Effect of high-fat diet on the fatty acid profiles of brain in offspring mice exposed to maternal gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Fatty acids play a critical role in the proper functioning of the brain. This study investigated the effects of a high-fat (HF) diet on brain fatty acid profiles of offspring exposed to maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: Insulin receptor antagonist (S961) and HF diet were used to establish the GDM animal model. Brain fatty acid profiles of the offspring mice were measured by gas chromatography at weaning and adulthood. Protein expressions of the fatty acid transport pathway Wnt3/ß-catenin and the target protein major facilitator superfamily domain-containing 2a (MFSD2a) were measured in the offspring brain by Western blot. RESULTS: Maternal GDM increased the body weight of male offspring (P < 0.05). In weaning offspring, factorial analysis showed that maternal GDM increased the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) percentage of the weaning offspring's brain (P < 0.05). Maternal GDM decreased offspring brain arachidonic acid (AA), but HF diet increased brain linoleic acid (LA) (P < 0.05). Maternal GDM and HF diet reduced offspring brain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the male offspring had higher DHA than the female offspring (P < 0.05). In adult offspring, factorial analysis showed that HF diet increased brain MUFA in offspring, and male offspring had higher brain MUFA than female offspring (P < 0.05). The HF diet increased brain LA in the offspring. Male offspring had higher level of AA than female offspring (P < 0.05). HF diet reduced DHA in the brains of female offspring. The brain protein expression of ß-catenin and MFSD2a in both weaning and adult female offspring was lower in the HF + GDM group than in the CON group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal GDM increased the susceptibility of male offspring to HF diet-induced obesity. HF diet-induced adverse brain fatty acid profiles in both male and female offspring exposed to GDM.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Remodels the Fetal Brain Fatty Acid Profile Through Placenta-Brain Lipid Axis in C57BL/6J Mice.

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are critical for proper fetal brain growth and development. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) could affect maternal-fetal fatty acid metabolism. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the effect of GDM and high-fat (HF) diet on the DHA transport signaling pathway in the placenta-brain axis and fatty acid concentrations in the fetal brain. METHODS: Insulin receptor antagonist (S961) and HF diet were used to establish an animal model of GDM. Eighty female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control (CON), GDM, HF, and HF+GDM groups. The fatty acid profiles of the maternal liver and fetal brain were analyzed by gas chromatography. In addition, we analyzed the protein amounts of maternal liver fatty acid desaturase (FADS1/3), elongase (ELOVL2/5) and the regulatory factor sterol-regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c, and the DHA transport signaling pathway (Wnt3/ß-catenin/MFSD2a) of the placenta and fetal brain using western blotting. RESULTS: GDM promoted the decrease of maternal liver ELOVL2, ELOVL5, and SREBP-1c. Accordingly, we observed a significant decrease in the amount of maternal liver arachidonic acid (AA), DHA, and total n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA induced by GDM. GDM also significantly decreased the amount of DHA and n-3 PUFA in the fetal brain. GDM downregulated the Wnt3/ß-catenin/MFSD2a signaling pathway, which transfers n-3 PUFA in the placenta and fetal brain. The HF diet increased n-6 PUFA amounts in the maternal liver, correspondingly increasing linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, AA, and total n-6 PUFA in the fetal brain, but decreased DHA amount in the fetal brain. However, HF diet only tended to decrease placental ß-catenin and MFSD2a amounts (P = 0.074 and P = 0.098, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal GDM could affect the fatty acid profile of the fetal brain both by downregulating the Wnt3/ß-catenin/MFSD2a pathway of the placental-fetal barrier and by affecting maternal fatty acid metabolism.

Association analysis of polymorphisms of G protein-coupled receptor 54 gene exons with reproductive traits in Jiaxing Black sows.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of G protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54) gene and explore association of this candidate gene with reproductive traits in Jiaxing Black sows. METHODS: Six pairs of primers of the gene were designed to amplify all exons thus sequences of which were detected by means of direct sequencing and then SNP loci were scanned. The effects of SNPs on total number of piglets born (TNB), number of piglets born alive (NBA), number of still born piglets (NSB), and litter weight at birth (LWB) of Jiaxing Black sows were analyzed. RESULTS: Three SNP loci, including T3739C, C3878T and T6789C, were identified via comparison of sequencing and two genotypes (AB, BB) at each SNP site were observed. T3739C resulted in the change of amino acid (Leu→Pro) in corresponding protein, and C3878T resulted in synonymous mutation (Ile→Ile). Statistical results demonstrated that allele B was the preponderant allele at the three SNP loci and Genotype BB was the preponderant genotype. Meanwhile, Chi-Square test of these three SNPs indicated that all mutation sites fitted in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p>0.05). For GPR54-T3739C locus, Jiaxing Black sows with genotype BB had 1.23 TNB and 1.28 NBA (p<0.01) that were more than those with genotype AB, respectively. Jiaxing Black sows that had the first two parities with genotype BB had additional 2.23 TNB, 2.27 NBA (p<0.01), and 1.94 LWB (p<0.05) compared to those with genotype AB, respectively. However, for other two loci, no significant difference was found between TNB, NBA, NSB, and LWB, and different genotypes of Jiaxing Black sows. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the polymorphisms of GPR54-T3739C locus were significantly associated to TNB, NBA, and LWB and could be used as a potential genetic marker to improve reproductive function of Jiaxing black sows.

Genetic Variants in the ELOVL5 but not ELOVL2 Gene Associated with Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Han Chinese Breast Milk.

The present study was designed to examine the contributions of the fatty acid elongase (ELOVL) gene polymorphisms to the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in breast milk. Two hundred and nine healthy Han Chinese mothers were included in the study. Carriers of minor alleles of SNPs (rs2397142 and rs9357760) in ELOVL5 were associated with higher levels of linoleic acid (LA), dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA), arachidonic acid (AA), docosatetraenoic acid (DTA), docosahexenoic acid (DHA), while in rs209512 of ELOVL5 the carriers of minor alleles had lower levels of DTA compared to major homozygote alleles (P ranged from 0.004-0.046), and genetically explained variability ranged from 3.2% for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to 6.0% for LA. Our findings demonstrated that common variation in ELOVL5 gene encoding rate-limiting enzymes in the metabolism of PUFAs contribute to the PUFAs in breast milk.

[Survey on the prevalence rate of bronchial asthma in Beijing area among the residents aged over 14 years from 2010 to 2011].

OBJECTIVE: To survey the prevalence rate of bronchial asthma in Beijing area among residents aged over 14 years. METHODS: In accordance with stratified cluster random sampling, epidemiological questionnaires were performed in Beijing residents aged over 14 years during household visits from February 2010 to August 2011. Asthma was diagnosed on the basis of case history, clinical signs and lung function test. The statistical software SAS 9.2 was employed to analyze the epidemiological status of asthma. RESULTS: In a sampling population of 61 107, 57 647 questionnaires were effective. Among 687 asthmatics, there were 296 males and 391 females. The overall prevalence rate of asthma was 1.19% (687/57 647). The asthma prevalence rates were 1.09% (418/38 468) and 1.40% (269/19 179) in urban and suburb Beijing respectively and the prevalence rate of asthma in suburb area was significantly higher than that of urban area (χ(2) = 10.850, P = 0.001). The prevalence rates of males and females were 1.06% (296/27 947) and 1.32% (391/29 700) respectively and the prevalence rate of asthma in females was much higher than that of males (χ(2) = 8.098,P = 0.004). Significant differences existed among different age groups (χ(2) = 404.874, P = 0.000) and residents aged at or over 71 years had the highest prevalence rate. The prevalence rates in urban and suburb Beijing area increased by 1.12 and 2.26 folds respectively than that of 2002. And 198 asthmatics were first diagnosed in this survey and accounted for 28.8% (198/687) in all asthma diagnosed asthmatics. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of asthma in Beijing area among residents aged over 14 years increased greatly from 2010 to 2011. And the epidemiological data may reflect the current distribution status of asthma in Beijing area.

Effects of dietary PUFA patterns and FADS genotype on breast milk PUFAs in Chinese lactating mothers.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding affects the growth and development of infants, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play a crucial role in this process. To explore the factors influencing the PUFA concentration in breast milk, we conducted research on two aspects: dietary fatty acid patterns and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in maternal fatty acid desaturase genes. METHODS: Three hundred seventy Chinese Han lactating mothers were recruited. A dietary semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to investigate the dietary intake of lactating mothers from 22 to 25 days postpartum for 1 year. Meanwhile, breast milk samples were collected from the participants and tested for the concentrations of 8 PUFAs and 10 SNP genotypes. We sought to determine the effect of dietary PUFA patterns and SNPs on breast milk PUFAs. We used SPSS 24.0 statistical software for data analysis. Statistical tests were all bilateral tests, with P < 0.05 as statistically significant. RESULTS: Under the same dietary background, PUFA contents in breast milk expressed by most major allele homozygote mothers tended to be higher than that expressed by their counterparts who carried minor allele genes. Moreover, under the same gene background, PUFA contents in breast milk expressed by the mother's intake of essential PUFA pattern tended to be higher than that expressed by their counterparts who took the other two kinds of dietary. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that different genotypes and dietary PUFA patterns affect PUFA levels in breast milk. We recommend that lactating mothers consume enough essential fatty acids to ensure that their infants ingest sufficient PUFAs.

[A survey of knowledge on common cold in outpatient clinics].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate outpatients' cognition towards common cold and their habituated medication so as to provide evidence for future public healthcare education. METHODS: Patients who attended hospital for diagnosis and treatment of common cold at least within past three months were asked to fill a questionnaire independently so as to learn their cognition towards common cold and medication habit. RESULTS: Among the patients underwent survey, 52.21% had incorrect knowledge about common cold; 12.99% didn't know about the hazards of common cold; 34.80% couldn't distinguish common cold from influenza; 30.07% considered common cold couldn't get relief without treatment; 68.24% didn't know about the proper effects of influenza vaccination; 61.14% often took oral medicine even intravenous injection when they caught a common cold; 59.77% often took medication from drugstore without prescription by doctor, and a few asked doctors to prescribe medicine on their request; 19.42% didn't know about the side effects of drug for cold treatment; and 19.72% didn't know about the active ingredients of drug for cold treatment. There were significant differences in the common cold cognition among population of different ages and education background. The older or the higher education status patients had a better cognition (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: There exist a certain degree of wrong cognition towards common cold among patients of different literacy degree and different age. Public health education on common cold need to be further strengthened.

[Meta-analysis of effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation of pregnant women on head circumference of newborn infants].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate systematically the effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) supplementation of pregnant women on head circumference of newborn infants. METHODS: A thorough literature search was done for full texts which studied the effect of n-3 LC-PUFA supplementation of pregnant women on head circumference of newborn infants among PubMed, Cochrane Library, Chinese periodical full text database and Wanfang database using the mesh terms as n-3, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, DHA, EPA, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, fish oil, pregnancy, infant. Only randomized controlled trials were chosen for analysis. A total of 74 relevant articles were selected. RevMan 5.0 software was used to perform the Meta analysis on those valid studies. Weighted mean difference was calculated with inverse variance method. The sensitivity analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Eight articles met the inclusion criteria, among which 6 literatures were from developing countries and the other 2 from developed countries. All of them were written in English. These studies were reported from 2001 to 2011. Intervention group included 871 objects with n-3 LC-PUFA supplementation, whereas control group included 894 objects with placebo or no supplementation. Supplementation was associated with significantly greater head circumference of the infants in the intervention group than that of the control group (weighted mean difference was 0.17 cm, 95%confidence interval (CI) was 0.01 - 0.32 cm, P < 0.05). But the difference was no long significant according to the sensitivity analysis (weighted mean difference was 0.16 cm, 95%CI was -0.01 - 0.34 cm, P = 0.07). The funnel plot was symmetrical, indicating there was no publication bias between the eight studies. CONCLUSION: It can't be confirmed whether supplementation with n-3 LC-PUFA of pregnant women can increase the infants' head circumference at birth from present data acquired.

Association of Prepregnancy Obesity and Remodeled Maternal-Fetal Plasma Fatty Acid Profiles.

Background: Fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), are found abundantly in the brain and are fundamental for a fetus's growth. The fatty acid profiles of mothers and fetuses may be affected by maternal prepregnancy body mass index (pre-BMI), thus affecting fetal growth and development. Methods: A total of 103 mother-fetus pairs were divided into overweight/obese (OW, n = 26), normal weight (NW, n = 60), and underweight (UW, n = 17) groups according to pre-BMI. Fatty acid profiles in maternal and umbilical cord plasma were analyzed by gas chromatography. Results: The infant birth BMI z-score of the OW group was higher than that of the NW and UW groups (p < 0.05). The OW mothers had significantly higher plasma n-6 PUFA and n-6/n-3, but lower docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and n-3 PUFA (p < 0.05). In cord plasma, the proportions of DHA and n-3 PUFA were lower in the OW group (p < 0.05), whereas the n-6/n-3 ratio was higher in the OW group (p < 0.05). The pre-BMI was negatively correlated with cord plasma DHA in all subjects (r = -0.303, p = 0.002), and the same negative correlation can be observed in the OW group (r = -0.561, p = 0.004), but not in the NW and UW groups (p > 0.05). The pre-BMI was positively correlated with cord plasma n-6/n-3 in all subjects (r = 0.325, p = 0.001), and the same positive correlation can be found in the OW group (r = 0.558, p = 0.004), but not in NW and UW groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Maternal pre-BMI was associated with the maternal-fetal plasma fatty acid profiles, whereas the adverse fatty acid profiles are more noticeable in the prepregnancy OW mothers.

Sagacious confucius' pillow elixir ameliorates Dgalactose induced cognitive injury in mice via estrogenic effects and synaptic plasticity.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a growing concern in modern society, and there is currently a lack of effective therapeutic drugs. Sagacious Confucius' Pillow Elixir (SCPE) has been studied for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. This study aimed to reveal the key components and mechanisms of SCPE's anti-AD effect by combining Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography-electrostatic field Orbitrap combined high-resolution Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-LTQ/Orbitrap-MS) with a network pharmacology approach. And the mechanism was verified by in vivo experiments. Based on UPLC-LTQ/Orbitrap-MS technique identified 9 blood components from rat serum containing SCPE, corresponding to 113 anti-AD targets, and 15 of the 113 targets had high connectivity. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that estrogen signaling pathway and synaptic signaling pathway were the most significantly enriched pathways in SCPE anti-AD, which has been proved by in vivo experiments. SCPE can exert estrogenic effects in the brain by increasing the amount of estrogen in the brain and the expression of ERα receptors. SCPE can enhance the synaptic structure plasticity by promoting the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion and improving actin polymerization and coordinates cofilin activity. In addition, SCPE also enhances synaptic functional plasticity by increasing the density of postsynaptic densified 95 (PSD95) proteins and the expression of functional receptor AMPA. SCPE is effective for treatment of AD and the mechanism is related to increasing estrogenic effects and improving synaptic plasticity. Our study revealed the synergistic effect of SCPE at the system level and showed that SCPE exhibits anti-AD effects in a multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway manner. All these provide experimental support for the clinical application and drug development of SCPE in the prevention and treatment of AD.

Efficacy and safety of ciprofol for agitation and delirium in the ICU: A multicenter, single-blind, 3-arm parallel randomized controlled trial study protocol.

Background: Agitation is very common in the intensive care unit (ICU). The causes include pain, delirium, underlying disease, withdrawal syndrome, and some drug treatments. The practical goal of ICU treatment is to find an appropriate sedation regimen to reduce pain, restlessness, and delirium. Previous trials have examined the use of dexmedetomidine, but no trials have evaluated the efficacy and safety of ciprofol, a new sedative drug. Methods: This study was a multicenter, single-blind, 3-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. ICU patients aged ≥ 18 years with agitation and delirium who met the eligibility criteria were included. The main outcome was the proportion of patients who needed additional study medication or midazolam due to agitation within 4 h after the first intravenous injection of the study medication. The secondary outcomes included the pass rate as indicated by a Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) score < +1, the effectiveness rate of improving delirium symptoms, the number of recurrences of agitation within 24 h, the incidence of rescue treatment, the dose and cost of analgesic and sedative drugs, the length and cost of ICU stay, and the 30-day survival period. The safety evaluation included the incidence of adverse events (hypotension, bradycardia, hypoxia, etc.) and the rate of endotracheal intubation. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive ciprofol, dexmedetomidine, or normal saline at a ratio of 1:1:1. The rates of additional drug administration within 4 h after the first injection of the study drug in the three groups were 40, 50, and 90%, respectively. A total sample size of 81 subjects was required to reach 90% power and an α of 0.05. Considering a 20% loss rate, 102 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the three groups in equal proportions. Ethics and communication: This trial was approved by the Ethics Committee of Dalian Municipal Central Hospital. The communication plan includes presentations at scientific conferences, scientific publications, and presentations to the public through non-professional media. Clinical trial registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier ChiCTR220006 2799.

[Values of fractional exhaled nitric oxide in the diagnosis of chronic cough].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in the diagnosis of chronic cough. METHODS: A total of 106 subjects with chronic cough and normal chest radiographs were recruited from October 2009 to September 2010. Based on the management guidelines of the Chinese Respiratory Society for cough, the golden standard methods were used to make the definite diagnosis of chronic cough, including sputum cell counts, pulmonary function tests, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, 24-h esophageal pH monitoring, skin pricking test and serum immunoglobulin E. All subjects received a FeNO test by a NIOXMINO analyzer. The values of FeNO to diagnose cough variant asthma (CVA) from chronic cough and EB from non-asthma cough were respectively assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Among them, the definite diagnoses were cough variant asthma (CVA, n = 39), eosinophilic bronchitis (EB, n = 30) and other causes (n = 37). The FeNO levels in CVA [(54 ± 21) ppb)] (1 ppb = 1 × 10(9) mol/L) were significantly higher than those in EB [(34 ± 17) ppb, P < 0.01] and other causes [(21 ± 10) ppb, P < 0.01]. And the FeNO levels in EB were higher than those in other causes (P < 0.01). To diagnose CVA from chronic cough, the optimal FeNO cutoff value was 40 ppb with a sensitivity of 75%, a specificity of 86%, a positive predictive value of 77%, a negative predictive value of 86% and an accuracy of 81%. To diagnose EB from non-asthma chronic cough, the optimal FeNO cutoff value was 31 ppb with a sensitivity of 63%, a specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value of 88%, a negative predictive value of 92% and an accuracy of 72% respectively. CONCLUSION: There are significant differences between the FeNO levels of different causes of chronic cough. A marked elevation of FeNO level helps to make a final diagnosis of CVA or EB. FeNO test is useful for making the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of chronic cough in clinic practices.

Ghrelin modulates insulin sensitivity and tau phosphorylation in high glucose-induced hippocampal neurons.

Ghrelin, a 28-amino acid brain-gut peptide expressed in periphery tissues and the central nervous system, has been demonstrated to increase insulin sensitivity in adipocytes. Recent data have indicated that insulin resistance exists in the brain and is related to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The aim of this study was to investigate whether ghrelin increased high glucose-induced hippocampal neuron insulin sensitivity, and further modulated tau phosphorylation. Hippocampal neurons were cultured in concentrations of 25 mM and 75 mM glucose. The effect of ghrelin on hippocampal neuronal insulin sensitivity was detected by [(3)H]-2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake. The expression of Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) and tau phosphorylation was determined via Western blotting. Culturation in 75 mM glucose resulted in decreased neuronal glucose uptake and an increase in the level of tau phosphorylation at Ser 199. In neurons treated with ghrelin for 1 h, neuronal glucose uptake was increased and tau hyperphosphorylation was improved. Ghrelin activated Akt and GSK-3beta phosphorylation, whereas phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor wortmannin eliminated ghrelin's effect on neuronal glucose uptake and tau phosphorylation. This study demonstrated that ghrelin increased insulin-stimulated neuronal glucose uptake in 25 mM or 75 mM glucose, raised insulin sensitivity, improved insulin resistance and decreased tau abnormal phosphorylation via the PI3-K/Akt-GSK pathway. Ghrelin is a potential new medicine in the treatment of AD.

Ketamine a dissociative anesthetic: Neurobiology and biomolecular exploration in depression.

Ketamine is gaining ground as a potential treating depression because it has a distinct mode of action than typical drugs that influence monoamine neurotransmitters including noradrenaline, dopamine, or serotonin. Ketamine is thought to act by blocking N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain, which interact with the amino acid neurotransmitter glutamate. The resultant chemical changes in the brain caused by ketamine are not yet fully understood but could involve ketamine-induced gene expression and signaling cascades that act long after the drug has been eliminated from the body. Despite these remarkable effects, the widespread use of ketamine is limited by potential side effects including the emergence reactions (hallucinations, dreams, and out-of-body experiences) by recreational users, who need further study before long-term use of ketamine can be approved for depression. Thus, studies are necessary to further elucidate mechanistic actions of ketamine at cellular and network levels. Thus, we are exploring the involvement of molecular targets for the treatment and psychomimetic phenomena of the ketamine.

Last Patents on Bubble Electrospinning.

Due to their unique properties, nanofibers have been widely used in various areas, for example, information industry, pharmaceutical application, environmental industry, textile and clothing, etc. Bubble electrospinning is one of the most important non-needle electrospinning methods for nanofiber fabrication. It usually uses polymer bubbles for the production of nanomaterials by using electrostatic force, flowing air or mechanical force to overcome the surface tension of bubbles. Bubble electrospinning mainly includes bubble electrospinning and blown bubble electrospinning. History of the development of bubble electrospinning is briefly introduced in this article, and the most promising patents on the technology are elucidated. The methods of bubble electrospinning are single bubble electrospinning, porous bubble electrospinning, blown bubble electrospinning, electrostatic-fieldassisted blown bubble spinning and others. These different bubble electrospinning methods are also discussed in this paper.

[T-bet gene modified dendritic cells abrogate and reverse the airway inflammation in allergic asthma: experiment with mice].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of the therapeutic strategy to use T-bet gene modified dendritic cells (DCs) to reverse the course of asthma. METHODS: (1) Mature DCs were derived from mononuclear cells obtained from femur of BALB/c mouse and divided into 3 groups, T-bet group transfected with recombinant adenovirus Ad-T-bet containing T-bet gene, LacZ group transfected with recombinant adenovirus Ad-LacZ containing LacZ gene, and control group. Seven days later ELISA was used to detect the interferon (IFN)-gamma level in the culture fluid. (2) Airway inflammation abrogating trial. Twenty-four BALB/c mice were sensitized with intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) (on day 1 and 15) to establish asthma models, and then randomly divided into 3 equal groups: T-bet group injected intravenously with T-bet-modified DCs on day 27, LacZ group injected with LacZ-modified DCs, and model control group without intravenous injection. Two days later the model mice began to undergo challenge by inhalation of OVA twice (on day 29 - 31). Eight mice were used as control group treated with PBS. On day 37 all mice were killed, ELISA was used to detect the blood interleukin (IL)-4 and IFN-gamma levels, and microscopy was conducted to observe the airway inflammation. (3) Airway inflammation reversing trial. Another 24 model mice were divided into 3 equal groups as well: re-challenged T-bet group injected intravenously with T-bet-modified DCs on day 27 and 42, re-challenged LacZ group injected intravenously with LacZ-modified DCs on day 27 and 42, and model control group. Since the day 45 OVA inhalation was given once a day for successive 3 days. On day 49 these mice were all killed to undergo the tests as mentioned above. RESULTS: The IFN-gamma level in the culture fluid of the T-bet gene modified DCs was (15.24 +/- 4.75) ng/ml, significantly higher than that of the LacZ gene modified DCs and control DCs [(3.08 +/- 0.61) and (2.35 +/- 0.41) ng/ml respectively, both P < 0.01]. The IFN-gamma in mice blood plasma of T-bet groups in abrogating and reversing trial were (130.2 +/- 10.5) and (145.7 +/- 16.7) pg/ml respectively, both significantly higher than those of the abrogating and reversing trial normal control groups [(25.0 +/- 6.5) and (24.6 +/- 5.9) pg/ml respectively], asthmatic model control groups [(20.7 +/- 4.5) and (16.5 +/- 7.0) pg/ml respectively] and LacZ groups [(17.6 +/- 7.0) and (24.2 +/- 9.0) pg/ml respectively] (all P < 0.01). However, the IL-4 levels in mice blood plasma of T-bet groups were both significantly lower than those of asthmatic model control groups and LacZ groups (all P < 0.01). The airway inflammation of T-bet groups were remarkable milder than those of the model control groups and LacZ groups. CONCLUSION: The asthma management strategy based on T-bet gene modified DCs is feasible with the plausible mechanism that the T-bet gene modified DCs regulate the T cells differentiation and polarization on the antigen presenting level.

[Survey of asthma control and perception in asthmatic outpatients of Beijing urban district].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the status of asthma control and asthma perception in asthmatic outpatients of Beijing urban district. METHODS: A questionnaire survey in a face-to-face setting was conducted among 360 asthmatic out-patients, 144 males and 316 females, aged (48 +/- 15), from June 2007 to December 2007 in 3 class 3 first level general hospitals in 3 Beijing urban districts. RESULTS: Among 360 asthmatic patients, 325 (90.3%) enjoyed various kinds of social insurance. During the past year, 12.2% (44/360) of them were in hospital because of asthma exacerbation, 25.6% (92/360) of them had visited emergency department because of asthma exacerbation; the percentage of adults with lost workdays caused by asthma was 29.6% (65/220), and the percentage of children with lost school days was 26.9% (7/26); 87.8% (316/360) of the respondents had undergone a lung-function test, 29.2% (105/360) had ever used peak flow meter; 68.6% (247/360) of these patients had been used inhaled corticosteroids regularly for a long time, and 30.6% (110/360) of them achieved asthma control. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of asthma control and asthma perception among the asthma patients in Beijing have been improved a lot. The asthma perception of the patients influences the control level greatly.

[Diagnosis and treatment of Charcot's osteoarthropathy].

Charcot foot is a rare disease in clinic, its pathogenesis includes neurotrauma theory, neurovascular theory, comprehensive theory, and inflammatory factor theory. The disease is characterized by progressive joint and bone destruction of foot and ankle joint. Conventional X-ray examination is not sensitive to the early diagnosis of disease, the manifestation of CT and MRI of disease is characteristic and could be used to make a comprehensive evaluation of bone and soft tissue lesions of disease. It is not difficult to make a diagnosis based on characteristic findings of CT and MRI and clinical manifestations such as swelling, pain and skin temperature rising of foot and ankle. Charcot foot has multiple classification methods including anatomy, imaging and clinical classification. Improved Eichenholtz staging classification is most commonly used currently which could make a more comprehensive assessment of disease and guide treatment better. According to the stage of disease, treatment could be carried out including non-weight bearing and brace protection, drugs therapy and surgical treatment, etc. Early diagnosis, brace protection, could protect joint and delaying progression of deformity. There is no clear long-term and generally accepted conclusion about the efficacy of drug therapy. For advanced patients, surgical treatment must be actively performed to preserve a stable and functional ankle joint and reduce amputation rate.

Delivery of Local Anesthesia: Current Strategies, Safety, and Future Prospects.

BACKGROUND: The systemic administration of anesthesia is associated with severe and undesirable side effects such as sedation, vomiting, nausea, allergies, respiratory problems, and neutrophil dysfunction. With the increase in the procedures of limb surgery, cosmetics, facial, skin, and cancer reconstruction, the demand for local anesthesia has increased multifold during the last one decade. Therefore, novel, safe, and cost-effective methods are being developed to deliver local anesthetics by the surgeons. METHOD: To prepare a comprehensive research report on anesthesia, we performed a structured literature search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed articles published recently. The studies of different articles were summarized and a deductive qualitative and quantitative data analysis was applied. Subsequently, a comprehensive summary of the analysis was used to frame this review article with ample examples. RESULTS: A thorough analysis of the reports suggested that there have been tremendous developments of synthesizing nanoparticle-based local anesthesia drugs. The active targeting ability of nanoparticle-based drug delivery strategy can further help to deliver the desired anesthetic drug locally. It was also found that different local anesthetic drugs are developed into liposome form and show better efficacy in patients receiving anesthesia. CONCLUSION: The findings of this review article endorse that safe delivery of anesthesia drugs are essential for the safety of patients. Further, nanotechnology-based strategies are extremely useful for targeted delivery of anesthetic drugs at the required dose without affecting the neighboring tissues.

[Expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 in the liver of diabetic animals: experiment with rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-coactivator-1 (PGC-1) in the diabetic liver and the role thereof in the development of hyperglycemia and diabetes. METHODS: Sixteen Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: Group A (n=11), undergoing intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (STZ) to establish diabetic rat models, and Group B (n=6) undergoing injection of STZ and subcutaneous injection of insulin. Another 9 rats were used as normal controls (Group C). Then blood samples were collected from the abdominal aortas to examine the fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Their livers were taken out. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to examine the PGC-1 mRNA and protein expression. RESULTS: The FBS and TC levels of Group A were both significantly higher than those of Group C (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The PGC-1 protein expression level in liver of Group A was 2.47 times that of the Group C (P < 0.01) and 1.57 times that of Group B (P < 0.05). The PGC-1 mRNA expression level in the liver of Group A was (165.6 +/- 41.6), significantly higher than that of Group B [(121.6 +/- 25.4), P < 0.05] and that of Group C [(109.15 +/- 21.8), P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: The PBC-1 protein and mRNA expression levels in the liver of diabetic animals are significantly higher than those of the normal livers, and can be reversed by insulin therapy. High PGC-1 expression in the diabetic liver may be related to the hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes.