad3 and TERT, but perhaps not related to STAT3 protein expression in HCC. It suggested that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway might participate in HCC genesis and development through regulating the above three factors.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Signal Transduction ; Wnt Proteins ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism