AIM To investigate the effects of total Astragalus saponins on the improvement of sarcopenia in a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).METHODS The rats were divided into the normal group for a normal feeding and the model group for the feeding of high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of STZ to establish a T2DM model.The successful model rats were randomly divided into the model group,the metformin group(0.2 g/kg)and the total Astragalus saponins group(80 mg/kg),and given corresponding doses of drugs by gavage.After 12 weeks administration,the rats had their FBG,postprandial blood glucose(PG2h)and wet weight of skeletal muscle measured;their serum levels of INS,C-peptide(C-P),IGF-1,TNF-α and IL-1β detected by ELISA;their morphological changes of skeletal muscle observed by HE staining;their protein expressions of PI3K,p-Akt,mTOR,S6K1,FoxO1 and Murf1 in skeletal muscle detected by Western blot;and their mRNA expressions of Pi3k,Akt and mtor in skeletal muscle detected by RT-qPCR method.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the total Astragalus saponins group displayed decreased levels of FBG,PG2h,OGTT-AUC,HOMA-IR,TNF-α and IL-1β(P＜0.01);increased levels of INS,C-P,IGF-1 and wet weight of skeletal muscle(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);improved skeletal muscle atrophy and increased protein expressions of PI3K,p-Akt,mTOR and S6K1 in skeletal muscle(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);decreased protein expressions of FoxO1 and Murf1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);and increased mRNA expressions of Pi3k,Akt and mtor(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION The improvement effects of total Astragalus saponins on sarcopenia in T2DM rats may be associated with the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 pathways.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the levels of physical growth and neurodevelopment in preterm infants at the corrected age of 18-24 months. METHODS: The physical growth data and neurodevelopment data of 484 preterm infants at corrected age of 18-24 months were prospectively collected by a post-discharge follow-up system for preterm infants. The infants were regularly followed up in Shenzhen Bao'an Maternal and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University from April 2018 to December 2021. The neurodevelopment was evaluated by the Children Neuropsychological and Behavioral Scale-Revision 2016. A total of 219 full-term infants served as controls. The infants were divided into groups (extremely preterm, very preterm, moderate late preterm, and full-term) based on gestational age, and the groups were compared in the levels of physical growth and neurodevelopment. RESULTS: Except that the moderate preterm group had a higher length-for-age Z-score than the full-term group (P=0.038), there was no significant difference in physical growth indicators between the preterm groups and the full-term group (P>0.05). Each preterm group had a significantly lower total developmental quotient (DQ) than the full-term group (P<0.05). Except for the social behavior domain, the DQ of other domains in the extremely preterm and very preterm groups was significantly lower than that in the full-term group (P<0.05). The <32 weeks preterm group had a significantly higher incidence rate of global developmental delay than the full-term group (16.7% vs 6.4%, P=0.012), and the incidence rate of global developmental delay tended to increase with the reduction in gestational age (P=0.026). CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants can catch up with full-term infants in terms of physical growth at the corrected age of 18-24 months, but with a lower neurodevelopmental level than full-term infants. Neurodevelopment monitoring and early intervention should be taken seriously for preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks.
Infant ; Child ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Infant, Premature ; Aftercare ; Patient Discharge ; Gestational Age

This study aims to establish a quantitative method of 4 aristolochic acids-DNA adducts in mice kidney and liver based on high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS) for monitoring the content changes of aristolochic acids-DNA adducts. A Shiseido Capcellpak AQ C_(18) column(3 mm×100 mm, 3 μm) was used, with a mixture of 0.2% acetic acid-5 mmol·L~(-1) ammonium acetate as the aqueous phase and methanol as the organic phase for gradient elution. The multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) scanning method under positive mode by electrospray ionization(ESI) was performed for the detection of the aristolochic acids-DNA adducts which formed by combining aristolochic acid Ⅰ/Ⅱ with deoxyadenosine, deoxyguanosine, and deoxycytidine, respectively. Balb/c mice were given Guanmutong extract by gavage, and the relative content of aristolochic acids-DNA adducts in liver and kidney samples were analyzed within 60 days. It was found that the concentration of 4 aristolochic acids-DNA adducts in the kidney was significantly higher than that in the liver, and there were about 15.87 adducts in per 1×10~6 normal deoxynucleosides, which was 4.5-7.5 times than that of the liver. What's more, some adducts can still be detected on the 30 th day after administration. The concentration of the adducts in the liver was highest on the first day after administration, and a second peak appeared during the 7 th to 14 th days. The results indicated that aristolochic acids-DNA adducts are difficult to eliminate in vivo, and it is of great significance to study the mechanism of liver and kidney injury of aristolochic acid.
Animals ; Aristolochic Acids ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; DNA Adducts ; Liver ; Mice ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVES: To observe the changes of the formation time of venous thrombus in rats, and to provide new ideas and methods for the estimation on thrombus formation time of the forensic cases died from thrombosis. METHODS: Totally 80 rats were randomly divided into 10 groups （0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks after operation）. A vein thrombosis model was established by the "narrow" method. The processes of thrombosis, organization, recanalization and the features of change on hemosiderin and calcium salt were observed by HE stain, Perls stain and Von Kossa stain. The expression changes of CD61, α-SMA and CD34 were observed by immunohistochemical staining technique. RESULTS: Platelets adhered to the exposed blood vessel intima 3 h after operation, and platelet trabeculae were formed by the repeated accumulation of platelets 1 d after operation. The thrombus organization formed through the fibroblasts from vessel wall that grew into the interior of the thrombus 3 d after operation. Endothelial cells covered the surface of thrombus and then the new blood vessels were reformed, and the vessels were reconstructed. The expression of CD61 upregulated at the stages of the thrombus formation （3 h） and thrombus reformation （4 weeks）, and reached the peak 1 d after thrombus formation. The release of hemosiderin and the initial expression of α-SMA were detected 3 d later. Calcium deposit and expression of CD34 were observed 1 week later. CONCLUSIONS The hemosiderin, calcium salt, CD61, α-SMA and CD34 show time-dependent changing characteristics, which is expected to provide a reference for the estimation on thrombus formation time of the forensic cases died from thrombosis.
Animals ; Antigens, CD34/analysis* ; Hemosiderin/metabolism* ; Rats ; Venous Thrombosis/pathology*

OBJECTIVETo develop an HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for detecting the fingerprint of Astragali Radix and evaluate the quality through similarity calculation and chemical pattern recognition.

METHODSeparation was performed at 25 degreeC on an Agilent Zorbax ODS C18 column(4.6 mm x250 mm,5 microm). Gradient elution was performed with the mobile phases of acetonitrile and water containing 0. 2% formic acid. The flow rate was 0. 8 mL min-1 , and sample size was 10 microL. The UV detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. The drift tube temperature for ELSD was set at 110 degreeC , and the nebulizing gas flow rate was 3.0 L min-1. The similarity calculation and chemical pattern recognition were used for fingerprint analysis.

RESULTThe HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for chromatographic fingerprint of Astragali Radix showed better results of stability, precision and repeatability. The reference chromatographic fingerprint of Astragali Radix was established on the eighteen Astragali Radix samples from different sources. The results of similarity calculation were higher than 0. 83, which was in accordance with the result of chemical pattern recognition analysis.

CONCLUSIONFingerprint and chemical pattern recognition analysis could effectively distinguish Astragali Radix from different source, which could be applied to the quality control of Astragali Radix.

Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Temperature

This article describes the experiences of professor CHEN Quan-xin, an old famous TCM doctor, in the treatment of insomnia. He believes that insomnia stems from incoordination between nutrient qi and defensive qi and deficient cultivation of cardiac spirit, and treatment of insomnia need to regulate spirit and quiet heart coherently. Painless acupuncture method of Chen's flying needling is adopted including to select Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Anmian (Extra) as the main points and take special needling technique and grading reinforcing and reducing manipulations. During treatment, he pays attention to understanding patients' psychological and mental status through "watching one's expressions and weighing his words carefully".
Acupuncture Therapy ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Sleep ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy ; Spirituality

A new molecular method for simultaneously rapid detection and differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was established by using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) combined with multiplex nucleic acid amplification. These 4 important pathogenic mycobacteria were identified by separation of 4 specific PCR-amplified target fragments by DHPLC analysis. A total of 51 Mycobacterium strains and 22 other bacterial species were tested to confirm the specificity of the multiplex PCR-DHPLC assay. The sensitivity of the assay was as low as 10~2-10~3 gene copies. This method rapidly identify the positive clinical samples from human and bovine with higher detection ratio than traditional culture method and was able to identify simultaneously four pathogenic Mycobacterium, which provided a new molecular tool for rapid detection of tuberculosis and paratuberculosis in human and animals.

Autopsy ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; Enterovirus ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus B, Human ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver Failure

OBJECTIVEApoptosis of the cells of liver cancer cell line HepG2 could be induced by TNF alpha and actinomycin D (Act D). In the current study, the molecular mechanism of the apoptosis protection of stronger neo-minophagen C (SNMC) to HepG2 cells was investigated.

METHODSSNMC was added to the HepG2 cell culture medium when the cell concentration reached 0, 2, 20, 100, 200, 800 microg/ml 30 min before their apoptosis were inducted with TNF alpha and Act D. A flow cytometry assay was performed to detect the cell apoptosis rate; electromicroscopy was employed to visualize the subcellular structure after apoptosis. DNA ladder formation was checked with genomic DNA agarose electrophoresis. The expression pattern of apoptosis related protein Caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSAfter pretreatment with various concentrations of SNMC and 12 hours after treatment with TNF alpha and Act D, the HepG2 cell apoptosis rate and DNA ladder formation decreased dramatically when the SNMC concentration was higher in the media; the intracellular inactive form of Caspase-3 increased while the 17*10(3) active Caspase-3 decreased gradually. In addition, the expression of Bcl-2 increased and the expression of Bax decreased. Under the electromicroscope, the typical nucleolus condensation of HepG2 induced by TNF alpha and Act D was not seen among the 100 microg/ml SNMC treated cells.

CONCLUSIONSNMC inhibits TNF alpha and Act D induced HepG2 cell apoptosis. This protective action may be regulated by intracellular apoptosis related factors.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cysteine ; pharmacology ; Drug Combinations ; Glycine ; pharmacology ; Glycyrrhiza ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology