Bioinformatic Analysis of Related Genes and Therapeutic Drugs of Asthma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::Bioinformatic analysis was used to compare the gene expression profile between asthma patients and healthy people, and the gene characteristics of asthma were preliminarily identified and the potential mechanism and drugs were revealed. Method::The GSE74986 gene expression profile was downloaded from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed by GEO2R. Then the gene heat map of DEGs was made by Morpheus, and their gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed by DAVID 6.8. Moreover, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and hub genes were constructed by String 10.5. Finally, the significant modules were analyzed by MCODE in Cytoscape 3.6.1, small molecule drugs related to asthma were screened through Coremine Medical. Result::A total of 510 DEGs were screened, including 29 up-regulated genes and 481 down-regulated genes. DEGs were mainly involved in these biological processes and pathways, including chromatin silencing, transcriptional regulation of RNA polymerase Ⅱ promoter, protein transport, messenger RNA (mRNA) processing, RNA splicing, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, RNA transport, and myeloid differentiation factor (MyD)-dependent Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, platelet activation, nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway and so on. A total of 9 hub genes were obtained, including T-complex protein 1 subunit theta (CCT8), T-complex protein 1 subunit alpha (TCP1), 26S protease regulatory subunit S10B (PSMC6), heat shock protein 90 alpha (HSP90A)A1, cell cycle protein C (CCNC), HSP90AB1, 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 6 (PSMD6), ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (EIF4E). Two important modules were obtained. The genes in two modules mainly involved these biological process, such as splice, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, protein modification, RNA modification and so on. Some potential molecular drugs for the treatment of asthma, such as anisomycin and genistein, have been developed. Conclusion::DEGs and hub genes can contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism of asthma and providing potential therapeutic targets and drugs for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma.

Analysis on Mechanism of Shema Zhichuan Liquid in Treating Asthma Based on Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To explore the potential mechanism of Shema Zhichuan liquid in treatment of asthma by network pharmacology. Method: Bioinformatics analysis tool for molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), systematic pharmacological database and analysis platform of TCM were employed to find the components in Shema Zhichuan liquid and their targets, and asthma-related genes were obtained from the comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD). The data set of Shema Zhichuan liquid-gene and asthma-gene were imported into the Draw Venn Diagram for intersection analysis. The obtained data set of Shema Zhichuan liquid-asthma-gene was imported into String 11.0 for protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and was visualized by Cytoscape 3.6.1, and further important modules were analyzed with MCODE. DAVID 6.8 was used to analyze pathway enrichment and biological process of Shema Zhichuan liquid-asthma-gene. Result: A total of 399 components and 2 099 potential targets were obtained from Shema Zhichuan liquid, 98 asthma-related targets were retrieved, 45 common genes and 16 hub genes were screened, including transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), interleukin-4 (IL-4), etc. Enrichment analysis showed that the common biological processes of Shema Zhichuan liquid and asthma were related to inflammation, contraction and remodeling of airway, cell proliferation and apoptosis, etc. The common biological pathways mainly included tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, receptor with high affinity for immunoglobulin E (Fc epsilon RI) signaling pathway, nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway and so on. Conclusion: Shema Zhichuan liquid serves as a multi-target, multi-pathway treatment for asthma, which can provide a reference for the further research and clinical application of this preparation.

Substitution of cordyceps cephalosporium mycelia for cordyceps sinensis in the prescription of Shengjing Capsules: Enhanced effect on spermatogenesis impairment / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To screen out an effective substitute in the prescription of Shengjing Capsules (SJC), observe the effects of the redeveloped New SJC (NSJC) with cordyceps cephalosporium mycelia (CCM) substituted for the ingredient cordyceps sinensis in the treatment of spermatogenesis impairment (SI), and provide some experimental evidence for its application in the treatment of male infertility and sexual dysfunction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We equally randomized 192 male mice into 16 groups: normal saline control, SI model, high-, medium- and low-dose fermented cordycepin powder (FCP, 1.60, 0.80 and 0.40 g/kg), high-, medium- and low-dose CCM (1.60, 0.80 and 0.40 g/kg), high-, medium- and low-dose cordyceps mortierella mycelia (CMM, 1.60, 0.80 and 0.40 g/kg), high-, medium- and low-dose fermented cordyceps sinensis (FCS, 1.60, 0.80 and 0.40 g/kg), SJC (0.80 g/kg), and vitamin E (VE, 0.25 g/kg), with the SI model established in all the mice and the normal controls injected intraperitoneally with cyclophosphamide at 60 mg/kg qd for 5 consecutive days. After intragastrical medication with respective drugs, we obtained the body mass index (BMI), sexual organ coefficient, sperm count, sperm motility, and percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm (MAS) of the mice. We also randomly divided 70 male rats into 7 groups of equal number: normal control, SI model, high-, medium- and low-dose NSJC (1.12, 0.56 and 0.28 g/kg), SJC (0.56 g/kg), and VE (0.18 g/kg), the SI model constructed in the latter 6 groups of rats by gavage of adenine at 200 mg/kg qd for 5 consecutive days. After intragastrical medication with respective drugs, we examined the BMI, coefficients of sexual and renal organs, levels of reproductive hormones, testicular morphology, and fertility of the animals.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After medication, the mice in different groups showed different degrees of improvement in the cyclophosphamide-induced slow growth, significant increases in the testicular and epididymal coefficients, sperm count, motility and viability (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and a remarkable reduction in the percentage of MAS (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The effect was particularly significant in the CCM group and therefore CCM was chosen as the best substitute ingredient in the redeveloped NSJC. Compared with the rats in other groups, those treated with NSJC exhibited significant increases in the BMI, coefficients of sexual and renal organs and levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), improvement of the pathologically damaged testicular morphology, elevation of the pregnancy rate and litter size, and recovery from adenine-induced SI.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The redeveloped New Shengjing Capsules with cordyceps cephalosporium mycelia substituted for the ingredient cordyceps sinensis can improve fertility and reverse spermatogenesis impairment in male rats. The new prescription may also be applied to the clinical treatment of male infertility and sexual dysfunction.</p>

Expression and significance of PDGF-D and VEGF in gastric carcinoma / 基础医学与临床

Objective To investigate the expression of platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) and bascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in gastric carcinoma and elucidate the potential relationship between their overex-pression and clinical pathological characteristics. Methods Immunohistochemical assay was performed to detect the protein expression of PDGF-D and VEGF in tissues. Semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain re-action (RT-PCR) was performed to evaluate the mRNA expression of PDGF-D and VEGF in part of random selec-ting gastric carcinoma samples. The correlation between the expression of PDGF-D and VEGF, and the relationship between the expression of PDGF-D, VEGF and the clinical pathological characteristics were analyzed. Results The protein expression of PDGF-D and VEGF in gastric carcinoma tissues were significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues and normal gastric mucosa(P <0.05) ;The expression of PDGF-D and VEGF correlated with TNM staging, depth of invasion and lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05), while the expression of PDGF-D also correlated to histolog-ical differentiation (P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between PDGF-D and VEGF at the mR-NA and protein expression levels (P < 0.05). Conclusion PDGF-D and VEGF specifically highly expressed in gastric carcinoma. The abnormal expression may play an important role in the carcinogenesis and metastasis of gas-tric carcinoma.

A forensic pathological study of eighty-two cases of adrenal hemorrhage / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the relationship between adrenal hemorrhage and the cause of death, age and gender.@*METHODS@#Eighty-two cases of adrenal hemorrhage were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Adrenal hemorrhage occurred mostly in cases of sudden death, infection, trauma and asphyxia. Male had more chance than female to have adrenal hemorrhage. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by sudden death, trauma and poisoning was more frequently seen in young adults, whereas adrenal hemorrhage in children as well as in fetus and newborns was often caused by infection as well as sudden death and asphyxia respectively. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by sudden death and asphyxia was mainly located in medulla, while the infection usually induced hemorrhage in cortex. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by trauma showed an equal opportunity in either the cortex or medulla.@*CONCLUSION@#Our data indicate that adrenal hemorrhage might provide some clues in searching for the cause of death.

The expressions of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA in the skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle of rabbits by electrocuted / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the changes of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA expression and to find a method to differentiate antemortem from postmortem electrocution.@*METHODS@#Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, the antemortem electrocution group, the postmortem electrocution group, and the control group. Each group consists of five rabbits. The levels of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA in skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle were examined with quantitative fluorescent RT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#The levels of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA in the antemortem electrocution group increased significantly (P<0.05), compared with that of the postmortem electrocution group.@*CONCLUSION@#The changes of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA expression in skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle can be used as an indicator to distinguish antemortem from postmortem electrocution.

Correlation between postmortem intervals and the changes of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits after death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation between postmortem interval (PMI) and the changes of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits after death.@*METHODS@#The changes of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits were measured using the conductivity meter under 30 degrees C during 0-48 hours and 20 degrees C during 0-120 hours after death.@*RESULTS@#Electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits increased gradually under 30 degrees C and 20 degrees C from 0 to 48 hours and from 0-120 hours after death. The formulae of the relationship between PMI and conductivity under 30 degrees C and 20 degrees C were obtained by statistical analysis and the correlation coefficients were 0.970 and 0.983 (both P < 0.01), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The increase of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits after death may be used as the relatively objective parameter for PMI estimation.

Research Advance in Relationship between Environmental Estrogens and Disorders of Male Sex Differentiation / 环境与健康杂志

The reproductive toxicity of environmental estrogens(EEs)has become an extensively studied subject in environmental science and reproductive medicine nowadays.Many epidemiology data and experimental evidences indicated that EEs may significantly cause the disorders of male sex differentiation such as microphallus,hypospadia,cryptorchidism and masculinization behavior disorder and so on.The mechanism includes estrogenic activity,anti-androgenic activity as well as other feedback regulation and signal transmission which influence hormones metabolism.

Expressions of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brain of rats poisoned by tetramine / 法医学杂志

Expressions of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brain of rats poisoned by Tetramine were analyzed to explore the intoxication mechanism. Methods Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, sham poisoned, high-dose poisoned (1.0 mg/kg tetramine) and low-dose poisoned (0.1 mg/kg) groups. The expressions of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brain of the poisoned rats were detected and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and imaging analyzer. Results The expressions of both GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 were diffusely seen in the brains of the control and shame poisoned rat groups with a moderate expression level, whereas the expressions of both GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 were decreased in the brains of the high-dose poisoned group. In the low-dose poisoned rat group, the expression of GABA initially decreased and reached its lowest level 6 hours after poisoning, and then started to show an increase and reached the level of control groups at day 3. The expressions level reached its peak at days 5-7 after poisoning and remained above the level of control groups till 10 days after poisoning. Similarly, the expression of GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brains of the low-dose poisoned group initially decreased and reached its lowest level 6-12 hrs after poisoning, and then started to increase and reached the level of control groups at days 7-10 after poisoning, respectively. Conclusion The expression of both GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 decreased in the brains of the high-dose poisoned rat group and these changes of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 expressions may be associated with underlying mechanism of tetramine poisoning.

Postmortem changes of liver phosphofructokinase-2 level in rats following different causes of death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the changes of liver phosphofructokinase-2 (PFK-2) level at different postmortem intervals as well as due to different causes of death.@*METHODS@#One hundred and five rats were randomly divided into 3 groups and the rats were sacrificed by either bleeding, suffocating, and neck breaking, respectively. The content of liver PFK-2 at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours following death were studied using immunohistochemishtry and image analysis.@*RESULTS@#PFK-2 content of the rat's liver in all 3 groups showed a linear decrease at different postmortem intervals with no significant statistical differences found between the different groups.@*CONCLUSION@#PFK-2 level in rat liver appears to decrease linearly in correlation with prolonged PMI.

Expression and significance of PDGF-D and VEGF in gastric carcinoma / 基础医学与临床

Objective To investigate the expression of platelet-derived growth factor-D(PDGF-D) and bascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in gastric carcinoma and elucidate the potential relationship between their overexpression and clinical pathological characteristics.Methods Immunohistochemical assay was performed to detect the protein expression of PDGF-D and VEGF in tissues.Semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was performed to evaluate the mRNA expression of PDGF-D and VEGF in part of random selecting gastric carcinoma samples.The correlation between the expression of PDGF-D and VEGF,and the relationship between the expression of PDGF-D,VEGF and the clinical pathological characteristics were analyzed.Results The protein expression of PDGF-D and VEGF in gastric carcinoma tissues were significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues and normal gastric mucosa(P

Advances of forensic entomology in China / 法医学杂志

Forensic entomology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies studies of insects and arthropods to getting evidence for court and has an analogous advantage in the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) and other questions of forensic relevance. The paper expounds its definition and contents and reviews some progress of the studies in some aspects in China such as the constitution and succession of insect community on the different cadavers, the applications of morphological features of insects and the technology of analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in forensic entomology, and forensic entomological toxicology etc.

Relationship between CO II gene of mtDNA of Lucilia sericata and latitude interval / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To deduce the region that the geographical species of Lucilia sericata come from and determine the scene of crime (SOC) based on the gene analysis of mtDNA CO II.@*METHODS@#A 635 bp region for CO II of 4 Lucilia sericata (belong to 2 geographical species) were collected and sequenced, compared with the data of GenBank. A neighbour-joining tree with the Tamura and Nei model was constructed by MEGA2.1 package. The number of inherit intervals of inner-species were analyzes by Kimura's two-parameter model and used for construction the relationships between hereditary and latitude interval by SPSS10.5 soft.@*RESULTS@#It showed that they had the relationships between inherit and latitude interval for the 8 geographical species of Lucilia sericata for CO II.@*CONCLUSION@#This method can be the evidence deducing the region that the geographical species of Lucilia sericata come from and further to determine the scene of crime (SOC).

Dynamic observation of brainstem auditory evoked potential and pathological changes of the brain after closed brain injuries in rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the dynamic experiences of pathological changes in brain and the injured role of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) after closed Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) in rat.@*METHODS@#A closed diffuse brain injury model was successfully produced in rat by hit the parietal bone with a spring-droved steel stick. The auditory brainstem response evoked by click at 50Hz stimulating frequency were recorded at pre-trauma, 15 min and 1, 3, 6, 12 h and 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21 d after brain injury. The pathological changes of brain were observed under light microscope and the brain edema was detected by wet weight/dry weight rations.@*RESULTS@#The I-V, III-V of BAEP wave inter peak latency (IPL) in MTBI group increased immediately in 15 minutes after injury. The III, V wave peak latency (PL) and I-V, III-V wave IPL became longer than the pre-trauma level in 6, 12 h post-injury (P<0.05). The III, V wave PL and I - III, I - V, III - V wave IPL became longer than the pre-trauma level in 1, 2 d after injury (P < 0.001), the BAEP retuned to normal level in 14 d after brain injury. At 15 minutes after injury, the water content in brain increased and met its peak in 1 d, decreased gradually in 4 d, then decreased slowly and returned to normal level in 10 d after injury.@*CONCLUSION@#The regular changes of BAEP could be an objective tool for evaluating hearing dysfunction after closed mild diffuse traumatic brain injury.

Expressions of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the internal organs of rats when tetramine was administered / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To find whether Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 take part in the pathophysiological mechanism of tetramine toxification.@*METHODS@#Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal control group, the sham poisoned group, high dose poisoned group, low dose poisoned group. High dose poisoned group were administered 1.0 mg/kg weight body tetramine by mouth, however low dose poisoned group was administered tetramine 0.1 mg/kg weight body by mouth. The rats of the sham poisoned group were administered water, and rats of normal control group were given nothing. Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 were detected by immunohistochemistry staining and the results were assessed by image analysis system.@*RESULTS@#The expressions of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in all organs were similar, ie, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 expressed obviously in all organs of high dose poisoned group; in all organs of low dose poisoned group, they were hardly detected at 30 min after administration, however, at 3 h after administration, they could be detected obviously; Bcl-2 got to peak at 6 h-3 d after administration and Caspase-3 got to peak at 24 h-3 d after administration.@*CONCLUSION@#Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 take part in the pathophysiological procedure of tetramine poisoned rats.

The advances in the neuropathology of sudden infant death syndrome / 法医学杂志

Sudden infant death syndrome is known as sudden death in 12 months postnatal without obvious cause, the cause of death and differential diagnosis of still couldn't be indefinite so far. In this paper, the recent studies on the SIDS neuropathology using immunohisto-chemical technology were reviewed in order to suggest the lethal patho-physiologic derangement or mechanism in SIDS involves dysfunction of sleep-related cardio-respiratory homeostatic controls or failure to arouse. Thus the main cause of SIDS lies in central nerve system, but not unique cause.

Observation the electroporation of blood cells in vitro by scanning electron microscope / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe changes on cell membrane in blood cells after they were been electrified.@*METHODS@#Blood were electrified for 5, 10, 20, 30 s, 1 min respectively, and Scanning electron microscope was used to detect the changes on their cell membranes.@*RESULTS@#Pores were detected both on electrified erythrocytes and leukocytes with round or ellipse shapes. The erythrocytes often have one or more pores while the leukocytes often have more pores looked like cribble. The rates of perforated cells were increased with the prolonging time of electrification, 5 s with 6% and 1 min increased to 40%.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Alternating current can cause the cell perforating, and the rates of perforated cell were increased with the prolonging time of electrification.

Relationship between the injury time and DNA fragmentation and its quantity in rat brain / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of DNA fragmentation and its quantity along with the time of injury in nerve cells after brain contusion.@*METHODS@#The model of brain contusion caused by free drop hammer was established. TUNEL and Feulgen's DNA staining conjoined with image analysis technique were used for exploration.@*RESULTS@#With the gradually rising of DNA fragmentation, DNA quantity was declining in the brain tissue after contusion.@*CONCLUSION@#TUNEL and Feulgen's DNA staining conjoined with image analysis technique could be utilized in the timing of brain injury and provide a new approach for this issue.

To estimate early postmortem interval by investigating changes of rats' gastrocnemius excitability / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the changes of excitability of rats' gastrocnemius after rats were died from mechanic asphyxia, so as to make an objective evidence for estimating of the early postmortem interval.@*METHODS@#After rats were sacrificed by mechanic asphyxia, the reaction of rats' gastrocnemius to variable electric stimulation at different period after death were recorded by electricphysiological method.@*RESULTS@#Changes in the properties of excitable tissue to electric stimulate in rats' gastrocnemius after mechanic asphyxia seems to be well correlated with the early postmortem interval and appeared a linear relation in certain period.@*CONCLUSION@#The regular changes of excitability in muscle might be a useful means for estimating of early postmortem interval.

Expression of c-fos protein after muscle contusion in experimental rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the relationship between the expression of c-Fos protooncogene and skeleton muscle contusion of rats, and to search for a sensitive marker of timing for skeleton muscle contusion.@*METHODS@#Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed into control group and experimental groups. The expression of c-fos was microscopically observed by immunohistochemical method.@*RESULTS@#With the time prolonged the c-fos positive intensity and area were increased. Positive expression of c-fos protein appeared at 15 min after skeleton muscle contusion, and reached to the peak at 1h after skeleton muscle contusion, then decreased gradually and returned to the normal level on 1d after skeleton muscle contusion.@*CONCLUSION@#The detection of the expression of c-fos protein could be a sensitive marker for timing skeleton muscle contusion.