Objective To investigate the effect of evodiamine(Evo)on cartilage damage in knee osteoarthritis(KOA)model rats and analyze its mechanism of action.Methods Sixty rats were randomly divided into control,model,low-dose Evo,medium-dose Evo,high-dose Evo,and activator(Shh/Gli1 signaling pathway activator purmorphamine)+high-dose Evo groups,with 10 rats per group.A rat KOA model was constructed,and the corresponding drug interventions were administered to each group.Behavioral observations and Lequesne MG scores were conducted among rats in each group.Hematoxylin&eosin staining and safranine O-fixed green staining were applied to observe the pathological changes and Mankin score of rat cartilage tissue.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA)were applied to detect the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-18,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),while dUTP nick end labeling was applied to detect chondrocyte apoptosis.Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of type Ⅱ collagen(CⅡ)and matrix metalloproteinase 13(MMP13)proteins,and Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of Shh,Smo,Ptc1,and Gli1 proteins.Results The rats in the model group showed movement disorders and severe cartilage tissue damage compared with the control group.The Lequesne MG score,Mankin score,IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-α levels,chondrocyte apoptosis rate,MMP13 protein expression,and Shh,Smo,Ptc1,and Gli1 protein levels obviously increased,while the CⅡ protein expression decreased(P<0.05)compared with the model group.The activity disorders and cartilage tissue damage in rats in the low,medium,and high dose Evo groups were alleviated,the Lequesne MG score,Mankin score,IL-1β,IL-18,TNF-α levels,chondrocyte apoptosis rate,MMP13 protein expression,and Shh,Smo,Ptc1,and Gli1 protein levels were obviously decreased,the CⅡprotein expression increased(P<0.05);while the Shh/Gli1 signaling pathway activator reversed the improvement effect of high-dose Evo on cartilage damage in KOA rats.Conclusion Evodiamine may reduce the inflamma-tory response and chondrocyte apoptosis in KOA rats by inhibiting the Shh/Gli1 signaling pathway,thereby improving cartilage damage.

Objective: To analyze the feasibility of prenatal ultrasound quantitative measurement of the angles between trachea and bilateral bronchi as a new diagnostic tool for fetuses with heterotaxy syndrome. Methods: The angles between trachea and bilateral bronchi were measured at 18-34⁺⁶ gestational weeks for 200 fetuses with normal ultrasound findings (normal group) and 41 fetuses with heterotaxy syndrome [35 right atrial isomerisms (right group) and six left atrial isomerisms (left group)] diagnosed by ultrasound and confirmed after abortion or induction (case group) in Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children from October 2015 to December 2018. Scatter plots of left/right bronchus angle (α/β) ratios were drawn. Differences in bilateral bronchus angles between the three groups were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and paired t-test. Results: In the normal group, scatter plots showed the α/β ratios were relatively constant at 0.8-1.0 with larger β than α (t=-33.14, P<0.05), indicating that the right bronchus always went more steeply than the left one. In the case group, the α/β ratios were around 1.0. In the right group, the α value increased and was close to the β value [(153.90±5.43)° vs (156.02±5.59)°, t=-2.56, P>0.05] and presented as bilateral right bronchial angle; in the left group, the β value decreased and was close to the α value [(147.38±3.16)° vs (148.82±5.56)°, t=-1.18, P>0.05] and presented as bilateral left bronchial angle. There were significant differences in the α and β values among the normal group, the right and left groups (all P<0.05), and the bronchial angles of the right group were both greater than those of the left group (all P<0.05). Conclusions Prenatal ultrasound measurement of the angles between trachea and bilateral bronchi can be used as an indirect indicator for the diagnosis of heterotaxy syndrome.

Objective To explore the application effect of the dual-mentor system in the standardized training in cardiovascular internal medicine. Methods 40 physicians received from January to December in 2016 and 40 from January to December in 2017 were selected as the control group and the observation group respectively. The control group was administrated with the traditional training mode, while the obser-vation group was administrated with the dual-mentor training model, namely a theoretical mentor and a skill mentor. The training was carried out in accordance with the training plan formulated by the teaching group. The training effect was investigated by questionnaire survey and compared with that of the traditional train-ing mode. Results Under the dual-mentor system, the physicians acquired more theoretical knowledge and clinical skills and their ability of doctor-patient communication was improved significantly. The complete mastery rate of the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills in the observation group was 42.5％ and 35.0％respectively, significantly greater than that in the control group (15.0％ and 12.5％, respectively, P<0.05). The ability of doctor-patient communication improved more significantly in the observation group than in the control group (92.5％ vs. 77.5％, P<0.05), and the satisfaction with the teachers and the training arrangement was higher in the observation group than in the control group (82.5％ vs. 60.0％, 82.5％ vs. 52.5％, P<0.05). Conclusions The dual-mentor system has a definite effect on the standardized residency training of cardio-vascular internal medicine, The dual-mentor system facilitates the mastery of professional knowledge and skills in residents, improves the ability of doctor-patient communication, and increases residents' satisfaction with the mentors and the training program, thereby worthy of widespread promotion and application.

