This paper investigated the inhibitory effect of carbonized Scutellariae Radix(Cb-SR) on pyroptosis in endometrial epithelial cells of mice with endometritis and its correlation with the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis. Mice model of endometritis was established by using an intrauterine injection of 10 μL polysaccharides(LPS, 5 mg·mL~(-1)), and the mice were randomly divided into model group(LPS), low-dose group of Cb-SR(L-Cb-SR, 0.55 g·kg~(-1)), medium-dose group of Cb-SR(M-Cb-SR, 1.10 g·kg~(-1)), high-dose group of Cb-SR(H-Cb-SR, 2.20 g·kg~(-1)), crude Scutellariae Radix group(Cr-SR, 1.63 g·kg~(-1)), and Fuke Qianjin Capsule group(FQC, 0.30 g·kg~(-1)), with 10 mice in each group. Ten healthy female mice were selected and injected with PBS of equal volume into the bilateral uterus, and they were set as the sham group. The mice in the drug treatment groups were given the corresponding doses of Cb-SR, Cr-SR, FQC, or physiological saline of equal volume by gavage twice a day for seven days. Thirty minutes after the last administration, each mouse was euthanized by cervical dislocation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy were applied to observe the histopathological morphology of the uterine tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD38 and CD138. Myeloperoxidase(MPO) values in neutrophils were measured by the kit; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the secretion of interleukin-18(IL-18), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to analyze the expression of the proteins related to the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis. Mouse endometrial epithelial cells(MEECs) were separated and purified from the uterine tissue of pregnant female mice through in vitro experiments and injured by LPS for 24 h, and then they were cultured with Cb-SR-containing serum. The anti-endometritis effect of Cb-SR was investigated by CCK-8 assay, scanning electron microscopy, and Western blot. The results showed that Cb-SR significantly reduced MPO values, attenuated uterine tissue damage, inhibited the expression of CD38 and CD138, decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and inhibited the expression of proteins associated with IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis in mice with endometritis. In addition, Cb-SR-containing serum reduced swelling of MEECs organelles induced by LPS, decreased the expression of inflammatory factors, and suppressed the expression of IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis-related proteins. These results suggest that Cb-SR can inhibit endometrial epithelial cell pyroptosis in endometritis by suppressing the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis.
Animals ; Female ; Mice ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Endometritis/chemically induced* ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry* ; Humans ; Epithelial Cells/drug effects*

Pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 has seriously threatened human life and health worldwide and caused a large number of deaths. Viral infection and acute inflammation are important causes of death, so it is particularly important to combine antiviral therapy with anti-inflammatory therapy. Glycyrrhizic acid, the main component of the glycyrrhizic root extract, has a wide range of pharmacological effects as well as high efficiency and low toxicity, its preparation has been widely used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis and other diseases. Glycyrrhizic acid can regulate the expression and release of a variety of cytokines and play a significant anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, glycyrrhizic acid also showed significant inhibition towards a variety types of viruses. Therefore, the potential application of glycyrrhizic acid as COVID-19 treatment should be explored.

This research investigated the effect of parthenolide on the proliferation and migration of human breast cancer cells and explored the molecular mechanism of that effect. Surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence resonance energy transfer melting were used to detect the binding and stabilizing ability of PTL and G-quadruplex. MTT assays were used to determine the effect of PTL on the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. A wound healing assay was performed to detect the migration of MCF-7. The results indicate that PTL shows good binding and stabilizing activities with c-myc G-quadruplex with a K_D = 13.1 μmol·L^-1. PTL inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells with an IC₅₀ of 21.3 μmol·L^-1 (24 h), 14.5 μmol·L^-1 (48 h) and 9.1 μmol·L^-1 (72 h). PTL inhibited MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation and migration and down-regulated the transcription and expression level of c-myc by targeting G-quadruplex.

The fcl gene encodes GDP-fucose synthase, which catalyzes two-step differential isomerase and reductase reactions in the synthesis of GDP-L-fucose from GDP-D-mannose. It also participates in the biosynthesis of amino sugar and ribose sugar, and is one of the key enzymes to regulate the metabolism of sugar and nucleotides in organisms. The presence of fcl gene in Saccharopolyspora pogona was found through sequencing result of genome. The mutant S. pogona-fcl and S. pogona-Δfcl were constructed by gene engineering technology. The results showed that the gene had an effects on growth and development, protein expression and transcriptional level, insecticidal activity, and biosynthesis of butenyl-spinosyn of Saccharopolyspora pogona. The results of HPLC analysis showed that the yield of butenyl-spinosyn in S. pogona-Δfcl was 130% compared with that in S. pogona, which reduced by 25% in S. pogona-fcl. The results of determination of insecticidal activity showed that S. pogona-Δfcl had a stronger insecticidal activity against Helicoverpa armigera than that of S. pogona, while the S. pogona-fcl had a lower insecticidal activity against Helicoverpa armigera compared with S. pogona. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of the mycelia. It was found that the surface of the S. pogona-Δfcl was wrinkled, and the mycelium showed a short rod shape. There was no significant difference in mycelial morphology between S. pogona-fcl and S. pogona. Aboved all showed that deletion of fcl gene in S. pogona hindered the growth and development of mycelia, but was beneficial to increase the biosynthesis of butenyl-spinosyn and improve insecticidal activity. Whereas the fcl gene over-expression was not conducive to the biosynthesis of butenyl-spinosyn and reduced their insecticidal activity. SDS-PAGE results showed that the difference of protein expression among the three strains was most obvious at 96 hours, which was identified by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, the results showed that there were significant differences of related genes in transcriptional levels among the three strains. Based on the results of the study, a network metabolic control map was constructed to analyze the effect of fcl gene on growth and the regulation pathway of butenyl-spinosyn biosynthesis, which provided an experimental basis for revealing the regulation mechanism of butenyl-spinosyn biosynthesis and related follow-up studies.
Bacterial Proteins ; Genetic Engineering ; Insecticides ; Macrolides ; Saccharopolyspora

Objective To quantitatively investigate the effect of low-dose ionizing radiation on the frequencies of chromosome aberrations and micronucleus-containing cells of radiation workers.Methods Nine electronic databases were systematically searched on the basis of the published studies evaluating the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on the frequencies of chromosome aberrations and micronucleuscontaining cells.Of the 195 studies searched,21 studies were identified with a total of 1 970 626 cells under studying.Cochrane' s Q and I2 statistics were used to evaluate heterogeneity among studies and pooling odds ratio (OR) with 95％ confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effect models or fixed-effect models,and publication bias were also calculated.Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0.Results The pooling OR of chromosome-type aberrations [OR =3.03 (2.59,3.56)],dicentric plus centric rings [OR =4.12 (2.99,5.67)],translocations [OR =2.73 (1.67,4.46)],micronucleuscontaining cells [OR =1.70 (1.40-2.06)] were higher for radiation workers when compared with control group.Conclusions The frequencies of chromosome aberrations and micronucleus cell of peripheral lymphocytes are significantly high in radiation workers who were occupationally exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation.It should be noted that the radiation protection of radiological workers be enhanced.

Objective To comprehensively analyze the effect of low-dose radiation on the lens of the eye of radiation workers.Methods The papers dealing with the relationship between occupational radiation exposure and the lens of the eye were collected by retrieving documents of the domestic and foreign medical information databases with references to other papers.There were 28 papers finalized with 17 608 workers included in the Meta-analysis.Stata12.0 was used for Meta-analysis,Q-test and I2 statistic for heterogeneity test,and funnel regression method,Begg's rank method and Egger's regression method for publication bias.Results The pooling odds ratio (OR) opacity in radiation workers were 2.51 (2.01,3.13),4.03 (2.77,5.85),respectively.Conclusions Low-dose radiation may lead to negative impact on ocular lens under the current occupational protection conditions.The proportion of posterior subcapsular opacity in radiation-related cataract is higher than that in age-related cataract.It is important to strengthen radiation protection of ocular lens.

OBJECTIVETo design ABC damage variable and positioning system for acetabular fracture and explore the feasibility and clinical practical value of the system through the multi-center analysis of 1122 acetabular fractures.

METHODSAccording to acetabular three-column conception, and pelvic ring lesions damage direction caused by acetabular fracture domino effect and injury degree of proximal femur joint, it defined class A as any column acetabular fracture; class B as any two-column acetabular fracture; class C as front, dome and posterior mixture acetabular fracture. Lower case English letters a, m, p represented front, dome, posterior fracture, respectively. Acetabular damage variables: 1 was simple displaced fractures; 2 was comminuted fractures; 3 was compression fractures. Pelvic ring lesions damage variables: alpha was sacroiliac joints or sacroiliac fracture horizontal separation deflection; beta was sacroiliac joints or sacroiliac fracture vertical separation deflection; gamma was pubic symphysis separation/superior and inferior ramus of pubis fracture deflection; alpha beta gamma delta was compound floating damage. Proximal humerus joint damage variables: I was femoral head fracture; II was femoral neck fracture; II was intertrochanteric fractures of femur; IV was I to III compound fracture. The ABC damage variable positioning system for acetabular fracture was made up by the above-mentioned variables. The statistics from March 1997 to February 2010 showed 1122 cases acetabular fractures with 18 cases of double side acetabular fracture and 1140 cases of acetabular fractures. The pelvics anterior-posterior view, ilium and obturator oblique view, and 2/3D-CT materials were analyzed and researched.

RESULTSEach damage variables distribution situation in 1140 cases of acetabular fracture involved A in 237 cases (20.8%), B in 605 cases (53.1%), C in 298 cases (26.1%);front column fracture in 808 cases(70.9%), dome fracture in 507 cases (44.5%), posterior fracture in 1026 cases (90%). Acetabular variables: variabe 1 in 203 cases of simple displaced fracture (17.8%); variabe 2 in 516 cases of comminuted fracture(45.3%); variabe 3 in 421 cases of compression fracture (36.9%); 249 cases of pelvic ring lesions damage (21.8%), 75 cases femoral head fracture (6.6%); 18 cases of double side acetabular fracture and relative pelvic ring and proximal humerus joint variables (1.58%). Key part and curative effect elements of 1140 cases acetabular fracture: 507 cases of dome or posterior acetabular fracture (44.5%); 421 cases of compression fracture (36.9%); 249 cases of pelvic ring variables (21.8%); 75 cases of proximal humerus joint variables (6.6%); 486 cases of simple Aa/pl/2,Bapl/2 acetabular fracture (42.6% ).

CONCLUSIONCompression fracture, especially defected compression fracture, takes important part in acetabular damage variables, and also presents that acetabular fracture with pelvic ring and proximal femoral damage variables are not rare at all. The relationship of the acetabular fracture damage variables, and its percentage shows the key points and elements in clinical treatment: weight-bearing to dome accounts for 44.5%; compression to defects account for 36.9%, pelvic ring to float accounts for 21.8%; dome fracture to double side fracture account for 6.6%. The system has significant guiding effects on clinic in terms of evaluation of injury severity, anatomic localization, difficulty index, alternative strategy, operative approach, effect of treatment,and prognosis. And the most important thing is that the system creates the comparison of damage variables in same type of fracture and the communication of homo-language and explores a new method.

Acetabulum ; injuries ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Fractures, Bone ; classification ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Informatics ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between ABO blood groups and hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH).

METHODSThe clinical data of 425 patients with HICH admitted to Nanfang Hospital were collected to analyze the relationship between the ABO blood groups and the occurrence of HICH, with normal Han Chinese subjects serving as the controls.

RESULTSCompared to the officially documented distribution of ABO groups in Chinese population (O 34.11%, B 28.98%, A 28.29%, AB 8.69%) and in Guangzhou residents (O 46.00%, B 25.00%, A 23.00%, AB 6.00%), a significant difference was noted in the blood group distribution in this cohort (O 45.10%, A 26.00%, B 24.00%, AB 4.90%). O blood type individuals with HICH showed a higher morbidity than others. Th ABO blood type distribution in this cohort showed no significant difference from that in the control group (P>0.05), but differed significantly from the Chinese norm (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe ABO blood group is a factor contributing to the occurrence of HICH. O blood type is related to cerebral hemorrhage, and may serve as a risk factor for HICH.

ABO Blood-Group System ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hypertensive ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

Objective To examine the hypothesis that periodontitis was one of the sources of inflammation in preterm low birth weight (PLBW) mothers and investigate the relationship between PLBW and inflammatory factors.Methods The samples of saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were collected from 83 PLBW mothers(PLBW group) and 44 normal birth weight(NBW) mothers(NBW group).The levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The concentrations of cytokines in saliva and GCF were compared between the two groups.Results IL-1β level in saliva of PLBW group was higher than which of NBW group significantly[(78.32±11.81) ng/L vs.(39.66±11.89) ng/L, P<0.05].There was no statistically significant difference on IL-6 level in saliva[(17.45±3.13) ng/L vs.(16.28±0.66) ng/L], IL-1β level in GCF[(93.58±13.22) ng/L vs.(81.38±9.28) ng/L]and IL-6 level in GCF[(15.35±0.28) ng/L vs.(14.87 ±0.37) ng/L) between two groups, but those of PLBW group were higher than NBW group.Significant negative correlations existed between gestational age at delivery and probing depth.It was also found significant negative correlations between gestational age at delivery and IL-6(r =-0.274, P<0.01), between the weight of the new bom infants and IL-6 levels in saliva(r =-0.424, P<0.01), IL-1β level in GCF(r =-0.231, P<0.01).Conclusions There was a tendency presenting the higher inflammatory cytokine in GCF and saliva, the shorter gestation period and the lower birth weight The levels of cytokine in saliva and GCF were higher in PLBW mothers.The correlation may be exist between maternal periodontitis and PLBW.

BACKGROUNDCurrently, whether or not there is visuospatial impairments in Chinese dyslexic children is still a matter of discussion. The relatively recent application of an eye-tracking paradigm may offer an opportunity to address this issue. In China, in comparison with reading studies, there have not been nearly as many eye movement studies dealing with nonreading tasks such as picture identification and whether Chinese children with dyslexia have a picture processing deficit is not clear. The purposes of the present study were to determine whether or not there is visuospatial impairments in Chinese dyslexic children. Moreover, we attempted to discuss whether or not the abnormal eye movement pattern that dyslexic subjects show during reading of text appropriate for their age is a consequence of their linguistic difficulties.

METHODSAn eye-link II High-Speed Eye Tracker was used to track the series of eye-movement of 19 Chinese dyslexic children and 19 Chinese normal children. All of the subjects were presented with three pictures for this eye-tracking task and 6 relative eye-movement parameters, first fixation duration, average fixation duration, average saccade amplitude, mean saccade distance, fixation frequency and saccade frequency were recorded for analysis.

RESULTSAnalyzing the relative parameter among three pictures, except for the fixation frequency and the saccade frequency, other eye-movement parameters were significantly different among the three pictures (P<0.05). Among the three pictures, the first fixation duration was longer, and the average fixation duration, the average saccade amplitude and the mean saccade distance were shorter from picture 2 to picture 3. Comparing all eye-movement parameter between the two groups, the scores of average saccade amplitude (P=0.017) and the mean saccade distance (P=0.02) were less in the dyslexia group than in the normal group (P<0.05), other parameters were the same in the two different groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe characteristics of the pictures can significantly influence the visuospatial cognitive processing capability of the Chinese children. There is a detectable disability for the Chinese dyslexic children in the visuospatial cognitive processing: their saccade amplitude and mean saccade distance are shorter, which may be interpreted as specific for their reading disability.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Dyslexia ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Eye Movements ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Saccades