As a chronic inflammatory disease of the liver,the pathogenic mechanisms of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have not yet been elucidated,with prognosis and diagnosis remaining unsatisfied.Currently the only viable treatmen...As a chronic inflammatory disease of the liver,the pathogenic mechanisms of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have not yet been elucidated,with prognosis and diagnosis remaining unsatisfied.Currently the only viable treatments of AIH are immunosuppressant application and liver transplantation.It is considered that lack of good animal AIH models is the main reason for the shortage of a simple and efficient cure.The Concanavalin A (Con A) model is a typical and well established model for investigating T-cell and macrophage dependent liver injury in mice,which closely mimics the pathogenesis mechanisms and pathological changes of patients,and is regarded as the best experimental model for AIH research so far.In this paper we eluci-dated the pathogenic mechanisms of AIH and the evolution of relative animal models.We go on to further focus on Con A-induced liver injury from the point of immunological mechanisms and the change of cytokine levels.Finally,we manifested the clinical significance of the AIH animal models and the challenges they would meet during their future development.展开更多
AIM:To investigate whether the apoptotic activities of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin(BrMC) involve reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) activation in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells...AIM:To investigate whether the apoptotic activities of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin(BrMC) involve reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) activation in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells(HCC).METHODS:HepG2,Bel-7402 and L-02 cell lines were cultured in vitro and the apoptotic effects of BrMC were evaluated by flow cytometry(FCM) after propidium iodide(PI) staining,caspase-3 activity using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis.ROS production was evaluated by FCM after dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCHFDA) probe labeling.The phosphorylation level of JNK and c-Jun protein was analyzed by Western blotting.RESULTS:FCM after PI staining showed a dose-dependent increase in the percentage of the sub-G1 cell pop-ulation(P < 0.05),reaching 39.0% ± 2.8% of HepG2 cells after 48 h of treatment with BrMC at 10 μmol/L.The potency of BrMC to HepG2 and Bel-7402(32.1% ± 2.6%) cells was found to be more effective than the lead compound,chrysin(16.2% ± 1.6% for HepG2 cells and 11.0% ± 1.3% for Bel-7402 cell) at 40 μmol/L and similar to 5-flurouracil(33.0% ± 2.1% for HepG2 cells and 29.3% ± 2.3% for Bel-7402 cells) at 10 μmol/L.BrMC had little effect on human embryo liver L-02 cells,with the percentage of sub-G1 cell population 5.4% ± 1.8%.Treatment of HepG2 cells with BrMC for 48 h also increased the levels of active caspase-3,in a concentration-dependent manner.z-DEVD-fmk,a caspase-3specific inhibitor,prevented the activation of caspase-3.Treatment with BrMC at 10 μmol/L for 48 h resulted in the formation of a DNA ladder.Treatment of cells with BrMC(10 μmol/L) increased mean fluorescence intensity of DCHF-DA in HepG2 cells from 7.2 ± 1.12 at 0 h to 79.8 ± 3.9 at 3 h and 89.7 ± 4.7 at 6 h.BrMC did not affect ROS generation in L-02 cells.BrMC treatment failed to induce cell death and caspase-3 activation in HepG2 cells pretreated with N-acetylcysteine(10 mmol/L).In addition,in HepG2 cells treated with BrMC(2.5,5.0,10.0 μmol/L) for 12 h,JNK acti展开更多
Objective: To observe the immediate effect and safety of Shexiang Tongxin dropping pills(麝香通心滴丸, STDP) on patients with coronary slow flow(CSF), and furthermore, to explore new evidence for the use of Chinese me...Objective: To observe the immediate effect and safety of Shexiang Tongxin dropping pills(麝香通心滴丸, STDP) on patients with coronary slow flow(CSF), and furthermore, to explore new evidence for the use of Chinese medicine in treating ischemic chest pain. Methods: Coronary angiography(CAG) with corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction(TIMI) frame count(CTFC) was applied(collected at 30 frames/s). The treatment group included 22 CSF patients, while the control group included 22 individuals with normal coronary?ow. CSF patients were given 4 STDP through sublingual administration, and CAG was performed 5 min after the medication. The immediate blood ?ow frame count, blood pressure, and heart rate of patients before and after the use of STDP were compared. The liver and kidney functions of patients were examined before and after treatments. Results: There was a signi?cant difference in CTFC between groups(P<0.05). The average CTFC values of the vessels with slow blood ?ow in CSF patients were, respectively, 49.98±10.01 and 40.42±11.33 before and after the treatment with STDP, a 19.13% improvement. The CTFC values(frame/s) measured before and after treatment at the left anterior descending coronary artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery were, respectively, 48.00±13.32 and 41.80±15.38, 59.00±4.69 and 50.00±9.04, and 51.90±8.40 and40.09±10.46, giving 12.92%, 15.25%, and 22.76% improvements, respectively. The CTFC values of vessels with slow ?ow before treatment were signi?cantly decreased after treatment(P<0.05). There were no apparent changes in the heart rate, blood pressure, or liver or kidney function of CSF patients after treatment with STDP(all P>0.05). Conclusions: The immediate effect of STDP in treating CSF patients was apparent. This medication could signi?cantly improve coronary ?ow without affecting blood pressure or heart rate. Our ?ndings support the potential of Chinese medicine to treat ischemic chest pain.展开更多
Objective To clarify the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on rat motor cortical excitabi- lity and neurofunction after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods After determined awake...Objective To clarify the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on rat motor cortical excitabi- lity and neurofunction after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods After determined awake resting motor threshold (MT) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) of right hindlimbs, 20 Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) reperfusion injury, then rTMS were applied to rTMS group (n = 10) at different time, while control group (n = 10) received no stimulation. A week later, MT and MEPs were evaluated again, as well as neurological deficits and infarct volume. The effects of rTMS and MCAO reperfusion injury on these parameters were analyzed. Results After MCAO reperfusion, both MT level and neurological deficit scores increased, distinct focal infarction formed, and latency of MEP elongated. Compared with the control group, the increased extent of MT and neurological scores of rats receiving rTMS were significantly lower (P < 0.05), as well as the infarct volumes reduced significantly(P < 0.05). But MEP was not affected by rTMS obviously. There was a positive linear correlation between postinjury MT and infarct volume (r = 0.64, P < 0.05). Conclusion rTMS may facilitate neurofunction recovery after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Postinjury MT could provide prognostic information after MCAO reperfusion injury.展开更多
Objective： To observe the effect of warm joint needling plus rehabilitation techniques on the balance function and quality of life （QOL） of patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral stroke. Methods：...Objective： To observe the effect of warm joint needling plus rehabilitation techniques on the balance function and quality of life （QOL） of patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral stroke. Methods： Ninety patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral stroke were randomized into a rehabilitation group, a warm joint needling group and an observation group, with 30 cases in each group. The rehabilitation group was intervened by Bobath therapy, the warm joint needling group was treated with joint needling on the affected side plus warm needling, and the observation group was given the same rehabilitation treatment as the rehabilitation group together with the same warm joint needling as the warm joint needling group. The three groups were treated once another day, 1 month as a treatment course for 6 months. Before the treatment, and respectively after 2-week, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month treatment, the modified Ashworth scale （MAS） was used to measure the anti-spasm ability of the lower limb, the Berg balance scale （BBS） was adopted to evaluate the balance function, and the stroke-specific quality of life scale （SS-QOL） was employed to estimate the QOL. Results： After 3-month and 6-month treatment, the lower-limb MAS scores in the observation group were significantly better than those in the rehabilitation group and the warm joint needling group （all P〈0.05）. After 1-month, B-month and 6-month treatment, the BBS scores in the observation group were significantly better than those in the rehabilitation group and the warm joint needling group （all P〈0.05）. After 2-week, 1-month, 3-month and 6-month treatment, the SS-QOL scores in the observation group were markedly better than those in the rehabilitation group and the warm joint needling group （all P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Warm joint needling plus rehabilitation can effectively improve the lower-limb spasticity state, balance function and QOL in patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral st展开更多
Lithium niobate(LN)has experienced significant developments during past decades due to its versatile properties,especially its large electro-optic(EO)coefficient.For example,bulk LN-based modulators with high speeds a...Lithium niobate(LN)has experienced significant developments during past decades due to its versatile properties,especially its large electro-optic(EO)coefficient.For example,bulk LN-based modulators with high speeds and a superior linearity are widely used in typical fiber-optic communication systems.However,with everincreasing demands for signal transmission capacity,the high power and large size of bulk LN-based devices pose great challenges,especially when one of its counterparts,integrated silicon photonics,has experienced dramatic developments in recent decades.Not long ago,high-quality thin-film LN on insulator(LNOI)became commercially available,which has paved the way for integrated LN photonics and opened a hot research area of LN photonics devices.LNOI allows a large refractive index contrast,thus light can be confined within a more compact structure.Together with other properties of LN,such as nonlinear/acousto-optic/pyroelectric effects,various kinds of high-performance integrated LN devices can be demonstrated.A comprehensive summary of advances in LN photonics is provided.As LN photonics has experienced several decades of development,our review includes some of the typical bulk LN devices as well as recently developed thin film LN devices.In this way,readers may be inspired by a complete picture of the evolution of this technology.We first introduce the basic material properties of LN and several key processing technologies for fabricating photonics devices.After that,various kinds of functional devices based on different effects are summarized.Finally,we give a short summary and perspective of LN photonics.We hope this review can give readers more insight into recent advances in LN photonics and contribute to the further development of LN related research.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effects of T-2 toxin on expressions of Fas,p53,Bcl-xL,Bcl-2,Bax and caspase-3 on human chondrocytes.Methods:Human chondrocytes were treated with T-2 toxin(1～20 ng/ml)for 5 d.Fas,p53 and o...Objective:To investigate the effects of T-2 toxin on expressions of Fas,p53,Bcl-xL,Bcl-2,Bax and caspase-3 on human chondrocytes.Methods:Human chondrocytes were treated with T-2 toxin(1～20 ng/ml)for 5 d.Fas,p53 and other apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax,Bcl-2,Bcl-xL,caspase-3 were determined by Western blot analysis and their mRNA expressions were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results:Increases in Fas,p53 and the pro-apoptotic factor Bax protein and mRNA expressions and a decrease of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-xL were observed in a dose-dependent manner after exposures to 1～20 ng/ml T-2 toxin,while the expression of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 was unchanged.Meanwhile,T-2 toxin could also up-regulate the expressions of both pro-caspase-3 and caspase-3 in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion:These data suggest a possible underlying molecular mechanism for T-2 toxin to induce the apoptosis sig- naling pathway in human chondrocytes by regulation of apoptosis-related proteins.展开更多
Background Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） research has mainly been focused on the therapeutic effect of psychiatric disorders and Parkinson＇s disease. A few studies have shown that rTMS might p...Background Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） research has mainly been focused on the therapeutic effect of psychiatric disorders and Parkinson＇s disease. A few studies have shown that rTMS might protect against delayed neuronal death induced by transient ischemia, enhance long-term potentiation in ischemic conditions and affect regional brain blood flow and metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） on adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content and microtubule associated protein-2 （MAP-2） expression in rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）/reperfusion. Methods To study the effects of different timecourses of rTMS on ATP content and MAP-2 expression, 90 rats were randomly divided into three groups （30 rats in each group）. To study the effects of multiple rTMS parameters on ATP content and MAP-2 expression, the rats in each group were further divided into six subgroups （five rats each）. The rats were sacrificed at 1-hour, 24-hour and 48-hour intervals after reperfusion, and the brain tissues were collected for the detection of ATP and MAP-2. Results rTMS could significantly increase ATP content and MAP-2 expression in the left brain following ischemic insult （P 〈0.01） and different rTMS parameters had different effects on the ATP level and the MAP-2 expression in the left striatum. A high-frequency rTMS played an important role in MAP-2 expression and ATP preservation. Conclusions This study revealed that rTMS induced significant increase of ATP content and MAP-2 expression in the injured area of the brain, suggesting that the regulation of both ATP and MAP-2 may be involved in the biological mechanism of the effect of rTMS on neural recovery. Therefore, rTMS may become a potential adjunctive therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.展开更多
A combined method of high performance liquid chromatograph-elecrtrospray-ionization mass spectrometer（HPLC-ESI-MS/MS） coupled with a photodiode array detector（HPLC-DAD） and principal component analysis（PCA） was ...A combined method of high performance liquid chromatograph-elecrtrospray-ionization mass spectrometer（HPLC-ESI-MS/MS） coupled with a photodiode array detector（HPLC-DAD） and principal component analysis（PCA） was applied to the qualitative and quantitative analyses of alkaloids in Cortex Phellodendri（CP） samples, and to the differentiation of two species of CP, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis（CPC） and Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis（CPA）. Twenty-two peaks appeared in the HPLC-MS base peak chromatogram of CP detected by the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, and the alkaloids were identified according to the MSn data, the known MS fragmentation rules and the literature data. Five alkaloids including berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine and magnoflorine were simultaneously determinated by the HPLC-DAD. Berberine was the primary component in all CP samples, and the contents of berberine and palmatine were exploited to be two critical parameters for effective discrimination between the two species of CP. The average content of berberine in CPC（58.75 mg/g） was higher than that in CPA（9.16 mg/g）, while the content of palmatine was less, only 0.25 mg/g in CPC and 4.19 mg/g in CPA. With the use of PCA, samples datasets were separated successfully into two different clusters corresponding to the two species, and berberine, pahnatine, phellodendrine and magnoflorine contribute most to the above mentioned calssifying . The proposed method oroved to be a useful tool in the aualitv control of Chinese herbal medicines.展开更多
AIM:To investigate the effects of quercetin on diabetic retinopathy(DR)and its association with nucleotidebinding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3)inflammasome and autophagy using retinal endothelial cell...AIM:To investigate the effects of quercetin on diabetic retinopathy(DR)and its association with nucleotidebinding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3)inflammasome and autophagy using retinal endothelial cell as an experimental model.METHODS:Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(HRMECs)were cultured in vitro and assigned into the control group,high-glucose(HG)group,and HG+different concentrations of quercetin groups.Cellular viability,migration,and tube formation in these groups was detected by MTT,transwell and matrigel assay,respectively.Expressions of NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC),cysteiny aspartate-specific protease-1(Caspase-1)as well as microtubule-related protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)and Beclin-1 were detected by Western blotting.Expressions of IL-1β and IL-18 were detected by ELISA and cellular autophagy was detected by Cyto-ID■ autophagy detection kit.RESULTS:Under an HG condition,the viability,migration,tube formation of HRMECs,and the protein expressions of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,LC3,and Beclin-1 as well as autophagy were all increased.Quercetin inhibited angiogenesis of HRMECs as well as the expressions of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,LC3,Beclin-1,and autophagy of HRMECs under a HG condition.The inhibitory effects of quercetin on angiogenesis,NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy increased with the increase of its concentration.CONCLUSION:The therapeutic potential of quercetin in retinal neovascularization of DR,and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy signaling pathway may be involved.展开更多
17β-estradiol（E2） has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in different central nervous system diseases. The mechanisms underlying estrogen neuroprotection in spinal cord injury（SCI） remain unclear. Previou...17β-estradiol（E2） has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in different central nervous system diseases. The mechanisms underlying estrogen neuroprotection in spinal cord injury（SCI） remain unclear. Previous studies have shown that autophagy plays a crucial role in the course of nerve injury. In this study, we showed that E2 treatment improved the restoration of locomotor function and decreased the loss of motor neurons in SCI rats. Realtime PCR and western blot analysis revealed that the protective function of E2 was related to the suppression of LC3 II and beclin-1 expression. Immunohistochemical study further confirmed that the immunoreactivity of LC3 in the motor neurons was down-regulated when treated with E2. In vitro studies demonstrated similar results that E2 pretreatment decreased the autophagic activity induced by rapamycin（autophagy sensitizer） and increased viability in a PC12 cell model. These results indicated that the neuroprotective effects of E2 in SCI are partly related to the suppression of excessive autophagy.展开更多
As a renewable energy, biomass energy has aroused wide attention and studies of this issue have become a hot topic throughout the world. Pistacia chinensis Bunge （Anacardiaceae） is a superior species for biomass ene...As a renewable energy, biomass energy has aroused wide attention and studies of this issue have become a hot topic throughout the world. Pistacia chinensis Bunge （Anacardiaceae） is a superior species for biomass energy with high oil content in seeds and wide geographic distribution. It is a dioeciously, deciduous arbor, flowering from March to April and bearing fruits from September to November. The classification, regional distribution and biological characteristics ofP chinensis are stated in this paper, then, research advances in the growth, breeding and physiology of this species are summarized. The problems in present studies are broached. Finally, a future direction for research is proposed.展开更多
The comparative analysis of the biological characterization and the genetic background study of EV71 circulating strains is commonly recognized as basic work necessary for development of an effective EV71 vaccine. In ...The comparative analysis of the biological characterization and the genetic background study of EV71 circulating strains is commonly recognized as basic work necessary for development of an effective EV71 vaccine. In this study, we sequenced five EV71 circulating strains, isolated from Fuyang, Hefei, Kunming and Shenzhen city of China and named them FY-23, FY-22, H44, K9 and S1 respectively. The sequence alignment demonstrated their genotypes be C4. The genetic distance of the VP1 gene from these isolates suggested that they were highly co-related with genetic identity similar to other previously reported EV71 strains in China. Additionally, these strains were identified to display some obvious proliferation dynamics and plaque morphology when propagated in Vero cells. However, a distinctive difference in pathogenic ability in neonatal mice was found. Some differences in cross neutralization test & immunogenic analysis were also found. All these results are related to the biological characterization of circulating EV71 strains in China and aid in the development of an EV71 vaccine in the future.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the effects of positive regulation of recombinant human interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (rhIL-1Ra) on hepatic tissue recovery in acute liver injury in mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). ...AIM: To evaluate the effects of positive regulation of recombinant human interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (rhIL-1Ra) on hepatic tissue recovery in acute liver injury in mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). METHODS: Acute liver damage was induced by injecting 8-wk-old mice with CCl 4 1 mL/kg (1:3 dilution in corn oil) intraperitoneally (ip). Survival after liver failure was assessed by injecting 8-wk-old mice with a lethal dose of CCl 4 2.6 mL/kg (1:1 dilution in corn oil) ip. Mice were subcutaneously injected with 1 mg/kg recombinant human IL-1Ra twice a day after CCl 4 treatment for 5 d. Serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were determined with a commercial assay kit. Serum IL-1β, IL-1Ra levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine liver IL-1β, IL-1Ra and IL-6 expression during CCl 4-induced acute liver injury. Liver sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. A histology-injury grading system was used to evaluate the degree of necrosis after acute liver injury. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining was used to evaluate the role of rhIL-1Ra in promoting hepatocyte proliferation. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis showed a higher level of IL-6 mRNA expression and reduced serum AST and ALT levels in the livers of the rhIL-1Ra-treated group at the early phase of CCl 4-induced acute liver injury. Histological examination indicated a decrease in centrilobular necrotic areas in mice treated with rhIL-1Ra, and a novel role of rhIL-1Ra in promoting hepatocyte proliferation was also supported by an increase of PCNA staining. All these results, accompanied by a strong survival benefit in rhIL-1Ra-treated vs PBS-treated groups, demonstrated that rhIL-1Ra administration ameliorated the histological damage and accelerated the regeneration and recovery process of the liver. CONCLUSION: rhIL-1Ra could be further developed as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of 展开更多
Heterosis is a biological phenomenon whereby the offspring from two parents show improved and superior performance than either inbred parental lines. Hybrid rice is one of the most successful apotheoses in crops utili...Heterosis is a biological phenomenon whereby the offspring from two parents show improved and superior performance than either inbred parental lines. Hybrid rice is one of the most successful apotheoses in crops utilizing heterosis. Transcriptional profiling of F1 super-hybrid rice Liangyou-2186 and its parents by serial analysis of gene expression （SAGE） revealed 1183 differentially expressed genes （DGs）, among which DGs were found significantly enriched in pathways such as photosynthesis and carbon-fixation, and most of the key genes involved in the carbon-fixation pathway exhibited up-regulated expression in F1 hybrid rice. Moreover, increased catabolic activity of corresponding enzymes and photosynthetic efficiency were also detected, which combined to indicate that carbon fixation is enhanced in F1 hybrid, and might probably be associated with the yield vigor and heterosis in super-hybrid rice. By correlating DGs with yield-related quantitative trait loci （QTL）, a potential relationship between differential gene expression and phenotypic changes was also found. In addition, a regulatory network involving circadian-rhythms and light signaling pathways was also found, as previously reported in Arabidopsis, which suggest that such a network might also be related with heterosis in hybrid rice. Altogether, the present study provides another view for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying heterosis in rice.展开更多
Spatial patterns of species at different life stages are an important aspect for understanding causal mechanisms that facilitate species co-existence. Using Ripley＇s univariate L（t） and bivariate L12（t） functions...Spatial patterns of species at different life stages are an important aspect for understanding causal mechanisms that facilitate species co-existence. Using Ripley＇s univariate L（t） and bivariate L12（t） functions, we analyzed the spatial patterns and inter.specific associations of three canopy species at different life history stages in a 20-ha subtropical forest plot in Dinghushan Nature Reserve. Based on diameter at breast height （DBH）, four life stages were distinguished. Castanopsis chinensis and Schima superba showed a unimodal DBH distribution. Engelhardtia roxburghiana showed a bimodal curve. L（t） function analysis showed significantly aggregated distributions of all three species at later life stages and random distribution at early life stages at some scales. From the analysis of L12（t） function, the results showed the positive association was a dominant pattern for most species pairs at most scales but the intensity of association decreases with the increase of life stages. Juveniles of the three species had no negative intra- and interspecific associations with the older life stages. Only premature trees were suppressed by overmature trees at some scales. Considering these results, we found three canopy-dominant species that lacked regeneration. There was no direct competition occurring between understorey individuals. Young trees can grow well under conspecific species with two other species. Longevity and lack of regeneration led to a large number of trees stored in mature and overmature stages, therefore, intra- and inter-competition can be strong at later life stages.展开更多
Background： The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that the use of morcellation may cause fibroids or pelvic dissemination and metastasis of uterine sarcoma; therefore, the use of morcellation is limited...Background： The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that the use of morcellation may cause fibroids or pelvic dissemination and metastasis of uterine sarcoma; therefore, the use of morcellation is limited in the USA. A large sample study is necessary to assess the proportion of uterine malignant tumors found in patients with laparoscopic myomectomy. Methods： A national multicenter study was performed in China. From 2002 to 2014, 33,723 cases were retrospectively selected. We calculated the prevalence and recorded the clinical characteristics of the patients with malignancy after morcellation application. A total of 62 cases were finally pathologically confirmed as malignant postoperatively. Additionally, the medical records of the 62 patients were analyzed in details. Results： The proportion of postoperative malignancy after morcellation application was 0.18% （62/33,723） for patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy. Nearly 62.9% （39/62） of patients had demonstrated blood flow signals in the uterine fibroids before surgery. And, 23 （37.1%） patients showed rapid growth at the final preoperative ultrasound. With respect to the pathological types, 38 （61.3%） patients had detectable endometrial stromal sarcoma, 13 （21.0%） had detectable uterine leiomyosarcoma, only 3 （3.2%） had detectable carcinosarcoma, and 5 （8.1%） patients with leiomyoma had an undetermined malignant potential. Conclusions： The proportion of malignancy is low after using moreellation in patients who undergo laparoscopie myomectomy. Patients with fast-growing uterine fibroids and abnormal ultrasonic tumor blood flow should be considered for malignant potential, and morcellation should be avoided.展开更多
The biflavonoid isochamaejasmin is mainly distributed in the root of Stellera chamaejasme L.(Thymelaeaceae) that is used in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) to treat tumors, tuberculosis, and psoriasis. Herein, isoch...The biflavonoid isochamaejasmin is mainly distributed in the root of Stellera chamaejasme L.(Thymelaeaceae) that is used in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) to treat tumors, tuberculosis, and psoriasis. Herein, isochamaejasmin was found to show similar bioactivity against Bcl-2 family proteins to the reference Bcl-2 ligand(–)-gossypol through 3D similarity search. It selectively bound to Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 with Ki values being 1.93 ± 0.13 μmol·L-1 and 9.98 ± 0.21 μmol·L-1, respectively. In addition, isochamaejasmin showed slight growth inhibitory activity against HL-60 with IC50 value being 50.40 ± 1.21 μmol·L-1 and moderate growth inhibitory activity against K562 cells with IC50 value being 24.51 ± 1.62 μmol·L-1. Furthermore, isochamaejasmin induced apoptosis of K562 cells by increasing the intracellular expression levels of proteins of the cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP which involved in the Bcl-2-induced apoptosis pathway. These results indicated that isochamaejasmin induces apoptosis in leukemia cells by inhibiting the activity of Bcl-2 family proteins, providing evidence for further studying the underlying anti-cancer mechanism of S. chamaejasme L..展开更多
This study investigates the developmental changes of the lipoprotein lipase （LPL） mRNA level in sheep muscle and its effect on intramuscular fat （IMF） accumulation. Male Kazak and Xinjiang Merino sheep at 2-120 da...This study investigates the developmental changes of the lipoprotein lipase （LPL） mRNA level in sheep muscle and its effect on intramuscular fat （IMF） accumulation. Male Kazak and Xinjiang Merino sheep at 2-120 days old were selected. Six animals of each breed were slaughtered at 2, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days （only the Xinjiang Merino sheep at 120-day old were available） to collect samples from longissimus dorsi muscle for the purpose of determining the IMF content and extracting total RNA that was used to investigate the developmental changes of the LPL mRNA expression by real-time PCR. The results showed that in male Kazak sheep, the IMF content increased with the progress of development and there were significant differences （P〈0.05） between the age groups. However, there was no difference （P〉0.05） between age groups in Xinjiang Merino sheep. Furthermore, the IMF content of the male Kazak sheep was significantly higher （P 〈 0.01） than that of the Xinjiang Merino sheep aged from 30 to 90 days. The highest LPL mRNA expression appeared at day 2 and it was significantly higher than that of all other age groups （P 〈 0.01）, while animals at 60-day old had the lowest LPL mRNA expression in the male Kazak sheep. In Xinjiang Merino sheep, the highest one occurred at 30-day old （P〈0.01）, followed by a continuous decrease to the lowest level at 90-day old, and then it started to increase slightly. At 2 to 60-day old, the LPL mRNA expression was negatively correlated to the IMF content （r=-0.625, P 〈 0.05） in male Kazak sheep, but no such relationship was detected in the male Xinjiang Merino sheep.展开更多
基金Supported by Program for Excellent Talents of Anhui Province,No.2006JQ1196
文摘As a chronic inflammatory disease of the liver,the pathogenic mechanisms of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have not yet been elucidated,with prognosis and diagnosis remaining unsatisfied.Currently the only viable treatments of AIH are immunosuppressant application and liver transplantation.It is considered that lack of good animal AIH models is the main reason for the shortage of a simple and efficient cure.The Concanavalin A (Con A) model is a typical and well established model for investigating T-cell and macrophage dependent liver injury in mice,which closely mimics the pathogenesis mechanisms and pathological changes of patients,and is regarded as the best experimental model for AIH research so far.In this paper we eluci-dated the pathogenic mechanisms of AIH and the evolution of relative animal models.We go on to further focus on Con A-induced liver injury from the point of immunological mechanisms and the change of cytokine levels.Finally,we manifested the clinical significance of the AIH animal models and the challenges they would meet during their future development.
基金Supported by Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China,No.03JJY5009
文摘AIM:To investigate whether the apoptotic activities of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin(BrMC) involve reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) activation in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells(HCC).METHODS:HepG2,Bel-7402 and L-02 cell lines were cultured in vitro and the apoptotic effects of BrMC were evaluated by flow cytometry(FCM) after propidium iodide(PI) staining,caspase-3 activity using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis.ROS production was evaluated by FCM after dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCHFDA) probe labeling.The phosphorylation level of JNK and c-Jun protein was analyzed by Western blotting.RESULTS:FCM after PI staining showed a dose-dependent increase in the percentage of the sub-G1 cell pop-ulation(P < 0.05),reaching 39.0% ± 2.8% of HepG2 cells after 48 h of treatment with BrMC at 10 μmol/L.The potency of BrMC to HepG2 and Bel-7402(32.1% ± 2.6%) cells was found to be more effective than the lead compound,chrysin(16.2% ± 1.6% for HepG2 cells and 11.0% ± 1.3% for Bel-7402 cell) at 40 μmol/L and similar to 5-flurouracil(33.0% ± 2.1% for HepG2 cells and 29.3% ± 2.3% for Bel-7402 cells) at 10 μmol/L.BrMC had little effect on human embryo liver L-02 cells,with the percentage of sub-G1 cell population 5.4% ± 1.8%.Treatment of HepG2 cells with BrMC for 48 h also increased the levels of active caspase-3,in a concentration-dependent manner.z-DEVD-fmk,a caspase-3specific inhibitor,prevented the activation of caspase-3.Treatment with BrMC at 10 μmol/L for 48 h resulted in the formation of a DNA ladder.Treatment of cells with BrMC(10 μmol/L) increased mean fluorescence intensity of DCHF-DA in HepG2 cells from 7.2 ± 1.12 at 0 h to 79.8 ± 3.9 at 3 h and 89.7 ± 4.7 at 6 h.BrMC did not affect ROS generation in L-02 cells.BrMC treatment failed to induce cell death and caspase-3 activation in HepG2 cells pretreated with N-acetylcysteine(10 mmol/L).In addition,in HepG2 cells treated with BrMC(2.5,5.0,10.0 μmol/L) for 12 h,JNK acti
基金Supported by the Zhejiang Institute of Integrative Medicine Clinical Special Fund for Pharmacy Research(No.2014LYK009)
文摘Objective: To observe the immediate effect and safety of Shexiang Tongxin dropping pills(麝香通心滴丸, STDP) on patients with coronary slow flow(CSF), and furthermore, to explore new evidence for the use of Chinese medicine in treating ischemic chest pain. Methods: Coronary angiography(CAG) with corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction(TIMI) frame count(CTFC) was applied(collected at 30 frames/s). The treatment group included 22 CSF patients, while the control group included 22 individuals with normal coronary?ow. CSF patients were given 4 STDP through sublingual administration, and CAG was performed 5 min after the medication. The immediate blood ?ow frame count, blood pressure, and heart rate of patients before and after the use of STDP were compared. The liver and kidney functions of patients were examined before and after treatments. Results: There was a signi?cant difference in CTFC between groups(P<0.05). The average CTFC values of the vessels with slow blood ?ow in CSF patients were, respectively, 49.98±10.01 and 40.42±11.33 before and after the treatment with STDP, a 19.13% improvement. The CTFC values(frame/s) measured before and after treatment at the left anterior descending coronary artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery were, respectively, 48.00±13.32 and 41.80±15.38, 59.00±4.69 and 50.00±9.04, and 51.90±8.40 and40.09±10.46, giving 12.92%, 15.25%, and 22.76% improvements, respectively. The CTFC values of vessels with slow ?ow before treatment were signi?cantly decreased after treatment(P<0.05). There were no apparent changes in the heart rate, blood pressure, or liver or kidney function of CSF patients after treatment with STDP(all P>0.05). Conclusions: The immediate effect of STDP in treating CSF patients was apparent. This medication could signi?cantly improve coronary ?ow without affecting blood pressure or heart rate. Our ?ndings support the potential of Chinese medicine to treat ischemic chest pain.
文摘Objective To clarify the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on rat motor cortical excitabi- lity and neurofunction after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods After determined awake resting motor threshold (MT) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) of right hindlimbs, 20 Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) reperfusion injury, then rTMS were applied to rTMS group (n = 10) at different time, while control group (n = 10) received no stimulation. A week later, MT and MEPs were evaluated again, as well as neurological deficits and infarct volume. The effects of rTMS and MCAO reperfusion injury on these parameters were analyzed. Results After MCAO reperfusion, both MT level and neurological deficit scores increased, distinct focal infarction formed, and latency of MEP elongated. Compared with the control group, the increased extent of MT and neurological scores of rats receiving rTMS were significantly lower (P < 0.05), as well as the infarct volumes reduced significantly(P < 0.05). But MEP was not affected by rTMS obviously. There was a positive linear correlation between postinjury MT and infarct volume (r = 0.64, P < 0.05). Conclusion rTMS may facilitate neurofunction recovery after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Postinjury MT could provide prognostic information after MCAO reperfusion injury.
文摘Objective： To observe the effect of warm joint needling plus rehabilitation techniques on the balance function and quality of life （QOL） of patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral stroke. Methods： Ninety patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral stroke were randomized into a rehabilitation group, a warm joint needling group and an observation group, with 30 cases in each group. The rehabilitation group was intervened by Bobath therapy, the warm joint needling group was treated with joint needling on the affected side plus warm needling, and the observation group was given the same rehabilitation treatment as the rehabilitation group together with the same warm joint needling as the warm joint needling group. The three groups were treated once another day, 1 month as a treatment course for 6 months. Before the treatment, and respectively after 2-week, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month treatment, the modified Ashworth scale （MAS） was used to measure the anti-spasm ability of the lower limb, the Berg balance scale （BBS） was adopted to evaluate the balance function, and the stroke-specific quality of life scale （SS-QOL） was employed to estimate the QOL. Results： After 3-month and 6-month treatment, the lower-limb MAS scores in the observation group were significantly better than those in the rehabilitation group and the warm joint needling group （all P〈0.05）. After 1-month, B-month and 6-month treatment, the BBS scores in the observation group were significantly better than those in the rehabilitation group and the warm joint needling group （all P〈0.05）. After 2-week, 1-month, 3-month and 6-month treatment, the SS-QOL scores in the observation group were markedly better than those in the rehabilitation group and the warm joint needling group （all P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Warm joint needling plus rehabilitation can effectively improve the lower-limb spasticity state, balance function and QOL in patients with spastic hemiplegia after ischemic cerebral st
基金the National Research Foundation,Singapore,under its Competitive Research Programme(CRP Award No.NRF-CRP24-2020-0003)This work was also supported by the program for HUST Academic Frontier Youth Team(2018QYTD08)This work was partially supported by A*STAR(Agency for Science,Technology and Research),Singapore,under the RIE2020 Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering(AME)IAF-PP Grant,No.A19B3a0008
文摘Lithium niobate(LN)has experienced significant developments during past decades due to its versatile properties,especially its large electro-optic(EO)coefficient.For example,bulk LN-based modulators with high speeds and a superior linearity are widely used in typical fiber-optic communication systems.However,with everincreasing demands for signal transmission capacity,the high power and large size of bulk LN-based devices pose great challenges,especially when one of its counterparts,integrated silicon photonics,has experienced dramatic developments in recent decades.Not long ago,high-quality thin-film LN on insulator(LNOI)became commercially available,which has paved the way for integrated LN photonics and opened a hot research area of LN photonics devices.LNOI allows a large refractive index contrast,thus light can be confined within a more compact structure.Together with other properties of LN,such as nonlinear/acousto-optic/pyroelectric effects,various kinds of high-performance integrated LN devices can be demonstrated.A comprehensive summary of advances in LN photonics is provided.As LN photonics has experienced several decades of development,our review includes some of the typical bulk LN devices as well as recently developed thin film LN devices.In this way,readers may be inspired by a complete picture of the evolution of this technology.We first introduce the basic material properties of LN and several key processing technologies for fabricating photonics devices.After that,various kinds of functional devices based on different effects are summarized.Finally,we give a short summary and perspective of LN photonics.We hope this review can give readers more insight into recent advances in LN photonics and contribute to the further development of LN related research.
基金Project(Nos.3063058 and 30471499)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Objective:To investigate the effects of T-2 toxin on expressions of Fas,p53,Bcl-xL,Bcl-2,Bax and caspase-3 on human chondrocytes.Methods:Human chondrocytes were treated with T-2 toxin(1～20 ng/ml)for 5 d.Fas,p53 and other apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax,Bcl-2,Bcl-xL,caspase-3 were determined by Western blot analysis and their mRNA expressions were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results:Increases in Fas,p53 and the pro-apoptotic factor Bax protein and mRNA expressions and a decrease of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-xL were observed in a dose-dependent manner after exposures to 1～20 ng/ml T-2 toxin,while the expression of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 was unchanged.Meanwhile,T-2 toxin could also up-regulate the expressions of both pro-caspase-3 and caspase-3 in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion:These data suggest a possible underlying molecular mechanism for T-2 toxin to induce the apoptosis sig- naling pathway in human chondrocytes by regulation of apoptosis-related proteins.
基金The study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 30470617 and No. 30570618）.
文摘Background Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） research has mainly been focused on the therapeutic effect of psychiatric disorders and Parkinson＇s disease. A few studies have shown that rTMS might protect against delayed neuronal death induced by transient ischemia, enhance long-term potentiation in ischemic conditions and affect regional brain blood flow and metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） on adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content and microtubule associated protein-2 （MAP-2） expression in rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）/reperfusion. Methods To study the effects of different timecourses of rTMS on ATP content and MAP-2 expression, 90 rats were randomly divided into three groups （30 rats in each group）. To study the effects of multiple rTMS parameters on ATP content and MAP-2 expression, the rats in each group were further divided into six subgroups （five rats each）. The rats were sacrificed at 1-hour, 24-hour and 48-hour intervals after reperfusion, and the brain tissues were collected for the detection of ATP and MAP-2. Results rTMS could significantly increase ATP content and MAP-2 expression in the left brain following ischemic insult （P 〈0.01） and different rTMS parameters had different effects on the ATP level and the MAP-2 expression in the left striatum. A high-frequency rTMS played an important role in MAP-2 expression and ATP preservation. Conclusions This study revealed that rTMS induced significant increase of ATP content and MAP-2 expression in the injured area of the brain, suggesting that the regulation of both ATP and MAP-2 may be involved in the biological mechanism of the effect of rTMS on neural recovery. Therefore, rTMS may become a potential adjunctive therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No30725045)the Foundation of Eleventh Five-Year-Plan of China(No2008ZX09202-002)+1 种基金the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project, China(NoB906)the Scientific Foundation of Shanghai City, China(No07DZ19702)
文摘A combined method of high performance liquid chromatograph-elecrtrospray-ionization mass spectrometer（HPLC-ESI-MS/MS） coupled with a photodiode array detector（HPLC-DAD） and principal component analysis（PCA） was applied to the qualitative and quantitative analyses of alkaloids in Cortex Phellodendri（CP） samples, and to the differentiation of two species of CP, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis（CPC） and Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis（CPA）. Twenty-two peaks appeared in the HPLC-MS base peak chromatogram of CP detected by the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, and the alkaloids were identified according to the MSn data, the known MS fragmentation rules and the literature data. Five alkaloids including berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine and magnoflorine were simultaneously determinated by the HPLC-DAD. Berberine was the primary component in all CP samples, and the contents of berberine and palmatine were exploited to be two critical parameters for effective discrimination between the two species of CP. The average content of berberine in CPC（58.75 mg/g） was higher than that in CPA（9.16 mg/g）, while the content of palmatine was less, only 0.25 mg/g in CPC and 4.19 mg/g in CPA. With the use of PCA, samples datasets were separated successfully into two different clusters corresponding to the two species, and berberine, pahnatine, phellodendrine and magnoflorine contribute most to the above mentioned calssifying . The proposed method oroved to be a useful tool in the aualitv control of Chinese herbal medicines.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81500726)the Matching Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.XYFYPT-2020-01)。
文摘AIM:To investigate the effects of quercetin on diabetic retinopathy(DR)and its association with nucleotidebinding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3)inflammasome and autophagy using retinal endothelial cell as an experimental model.METHODS:Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(HRMECs)were cultured in vitro and assigned into the control group,high-glucose(HG)group,and HG+different concentrations of quercetin groups.Cellular viability,migration,and tube formation in these groups was detected by MTT,transwell and matrigel assay,respectively.Expressions of NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC),cysteiny aspartate-specific protease-1(Caspase-1)as well as microtubule-related protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)and Beclin-1 were detected by Western blotting.Expressions of IL-1β and IL-18 were detected by ELISA and cellular autophagy was detected by Cyto-ID■ autophagy detection kit.RESULTS:Under an HG condition,the viability,migration,tube formation of HRMECs,and the protein expressions of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,LC3,and Beclin-1 as well as autophagy were all increased.Quercetin inhibited angiogenesis of HRMECs as well as the expressions of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,LC3,Beclin-1,and autophagy of HRMECs under a HG condition.The inhibitory effects of quercetin on angiogenesis,NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy increased with the increase of its concentration.CONCLUSION:The therapeutic potential of quercetin in retinal neovascularization of DR,and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy signaling pathway may be involved.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,China(LY14H060009)National Natural Science Foundation of China(80215097)+1 种基金Sciencetechnology Program of Wenzhou Municipal Sci-Tech Bureau,China(Y20150226)the key Discipline Construction Project of Colleges and Universities in Zhejiang Province,China(2012-207)
文摘17β-estradiol（E2） has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in different central nervous system diseases. The mechanisms underlying estrogen neuroprotection in spinal cord injury（SCI） remain unclear. Previous studies have shown that autophagy plays a crucial role in the course of nerve injury. In this study, we showed that E2 treatment improved the restoration of locomotor function and decreased the loss of motor neurons in SCI rats. Realtime PCR and western blot analysis revealed that the protective function of E2 was related to the suppression of LC3 II and beclin-1 expression. Immunohistochemical study further confirmed that the immunoreactivity of LC3 in the motor neurons was down-regulated when treated with E2. In vitro studies demonstrated similar results that E2 pretreatment decreased the autophagic activity induced by rapamycin（autophagy sensitizer） and increased viability in a PC12 cell model. These results indicated that the neuroprotective effects of E2 in SCI are partly related to the suppression of excessive autophagy.
文摘As a renewable energy, biomass energy has aroused wide attention and studies of this issue have become a hot topic throughout the world. Pistacia chinensis Bunge （Anacardiaceae） is a superior species for biomass energy with high oil content in seeds and wide geographic distribution. It is a dioeciously, deciduous arbor, flowering from March to April and bearing fruits from September to November. The classification, regional distribution and biological characteristics ofP chinensis are stated in this paper, then, research advances in the growth, breeding and physiology of this species are summarized. The problems in present studies are broached. Finally, a future direction for research is proposed.
基金National Science and Technology Major Project (2008ZX10004-014)
文摘The comparative analysis of the biological characterization and the genetic background study of EV71 circulating strains is commonly recognized as basic work necessary for development of an effective EV71 vaccine. In this study, we sequenced five EV71 circulating strains, isolated from Fuyang, Hefei, Kunming and Shenzhen city of China and named them FY-23, FY-22, H44, K9 and S1 respectively. The sequence alignment demonstrated their genotypes be C4. The genetic distance of the VP1 gene from these isolates suggested that they were highly co-related with genetic identity similar to other previously reported EV71 strains in China. Additionally, these strains were identified to display some obvious proliferation dynamics and plaque morphology when propagated in Vero cells. However, a distinctive difference in pathogenic ability in neonatal mice was found. Some differences in cross neutralization test & immunogenic analysis were also found. All these results are related to the biological characterization of circulating EV71 strains in China and aid in the development of an EV71 vaccine in the future.
基金Supported by The Chinese Human Liver Proteome Project, No. 2004BA711A19-08National 863 Project, No.2007AA02Z100
文摘AIM: To evaluate the effects of positive regulation of recombinant human interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (rhIL-1Ra) on hepatic tissue recovery in acute liver injury in mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). METHODS: Acute liver damage was induced by injecting 8-wk-old mice with CCl 4 1 mL/kg (1:3 dilution in corn oil) intraperitoneally (ip). Survival after liver failure was assessed by injecting 8-wk-old mice with a lethal dose of CCl 4 2.6 mL/kg (1:1 dilution in corn oil) ip. Mice were subcutaneously injected with 1 mg/kg recombinant human IL-1Ra twice a day after CCl 4 treatment for 5 d. Serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were determined with a commercial assay kit. Serum IL-1β, IL-1Ra levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine liver IL-1β, IL-1Ra and IL-6 expression during CCl 4-induced acute liver injury. Liver sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. A histology-injury grading system was used to evaluate the degree of necrosis after acute liver injury. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining was used to evaluate the role of rhIL-1Ra in promoting hepatocyte proliferation. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis showed a higher level of IL-6 mRNA expression and reduced serum AST and ALT levels in the livers of the rhIL-1Ra-treated group at the early phase of CCl 4-induced acute liver injury. Histological examination indicated a decrease in centrilobular necrotic areas in mice treated with rhIL-1Ra, and a novel role of rhIL-1Ra in promoting hepatocyte proliferation was also supported by an increase of PCNA staining. All these results, accompanied by a strong survival benefit in rhIL-1Ra-treated vs PBS-treated groups, demonstrated that rhIL-1Ra administration ameliorated the histological damage and accelerated the regeneration and recovery process of the liver. CONCLUSION: rhIL-1Ra could be further developed as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of
文摘Heterosis is a biological phenomenon whereby the offspring from two parents show improved and superior performance than either inbred parental lines. Hybrid rice is one of the most successful apotheoses in crops utilizing heterosis. Transcriptional profiling of F1 super-hybrid rice Liangyou-2186 and its parents by serial analysis of gene expression （SAGE） revealed 1183 differentially expressed genes （DGs）, among which DGs were found significantly enriched in pathways such as photosynthesis and carbon-fixation, and most of the key genes involved in the carbon-fixation pathway exhibited up-regulated expression in F1 hybrid rice. Moreover, increased catabolic activity of corresponding enzymes and photosynthetic efficiency were also detected, which combined to indicate that carbon fixation is enhanced in F1 hybrid, and might probably be associated with the yield vigor and heterosis in super-hybrid rice. By correlating DGs with yield-related quantitative trait loci （QTL）, a potential relationship between differential gene expression and phenotypic changes was also found. In addition, a regulatory network involving circadian-rhythms and light signaling pathways was also found, as previously reported in Arabidopsis, which suggest that such a network might also be related with heterosis in hybrid rice. Altogether, the present study provides another view for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying heterosis in rice.
基金the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-430) and the Chinese Forest Biodiversity Monitoring Network
文摘Spatial patterns of species at different life stages are an important aspect for understanding causal mechanisms that facilitate species co-existence. Using Ripley＇s univariate L（t） and bivariate L12（t） functions, we analyzed the spatial patterns and inter.specific associations of three canopy species at different life history stages in a 20-ha subtropical forest plot in Dinghushan Nature Reserve. Based on diameter at breast height （DBH）, four life stages were distinguished. Castanopsis chinensis and Schima superba showed a unimodal DBH distribution. Engelhardtia roxburghiana showed a bimodal curve. L（t） function analysis showed significantly aggregated distributions of all three species at later life stages and random distribution at early life stages at some scales. From the analysis of L12（t） function, the results showed the positive association was a dominant pattern for most species pairs at most scales but the intensity of association decreases with the increase of life stages. Juveniles of the three species had no negative intra- and interspecific associations with the older life stages. Only premature trees were suppressed by overmature trees at some scales. Considering these results, we found three canopy-dominant species that lacked regeneration. There was no direct competition occurring between understorey individuals. Young trees can grow well under conspecific species with two other species. Longevity and lack of regeneration led to a large number of trees stored in mature and overmature stages, therefore, intra- and inter-competition can be strong at later life stages.
文摘Background： The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that the use of morcellation may cause fibroids or pelvic dissemination and metastasis of uterine sarcoma; therefore, the use of morcellation is limited in the USA. A large sample study is necessary to assess the proportion of uterine malignant tumors found in patients with laparoscopic myomectomy. Methods： A national multicenter study was performed in China. From 2002 to 2014, 33,723 cases were retrospectively selected. We calculated the prevalence and recorded the clinical characteristics of the patients with malignancy after morcellation application. A total of 62 cases were finally pathologically confirmed as malignant postoperatively. Additionally, the medical records of the 62 patients were analyzed in details. Results： The proportion of postoperative malignancy after morcellation application was 0.18% （62/33,723） for patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy. Nearly 62.9% （39/62） of patients had demonstrated blood flow signals in the uterine fibroids before surgery. And, 23 （37.1%） patients showed rapid growth at the final preoperative ultrasound. With respect to the pathological types, 38 （61.3%） patients had detectable endometrial stromal sarcoma, 13 （21.0%） had detectable uterine leiomyosarcoma, only 3 （3.2%） had detectable carcinosarcoma, and 5 （8.1%） patients with leiomyoma had an undetermined malignant potential. Conclusions： The proportion of malignancy is low after using moreellation in patients who undergo laparoscopie myomectomy. Patients with fast-growing uterine fibroids and abnormal ultrasonic tumor blood flow should be considered for malignant potential, and morcellation should be avoided.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81302651,81230090,and 81222046)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.222201314041)+3 种基金the Global Research Network for Medicinal Plants(GRNMP)King Saud University,the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project(No.B906)the Key Laboratory of Drug Research for Special Environments,PLA,the Shanghai Engineering Research Center for the Preparation of Bioactive Natural Products(No.10DZ2251300)the Scientific Foundation of Shanghai China(Nos.12401900801,09DZ1975700,09DZ1971500,and 10DZ1971700)
文摘The biflavonoid isochamaejasmin is mainly distributed in the root of Stellera chamaejasme L.(Thymelaeaceae) that is used in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) to treat tumors, tuberculosis, and psoriasis. Herein, isochamaejasmin was found to show similar bioactivity against Bcl-2 family proteins to the reference Bcl-2 ligand(–)-gossypol through 3D similarity search. It selectively bound to Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 with Ki values being 1.93 ± 0.13 μmol·L-1 and 9.98 ± 0.21 μmol·L-1, respectively. In addition, isochamaejasmin showed slight growth inhibitory activity against HL-60 with IC50 value being 50.40 ± 1.21 μmol·L-1 and moderate growth inhibitory activity against K562 cells with IC50 value being 24.51 ± 1.62 μmol·L-1. Furthermore, isochamaejasmin induced apoptosis of K562 cells by increasing the intracellular expression levels of proteins of the cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP which involved in the Bcl-2-induced apoptosis pathway. These results indicated that isochamaejasmin induces apoptosis in leukemia cells by inhibiting the activity of Bcl-2 family proteins, providing evidence for further studying the underlying anti-cancer mechanism of S. chamaejasme L..
文摘This study investigates the developmental changes of the lipoprotein lipase （LPL） mRNA level in sheep muscle and its effect on intramuscular fat （IMF） accumulation. Male Kazak and Xinjiang Merino sheep at 2-120 days old were selected. Six animals of each breed were slaughtered at 2, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days （only the Xinjiang Merino sheep at 120-day old were available） to collect samples from longissimus dorsi muscle for the purpose of determining the IMF content and extracting total RNA that was used to investigate the developmental changes of the LPL mRNA expression by real-time PCR. The results showed that in male Kazak sheep, the IMF content increased with the progress of development and there were significant differences （P〈0.05） between the age groups. However, there was no difference （P〉0.05） between age groups in Xinjiang Merino sheep. Furthermore, the IMF content of the male Kazak sheep was significantly higher （P 〈 0.01） than that of the Xinjiang Merino sheep aged from 30 to 90 days. The highest LPL mRNA expression appeared at day 2 and it was significantly higher than that of all other age groups （P 〈 0.01）, while animals at 60-day old had the lowest LPL mRNA expression in the male Kazak sheep. In Xinjiang Merino sheep, the highest one occurred at 30-day old （P〈0.01）, followed by a continuous decrease to the lowest level at 90-day old, and then it started to increase slightly. At 2 to 60-day old, the LPL mRNA expression was negatively correlated to the IMF content （r=-0.625, P 〈 0.05） in male Kazak sheep, but no such relationship was detected in the male Xinjiang Merino sheep.
