Hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)are essential drivers of fibrogenesis.Inducing activated-HSC apoptosis is a promising strategy for treating hepatic fibrosis.18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid(18β-GA)is a natural com-pound that exists widely in herbal medicines,such as Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch,which is used for treating multiple liver diseases,especially in Asia.In the present study,we demonstrated that 18β-GA decreased hepatic fibrosis by inducing the apoptosis in activated HSCs.18β-GA inhibited the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and collagen type Ⅰ alpha-1.Using a chemoproteomic approach derived from activity-based protein profiling,together with cellular thermal shift assay and surface plasmon reso-nance,we found that 18β-GA covalently targeted peroxiredoxin 1(PRDX1)and peroxiredoxin 2(PRDX2)proteins via binding to active cysteine residues and thereby inhibited their enzymatic activities.18β-GA induced the elevation of reactive oxygen species(ROS),resulting in the apoptosis of activated HSCs.PRDX1 knockdown also led to ROS-mediated apoptosis in activated HSCs.Collectively,our findings revealed the target proteins and molecular mechanisms of 18β-GA in ameliorating hepatic fibrosis,highlighting the future development of 18β-GA as a novel therapeutic drug for hepatic fibrosis.

Objective:To survey the knowledge, attitudes, and practice about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among general practitioners in Sichuan province.Methods:From October to November 2020, a questionnaire survey on knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) among 104 general practitioners who participated in the training of the comprehensive prevention and control of COPD organized by Sichuan Provincial Health Commission. The content of the questionnaire included the basic information and the KAP status of COPD. The descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis H were used for statistical analysis. Results:A total of 104 questionnaires were distributed and 102 were returned with a response rate of 98.1%. General practitioners with different ages, professional titles, visits of COPD patients each month, and whether or not to refer COPD patients to higher-level hospitals were not significantly different in the scores of knowledge( U=1 276.00, H=0.78, U=1 074.00, U=589.00), attitude( U=1 141.50, H=1.75, U=1 090.00, U=585.00), and practice( U=1 221.00, H=0.31, U=1 163.00, U=499.50) (all P>0.05). In knowledge part the highest correctness rate was "quitting smoking is the most powerful interventions affecting the natural disease course of COPD" (100.0%, 102/102); the lowest was that"the main objective examination for judging the airflow limitation of COPD patients is the lung function test"(5.9%, 6/102). In the part of the attitude, the highest positive rate was "educating patients to quit smoking and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke" (65.7%,67/102); the lowest positive rate was "provide exercise guidance to patients "(43.1%, 44/102) and " be responsible for long-term treatment follow-up" (43.1%, 44/102). In the part of practice, the highest behavioral rate was "when receiving patients with COPD, actively pay attention to the treatment of comorbid diseases" (95.1%, 97/102); the lowest behavioral rate was "when patients with COPD were seen at the clinic, and the patients were advised of the best time to use the inhaler" (65.7%, 67/102). Conclusions:The study indicates that the relevant departments need to increase the intensity of knowledge training for general practitioners in Sichuan province. General practitioners should continuously improve their education, prevention, and treatment ability and implement the primary responsibilities for COPD management.

PURPOSE: An older female predominance has been reported among chronic cough patients in Western countries, which is considered to be associated with a higher cough sensitivity in females. However, the characteristics of Chinese chronic cough patients remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the age and sex distribution as well as their relationship with cough reflex sensitivity to capsaicin in Chinese chronic cough patients. METHODS: We analyzed the demographic features of 1,882 consecutive chronic cough patients who attended our cough clinic in Guangzhou, China. Cough sensitivity to capsaicin, which was defined as the lowest concentration of capsaicin causing 5 coughs or more (C5), was measured in 539 of the 1,882 patients and 68 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 43.0 ± 13.7 years and patients aged <50 years accounted for more than two-thirds of the study population. Around 87% of the patients were never-smokers. The proportion of females (51.5%) was almost equal to that of males (48.5%). The pattern of the age and sex distribution was consistently reflected within most common causes of chronic cough, while a female predominance was shown in patients with cough-variant asthma and patients aged ≥50 years. Female patients had higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin than male patients (log C5: 1.58 ± 0.84 vs. 2.04 ± 0.84 μmol/L, P = 0.001), and patients aged ≥50 years had higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin than patients aged <50 years. CONCLUSIONS: In China, patients with chronic cough have a roughly equal sex distribution and a middle-aged predominance, irrespective of a higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin in females and older patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02591550
Age Distribution ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Capsaicin ; China ; Cough ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex ; Sex Distribution

