Pyroptosis, a form of cell death associated with inflammation, is known to be involved in diabetic nephropathy (DN), and discoid domain receptor 1 (DDR1), an inflammatory regulatory protein, is reported to be associated with diabetes.However, the mechanism underlying DDR1 regulation and pyroptosis in DN remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the effect of DDR1 on renal tubular epithelial cell pyroptosis and the mechanism underlying DN. In this study, we used high glucose (HG)-treated HK-2 cells and rats with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin as DN models. Subsequently, the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins (cleaved caspase-1, GSDMD-N, Interleukin-1β [IL-1β], and interleukin-18 [IL-18]), DDR1, phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NF-κB), and NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes were determined through Western blotting. IL-1β and IL-18 levels were determined using ELISA. The rate of pyroptosis was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) staining. The results revealed upregulated expression of pyroptosisrelated proteins and increased concentration of IL-1β and IL-18, accompanied by DDR1, p-NF-κB, and NLRP3 upregulation in DN rat kidney tissues and HG-treated HK-2 cells. Moreover, DDR1 knockdown in the background of HG treatment resulted in inhibited expression of pyroptosis-related proteins and attenuation of IL-1β and IL-18 production and PI-positive cell frequency via the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway in HK-2 cells. However, NLRP3 overexpression reversed the effect of DDR1 knockdown on pyroptosis. In conclusion, we demonstrated that DDR1 may be associated with pyroptosis, and DDR1 knockdown inhibited HG-induced renal tubular epithelial cell pyroptosis. The NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway is probably involved in the underlying mechanism of these findings.

Objective? To investigate and explore actual help-seeking behaviors for depressive symptoms among college students. Methods? By convenience sampling, a total of 871 undergraduate students from the whole Wuhan university from November 2016 to March 2017 were selected and investigated by using the self-designed General Information Questionnaire, Family APGAR Index(APGAR), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CES-D),Comprehensive International Diagnostic Interview(CIDI 2.1) Actual Help Seeking Questionnaire(AHSQ). Results? Totally 348(43.3%)college students reported that they had depressive problems and the situation about actual help-seeking behaviors had been reported over the part 12 months. Among those 348 respondents, 94(27.0%)students reported that they had never sought for help; 254(73.0%) reported they had sought for help. There was statistical difference of "whether had been through major life events in the past one year" in seeking help from "close companion","friends", and "teachers and classmates" (P＜0.05), the college students with better family function tend to seek help from their parents, the difference was statistically significant (P=0.005), there was statistical difference of "whether discomfort existed caused by psychological problems" in seeking help from "professional personnel in mental health", "hotline/internet resource"(P＜ 0.05); the college students with higher CES-D scores tend to seek help from "hotline/internet resources",the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). Conclusions? There is a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in college students, and they seek help mainly from "other nonprofessional personnel" and"hotline/internet resources". Their ability of making use of the public psychological health services should be improved.

Objective To investigate the expression of interleukin-33(IL-33)and vascular endothelial growth factor C(VEGF-C)in gastric cancer tissues and serum,and to explore the relationship between these two indicators and gastric cancer lymph node metastasis.Methods The levels of IL-33 and VEGF-C in the tissues of gastric mucosa and serum were detected by immunohistochemical SP method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)in 98 patients with gastric cancer and 36 healthy subjects.Results The expression rates of IL-33 and VEGF-C in gastric cancer were 67.35％and 74.49％,which were significantly higher than the rates in normal gastric tissue(47.22％and 61.11％).The difference was statistically significant(P<0.01).The expression of IL-33 and VEGF-C was correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation,tissue infiltration,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis and clinical stage(P<0.05).The positive rates of IL-33 and VEGF-C in gastric cancer lymph node metastasis group were higher than those in non-lymph node metastasis group(P<0.05).The serum concentrations of IL-33 and VEGF-C in patients with gastric cancer were(50.24±13.08)pg/mL and(210.73±58.35)pg/mL,respectively,which were higher than those in healthy control group(P<0.05);the expressions of serum concentration of IL-33 and VEGF-C in the cases with lymph node metastasis were higher than those without lymph node metastasis and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion High levels of IL-33 in gastric carcinoma patients might induce the secretion of VEGF-C,promote lymph node metastasis,and be applied as an important index of the appraisal to the prognosis of gastric cancer.

This study is to investigate the effect of low doses of insulin (1 u x kg(-1)) and selenium (180 microg x kg(-1)) in combination on general physiological parameters and insulin signal molecules in cardiac muscle of STZ-induced diabetic rats. The levels of blood glucose were estimated using One Touch SureStep Blood Glucose meter. HbA1c levels were estimated using microcolumn assay. TG and TC were estimated using enzymatic assay. The levels of PI3K and GLUT4 in cardiac muscle were examined by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. The result showed that insulin in combination with selenium could significantly lower blood glucose and blood lipid levels and markedly restored the PI3K and GLUT4 levels in cardiac muscle. It could be concluded that there was cooperation between insulin and selenium, and that treatment of diabetic rats with combined doses of insulin and selenium increased cardiac glucose uptake by upregulating the level of PI3K-mediated GLUT4 in cardiac muscle, eventually ameliorating myocardial dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: PI3K is a family of enzymes involved in insulin signal transductlon pathway, the abnormal expression of which would affect synthesis, secretion, and migration of GLUT4, therefore, results In increased blood sugar, eventually, leads to diabetes.OBJECTIVE: To discuss the effects of insulin combined with selenium on PI3K and GLUT4 expression in cellular signal transduction of skeletal musde in diabetic rats.METHODS: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the control, diabetic, insulin-treated diabetic, selenium-treated diabetic and combination administration groups. All rats were prepared for diabetic models by injecting 50 mg/kg Streptozocin exception of the control group. Rats in the control and diabetic groups ware free to food and water; in the insulin treatment group,rats were subcutaneous injected 1 U/(kg·d) insulin. Rats in the selenium treatment group ware treated with a dose of 180 pg/kg per day of sodium selenite dissolved in redistilled water by gavage; and in the combination administration were given both treatments for 4 successive weeks. The levels PI3K end GLUT4 in skeletal muscle were estimated using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry techniques.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunohietochemistral results were accordance to Western blotting results, which showed the combination of insulin and selenium can remarkable Increase the levels of PI3K in skeletal muscle and GLUT4 in skeletal muscle membrane fraction, therefore, enhance the insulin signal transduction pathway.

Objective To evaluate the effect of low-dose insulin [1 U/(kg · d)] in combination with selenium [180 g/(kg · d)] on general physiological parameters and glucose transporter (GLUT4) level in skeletal mnscle of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods Diabetic rats were treated with insulin, selenium, and insulin and selenium in combination for four weeks. The level of blood glucose was determined using One Tonch SnreStep Blood Glucose meter and the level of GLUT4 in skeletal muscle was examined by immunobiotting and immnnohistochemistry. Results Our data showed that insulin in combination with selenium could significantly lower blood glucose level and restore the disturbance in GLUT4 level in skeletal muscle. Treatment with insulin was only partially effective in restoring diabetic alterations. Conclusion It can be concluded that there is a synergistic action between insulin and selenium, and that treatment of diabetic rats with combined doses of insulin and selenium is effective in the normalization of blood glucose level and correction of altered GLUT4 distribution in skeletal mnscle of diabetic rats.

The teaching reform on functional experiment is an attractive problem of the medical teaching development at present. Our school has opened the course of functional experiment according to integrating and recombining with physiology, pathologic physiology and pharmacology, which brought into playing a positive role in enhancing the medical students' capability of practice, the comprehensive application of knowledge and the consciousness of innovation. However, some problems still exist and further practice is needed for more improvement.

Objective To investigate the expression profile of human genes in response to acute sodium arsenite treatment by cDNA microarray. Methods The RNA was purified from the L-02 cells without and with arsenite sodium induction for 2 hours, 15 hours and 24 hours, respectively. Results The hybridization patterns were different between every interval of arsenite induction. Expression of hCYR61 increased after 2 hours' induction, but decreased after 15 hours and 24 hours. Expression of metallothionein Ⅳ and Ⅲ elevated at the whole induction phase. HSP86 was up-regulated after 15 hours and 24 hours' induction, but it did not alter at two hours' induction. Conclusion When exposed to arsenite, the cells are under a meet-an-emergency situation to synthesize the most necessary protein and inhibit synthesis of unessential proteins.

Objective To investigate the chemical properties of superficial cardiac neurons. Methods By means of immunohistochemical ABC technique,the study was performed concerning the distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) and substance P(SP) in the canine main cardiac superficial plexus. Results CGRP-immunoreactive(IR) neurons were found in every plexus,but SP-IR neurons could be observed only in dorsal atria plexus(DAP),inter atria plexus(IAP) and aorta-pulmonary plexus(A-PP).The shape and size of CGRP-IR and SP-IR neurons were similar.The comparative study on atria and ventricles indicated that CGRP-IR and SP-IR neurons in atria were more than those in ventricles.Numerous CGRP-IR,SP-IR nerve fibers could be observed in each fat pats and intermyocardiocytes.These nerve fibers were usually situated near blood vessels,or were attached to vessel wall.Somewhat CGRP-IR and SP-IR nerve fibers were connected with myocardiocytes in some regions.Conclusion The results indicated that actually existed two peptides in canine cardiac superficial plexus.These implied that the regulations of the two kinds of peptidergic neurons to atria and ventricle were different.The two kinds of neurons mentioned above were likely to perform different or similar functions in canine heart.CGRP and SP could possibly modulate the activities of myocardiocytes and vessels of heart directly.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of ascorbic acid on myocardium from ischemia and reperfusion injury and its electrophysiological mechanism. Methods Using modified Ferrier's arrhythmia induced by ischemia and reperfusion injury in isolated guinea pig right ventricular wall. Results Ascorbic acid at 5, 10, 50 and 100μmol/L slightly decrease incidence of ischemia arrhythmia (P ＞ 0. 05). In contrast, ascorbic acid at 10, 50 and 100μmol/L significantly reduced the incidence of arrhythmia during early reperfusion(2～12min) (P ＜ 0. 01 or P ＜ 0. 001). Ascorbic acid at 5～ 100μmol/L didn't reverse the abbrevating of APD of endocardium and epicardium and didn't affect the conduction time in endocardium (P ＞ 0. 05). However, ascorbic acid abbreviated epicardial conduc tion time significantly (P ＜ 0. 05 or P ＜ 0. 01 or P ＜ 0. 001 ). Conclusion The study suggests that ascorbic acid might exert antiarrhythmic effect via alleviating conduction abnormity to avoid transmural reentries during ischemia and early reperfusion.