Objective:To investigate the impact of small extracellular vesicles(sEVs) derived from perirenal adipose cells on the biological behavior of renal tubular epithelial cells under diabetic conditions and the underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods:Primary perirenal adipose cells were extracted from db/m and db/db mice for in vitro culture. The culture supernatant was collected and sEVs(NDM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo, DM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo) were extracted by ultracentrifugation. The sEVs were incubated with human renal tubular epithelial cell line(HK-2) to observe changes in their proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) levels. The protein composition of sEVs was analyzed using mass spectrometry to explore the molecular mechanisms. Results:CCK8 results showed that the proliferation level of HK-2 cells after DM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo intervention did not change significantly compared with the two control groups(Ctrl group and NDM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo intervention group). Western Blot(WB) results indicated that there were no significant changes in apoptosis levels(Bcl-2, Cleaved-caspase 3, Caspase 3) and autophagy levels(p62, LC3BⅠ, LC3BⅡ) in the DM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo intervention group compared with the two control groups. WB and immunofluorescence results demonstrated that DM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo intervention upregulated the expression levels of mesenchymal cell marker proteins(Vimentin, α-SMA, Snail2) and downregulated the expression level of epithelial cell marker protein ZO-1 in HK-2 cells compared with the two control groups. Mass spectrometry analysis of sEVs revealed that the differential proteins between DM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo and NDM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo were enriched in EMT-related pathways. Among them, the enrichment of thrombospondin(THBS1) in DM-sEVs PRAT-Adipo might be involved in the regulation of EMT in HK-2 cells. Conclusion:Under diabetic conditions, sEVs secreted by PRAT-derived adipocytes promote the upregulation of EMT in renal tubular epithelial cells, a process that may be mediated by the enrichment of THBS1 in sEVs.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on the motor function and expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in skeletal muscle of SAMP8 mice;To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture in the treatment of the motor dysfunction of Alzheimer disease(AD).Methods Totally 247-month-old male SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into model group and electroacupuncture group,with 12 mice in each group,and the 12 male SAMR1 mice with the same age were set as the control group."Baihui","Dazhui"and"Shenshu"were selected in the electroacupuncture group,once a day,8 days as one course of treatment,with an interval of 2 days,for a total of 3 courses.The control group and the model group were not intervened.The motor function of mice was tested by grip strength test,pole climbing test and open field test,the mRNA expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in quadriceps muscle were detected by RT-qPCR,and the protein expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in quadriceps muscle were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.Results Compared with the control group,the grip peak and duration of the mice in the model group decreased,head turning time and pole climbing time were prolonged(P<0.01),the mRNA and protein expressions of Irisin and Decorin decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the expressions of Myostatin mRNA and protein increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the grip peak and duration of the mice in the electroacupuncture group increased,head turning time and pole climbing time were decreased(P<0.05),the mRNA and protein expressions of Irisin and Decorin increased(P<0.05),and the expressions of Myostatin mRNA and protein decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can improve the motor dysfunction of SAMP8 mice,and its mechanism may be related to regulating the expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in skeletal muscle.

Background As a key to economic and social development, occupational groups with low levels of occupational health literacy (OHL) are considered vulnerable groups with high risks of work-related diseases and injuries. Therefore, improving the OHL of these groups is of great significance in reducing the burden on public health. Objective To master the four dimensional OHL levels and influencing factors of the key groups in Fuling District, Chongqing, and provide a basis for formulating health education programs for occupational groups in the future. Methods The Occupational Health Literacy Questionnaire of Key Populations was distributed online to investigate the key occupational groups in Fuling District through stratified cluster sampling. The survey collected data on basic demographic information, legal knowledge of occupational health, basic knowledge of occupational health protection, basic skills of occupational health protection, and healthy working style and behavior. Univariate analysis, logistic regression, and nomogram were used to analyze the above data. Results This survey distributed 4824 questionnaires, of which 4677 were valid, with a recovery rate of 97.0%. The dimensional OHL levels of key occupational groups in Fuling District from high to low were: healthy working style and behavior (79.1%), basic knowledge of occupational health protection (78.4%), legal knowledge of occupational health protection (43.3%), and basic skills of occupational health protection (37.6%). The results of logistic regression showed that the occupational health legal knowledge levels in the groups of high school/vocational high school/technical secondary school and above (reference: primary school and below) (OR=1.47, 95%CI: 1.05, 2.05), ≥3000 yuan of monthly income (reference: <3000 yuan of monthly income) (OR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.84), and medium enterprises (reference: micro enterprises) (OR=1.84, 95%CI: 1.29, 2.63) were higher; the occupational health legal knowledge level in the electricity, heat, gas, and water production and supply industry was lower than that in the mining industry (OR=0.68, 95%CI: 0.47, 0.97); the basic knowledge levels of occupational health protection in the groups of ≥ 3 years of service (reference: < 3 years of service) (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.65, 0.94) and medium enterprises (reference: large enterprises) (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.64, 0.95) were lower; the basic knowledge level of occupational health protection in the ethnic minorities was higher than that in the Han ethnic group (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.04, 2.87); the occupational health protection basic skill level in the group of ≥ 3 years of service (reference: < 3 years of service) (OR=0.69, 95%CI: 0.60, 0.79) was higher; the level of healthy working style and behavior in the group of ≥ 11 years of service (reference: < 3 years of service) (OR=0.73, 95%CI: 0.59, 0.89) was lower; the level of healthy working style and behavior in the group of high school/vocational high school/technical secondary school and above (reference: primary school and below) (OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.15, 2.23) was higher. The nomogram showed that educational level and monthly income had the greatest impact on the occupational health legal knowledge level; length of service had the greatest impact on the basic knowledge of occupational health protection level and the healthy working style and behavior level. Conclusion In the future, the focus of health education and health promotion in Fuling District should be implemented to improve the basic skills of occupational health protection and the legal knowledge of occupational health, especially for workers with low education, low income, from micro enterprises, and on the job, so as to improve their skills of occupational health protection and legal knowledge, and to control the occurrence of occupational or work-related diseases.

BACKGROUND:The specific mechanism of Gushukang,as a Chinese traditional patent medicine for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis of kidney deficiency and blood stasis,needs further studies. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Gushukang on serum sex hormones,bone microstructure and estrogen receptor in postmenopausal osteoporosis. METHODS:Firstly,network pharmacological analysis was performed.The active ingredients and action targets of Gushukang and the targets of postmenopausal osteoporosis were obtained respectively.Cytoscape was used to construct the active ingredient-target network.STRING database and Cytoscape were used for protein-protein interaction analysis and screening of core targets.DAVID database was used for Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses of intersection targets.Then the ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the animal experiment.Gushukang was administered by gavage for 3 months.The serum estrogen level was detected by ELISA,the bone microstructure was detected by microCT,and the protein expression of estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor β in bone tiusse was detected by western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The network pharmacological research results identified 132 active ingredients and 150 targets of Gushukang and 1155 targets of postmenopausal osteoporosis.After intersections with 1155 postmenopausal osteoporosis targets,87 targets of active ingredients of Gushukang against postmenopausal osteoporosis were obtained.By constructing the active ingredient-target network,it was found that the active ingredients at the core were quercetin,kaempferol,luteolin,naringin and isorhamnetin,and the targets at the core were NCOA2,ESR2,AR,F2,ESR1 and PTGS1.The final targets obtained after the protein-protein interaction analysis and screening included MAPK8,ESR1,JUN,R3C1,RELA and FOS,of which ESR1 was the common core target obtained from the two analyses.KEGG enrichment analysis showed estrogen,tumor necrosis factor,apoptosis and other signaling pathways.Therefore,animal experiments focused on the effect of Gushukang on different subtypes of estrogen receptors in the estrogen signaling pathway.The results showed that in the Gushukang group,bone microstructure was significantly improved,serum estrogen level had no significant change,but the protein expression of estrogen receptor α and β in bone tissue was significantly increased.All the findings indicate that the mechanism of Gushukang in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis may be related to its hormone-like effect and the enhancement of estrogen receptor expression.

Objective:To observe the feelings of listening to music and the importance of music in the daily life of post-lingual deaf adults with cochlear implants, and to explore the relevant influencing factors.Methods:This was a cross-sectional survey study. From January 2021 to August 2021,the Music-Related Quality of Life Scale was used to evaluate the music needs and music experiences of 63 post-lingual deaf adults who met the inclusion criteria, including 27 males and 36 females, aged (40.7±12.3) years, at the time of surgery (36.8±13.1) years, and with a preoperative hearing aid ineffective time of (3.9±5.8) years. Indicators analyzed included age, duration of ineffective preoperative hearing aid wear, preoperative music preference, duration of postoperative cochlear implant use, current hearing aid modality, and auditory rehabilitation outcomes. Whether the six factors mentioned above constituted an influence on the subjects′ music listening was investigated using SPSS 25.0 statistical software.Results:All of the observations in the scale were correlated with a single factor. The two sub-dimensions of music experience section were related to the effect of auditory rehabilitation. In the importance section, the effect of auditory rehabilitation was the influential factor of the dimension of "participation importance", and the preoperative enjoyment of music was the relevant influential factor of the dimension of "perceived importance". There was a significant difference between the groups when they were grouped by the above factors ( P value<0.05), while there was no statistically significance between the groups when they were grouped by other factors ( P value>0.05). Conclusions:Post-lingual deaf adults show the need and attempt to listen to music after cochlear implantation. The effectiveness of auditory rehabilitation and the degree of music preference preoperatively are two important factors that influence music listening in implant recipients. Once the level of auditory communication has been restored to a certain degree, it is important to pay more attention to the needs of music for implant recipients and train them in time, especially for those with music preferences preoperatively.

Objective To investigate the cell membrane-penetrating capacity of human cell-penetrating peptide hPP10 carrying human antioxidant protein Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase(Cu,Zn-SOD)and assess the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of these fusion proteins.Methods The fusion protein hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD was obtained by genetic engineering and identified by Western blotting.The membrane-penetrating ability of the fusion protein was evaluated by immunofluorescence assay,fluorescence colocalization assay and Western blotting,its SOD enzyme activity was detected using a commercial kit,and its effect on cell viability was assessed with MTT assay.In a HEK293 cell model of H2O2-induced oxidative stress,the effect of hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD on cell apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometry and RT-qPCR,and its antioxidant effect was assessed using reactive oxygen species(ROS)assay;its anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in mouse model of TPA-induced ear inflammation by detecting expression of the inflammatory factors using RT-qPCR,Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.Results The fusion protein hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD was successfully obtained.Immunofluorescence assay confirmed obvious membrane penetration of this fusion protein in HEK293 cells,localized both in the cell membrane and the cell nuclei after cell entry.hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD at the concentration of 5 μmol/L exhibited strong antioxidant activity with minimal impact on cell viability at the concentration up to 10 μmol/L.The fusion protein obviously inhibited apoptosis and decreased intracellular ROS level in the oxidative stress cell model and significantly reduced mRNA and protein expression of the inflammatory factors in the mouse model of ear inflammation.Conclusion The fusion protein hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD capable of penetrating the cell membrane possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities with only minimal cytotoxicity,demonstrating the value of hPP10 as an efficient drug delivery vector and the potential of hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD in the development of skincare products

Objective To investigate the cell membrane-penetrating capacity of human cell-penetrating peptide hPP10 carrying human antioxidant protein Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase(Cu,Zn-SOD)and assess the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of these fusion proteins.Methods The fusion protein hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD was obtained by genetic engineering and identified by Western blotting.The membrane-penetrating ability of the fusion protein was evaluated by immunofluorescence assay,fluorescence colocalization assay and Western blotting,its SOD enzyme activity was detected using a commercial kit,and its effect on cell viability was assessed with MTT assay.In a HEK293 cell model of H2O2-induced oxidative stress,the effect of hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD on cell apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometry and RT-qPCR,and its antioxidant effect was assessed using reactive oxygen species(ROS)assay;its anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in mouse model of TPA-induced ear inflammation by detecting expression of the inflammatory factors using RT-qPCR,Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.Results The fusion protein hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD was successfully obtained.Immunofluorescence assay confirmed obvious membrane penetration of this fusion protein in HEK293 cells,localized both in the cell membrane and the cell nuclei after cell entry.hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD at the concentration of 5 μmol/L exhibited strong antioxidant activity with minimal impact on cell viability at the concentration up to 10 μmol/L.The fusion protein obviously inhibited apoptosis and decreased intracellular ROS level in the oxidative stress cell model and significantly reduced mRNA and protein expression of the inflammatory factors in the mouse model of ear inflammation.Conclusion The fusion protein hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD capable of penetrating the cell membrane possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities with only minimal cytotoxicity,demonstrating the value of hPP10 as an efficient drug delivery vector and the potential of hPP10-Cu,Zn-SOD in the development of skincare products

OBJECTIVE To optimize the extraction process of polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale， and preliminarily study its effect on acute lung injury （ALI） in mice. METHODS Using D. officinale as raw material， the polysaccharides were extracted from D. officinale by ultrasonic-assisted hot water immersion. Using the extraction rate of D. officinale polysaccharides as response value， the single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken response surface method were used to optimize the ratio of material to liquid， extraction time and extraction temperature. ALI mice were induced by lipopolysaccharide. Using prednisone acetate （5 mg/kg） as the positive control， the effects on the mass ratio of wet and dry lung and pathological changes of lung tissue （HE staining and Masson staining） of low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose D. officinale polysaccharides （50，100，200 mg/kg） were investigated. RESULTS The optimal extraction technology of D. officinale polysaccharides was as follows： the ratio of material to liquid was 1∶25 （g/mL）， the extracting time was 1 h， and the extracting temperature was 58 ℃ . Under these conditions， the average extraction rate of D. officinale polysaccharides was 37.75% （RSD＝1.12%，n＝3）， the relative error of which with predicted value （38.63%） was 2.28%. Compared with the model group， the ratios of wet and dry lung in the positive control group and D. officinale polysaccharides groups were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the pathological changes in lung tissue （severe destruction of alveolar structure， significant widening of alveolar septa， extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells and proliferation of fibroblasts） were alleviated to varying degrees. CONCLUSIONS The optimal extraction process of D. officinale polysaccharides is feasible； the obtained polysaccharide extract has a certain improvement effect on ALI in mice.

Vesicles derived from Chinese medicinal herbs (VCMH) are nano-vesicular entities released by the cells of Chinese medicinal herbs. VCMHs have various biological effects and targeting characteristics, and their component chemicals and functional activities are closely related to the parent plant. VCMH differs from animal-derived vesicles in three ways: stability, specificity, and safety. There are a number of extraction and isolation techniques for VCMH, each with their own benefits and drawbacks, and there is no unified standard. When two or more approaches are used, high quantities of intact vesicles can be obtained more quickly and efficiently. The obtained VCMHs were systematically examined and evaluated. Firstly, they are generally saucer-shaped, cup-shaped or sphere, with particle size of 10-300 nm. Secondly, they contain lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and other active substances, and these components are an important part for intercellular information transfer. Finally, they mostly have good biocompatibility and low toxicity, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-fibrotic effects. As a new drug carrier, VCMHs have outstanding active targeting capabilities, and the capsule form can effectively preserve the drugs, considerably enhancing drug delivery efficiency and stability in vitro and in vivo. The modification of its vesicular structure by suitable physical or chemical means can further create more stable and precise drug carriers. This article reviews the extraction and purification techniques, activity evaluation and application of VCMH to provide information for further research and application of new active substances and targeted drug carriers.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Plants, Medicinal ; Antioxidants ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Drug Carriers

