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 .

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.

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.

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

A UPLC-MS/MS method based on metabonomic skills was developed to study the serum metabolic changes of rats after acute liver injury induced by CCl4 and to evaluate the action mechanism of Si-Ni-San. The integrated data were exported for principal components analysis (PCA) by using SIMCA-P software, in order to find the potential biomarkers. It showed that clear separation of healthy control group, model group, silymarin group, Si-Ni-San group was achieved by using the PCA method. Nine significantly changed metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers of acute liver injury. Compared with the health control group, the model group rats showed higher levels of phenylalanine, tryptophan and GCDCA together with lower levels of LPC 16 : 0, LPC 18 : 0, LPC 18 : 1, LPC 16 : 1, LPC 20 : 4 and LPC 22 : 6. These changes of serum metabolites suggested that the disorders of amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis and anti-oxidative damage were related to acute liver injury induced by CCl4. Si-Ni-San might have the anti-liver injury effect on all these four metabolic pathways.
Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; etiology ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Glycodeoxycholic Acid ; blood ; Lysophosphatidylcholines ; blood ; Male ; Metabolomics ; Phenylalanine ; blood ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Tryptophan ; blood

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

OBJECTIVETo investigate malignant transformation of sinonasal inverted papilloma (SIP) treated by nasal endoscopic and endoscopy-assisted surgery.

METHODSSeven cases with malignant transformation of SIP treated by nasal endoscopic and endoscopy-assisted surgery from February 2001 to December 2010 were reviewed. Followed-up time after surgery for each case was over 3 years. All cases were unilateral disease and at grade IV according to the SIP grading standards of Krouse. One case was T2, five T3, and one T4. The surgery were performed under general anaesthesia or local and strengthen anaesthesia. Postoperative radiotherapy was applied, with the doses of 60 - 70 GY.

RESULTSAll cases were squamous cell carcinoma confirmed pathologically after surgery. The patients were followed up with endoscopic examination for 3 - 5 years. Of 7 cases, recurrent disease occurred in 3 years after operation, but no recurrence in other 4 cases.

CONCLUSIONSNasal endoscopic and endoscopy-assisted surgery can be used in the treatment for the malignant transformation of SIP, with the advantages of minimally invasion, fewer complications and the well-preserved nasal functions. Application of radiotherapy after surgery could improve long-term survival efficacy of the patients.

Aged ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Papilloma, Inverted ; pathology ; surgery ; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

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