Objective To investigate the effects of inhibition of chemokine C-X-C motif receptor 7(CXCR7)expression on the proliferation,migration,differentiation and mitochondrial function of human urine-derived stem cells(USCs)under hypoxia.Methods CXCR7 expression was inhibited by siCXCR7 and detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting in hypoxia group treated with 3％O2 for 48 hours.Cell proliferation was detected by clonal formation assay and cell growth curve.Cell migration ability was detected by scratch assay and Transwell assay.Alkaline phosphatase,alizarin red,oil red O and alcian blue staining were used to detect the multidirectional differentiation ability of cells.Mitochondrial function was evaluated by JC-1 fluorescent probe,adenosine triphosphate(ATP)and reactive oxygen species(ROS).Results Compared with the normal oxygen group,the expression of CXCR7 in USCs in hypoxia group was significantly up-regulated,and hypoxia promoted the proliferation,migration and clonogenesis of USCs.SiCXCR7 inhibited the expression of CXCR7 and inhibited the effects of hypoxia on the proliferation,migration and clonogenesis of USCs,but had no effect on cell differentiation.Hypoxia treatment increased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels,and decreased the production of reactive oxygen species,while CXCR7 inhibition decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production.Conclusion Hypoxia may enhance mitochondrial function of USCs through the CXCR7 signaling pathway,thereby promoting cell proliferation and migration.

Aim To explore the effeet of salidroside (SAL) on proliferation of osteoblasts and its possible mechanism by using mouse primary osteoblasts ( MOB) as the research object.Methods Alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) staining was used to identify the extracted primary cells.MTT was used to detect the effect of SAL on the proliferation.RT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA were used to investigate the molecular mechanism of SAL.Results The extracted cells generated black-brown deposits by ALP staining, which were shown to be osteoblasts clearly.SAL promoted the pro liferation of MOB.Meanwhile, SAL could up-regulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-lcx ( HIF-1 ex), vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ) , angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) and interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ) , which were down-regulated by using the HIF-lex blocker YC-1.Conclusions SAL could promote the proliferation of MOB through HIF-1 a/VEGF, ANGPTL4, IL-6 signaling pathway.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is regarded as the most common liver disease with no approved therapeutic drug currently. Silymarin, an extract from the seeds of Silybum marianum, has been used for centuries for the treatment of various liver diseases. Although the hepatoprotective effect of silybin against NAFLD is widely accepted, the underlying mechanism and therapeutic target remain unclear. In this study, NAFLD mice caused by methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet were orally administrated with silybin to explore the possible mechanism and target. To clarify the contribution of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), PPARα antagonist GW6471 was co-administrated with silybin to NAFLD mice. Since silybin was proven as a PPARα partial agonist, the combined effect of silybin with PPARα agonist, fenofibrate, was then evaluated in NAFLD mice. Serum and liver samples were collected to analyze the pharmacological efficacy and expression of PPARα and its targets. As expected, silybin significantly protected mice from MCD-induced NAFLD. Furthermore, silybin reduced lipid accumulation via activating PPARα, inducing the expression of liver cytosolic fatty acid-binding protein, carnitine palmitoyltransferase (Cpt)-1a, Cpt-2, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, and suppressing fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase α. GW6471 abolished the effect of silybin on PPARα signal and hepatoprotective effect against NAFLD. Moreover, as a partial agonist for PPARα, silybin impaired the powerful lipid-lowering effect of fenofibrate when used together. Taken together, silybin protected mice against NAFLD via activating PPARα to diminish lipid accumulation and it is not suggested to simultaneously take silybin and classical PPARα agonists for NAFLD therapy.

Background: The incidence of cryptococcal meningitis among immunocompetent patients increases, especially in China and imaging plays an important role. The current study was to find the correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) manifestation and clinical severity in nonhuman immunodeficiency virus patients with cryptococcal infection of central nervous system (CNS). Methods: A total of 65 patients with CNS cryptococcal infection from August 2014 to October 2016 were retrospectively included in this study. All the patients had MRI data and clinical data. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the patients were confirmed with identifiable underlying disease. Comparison and correlation of MRI and clinical data in both groups were investigated using independent sample t- test, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results: In all 65 patients, 41 cases (41/65, 63.1%; Group 1) had normal immunity and 24 cases (24/65, 36.9%; Group 2) had at least one identifiable underlying disease. Fever, higher percentage of neutrophil (NEUT) in white blood cell (WBC), and increased cell number of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) were much common in patients with underlying disease (Group 1 vs. Group 2: Fever: 21/41 vs. 21/24, χ = 8.715, P = 0.003; NEUT in WBC: 73.15% vs. 79.60%, Z = -2.370, P = 0.018; cell number of CSF: 19 vs. 200, Z = -4.298, P < 0.001; respectively). Compared to the patients with normal immunity, the lesions are more common in the basal ganglia among patients with identifiable underlying disease (Group 1 vs. Group 2: 20/41 vs. 20/24, χ = 7.636, P = 0.006). The number of the involved brain areas in patients with identifiable underlying disease were well correlated with the number of cells and pressure of CSF (r = -0.472, P = 0.031; r = 0.779, P = 0.039; respectively). Conclusions With the increased number of the involved brain areas in patients with identifiable underlying disease, the body has lower immunity against the organism which might result in higher intracranial pressure and more severe clinical status.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Encephalitis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; diagnostic imaging ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine (CM) plus Western medicine (WM) in the treatment of pediatric patients with severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) by conducting a prospective, controlled, and randomized trial.

METHODSA total of 451 pediatric patients with severe HFMD were randomly assigned to receive WM therapy alone (224 cases, WM therapy group) or CM [Reduning Injection ( ) or Xiyanping Injection ()] plus WM therapy (227 cases, CM plus WM therapy group) for 7-10 days, according to a web-based randomization system. The primary outcome was fever clearance time, which was presented as temperature decreased half-life time. The secondary outcomes included the rate of rash/herpes disappearance within 120 h, as well as the rate for cough, runny nose, lethargy and weakness, agitation or irritability, and vomiting clearance within 120 h. The drug-related adverse events were also recorded.

RESULTSThe temperature decreased half-life time was 40.4 h in the WM therapy group, significantly longer than 27.2 h in the CM plus WM therapy group (P<0.01). Moreover, the rate for rash/herpes disappearance within 120 h was 43.6% (99/227) in the CM plus WM therapy group, significantly higher than 29.5% (66/224) in the WM therapy group (P<0.01). In addition, the rate for cough, lethargy and weakness, agitation or irritability disappearance within 120 h was 32.6% (74/227) in the CM plus WM therapy group, significantly higher than 19.2% (43/224) in the WM therapy group (P<0.01). No drug-related adverse events were observed during the course of the study.

CONCLUSIONThe combined CM and WM therapy achieved a better therapeutic efficacy in treating severe HFMD than the WM therapy alone. Reduning or Xiyanping Injections may become an important complementary therapy to WM for relieving the symptoms of severe HFMD. (Registration No. NCT01145664).

Objective To identify the morphology of arsenic in drinking water,by detecting arsenic in the drinking water within the endemic areas so as to determine the causes of arsenic through different forms of arsenic exposure.Methods The arsenic poisoning area and the high arsenic arsenic area in Taonan City and Tongyu County of Jilin Province were selected as the survey sites.The drinking water samples were collected,and the arsenic content and different arsenic species in the water samples were measured and analyze the relationship between well depth and water arsenic content.Resets A total of 161 arsenic water samples were tested,mainly in the form of inorganic arsenic;As5+ concentration was 0.004 to 0.226 mg/L,the median was 0.053 mg/L;the As3+ concentration was 0.004 to 0.309 mg/L,the median was 0.057 mg/L.Total arsenic content was in the range of 0.009 to 0.509 mg/L,the median was 0.100 mg/L.Monomethylated arsenic (MMA) was detected in 1 water sample with the content of 0.005 mg/L,dimethyl arsine (DMA) was detected in 1 water sample with the content of 0.014 mg/L.Totally 101 wells were surveyed with the depth of 13 to 75 meters.Totally 94 water samples had the water arsenic level of more than 0.05 mg/L,and most of them were detected in the well with the depth of more than 50 meters,which was accounted for 85.1％ (80/94).Conclusions Arsenic mainly exists in the form of inorganic arsenic in drinking water,organic arsenic is only found in water at low concentrations.Excessive water arsenic is mainly distributed in wells deeper.

Objective To study and compare biomechanical properties of a newly developed magnesium AZ31B alloy intramedullary nail (AZ31B) with that of imported Poly-L-lactic acid intramedullary nail (PLLA) and pure titanium rib plate (TPRP), so as to provide scientific evidences for better internal fixation in clinical operation. Methods Forty fresh adult ribs were used and divided into 4 groups randomly. Three groups were made lateral rib fracture in midaxillary line and fixed by AZ31B, PLLA and TPRP, respectively, while the group with normal ribs was used as control. Biomechanical properties of specimens in each group were measured and tested using experimental stress analysis. Results (1) Three-point bending strength of internal fixation with AZ31B was close to that of control group (P>0.05), but significantly different to that of TPRP group and PTRP group (P<0.05); (2) No significant differences in torsional strength were found between AZ31B group, PTRP group and control group (P>0.05), and the torsional strength of both AZ31B and PTRP was superior to that of PLLA (P<0.05). Conclusions The internal fixation with AZ31B is an ideal mode for treating rib fracture since AZ31B has larger flexural strength than PLLA and TPRP, and its torsional strength was close to PTRP and normal ribs. This study provides some support for future research on biomechanical properties of AZ31B.