Objective To assess the ability of quantitative ultrasound index to predict the severity of CCl4?induced liver fibrosis in a rat model us?ing logistic regression analysis. Methods In a rat model of 40%CCl4?induced liver fibrosis,ultrasound detected the portal vein diameter,blood flow velocity,and Young's modulus. The degree of hepatic fibrosis was determined using a light microscope after hematoxylin and eosin staining of tissue. Results Portal vein diameter and Young's modulus were useful predictors of the severity of liver fibrosis,with statistical significance(P<0.05). Young's modulus was most effective with an R2 value 0.788. Young's modulus combined with the distal diameter of portal vein effectively improved the predictive ability,showing an R2 value 0.821. Conclusion Young's modulus is the most predictive index to assess the severity of liver fibrosis. A combination of multiple indices can improve the ability to predict the severity of liver fibrosis.

Objective To study the effect of continuous nursing intervention on prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease.Methods A total of 116 patients with coronary heart dis-ease by the treatment of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)were randomized into control group (routine nursing)and observation group (continuous nursing intervention),with 58 patients per group.After 12 months of nursing,the psychological scores,physiological scores,society scores and overall life quality scores according to the survey of health status questionnaire (SF-36) were compared,and the scores of Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS),treatment compliance and nursing satisfaction degree,the cardiac incidents and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)in the two groups were observed and compared.Results Compared with the control group,the psychological scores,physiological scores,society scores and overall life quality scores in the observation group significantly increased in the observation group(P <0.05).The SAS and SDS scores obviously decreased,treatment compliance and nurs-ing satisfaction were obviously improved in the observation group(P <0.05).The incidence of car-diac incidents were significantly reduced and the LVEF was significantly increased in the observa-tion group(P <0.05).Conclusion Continuous nursing intervention for patients with coronary heart disease can significantly increase the prognosis,heart function and nursing satisfaction,so it is worthy of clinical promotion.

Objective To study the effect of continuous nursing intervention on prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease.Methods A total of 116 patients with coronary heart dis-ease by the treatment of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)were randomized into control group (routine nursing)and observation group (continuous nursing intervention),with 58 patients per group.After 12 months of nursing,the psychological scores,physiological scores,society scores and overall life quality scores according to the survey of health status questionnaire (SF-36) were compared,and the scores of Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS),treatment compliance and nursing satisfaction degree,the cardiac incidents and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)in the two groups were observed and compared.Results Compared with the control group,the psychological scores,physiological scores,society scores and overall life quality scores in the observation group significantly increased in the observation group(P <0.05).The SAS and SDS scores obviously decreased,treatment compliance and nurs-ing satisfaction were obviously improved in the observation group(P <0.05).The incidence of car-diac incidents were significantly reduced and the LVEF was significantly increased in the observa-tion group(P <0.05).Conclusion Continuous nursing intervention for patients with coronary heart disease can significantly increase the prognosis,heart function and nursing satisfaction,so it is worthy of clinical promotion.

To identify in vivo-induced gene in Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pn) through a novel in vivo expression technology (IVET), a large promoter-trap library using galU and lacZ as the reporters was constructed. Based on the suicide vector pEVP3, a new vector pEVP3-galU was constructed with promoterless galU gene as an in vivo reporter. Firstly, promoterless galU gene was directly cloned into pEVP3 fusing with promoterless lacZ gene (an in vitro reporter). Then the random pieces of S. pn chromosomal DNA (200-500 bp), obtained by partial Sau3AI restriction digestion, were subcloned into the Bgl II site of pEVP3-galU. Upon introduction of the ligated plasmid library into E. coli DH5alpha by transformation, about 70,000 recombinants were recovered. Considering insert DNA orientation and insert size, this represents 5 coverage of the 2.2 Mb S. pn genome; 90% of these clones had 250- to 500-bp inserts. Thus, the library retained maximal complexity. Transformation by this plasmid library yield 450,000 S. pn transformants. The library was used to infect animals in intraperitoneal model. Those strains survived in vivo while exhibiting a white colony phenotype on TSA agar containing X-gal would indicate that the DNA fragment upstream of the galU reporter contained an in vivo-induced promoter. The promoter-trap library is suitable for screening in vivo-induced gene of S. pn.
Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; Female ; Genes, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genes, Reporter ; genetics ; Genomic Library ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; genetics