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the development present situation of the department of critical care medicine in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (hereinafter referred to as Inner Mongolia), in order to promote the standardized and homogeneous development of critical care medicine in Inner Mongolia, and also provide a reference for discipline construction and resource allocation. METHODS: A survey study was conducted in comprehensive intensive care unit (ICU) of tertiary and secondary hospitals in Inner Mongolia by online questionnaire survey and telephone data verification. The questionnaire was based on the Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Intensive Care Units (Trial) (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines) issued by the National Health Commission in 2009 and the development trend of the discipline. The questionnaire covered six aspects, including hospital basic information, ICU basic information, personnel allocation, medical quality management, technical skill and equipment configuration. The questionnaire was distributed in September 2022, and it was filled out by the discipline leaders or department heads of each hospital. RESULTS: As of October 24, 2022, a total of 101 questionnaires had been distributed, 85 questionnaires had been recovered, and the questionnaire recovery rate had reached 84.16%, of which 71 valid questionnaires had been collected in a total of 71 comprehensive ICU. (1) There were noticeable regional differences in the distribution of comprehensive ICU in Inner Mongolia, with a relatively weak distribution in the east and west, and the overall distribution was uneven. The development of critical care medicine in Inner Mongolia was still lacking. (2) Basic information of hospitals: the population and economy restricted the development of ICU. The average number of comprehensive ICU beds in the western region was only half of that in the central region (beds: 39.0 vs. 86.0), and the average number of ICU beds in the eastern region was in the middle (83.6 beds), which was relatively uneven. (3) Basic information of ICU: among the 71 comprehensive ICU surveyed, there were 44 tertiary hospitals and 27 secondary hospitals. The ratio of ICU beds to total beds in tertiary hospitals was significantly lower than that in secondary hospitals [(1.59±0.81)% vs. (2.11±1.07)%, P < 0.05], which were significantly lower than the requirements of the Guidelines of 2%-8%. The utilization rate of ICU in tertiary and secondary hospitals [(63.63±22.40)% and (44.65±20.66)%, P < 0.01] were both lower than the bed utilization rate required by the Guidelines (75% should be appropriate). (4) Staffing of ICU: there were 376 doctors and 1 117 nurses in tertiary hospitals, while secondary hospitals had 122 doctors and 331 nurses. There were significant differences in the composition ratio of the titles of doctors, the degree of doctors, and the titles of nurses between tertiary and secondary hospitals (all P < 0.05). Most of the doctors in tertiary hospitals had intermediate titles (attending physicians accounted for 41.49%), while most of the doctors in secondary hospitals had junior titles (resident physicians accounted for 43.44%). The education level of doctors in tertiary hospitals was generally higher than that in secondary hospitals (doctors: 2.13% vs. 0, masters: 37.24% vs. 8.20%). The proportion of nurses in tertiary hospitals was significantly lower than that in secondary hospitals (17.01% vs. 24.47%). The ratio of ICU doctors/ICU beds [(0.64±0.27)%, (0.59±0.34)%] and ICU nurses/ICU beds [(1.76±0.56)%, (1.51±0.48)%] in tertiary and secondary hospitals all failed to meet the requirements above 0.8 : 1 and 3 : 1 of the Guidelines. (5) Medical quality management of ICU: compared with secondary hospitals, the proportion of one-to-one drug-resistant bacteria care in tertiary hospitals (65.91% vs. 40.74%), multimodal analgesia and sedation (90.91% vs. 66.67%), and personal digital assistant (PDA) barcode scanning (43.18% vs. 14.81%) were significantly higher (all P < 0.05). (6) Technical skills of ICU: in terms of technical skills, the proportion of bronchoscopy, blood purification, jejunal nutrition tube placement and bedside ultrasound projects carried out in tertiary hospitals were higher than those in secondary hospitals (84.09% vs. 48.15%, 88.64% vs. 48.15%, 61.36% vs. 55.56%, 88.64% vs. 70.37%, all P < 0.05). Among them, the placement of jejunal nutrition tube, bedside ultrasound and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were mainly completed independently in tertiary hospitals, while those in secondary hospitals tended to be completed in cooperation. (7) Equipment configuration of ICU: in terms of basic equipment, the ratio of the total number of ventilators/ICU beds in tertiary and secondary hospitals [0.77% (0.53%, 1.07%), 0.88% (0.63%, 1.38%)], and the ratio of injection pump/ICU beds [1.70% (1.00%, 2.56%), 1.25% (0.75%, 1.88%)] didn't meet the requirements of the Guidelines. The equipment ratio was insuffcient, which means that the basic needs of development had not been met yet. CONCLUSIONS The development of comprehensive ICU in Inner Mongolia has tended to mature, but there is still a certain gap in the development scale, personnel ratio and instruments and equipment compared with the Guidelines. Moreover, the comprehensive ICU appears the characteristics of relatively weak eastern and western regions, and the overall distribution is uneven. Therefore, it is necessary to increase efforts to invest in the construction of the department of critical care medicine.
Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Critical Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tertiary Care Centers ; China