The symptoms of allergic diseases are complex and changeable, and the pathogenesis is complex and difficult to distinguish, and the prevalence of allergic diseases has gradually increased in recent years. Due to the relative limitations of Western medical treatment, in order to further meet the clinical treatment goals, the "lung being responsible for regulating visceral activities" is now used as the theoretical basis, combined with modern medicine, to explore the pathogenesis and etiological mechanism of this disease. Based on the classics, it is proposed that allergic diseases have four characteristics: "onset of allergies, seasonality of disease onset, diversity of symptoms, and recurrence of recovery", and summarized the etiology and pathogenesis as "stagnation of incubative pathogenic factors and disharmony between the nutritive and defensive levels, imbalance of waterways and obstruction of phlegm and dampness, a dysfunction in the pivotal qi flow leading to malnourishment of the skin and hair, the intermingling of cold and heat leads to the dysfunction of the orifices, a disorder of the blood-governing organs leads to extravasation of blood", and advocated that the treatment should take into account the symptoms, syndromes, viscera, and seasons, and clarify the syndromes, which would provide a new research idea for the exploration of the TCM connotation of this disease.

Objective To assess the occupational health literacy (OHL) level and health education needs among workers in chemical enterprises in Fuling District, Chongqing City. Methods A total of 8 209 workers from 18 chemical enterprises in Fuling District, Chongqing City were selected as the research subjects using the judgment sampling method. The Occupational Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire designed by the research team was used to survey OHL levels and health education needs in workers. Results The OHL level of the research subjects was 62.1% (5 101/8 209). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the OHL level of male workers was higher than that of females (P<0.01); higher OHL was also associated with higher education level, higher personal monthly income and smaller enterprises of workers (all P<0.01); production team leaders, safety production/technical management personnel, and administrative/logistics staff all had higher OHL levels than front-line operators (all P<0.05); and workers who participated in occupational health knowledge training more frequently had higher OHL levels (all P<0.05). The result of health education needs investigation showed that 97.8% of the research subjects believed that occupational health knowledge training provided by their workplaces could improve workers' OHL levels; the main channels for workers obtaining occupational health knowledge and information on workplace hazards were “employer-organized occupational health training” and “warning signs and labels”, accounting for 93.9% and 90.9%, respectively; 59.9% of workers preferred to acquire occupational health knowledge through “training or publicity organized by their workplace”. However, a current problem with occupational health knowledge publicity is its lack of diverse formats. Conclusion The OHL level of workers in chemical enterprises in Fuling District, Chongqing City is influenced by gender, educational level, enterprise size, job position, monthly personal income, and training status. The formats of occupational health knowledge publicity should be optimized.

Objective To investigate the effects of overexpression of Mash-1 gene on functional recovery and neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells in spinal cord injury mice. Methods CE3 cell line with overexpression of Mash-1 gene was generated with murine stem cell virus. Spinal cord injury model was established with forceps compression in 4-week-old KM mice. Normal saline (model group, n=12), CE3 cells with or without overexpression Mash-1 gene (CE3-Mash-1 and CE3 groups, n=12 respectively) were transplanted into the ar-eas of injury 3 days after injury. They were assessed with the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after injury. 6 mice from each group were sacrificed 14 and 28 days after injury respectively. The spinal cord area remained were observed with HE stained, and the expression of Oct3/4, nestin,β-tubulin III and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were detected with immunofluorescence in the injured spinal cord in the CE3 and CE3-Mash-1 groups. Results The score of BMS significantly improved in CE3 and CE3-Mash-1 groups com-pared with that of the model group (F>84.471, P<0.05), with the more area of spinal cord remained (F>49.990, P<0.05). There were less Oct3/4 positive cells in the CE3-Mash-1 group than CE3 group (t=5.439, P<0.001), with more nestin (t=-7.536, P<0.001) andβ-tubulin III (t=-9.941, P<0.001) positive cells. However, there was no significant difference in GFAP positive cells between CE3-Mash-1 and CE3 groups (t=1.701, P>0.05). Conclusion Overexpression of Mash-1 gene promotes CE3 cells to differentiate into neurons in spinal cord injury mice, and improve the motor function recovery.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) in culturing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and the related signal pathways.

METHODSWe amplified the mature peptide of BMP4 from the placenta through RT-PCR, and IgK secretion peptide was ligated to the N-terminal of BMP4 mature peptide. The recombinant plasmid pPYCAG-IgK-BMP4 was transfected into 293T cells and screened with puromycin, and the positive clones for expressing BMP4 were verified by cell immunofluorescence and Western blotting. To test the bioactivity of BMP4, iPSCs were cultured in the medium supplemented with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) plus the supernatant containing BMP4, and the cell phenotype, cell differentiation capacity into lineages of the 3 germ layers and expression levels of pluripotency-associated genes were investigated.

RESULTSSmad1 was phosphorylated by BMP4 from the culture medium. iPSCs cultured in the medium supplemented with LIF plus the supernatant containing BMP4 for 3 passages maintained the phenotype of stem cells with the expression levels of pluripotency-associated genes not affected. These iPSCs also maintained the capacity to differentiate into cell lineages of the 3 germ layers.

CONCLUSIONBMP4 can be efficiently expressed in mammalian cells to maintain the multipotent differentiation capacity of the iPSCs in in vitro culture.

Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 ; genetics ; Cell Differentiation ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Gene Expression ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains ; genetics ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells ; cytology ; Mice

Transplantation of embryonic stem cells could promote nerve repair by providing nutrients to the injured spinal cord, or differentiating into remyelinating oligodendrocytes or neurons integrating with the host neurons, which has a bright future in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

To observe the effects of Yiqi Huayu Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in lumbar nerve root and soleus of rats after lumbar nerve root compression injury.

To observe the effects of Yiqi Huayu Recipe, a Chinese compound herbal medicine, on apoptosis of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and expression of caspase-3 in rats after lumbar nerve root compression injury.