Background: Excessive growth of keratinocytes is the critical event in the etiology of psoriasis.However, the underlying molecular mechanism of psoriatic keratinocyte hyperproliferation is still unclear. Objective: This study aimed to figure out the potential contributory role of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) in promoting the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes in psoriasis. Methods: We analyzed microarray data (GSE41662) to investigate the gene expression of SKP2in psoriatic lesion skins compared with their adjacent non-lesional skin. Then, we further confirmed the mRNA and protein expression of SKP2 in human psoriatic skin tissues, imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic mice back skins and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-6-stimulated keratinocytes by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot (WB). Furthermore, we explored the potential pathogenic role and its underlying cellular mechanism of SKP2 in promoting keratinocytes hyperproliferation through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, cell cycle detection, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine staining and WB. Finally, we determined whether inhibition of SKP2 can effectively alleviate the keratinocytes hyperproliferation in vivo. Results: We identified that SKP2 is aberrantly upregulated in the psoriatic lesion skin and cytokines-stimulated keratinocytes. Moreover, upregulated SKP2 augments cytokines-induced keratinocytes hyperproliferation. Mechanistically, enhanced SKP2 increased the S phase ratio through inhibiting Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 (P27 Kip1) expression. Correspondingly, suppression of SKP2 with SMIP004 can significantly ease the epidermis hyperplasia in vivo. Conclusion Our results suggest that elevated SKP2 can empower keratinocytes proliferation and psoriasis-like epidermis hyperplasia via downregulation of P27 Kip1. Therefore, targeting SKP2-P27 Kip1 axis might be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of psoriasis in future.

Piloerection is an involuntary erection of body hairs that usually has physiological correlates such as cold or a strong emotional experience. Piloerection may also be a rare manifestation of seizure.Here, we report a case of 54-year-old man who experienced pilomotor seizures from temporal lobe epilepsy. The patient presented with sudden piloerection and no loss of consciousness many times a day. Magnetic resonance imagingof the brain showed threelesions in the right hemisphere, with the largest lesion in the right temporal lobe. A video-EEG showed an ictal discharge in the delta range with right temporal onset. Digital subtraction angiography excluded arteriovenous malformation. The lesion in the right temporal lobe was resected. Immunohistochemistry confirmed a cerebral cavernous malformation. There was no further seizure. A review of the published literature revealed that ictal piloerection as a lone manifestation is rare. Most cases of pilomotor seizure originate in the temporal lobe. Close to four fifth of the cases has a structural lesion. EEG was able to confirm the diagnosis of ictal piloerection in the majority of cases.

Objective:To compare the content of icariin in Rujiling granules before and after the ray irradiation. Methods: The column was Thermo ODS-2 HYPERSIL (250 mm × 4. 6 mm,5 μm) with the temperature of 30℃, and the mobile phase was acetoni-trile-0. 033 mol·L-1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate(30∶70) with the flow rate of 1. 0 ml·min-1. The detection wavelength was 265nm. Results:There was a good linear relationship within the range of 3. 44-34. 40μg·ml-1 for icariin (r=0. 999 7, n=6). The average recovery was 98. 18% with RSD of 0. 32%(n=9). Conclusion:The content change of icariin in Rujiling granules before and after the ray irradiation is not statistically significant, which illustrates that the conventional dose irradiation has little effect on icariin.

Objective:To investigate the component changes in compound granatum berberine capsules after the radioactive ray ir-radiation sterilization. Methods: The chromatographic fingerprints were obtained on a Diamonsil C18 analytical column ( 250 mm × 4. 6 mm,0. 5 μm) with solvent system composed of acetonitrile-0. 033 mol·L-1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate, the flow rate was 1. 0 ml·min-1 and the detection wavelength was set at 265nm, the column temperature was maintained at 30℃, and the injection vol-ume was 10 μl. Results:Totally 10 co-possessing peaks were selected as the fingerprint peaks for compound granatum berberine cap-sules, and the fingerprints exhibited promising separation for each peak and revealed the fingerprint information according to the techni-cal requirements of fingerprints for Chinese traditional medicines. Most components were with different degrees of reduction, and some peaks even lost after the irradiation. Conclusion:The main ingredients show no statistically significant change after irradiation ( P>0. 05), suggesting the sterilization method is suitable for the preparation.

BACKGROUNDLegionella is an important community-acquired pneumonia pathogen. Although the elderly are especially susceptible to Legionella, few studies have looked at comparative radiographic features of Legionella pneumonia in this population. The aim of this study was to explore the chest radiographic characteristics of community-acquired Legionella pneumonia in the elderly.

METHODSSerial chest radiographs obtained in 34 patients hospitalized with serologically proven Legionella pneumonia were retrospectively reviewed. Chest X-ray features of an aged group of ≥ 65 years were assessed and compared with a non-aged group of <65 years old with regard to initial patterns and distributions of pulmonary abnormalities, accompanying signs, and progression.

RESULTSThe most common initial presentation was a patchy alveolar infiltrate involving a single lobe, most often the lower lobe. There was no middle or lingular lobe involvement in the aged group patients, but bilateral pleural effusion was significantly more common in this group. In the aged group patients, radiographic progression following adequate therapy, despite a clinical response, was more often noted and the radiographs were less likely to have returned to the premorbid state at discharge, but the differences were not significant between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe discrepancy between imaging findings and clinical symptoms seems more prominent in community-acquired Legionella pneumonia in the elderly.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Community-Acquired Infections ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Legionella ; pathogenicity ; Legionnaires' Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To study the effects of Schwann cell-derived neurotrophic factor(SDNF) on myoblast stem cells(called satellite cells,SCs) in vitro. Methods After setting up SCs culture system in vitro, SCs which treated with various SDNF concentrations culture medium were dynamically evaluated by cell morphology,MTT growth curve and fusion rate. Results The ability of SCs preceding their participation in muscle repair include proliferation and differentiation, 200 ng/ml SDNF stimulated cell proliferation more than the other medium,but 50 ng/ml,100 ng/ml,200 ng/ml,400 ng/ml SDNF made SCs differentiation significantly for their high myotube fusion rate. Conclusion SDNF can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of rat skeletal satellite cellsin vitro,but in differentiation significantly.SDNF might play a role in slowing down denervated muscle atrophy.

Objective:To investigate whether different type of chronic prostatitis could have a deleterious effect on semen quality. Methods: Forty-nine patients diagnosed as suffering from chronic prostatitis were included and di-vided into groups according to the presence of infection and/or cellular autoimmune response against prostate anti-gens. Healthy normal individuals were included as controls. Measurements for sperm concentration, motility, morphology, prostate and seminal vesicle markers, antisperm antibodies, white blood cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines were performed accordingly. Results:The most severe abnormalities were found in patients with no evi-dent infection and an autoimmune response against prostate antigens. Moreover, significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected in seminal plasma from these patients. Conclusions: This study shows that chronic prostatitis patients with cellular autoimmune response to prostate antigens present important altera-tions in their semen quality parameters and may affect male fertility.