Epilepsy ; diet therapy ; metabolism ; Food-Drug Interactions ; Humans ; Ketone Bodies ; biosynthesis

Objective To compare two methods 3D flash and diffusion-weighted images(DWI)in reconstructing the brain surface anatomy,and to evaluate their displaying ability,advantages,limitations and clinical application.Methods Thrity normal cases were prospectively examined with 3 D flash sequence and echo-planar DWI.Three-dimensional images were acquired with volume-rendering on workstation.Brain surface structures were evaluated and scored by a group of doctors.Results Main structures of brain surface were clearly displayed on three-dimensional images based on 3D flash sequence.Average scores were all above 2.50.For images based on DWI,precentral gyrus,postcentral gyrus,superior parietal lobule, superior frontal gyrus,precentral sulcus,central sulcus,postcentral sulcus,intraparietal sulcus and superior frontal sulcus were best shown with average scores between 2.60-2.75,However,supramarginal gyrus, angular gyurs,middle frontal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus,superior temporal gyrus,lateral sulcus,inferior frontal sulcus could not be well shown,with average scores between 1.67-2.48.Middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus,superior temporal sulcus and inferior temporal sulcus can only get scores from 0.88 to 1.27.Scores of images based on 3D flash were much higher than that based on DWI with distinct differentiations,P values were all below 0.01.Conclusion Three-dimensional images based on 3D flash can really display brain surface structures.It is very useful for anatomic researches.Three-dimensional reconstruction of brain surface based on DWI is a worthy technique to display brain surface anatomy, especially for frontal and parietal structures.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of pure total flavonoids from Citrus (PTFC) on the hepatic fatty degeneration, inflammation, oxidative stress and SIRT1/PGC-1alpha expressions in mice with non-alcohol steatohepatitis (NASH), and discuss the action mechanism of PTFC on NASH.

METHODMice were given high-fat diet for 16 weeks to induce the NASH model. Since the seventh week after the model establishment, the mice were intervened with 100, 50 and 25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) PTFC for 10 weeks. The pathologic changes in hepatic tissues were observed with HE staining. The contents of TG, CHOL in hepatic tissue, as well as the levels of AST, ALT in serum were detected by using the biochemical process. The expression of SIRT1, PGC-1alpha and MnSOD mRNA in hepatic tissues were detected with Real-time PCR assay. SIRT1, PGC-1alpha protein and 8-OHdG expressions were determined with the immunohistochemical method. The SOD level in hepatic tissues was tested by the xanthine oxidase method. The MDA content in hepatic tissues was examined by the thiobarbituric acid method.

RESULTThe contents of TG, CHOL, NAFLD activity scores and ALT level in serum in hepatic tissues of mice in the model induced by fat-rich diet were obviously higher than that of the normal group (P < 0.010. The SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, MnSOD mRNA and protein expression in hepatic tissues were significantly lower than that of the normal group (P < 0.01). The expression of 8-OHdG and the content of MDA in hepatic tissues were obviously higher than that of the normal group (P < 0.01). After the intervention with different doses of PTFC, the NAFLD activity scores, the content of TG and the level of AST in serum were notably lower than that of the normal group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); whereas the SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, MnSOD mRNA and protein expression were obviously higher than that of the normal group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), with the significant decrease in the expression of 8-OHdG and the content of MDA (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONOxidative stress/lipid peroxidation enhancement in in NASH mice induced by high-fat diet may be related to the changes in SIRT1/PGC-1alpha signal transduction pathway. PTFC could enhance the anti-oxidant capacity in liver, relieve the damage of reactive oxygen during the fatty acid metabolic process, and prevent NASH from the occurrence and development by regulating the SIRT1/PGC-1alpha signal pathway.

Animals ; Citrus ; chemistry ; Fatty Liver ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; genetics ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha ; Sirtuin 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of the combined therapy of cyclophosphamide and thalidomide in the treatment of refractory Crohn's disease (CD).Methods This study was a prospective and open study.A total of 15 patients with refractory CD were enrolled.All patients received intravenous cyclophosphamide 200 mg every other day for two weeks,then followed by intravenous 400 mg once a week until the cumulative dose reached 6 to 8 g.when the cyclophosphamide treatment started,at the same time thalidomide was taken 25 to 75 mg every night according to the tolerance of patients.Before the treatment,two weeks' after the treatment and at the time when the cumulative dose of cyclophosphamide reached 6 to 8 g,Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI),hemoglobin (Hb),white blood cell (WBC) count,erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were recorded.Endoscopy examination was conducted before the treatment and at the time when the cumulative dose of cyclophosphamide reached 6 to 8 g.The condition of mucosa healing was observed and scored by simple endoscopic score for crohn's disease (SES-CD).Adverse effects of all patients were monitored.Paired t test was performed for statistical analysis.Results Before the treatment,the CDAI of 15 patients with refractory CD was 235.87±59.87,two weeks after the treatment the CDAI declined to 135.33 ± 29.23,and the difference was statistically significant (t=7.50,P＜0.01).Before the treatment,ESR and hs-CRP was (42.13±22.80) mm/1 h and (13.73± 2.18) mg/L.Two weeks after treatment they declined to (23.80±16.63) mm/1 h and (5.77±4.77) mg/L,and the differences were statistically significant (t=2.43 and 6.17,both P＜0.05).After two-week treatment,10 patients achieved clinical remission.After the cumulative dose of cyclophosphamide reached 6 to 8 g combined therapy,CDAI of patients was 108.14 ± 47.10,which decreased significantly compared with that before treatment (t=6.30,P＜0.01).ESR,hs-CRP and WBC count was (19.35± 19.18) mm/1 h,(6.16± 5.02) mg/L and (6.28 ± 3.42) × 109/L,respectively,which decreased compared with those before treatment,and the differences were statistically significant (t=5.90,5.40 and 3.71,all P＜0.01).Twelve patients achieved clinical remission.And the lesions of 12 patients improved under endoscope,furthermore,the mucosa of four patients healed.Before the treatment,SES-CD was 9.14 ± 5.39,which declined to 5.07 ± 4.58 after the treatment,and the difference was statistically significant (t =3.14,P ＜ 0.01).During the treatment,five patients had adverse effects.Alanine aminotransferases (ALT) increased in three patients,WBC count decreased in one patient and one patient got a severe urinary infection.Conclusions Patients with refractory CD could achieve clinical remission,mucosa healing under endoscopy and better efficacy with the combined therapy of cyclophosphamide and thalidomide.However,adverse effects should be monitored during the treatment.

This study is to investigate the effect of 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PNG) on osteoclastogensis of bone marrow cells and bone resorption activity of osteoclasts. Osteoclasts were separated from long bone marrow of newborn rabbits and cultured in alpha-MEM containing 10% FBS. 8-PNG was added into culture media at 1 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6), 1 x 10(-5) mol xL(-1), separately. 17beta-Estradiol (E2, 1 x 10(-7) mol x L(-7)) was used as positive control. T RAP staining and TRAP activity measurement were performed after 5 days, and the bone resorption pits were analyzed after 7 days. Annexin V staining for the detection of apoptotic osteoclasts was performed after 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h separately. The mRNA expression level of TRAP and cathepsin K (CTSK) was measured by real-time RT-PCR. 8-PNG significantly reduced the number of osteoclasts which was TRAP staining positive and with more than three nucleus, the area and number of bone resorption pits decreased obviously in 8-PNG-supplemented groups. The apoptosis rate peaked earlier in the 8-PNG-supplemented groups and the mRNA expression level of TRAP and CTSK decreased significantly. All these inhibitory effects were in a dose dependent manner, the highest effect was obtained by 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) 8-PNG. 8-PNG inhibits bone resorption activity of osteoclasts by inducing osteoclast apoptosis and inhibiting the gene expression and enzyme activity including TRAP and CTSK, and restrains bone marrow cells to osteoclast differentiation.

Child ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Paraganglioma ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; surgery

Humans ; Metals ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Workplace

Peptide cyclization, a pivotal approach to modifying linear precursors of proteins and pepticles, has been used to enhance their biological activities and serum stabilities. Recently, sortase A (SrtA) from Staphyloccus aureus becomes a promising new technology for efficiently incorporating site specific modifications into proteins, conjugating the cell surface and cyclizing the linear peptides. In this study, we constructed two recombinant expression systems, one with chitin binding domain and the other with six-histidine tag and chitin binding domain on the N-terminal of SrtA, separately. The results of enzymatic kinetics indicate that the two recombinant tags do not impair the transpeptidase activity of SrtA compared with the standard reaction reported under the same reaction condition. The two synthesized peptides with N-ternimal three glycines and C-terminal penta-amino acid motif, LPETG, were cyclized using immobilized and recycled SrtA. The SrtA-based cyclization promises to represent a simple method for easy and efficient enzymatic synthesis of large cyclic peptides.
Aminoacyltransferases ; metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; Cyclization ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; metabolism ; Enzymes, Immobilized ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Peptides, Cyclic ; biosynthesis ; Staphylococcus aureus ; enzymology

Objective To improve the recognition of nervous system symptoms of inborn errors.Methods Five patients with organic acidemias were screened by urine organic acid analysis(gas chromotography-mass spectrometry,GC/MS),3 cases of methylmalolic acidemias(MMA) and 2 cases of propionic acidemias(PA) were confirmed.They were treated with special diet and medicine after diagnosis.Result The improvement of mental development was observed after treatment.Conclusions Most of organic acidemias involve nervous systems,causing non-specific symptoms of nervous system as lethergy,seizures,mental retardation.Inborn errors of metabolism shall be kept in mind when causes of the symtoms of acidosis,seisures,mental retardation and lethergy are investigated.GC/MS is a very important method in diagnosis of organic acidemias.Early diagnosis and early treatment can improve the mental prognosis.

Objective To explore the relationship of estradiol(E_2),monoamine neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),dopamine(DA)and postpartum depression.Methods Totally 342 women within 42 days after childbirth were assessed with Edinburgh postnatal depression scale(EPDS),Beck depression inventory(BDI),and general health questionnaire(GHQ).Above or equal to 13 of overall score of EPDS was the diagnosis standard of postpartum depression,and the women tested were divided into depression group and normal group accordingly,using the reagent box of radio immunoassay to test estradiol and 5-HT and DA level in the serum.Results(1)Incidence:the incidence of postpartum depression was 16.7%(57/342).The highest incidence occurred in patients above 35(22.2%);the incidence among women under 23 years old was lowest(12.5%),with a significant difference between them(P0.05). Conclusions Evaluation scales such as EPDS,BDI,and GHQ should be used to screen for postpartum depression.The measurement of estradiol and monoamine neurotransmitter(5-HT,DA)level can be used as biological objective indicators for prevention and treatment of postpartum depression.