ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Tongbian Decoction （通便汤， TD） in treating slow transit constipation （STC）. MethodsTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， TD group， and mosapride group， with 6 rats per group. Except for the normal group， STC models were established by intragastric administration of loperamide hydrochloride combined with normal saline. On the day following successful model establishment， rats in the TD group received 18.63 g·kg⁻¹ of TD by gavage， while those in the mosapride group received 1.605 mg·d⁻¹ of mosapride， and those in the normal group and the model group received 10 ml·kg⁻¹ of normal saline by gavage. All treatments were administered once daily for 7 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， fecal pellet number and fecal water content were measured. After intragastric administration of a 10% activated charcoal suspension， the small intestinal transit rate was calculated 30 minutes later. Serum levels of gastrin （GAS） and motilin （MTL） were measured by ELISA. Colonic histopathology was observed by HE staining， and mucus secretion by Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff （AB-PAS） staining. Ultrastructure of colon tissue was examined using transmission electron microscopy. Protein expression levels of C-kit， stem cell factor （SCF）， autophagy-related protein 5 （ATG5）， Beclin1， vesicle-associated membrane protein B （VAPB）， and protein tyrosine phosphatase interacting protein 51 （VAPB-PTPIP51） were measured by Western Blot， and the mRNA levels were detected by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect SCF， C-kit， Beclin1， and ATG5 expression. The calcium content in colon tissue was determined by ELISA. ResultsCompared to the normal group， rats in the model group showed significantly reduced fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， and serum GAS and MTL levels （P＜0.01）； the number of goblet cells decreased， and the mucosal and muscular layers of the colon became thinner； mRNA and protein expression levels of ATG5 and Beclin1 in colon tissue significantly increased， while calcium content decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； and electron microscopy revealed vacuolar degeneration and increased autophagosomes in colonic cells. Compared to the model group， both TD group and mosapride group showed increased fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， serum GAS and MTL levels， and colonic calcium content， along with decreased Beclin1 and ATG5 protein levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the mucosal thickness and goblet cell number increased significantly， and autophagosomes decreased； in the TD group， ATG5 and Beclin1 mRNA levels decreased； in the mosapride group， SCF， VAPB， and PTPIP51 mRNA levels increased， while Beclin1 mRNA decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the mosapride group， the TD group showed higher fecal pellet number， fecal water content， serum GAS levels， colonic calcium content， and C-kit expression， along with lower ATG5 and Beclin1 levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionTD may improve constipation symptoms by upregulating the VAPB-PTPIP51 complex during mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum interactions， reducing autophagy of interstitial cells of Cajal， and promoting intestinal motility.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Tongbian Decoction （通便汤， TD） in treating slow transit constipation （STC）. MethodsTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， TD group， and mosapride group， with 6 rats per group. Except for the normal group， STC models were established by intragastric administration of loperamide hydrochloride combined with normal saline. On the day following successful model establishment， rats in the TD group received 18.63 g·kg⁻¹ of TD by gavage， while those in the mosapride group received 1.605 mg·d⁻¹ of mosapride， and those in the normal group and the model group received 10 ml·kg⁻¹ of normal saline by gavage. All treatments were administered once daily for 7 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， fecal pellet number and fecal water content were measured. After intragastric administration of a 10% activated charcoal suspension， the small intestinal transit rate was calculated 30 minutes later. Serum levels of gastrin （GAS） and motilin （MTL） were measured by ELISA. Colonic histopathology was observed by HE staining， and mucus secretion by Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff （AB-PAS） staining. Ultrastructure of colon tissue was examined using transmission electron microscopy. Protein expression levels of C-kit， stem cell factor （SCF）， autophagy-related protein 5 （ATG5）， Beclin1， vesicle-associated membrane protein B （VAPB）， and protein tyrosine phosphatase interacting protein 51 （VAPB-PTPIP51） were measured by Western Blot， and the mRNA levels were detected by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect SCF， C-kit， Beclin1， and ATG5 expression. The calcium content in colon tissue was determined by ELISA. ResultsCompared to the normal group， rats in the model group showed significantly reduced fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， and serum GAS and MTL levels （P＜0.01）； the number of goblet cells decreased， and the mucosal and muscular layers of the colon became thinner； mRNA and protein expression levels of ATG5 and Beclin1 in colon tissue significantly increased， while calcium content decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； and electron microscopy revealed vacuolar degeneration and increased autophagosomes in colonic cells. Compared to the model group， both TD group and mosapride group showed increased fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， serum GAS and MTL levels， and colonic calcium content， along with decreased Beclin1 and ATG5 protein levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the mucosal thickness and goblet cell number increased significantly， and autophagosomes decreased； in the TD group， ATG5 and Beclin1 mRNA levels decreased； in the mosapride group， SCF， VAPB， and PTPIP51 mRNA levels increased， while Beclin1 mRNA decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the mosapride group， the TD group showed higher fecal pellet number， fecal water content， serum GAS levels， colonic calcium content， and C-kit expression， along with lower ATG5 and Beclin1 levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionTD may improve constipation symptoms by upregulating the VAPB-PTPIP51 complex during mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum interactions， reducing autophagy of interstitial cells of Cajal， and promoting intestinal motility.

BACKGROUND: Corneal disease is second only to cataract considered as the leading cause of blindness in the world, with high morbidity. Construction of corneal substitutes In Vitro by tissue engineering technology to achieve corneal regeneration has become a research hotspot in recent years. We conducted in-depth research on the biocompatibility, physicochemical and mechanical properties of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs)-seeded gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) as a bioengineered cornea. METHODS: Four kinds of GelMA with different concentrations (7, 10, 15 and 30%) were prepared, and their physicchemical, optical properties, and biocompatibility with rBM-MSCs were characterized. MTT, live/dead staining, cell morphology, immunofluorescence staining and gene expression of keratocyte markers were performed. RESULTS: 7%GelMA hydrogel had higher equilibrium water content and porosity, better optical properties and hydrophilicity. In addition, it is more beneficial to the growth and proliferation of rBM-MSCs. However, the 30%GelMA hydrogel had the best mechanical properties, and could be more conducive to promote the differentiation of rBM-MSCs into keratocyte-like cells. CONCLUSION As a natural biological scaffold, GelMA hydrogel has good biocompatibility. And it has the ability to promote the differentiation of rBM-MSCs into keratocyte-like cells, which laid a theoretical and experimental foundation for further tissue-engineered corneal stromal transplantation, and provided a new idea for the source of seeded cells in corneal tissue engineering.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) composite materials are very attractive for use in neural tissue engineering and biosensor coatings. CNT scaffolds are excellent mimics of extracellular matrix due to their hydrophilicity, viscosity, and biocompatibility. CNTs can also impart conductivity to other insulating materials, improve mechanical stability, guide neuronal cell behavior, and trigger axon regeneration. The performance of chitosan (CS)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) composite scaffolds could be optimized by introducing multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs). CS/PEG/CNT composite scaffolds with CNT content of 1%, 3%, and 5% (1%=0.01 g/mL) were prepared by freeze-drying. Their physical and chemical properties and biocompatibility were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the composite scaffolds had a highly connected porous structure. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy proved that the CNTs were well dispersed in the CS/PEG matrix and combined with the CS/PEG nanofiber bundles. MWCNTs enhanced the elastic modulus of the scaffold. The porosity of the scaffolds ranged from 83% to 96%. They reached a stable water swelling state within 24 h, and swelling decreased with increasing MWCNT concentration. The electrical conductivity and cell adhesion rate of the scaffolds increased with increasing MWCNT content. Immunofluorescence showed that rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells grown in the scaffolds had characteristics similar to nerve cells. We measured changes in the expression of nerve cell markers by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and found that PC12 cells cultured in the scaffolds expressed growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR), and class III β‍-tubulin (TUBB3) proteins. Preliminary research showed that the prepared CS/PEG/CNT scaffold has good biocompatibility and can be further applied to neural tissue engineering research.
Animals ; Axons ; Biocompatible Materials/chemistry* ; Chitosan/chemistry* ; Nanotubes, Carbon/chemistry* ; Nerve Regeneration ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Porosity ; Rats ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE： To study the mechanism of Prunus persica-Carthamus tinctorius couplet medicine in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head （ONFH）. METHODS： The network pharmacology was adopted. The active components of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine and ONFH target were screened through TCM systematic pharmacological analysis platform target （TCMSP）， DRAR-CPI， hnuman gene database （GeneCards） and online medelian inheritance in man （OMIM） using oral availability of compounds （OB）＞30％ and drug like （DL）＞0.18 as standard. Network topology attribute analysis software Cytoscape 3.6.0 was utilized to construct the active components-ONFH targets network. Target protein interaction network was established on the basis of STRING database， and top 5 target proteins in the list of connectivity were screened， and molecular docking server was used to predict the combination activity of active components from P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine. The biological processes of target gene ontology （GO） and metabolic pathways in Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes （KEGG） were enriched and analyzed by DAVID. RESULTS： A total of 44 active components were screened from P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine， including baicalin， quercetin， etc.， and 78 targets related to ONFH including VEGF， VEGI， CRP， etc. Through analysis of molecular docking server， binding activity of active components of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine to target protein was strong. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that biological process of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine for ONFH was related with negative regulation of apoptosis process and positive regulation of nuclear factor-κB transcription factor， mainly through regulating secretory glycoprotein signaling pathway， melanogenesis signaling pathway， VEGF signaling pathway， signaling pathway of basal cell carcinoma， adenosine-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS： This study preliminarily validates the major targets and pathways of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine for ONFH， which lay a foundation for further study on their pharmacological action.

Objective: To study the correlation between low back pain (LBP) and occupational stress in coal miners. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2016, a total of 472 front-line workers in a mining area of a large-scale coal mining enterprise in Shanxi, China were enrolled in the study. The general information, condition of LBP, and occupational stress level of the subjects were obtained by questionnaire survey. Dichotomous logistic regression (DLR) was used to analyze the correlation between LBP and occupational stress. Results: Of the 472 subjects, 186 subjects experienced LBP in the past year; the prevalence rate of LBP was 39.41%. The scores of the Occupational Role Questionnaire were significantly higher for workers in the LBP group than in the non-LBP group (P<0.01) . As revealed by the DLR analysis, age, marital status, length of service, occupational stress role, labor intensity, keeping single posture during work, and working in shifts were risk factors of LBP (P<0.01) , while smoking may be a protective factor against LBP (P<0.01) . Conclusion Occupational stress role is a potential risk factor for LBP in coal miners (P<0.01) . Reasonable work assignment and timely alleviation of occupational stress may be one of the effective approaches to prevent LBP.

Objective: To investigate the features of literature on hand-transmitted vibration in China, 1990-2016. Methods: In September 2017, the studies on hand-transmitted vibration in China, which were published in Chinese or English during 1990-2016, with "China" and "Taiwan" as the places where author affiliations were located, were retrieved. A bibliometric analysis was performed to investigate the type of articles, publication time, the journals in which articles were published, author affiliations, author regions, and funding. Results: A total of 205 articles on hand-transmitted vibration were retrieved. There were 7.59 articles on average published annually from 1990 to 2016. In the 205 articles, 114 (55.61%) were published in the journals indexed in one or two core journal databases. In the 64 journals, 22 (34.38%) were indexed in one or two core journal databases. The first authors were from 22 provincial regions (provinces, autonomous regions, or centrally administered municipalities) in China, with 152 articles (74.15%) by the authors in the top five regions. There were a total of 876 authors, and the co-authorship degree was 4.27 (876/205). Most of the first authors (136 articles, 66.34%) were affiliated with universities or institutes for prevention and control of occupational diseases. Among the 205 articles, 103 (50.24%) were original articles or investigations, and 72 (35.12%) were funded. Conclusion The studies on hand-transmitted vibration fluctuated and increased from 1990 to 2016, with a relatively concentrated distribution in terms of sources, regions, and institutions. Interregional and international academic exchange should be strengthened.

BACKGROUND: Foreign studies have demonstrated that the blue light at 470 nm inhibits melatonin secretion and displays the most obvious biorhythm regulation. To date, light-emitting diode (LED) applied in regulating biorhythm remains poorly explored. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether a certain intensity of LED (blue) light could induce retinal injury in rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized, controlled animal experiment was performed at the Animal Laboratory of Peking University Third Hospital between May 2007 and April 2008. MATERIALS: A total of 32 SD rats and 16 BN rats were provided by Animal Department of Peking University Third Hospital. METHODS: A total of 16 SD and 16 BN rats were respectively randomly divided into test and control groups. Test group rats were placed in light boxes which were controlled by blue LED (wavelength 470 nm) at a intensity of 300-350μW/cm2, 4 hours everyday for 3 days. The remaining SD rats were placed in light box which was controlled by blue LED (wavelength 470 nm) at a intensity of 120-150μW/cm2, 4 hours everyday for 3 days. The control rats were not treated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At the second day after light irradiation, the rats of all groups were sacrificed and both eyeballs were harvested. The frozen sections were subjected to hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe changes of rat retina. RESULTS: A total of 48 rats were included in final analysis. The retina of SD rats became thinning and disorderly arranged following blue LED irradiation at density of 300-350μW/cm2, but the retina of BN rat remained unchanged similar to control group. After blue LED irradiation at density of 120-150μW/cm2, the retina of SD rat remained unchanged similar to control group. CONCLUSION: Blue LED light source irradiation at a intensity of 300-350μW/cm2 is safe to pigment-protected retina, and at a intensity of 120-150μW/cm2 does not injury retina of different races of rats.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the treatment effect of selective neurotomy of anterior ethmoid nerve and squeezing operation of inferior turbinate in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). METHOD: Seventy cases of perennial allergic rhinitis were selected and subjected to selective neurotomy of anterior ethmoid nerve and squeezing operation of inferior turbinate,and the treatment effect was observed by analysis of the the symptoms and signs score of all cases preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULT: The total effective rate were 90.0% at 1 year follow-up. CONCLUSION Selective neurotomy of anterior ethmoid nerve and squeezing operation of inferior turbinate were effective for the patients with PAR. It is worthy to be popularized for its convent and rare complications.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Denervation ; methods ; Ethmoid Bone ; innervation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; surgery ; Turbinates ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on the cell cycle and microfilament cytoskeleton in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line(CNE1),as well as possible mechanisms. METHODS The variation of cell cycle and microfilament cytoskeleton in CNE1 were observed using the flow cytometry (FCM),the laser scanning confocal microscopy(LSCM)and technology of fluorescence.RESULTS FCM showed that the proportion of G1 phase cells significantly increased in cells exposed to 2 and 4?mol/L As2O3(P