Objective: To investigate the imaging features of cerebral small vessel disease(SVD) in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) patients with impaired renal function and their related risk factors. Methods: Seventy-six SLE patients and forty age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited, and SLE patients were divided into the impaired renal function group [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <90 ml/(min·1.73 m²)] (n=38) and the normal renal function group [eGFR≥90 ml/(min·1.73 m²)] (n=38) according to their eGFR. All subjects underwent brain MRI, cognitive and psychiatric testing. The SVD scores were measured, total white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and SVD scores were calculated, and the risk factors of SVD scores were analyzed by using ordinal logistic regression. Results: SLE patients in the impaired renal function group showed higher basal ganglia PVS, centrum semiovale perivascular space (PVS), periventricular WMH, deep WMH and total SVD scores compared with normal controls or patients with normal renal function (H=44.568, 31.380, 31.172, 43.419, 24.317, P<0.001) . The ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that C-reactive protein was a risk factor for SVD in patients with SLE(OR=1.323, P<0.01). Conclusion SLE patients with impaired renal function had a higher SVD burden on MR imaging, particularly PVS in the basal ganglia and deep WMH, which was affected by the C-reactive protein level.

Objective To investigate the clinical effectiveness of treatment combining Jiaweichaiqinchengqi decoction and acupoint application in patients with acute pancreatitis(AP). Methods 40 patients with AP received and cured in our hospital from May 2015 to May 2017 were randomly selected and divided into two groups according to different treatments. Observation group consisted of patients with basic treatment of western medicine plus coming Jiaweichaiqinchengqi decoction and acupoint application (n=20). Control group consisted of patients with only basic treatment of western medicine (n=20). Patients in both of two groups received the basic treatment of western medicine of AP. Patients in observation group received the additional treatment combining Jiaweichaiqinchengqi decoction and acupoint application. The clinical effects in two groups were compared. Results The times of blood amylase recovery, gastrointestinal decompression and hospitalization in observation group were significantly shorter than those in control group (P＜0. 05). The total rate of treatment effectiveness in observation group 95. 0％ (19/20) was significantly higher than that in control group 85. 0％ (17/20) (P＜0. 05). The differences of incidence of complications and transferring to ICU in observation and control group were not significant(P＞0. 05). Conclusion Combining Jiaweichaiqinchengqi decoction and acupoint application could reduce the times of blood amylase recovery, gastrointestinal decompression and hospitalization in patients with AP so as to improve the clinical effectiveness. It was worth promotion.

Aim To study the apoptosis effect of cucurbitacin Ⅱa on non-small cell lung cancer cell lines NCI-H460 and A549 and its underlying mechanism.Methods Cell viability was assessed by CCK-8 assay.The apoptosis effect and cell cycle arrest were detected by Flow cytometry.Western blot was employed to detect the related protein.Results The proliferation of lung cancer cell lines NCI-H460 and A549 was inhibited by CuⅡa, which showed cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of 224.9 nmol·L-1 and 108.3 nmol·L-1 against NCI-H460 and A549 respectively.CuⅡa induced the cells apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase.The results of Western blot showed CuⅡa inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3 and Cofilin in a dose-dependent manner.Further, CuⅡa inhibited the phosphorylation of Aurora A, in line with the important characteristics of anti-tumor effect of Aurora A kinase inhibitor with blocking cells in the G2/M phase.Conclusion CuⅡa has obvious anti-tumor effect against non-small cell lung cancer, which suggests its value as a lead compound for lung cell carcinoma.

Objective To assess the effects of two different methods on differential cell count and the detection on inflammatory mediators in the process of induced sputum. Methods Induced sputum samples from outpatients with respiratory diseases were collected. Each sample was equally divided into two parts. One portion was processed at a regular way by incubation at 37 ℃ for 15 min in 0.1% dithiothreitol (DTT). Another was processed at 0 ℃ for 60 min in 0.1% DTT. The cell pellet was used for the cytology analysis by HE staining. The levels of IL-4,IL-5 and IL-8 were measured by Elisa Kit. Results Induced sputum was successfully collected from 20 subjects with chronic airway diseases ,including 7 males and 13 females . Total cell counts was lower in 0 ℃-incubated group than in 37 ℃-incubated group(P < 0.05). However,there was no difference in differential cell counts between two groups ,as well as the levels of IL-4 ,IL-5 and IL-8 in sputum supernatants(all P >0.05). Conclusions Except a difference in the total cell number ,there was no difference between two methods on the differential cell count and levels of certain inflammatory mediators.

BACKGROUNDMany researches demonstrate that the secondary brain injury which is caused by autoimmune attack toward brain antigens plays an important role in surgical brain injury (SBI). Although traditional immunosuppression can reduce autoimmune attack, it will lower the body immunity. Immune tolerance, by contrast, not only does not lower the body immunity, but also could lighten autoimmunity. This study used thymus tolerance to develop an immune system that is tolerant to autologous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and autologous brain tissue so that autoimmune injury can be suppressed following the disruption of the blood-brain barrier, thereby reducing brain damage.

METHODSEighty experimental rabbits were divided into five groups by random number table method: 16 in SBI group (group A), 16 in SBI+CSF drainage group (group B), 16 in SBI+CSF drainage+PBS injection group (group C), 16 in SBI+CSF drainage+CSF intrathymic injection group (group D), and 16 in SBI+brain homogenate intrathymic injection group (group E). Rabbits' CSF was drained in group B; was drained and injected PBS into thymus in group C; was drained and injected CSF into thymus in group D; and was injected brain homogenate in group E. Half of the rabbits in each group were phlebotomized on 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 14th days to observe the changes in IL-l, TGF-β by ELISA test, and CD4CD25 regulatory T cells ratio by flow cytometry, and in other animals brain tissues were taken on 7th day for exploring FasL expression by RT-PCR. The least significant difference (LSD) test was used to make paired comparisons; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTSThe levels of FasL, TGF-β, and the ratios of CD4CD25 regulatory T cells in groups D and E were apparently higher than those in other three groups (P < 0.05). Likewise, the levels of IL-1 in these two groups were lower than the other three groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, the ratios of CD4CD25 regulatory T cells and the levels of TGF-β in groups B and C were higher than those in group A, but the level of IL-1 was lower than that in group A (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups B and C, and groups D and E.

CONCLUSIONThymic injection of CSF and brain homogenate may be able to reduce inflammation after SBI, so thymus immune tolerance may be a useful therapy to treat SBI.

Animals ; Autoantigens ; administration & dosage ; Brain ; surgery ; Brain Injuries ; etiology ; therapy ; Immune Tolerance ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Thymus Gland ; immunology

Medical insurance system plays a key role in China's social security system.In the social insurance system,medical insurance features the widest coverage and the most complex in mechanism,while China' s medical insurance system itself is found with many setbacks.This paper probed into such risks found in the county-level medical insurance system as excessive cost growth causing overpayment of the medical insurance fund and poor supervision of the fund.On such basis,the authors recommended such policy changes as payment reform,and enhanced supervision over the fund,the demand side,and the government,in an effort to optimize China' s medical insurance system for theoretical and decision reference of other county-level hospitals in their reforms.

This study was aimed to construct transgenic mouse model with target for Runxl gene. Runxl cDNA of mice was amplified by PCR from pcDNA3. 1 Flag Runx1 FL vector and inserted into ptetO7-Asc-IRES-EGFP vector to form a recombinant vector, and then the recombinant vector was injected into fertilized egg by microinjection technology to get a transgenic mouse. The results of PCR and Southern blot indicated that the Runx1 transgenic mouse was constructed successfully, and this could provide an important tool for studying the function of Runxl gene in vivo.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; genetics ; Microinjections ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombination, Genetic