OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Yinlai Decoction (YD) on the microstructure of colon, and activity of D-lactic acid (DLA) and diamine oxidase (DAO) in serum of pneumonia mice model fed with high-calorie and high-protein diet (HCD). METHODS: Sixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 6 groups by the random number table method: normal control, pneumonia, HCD, HCD with pneumonia (HCD-P), YD (229.2 mg/mL), and dexamethasone (15.63 mg/mL) groups, with 10 in each group. HCD mice were fed with 52% milk solution by gavage. Pneumonia mice was modeled with lipopolysaccharide inhalation and was fed by gavage with either the corresponding therapeutic drugs or saline water, twice daily, for 3 days. After hematoxylin-eosin staining, the changes in the colon structure were observed under light microscopy and transmission electron microscope, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the protein levels of DLA and DAO in the serum of mice. RESULTS: The colonic mucosal structure and ultrastructure of mice in the normal control group were clear and intact. The colonic mucosal goblet cells in the pneumonia group tended to increase, and the size of the microvilli varied. In the HCD-P group, the mucosal goblet cells showed a marked increase in size with increased secretory activity. Loose mucosal epithelial connections were also observed, as shown by widened intercellular gaps with short sparse microvilli. These pathological changes of intestinal mucosa were significantly reduced in mouse models with YD treatment, while there was no significant improvement after dexamethasone treatment. The serum DLA level was significantly higher in the pneumonia, HCD, and HCD-P groups as compared with the normal control group (P<0.05). Serum DLA was significantly lower in the YD group than HCD-P group (P<0.05). Moreover, serum DLA level significantly increased in the dexamethasone group as compared with the YD group (P<0.01). There was no statistical significance in the serum level of DAO among groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS YD can protect function of intestinal mucosa by improving the tissue morphology of intestinal mucosa and maintaining integrity of cell connections and microvilli structure, thereby reducing permeability of intestinal mucosa to regulate the serum levels of DLA in mice.
Mice ; Male ; Animals ; Lactic Acid/pharmacology* ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Colon/pathology* ; Dexamethasone/pharmacology* ; Diet, High-Protein ; Pneumonia/pathology*

Six dimensional syndrome differentiation theory， put forward by professor GU Xiao-hong at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine based on her theoretical teaching and clinical experience， emphasizes that the syndrome differentiation should be carried out from six dimensions including etiology， disease location， disease stage， disease condition， pathology， and disease nature， which is conducive to clinical thinking training and formation of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. The differentiation and treatment of Baihutang syndrome frequently seen in cold damage and warm disease still need to be explored. Guided by the six dimensional syndrome differentiation theory coupled with diverse viewpoints of cold damage and warm disease schools， this paper summarized and reinterpreted the understandings and thoughts of GU Xiao-hong and YU He， warm disease specialists of two generations. Considering the lung-stomach dysfunction caused by the internal invasion of exogenous pathogens， Baihutang syndrome was staged into Qi aspect. In this stage， exuberant pathogens and sufficient healthy Qi allowed the prevailing of internal heat and the consumption of body fluid， manifested as high fever， profuse sweating， thirst， and the pulse corresponding to interior excess and heat syndrome. This paper also pointed out that the Baihutang syndrome involved both lung and stomach， and the adoption of Baihutang contributed to preventing tu from restricting shui in the case of extreme excess of Yang brightness and protecting the kidney Yin. As revealed by the dynamic analysis of prognosis of Baihutang syndrome based on the six dimensional syndrome differentiation theory， even though the Baihutang syndrome could be present in both cold damage and warm disease， the specific disease stage， transmission and change， condition， prognosis， pathology， and medication differed. On this basis， a series of prescriptions have been modified from Baihutang， which has expanded the application scope of Baihutang and enriched its research value， thus better promoting its clinical application.

The plant root-associated microbiomes include root microbiome and rhizosphere microbiome, which are closely related to plant life activities. Nearly 30% of photosynthesis products of plants are used to synthesize root compounds, there is evidence that root compounds regulate and significantly affect the root microbiome Tanshinones are the main hydrophobic components in Salvia miltiorrhiza. In order to study whether these compounds can regulate the root-associated microbiomes of S. miltiorrhiza, our study first identified a white root S. miltiorrhiza(BG) which contains little tanshinones. Retain of the fifth intron of tanshinones synthesis key enzyme gene SmCPS1 leading to the early termination of the SmCPS1 gene, and a stable white root phenotype. Further, wild type(WT) and BG were planted in greenhouse with nutrient soil(Pindstrup, Denmark) and Shandong soil(collected from the S. miltiorrhiza base in Weifang, Shandong), then high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the root-associated microbiomes. The results showed that the tanshinones significantly affected the root-associated microbiomes of S. miltiorrhiza, and the impact on root microbiomes was more significant. There are significant differences between WT and BG root microbiomes in species richness, dominant strains and co-occurrence network. Tanshinones have a certain repelling effect on Bacilli which belongs to Gram-positive, while specifically attract some Gram-negative bacteria such as Betaproteobacteria and some specific genus of Alphaproteobacteria. This study determined the important role of tanshinones in regulating the structure of root-associated microbiomes from multiple angles, and shed a light for further improving the quality and yield of S. miltiorrhiza through microenvironment regulation.
Abietanes ; Microbiota ; Plant Roots ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of ligustrazine on the migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and protein expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and-9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in vitro.

METHODSBMSCs were in vitro isolated and cultured using whole bone marrow adherent method, and phenotypes [surface positive antigens (CD29 and CD90) and negative antigens (CD34 and CD45)] identified using flow cytometry. BMSCs were divided into the blank control group, 25, 50, 100 µmol/L ligustrazine group, and the GM6001 group (100 µmol/L ligustrazine +MMPs inhibitor GM6001 ). The migration of BMSCs was tested by Transwell chamber test and wound healing assay after treated with ligustrazine for 24 h. The protein expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSThe third passage BMSCs grew well in uniform morphology. The expression rate of CD29, CD90, CD34, and CD45 was 96.9%, 97.3%, 0.2%, and 3.0%, respectively. Compared with the blank control group, the number of migrated cells and relative distance of cell invasion increased, and the protein expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were elevated in each ligustrazine group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with 100 µmol/L ligustrazine group, the number of migrated cells and relative distance of cell invasion decreased in 25 and 50 µmol/L ligustrazine groups and the GM6001 group (P < 0.01). Protein expression of MMP-2 decreased in 25 and 50 µmol/L ligustrazine groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLigustrazine could promote the migration of BMSCs in vitro, and its mechanism might be related to up-regulating expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein.

Cell Movement ; Cells, Cultured ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) inducing angiogenesis on the neuroblast migration from the subventricular zone and its mechanisms after focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODThe middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed to mice for 30 minutes to establish the model. The rats were divided into sham group, model group, BYHWD group and endostatin group. BYHWD (20 g x kg(-1), ig) and endostatin (10 μg, sc) were administered 24 h after ischemia once a day for consecutively 14 days. At 14 d after ischemia, the density of micro-vessel and the number of neuroblasts in the ischemia border zone were determined by immunofluorescence staining. The mRNA and protein expression of cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and brain-derived neurotrophic (BDNF) were examined by real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTCompared with the model group, BYHWD significantly increased the density of micro-vessel and the number of DCX positive cells in the ischemia border zone (P < 0.01), and significantly increased the SDF-1 and BDNF mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01). Compared with BYHWD group, endostatin significantly reduced the density of micro-vessel and the number of DCX positive cells in the ischemia border zone (P < 0.01), as well as the SDF-1, BDNF mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBYHWD could promote the neuroblast migration from the subventricular zone via inducing angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia, the mechanism may be correlated with up-regulating the expression of SDF-1 and BDNF.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; analysis ; genetics ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cerebral Ventricles ; pathology ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; analysis ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neurons ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of apple polyphenols extract (APE) in Triton WR-1339-induced endogenous hyperlipidemic model.

METHODSFirstly, APE was isolated and purified from the pomace of Red Fuji Apple and contents of individual polyphenols in APE were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Secondly, forty male National Institude of Health (NIH) mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 animals in each group. The Fenofibrate Capsules (FC) group and APE groups received oral administration of respective drugs for 7 consecutive days. All mice except those in the normal group were intravenously injected through tail vein with Triton WR-1339 on the 6th day. Serum and livers from all the mice were obtained 18 h after the injection. The changes in serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) were measured by respective kits. Finally, expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) mRNA was measured by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. RESULTS SERUM TC AND TG LEVELS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IN TRITON WR-1339-INDUCED MODEL GROUP COMPARED WITH THE NORMAL GROUP (P<0.01). ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF APE [200 AND 400 MG/(KG DAY)] DOSE-DEPENDENTLY REDUCED THE SERUM LEVEL OF TG IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC MICE (P<0.01). SERUM LPL AND HTGL ACTIVITIES SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED IN TRITON WR-1339-INDUCED MODEL GROUP COMPARED WITH THE NORMAL GROUP (P<0.05). ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF APE [200 AND 400 MG/(KG DAY)] DOSE-DEPENDENTLY ELEVATED THE SERUM ACTIVITY OF LPL IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC MICE (P<0.05 OR P<0.01). FURTHERMORE, COMPARED WITH THE NORMAL GROUP, HEPATIC MRNA LEVEL OF PPARα IN THE MODEL GROUP SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED (P<0.01). ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF APE [200 AND 400 MG/(KG DAY)] DOSE-DEPENDENTLY ELEVATED THE EXPRESSION OF PPARα IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC MICE (P<0.05 OR P<0.01):

CONCLUSIONAPE could reduce TG level via up-regulation of LPL activity, which provides new evidence to elucidate the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of APE.

Animals ; Chlorogenic Acid ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Lipoprotein Lipase ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; PPAR alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Polyethylene Glycols ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tannins ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo review the situation of stomatological research projects supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and to analyze the status of stomatological research and obtained achievements in the past decade.

METHODSThe internet-based science information system of NSFC together with Yearbook of Chinese Stomatology was served as the basis of data collection. All of the data were arranged and analyzed by Excel.

RESULTSA total of 866 projects and 234.4054 billion Yuan were supported by NSFC during the past decade, and they were increasing continuously. The average supportive strength of each single project was also enhanced. The percentage of projects supported by the NSFC for young scientists accounted for the biggest proportion. The approved projects of stomatology were covering an increasingly wide area of the subjects. The projects number of different areas kept growing, and further investigations were done in these projects. The areas number were from 10 increasing to 26.

CONCLUSIONSWith the support of NSFC, great progress has been made in stomatology, and the interdisciplinary research between stomatology and other disciplines is more active.

China ; Databases, Factual ; Foundations ; Natural Science Disciplines ; Oral Medicine ; economics ; Research Support as Topic ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic value of thrombocytopenia in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODSFour hundred and nineteen primary MDS patients were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method, Log-rank test and COX regression model were used to evaluate factors that influence the prognosis.

RESULTSTwo hundred and fifty-six cases (61.1%) had thrombocytopenia (PLT < 100×10(9)/L), one hundred and three cases (24.6%) had severe thrombocytopenia (PLT < 30×10(9)/L). Overall survival (OS) tended to shorten along with the decreasing of platelet count. Univariate analysis indicated that PL < 30×10(9)/L, MCV ≤ 95 fl, LDH ≥ 300 U/L, lymphocyte-like micromegakaryocyte, nucleated RBC PAS positive, IPSS cytogenetic intermediate- and poor-risk were all related with poor prognosis. Moreover, the prognosis of patients with RCMD, RAEB-Ior RAEB-IIwas poorer than that of the other subgroups. Among these parameters, PLT < 30×10(9)/L, MCV ≤ 95 fl, IPSS cytogenetic intermediate- and poor-risk group and RCMD, RAEB-I and RAEB-II had independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis. Modified WPSS prognostic model was proposed by adopting PLT, MCV, chromosomal karyotype and WHO classification. The OS of patients with low risk, intermediate-1 risk, intermediate-2 risk and high risk were 59, 28, 14 and 4 months, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference between the groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSevere thrombocytopenia indicated unfavorable prognosis, in combination with MCV, chromosomal karyotype and WHO classification, a modified WPSS prognostic model was proposed and worked well for prognostic indication in patients with MDS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; complications ; diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombocytopenia ; complications ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical features and survival time in primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients accompanied with immunological abnormalities.

METHODSThe clinical information, laboratory findings and survival time in 194 untreated primary MDS patients with complete immunological laboratory tests or a past history of autoimmune disease were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThere were 37/194 cases (19.07%) with autoimmune abnormalities, including 16/194 (8.25%) with autoimmune disease and 21/194 asymptomatic cases (10.82%) with serologic immunological abnormalities only. There was significant differences in the distribution of age < 60 years old, female, CD4(+)T-cell/CD8(+)T-cell ration < 1 and trisomy 8 (P < 0.05) between the cases with autoimmune disease and without autoimmune abnormalities. The former had a higher 2-year OS, but there was no significance (P = 0.065). There was no significant differences in the distribution of age, MDS-subtype, IPSS risk groups, haemoglobin, absolute neutrophil count, platelets count, the severity of anemia and neutropenia, high level of serologic TNF, chromosomal abnormalities, cytogenetic risk groups and bone marrow cellularity (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMDS patients with autoimmune disease are mainly female and younger than 60 years old, with high proportion of trisomy 8 and better prognosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Autoimmune Diseases ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; complications ; mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the implications of erythroblasts periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) dyserythropoiesis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

METHODSPAS stain of bone marrow (BM) erythroblasts in 406 MDS patients, 207 non-severe aplastic anemia (NSAA), 144 immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), 67 megaloblastic anemia (MegA), 76 iron deficiency anemia (IDA), 50 paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and 50 acute erythroid leukemia (AEL) as well as some related laboratory parameters in MDS patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSPAS-positive detection rate was significantly higher in MDS (53.0%) than in NSAA (14.5%), ITP (27.1%) and PNH (16.0%), but was significantly lower in MDS than in AEL (84.0%) (all P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in PAS-positive detection between MDS and MegA (46.3%), or MDS and IDA (40.8%) (P = 0.310, 0.052, respectively). Erythroblasts PAS-positive rate (Median, M = 1%) and PAS-positive scores (M' = 2) was significantly lower in MDS than in AEL (M = 8%; M' = 17), and significantly higher than in NSAA (M = 0%; M' = 0), ITP (M = 0%; M' = 0), PNH (M = 0%; M' = 0), MegA (M = 0%; M' = 0), and IDA (M = 0%; M' = 0) (all P < 0.05). The cut-off value of PAS-positive rate and score for distinguishing MDS from the other groups except AEL were 0.5% and 0.5, with a sensitivity and specificity of 60.8% and 74.4%, respectively. For MDS patients, the percentage of BM erythroid cells was significantly higher in PAS-positive group than in PAS-negative group (P < 0.05), and so were megakaryocyte count, lymphocyte-like micromegakaryocytes count and percentage of micromegakaryocyte (P = 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, respectively). HGB, MCV, MCH and MCHC were significantly lower in PAS-positive group (all P < 0.05), and so was the neutrophil alkaling phosphatase (NALP) (P = 0.000). PAS-positive detection rate, positive rate and score were higher in MDS patients with abnormal karyotype than with normal karyotype, and were also higher in IPSS high/intermediate-risk 2 group than in low/intermidiate-risk 1 group.

CONCLUSIONThe positive reaction of erythroblasts PAS stain is an indicator of dyserythropoiesis. It is helpful to the diagnosis of MDS patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythroblasts ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; diagnosis ; Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Staining and Labeling ; Young Adult