[Mechanism of Zhenwu Decoction in improving renal inflammatory injury in mice with DN of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome by regulating ROCK/IKK/NF-κB pathway].

To investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of Zhenwu Decoction on diabetic nephropathy(DN) mice of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome based on the Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase(ROCK)/IκB kinase(IKK)/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) pathway. Ninety-five 7-week-old db/db male mice and 25 7-week-old db/m male mice were fed adaptively for one week. The DN model of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome was induced by Dahuang Decoction combined with hydrocortisone by gavage, and then the model was evaluated. After modeling, they were randomly divided into a model group, high-dose, medium-dose, and low-dose Zhenwu Decoction groups(33.8, 16.9, and 8.45 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and an irbesartan group(25 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with at least 15 animals in each group. The intervention lasted for eight weeks. After the intervention, body weight and food intake were measured. Serum crea-tinine(Scr), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), fasting blood glucose(FBG), urinary albumin(uALb), and urine creatinine(Ucr) were determined. The uALb/Ucr ratio(ACR) and 24 h urinary protein(UTP) were calculated. Renal pathological morphology was evaluated by HE staining and Masson staining. The levels of key molecular proteins in the ROCK/IKK/NF-κB pathway were detected by Western blot. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-8(IL-8), interleukin-10(IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Compared with the blank group, the model group showed increased content of BUN, uALb, and SCr, increased values of 24 h UTP and ACR, decreased content of Ucr(P<0.05), enlarged glomeruli, thickened basement membrane, mesangial matrix proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and collagen fiber deposition. The protein expression of ROCK1, ROCK2, IKK, NF-κB, phosphorylated IKK(p-IKK), phosphorylated NF-κB(p-NF-κB), and phosphorylated inhibitor of NF-κB(p-IκB) increased(P<0.05), while the protein expression of inhibitor of NF-κB(IκB) decreased(P<0.05). The levels of inflammatory factors IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α increased(P<0.05), while the level of IL-10 decreased(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the groups with drug treatment showed decreased levels of BUN, uALb, SCr, 24 h UTP, and ACR, increased level of Ucr(P<0.05), and improved renal pathological status to varying degrees. The high-and medium-dose Zhenwu Decoction groups and the irbesartan group showed reduced protein expression of ROCK1, ROCK2, IKK, NF-κB, p-IKK, p-NF-κB, and p-IκB in the kidneys(P<0.05), increased protein expression of IκB(P<0.05), decreased levels of serum inflammatory factors IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α(P<0.05), and increased level of IL-10(P<0.05). Zhenwu Decoction can significantly improve renal function and renal pathological damage in DN mice of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome, and its specific mechanism may be related to the inhibition of inflammatory response by down-regulating the expression of key molecules in the ROCK/IKK/NF-κB pathway in the kidney.

[Effect of different suspension moxibustion methods on syndrome characteristics of rats with rheumatoid arthritis of heat bi syndrome based on "moxibustion can be used for heat syndrome"].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of different suspension moxibustion methods on the syndrome characteristics and inflammatory factors of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of heat bi syndrome and to prove the concept of "moxibustion can be used for heat syndrome". METHODS: Among seventy Wistar rats, 12 rats were randomly selected as a normal group, and the remaining rats were induced by collagen combined with wind, dampness, and heat environmental stimulation to establish the RA model of heat bi syndrome. Forty-eight rats with successful model establishment were further randomly divided into a model group and three moxibustion groups (mild moxibustion group, rotating moxibustion group and sparrow-pecking moxibustion group), with 12 rats in each group. The acupoints "Quchi" (LI 11), "Dazhui" (GV 14) and ashi point were used in all moxibustion groups, with mild moxibustion, rotating moxibustion, and sparrow-pecking moxibustion intervention given respectively, each acupoint was treated with moxibustion for 10 min a day, and 6 days were considered one course of treatment, with a total of three courses. After the intervention, the arthritis index (AI), the Evans blue (EB) extravasated volume in the soft tissue of the right hind paw, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-10 in the serum were measured by ELISA in each group. The volume of the bilateral hind paw was measured; the infrared thermal imaging was collected to analyze the temperature of the plantar area of the bilateral foot pads, and the reaction time of plantar heat pain was calculated before and after modeling, as well as after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd courses of interrention. The ankle dorsiflexion angle of the right hind foot was also measured before and after modeling, as well as after the intervention. RESULTS: After modeling, compared with the normal group, the rats in the model group had more high-temperature areas in the bilateral hind limbs, abnormal AI score, abnormal bilateral hind paw volume, abnormal temperature of the plantar area of the bilateral foot pads, abnormal foot pain response time, abnormal right hind ankle dorsiflexion angle, abnormal right hind paw soft tissue EB extravasation, and abnormal serum TNF-α and IL-10 levels (P<0.01, P<0.05). After the intervention, compared with the model group, the rats in each moxibustion group had decreased or disappeared high-temperature areas in the bilateral hind limbs, EB extravasated volume in the soft tissue of the right hind paw was reduced (P<0.05), and the right ankle dorsiflexion angle was increased (P<0.05), serum level of TNF-α was reduced, and level of IL-10 increased (P<0.05); the AI scores in the mild moxibustion group and the sparrow-pecking moxibustion group was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05). After the 1st, 2nd and 3rd courses of intervention, compared with the model group, the bilateral hind paw volume of rats in each moxibustion group was decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and plantar heat pain reaction time was increased (P<0.05). After the 2nd course and the 3rd course of intervention, the temperature of the right hind paw pad area was decreased in each moribustion group (P<0.05); after the 3rd courses of intervention, the temperature of the left hind paw pad area was decreased in the mild moxibustion group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Suspension moxibustion could adjust the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-10 to improve the syndrome characteristics of RA rats of heat bi syndrome, such as joint redness, swelling, heat, pain and activity restriction. The effect of mild moxibustion is the most prominent. The findings could provide scientific basis for "moxibustion can be used for heat syndrome".

Chemoradiotherapy in combination with radical surgery is associated with better outcome in cervical cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively assess the influence of radical surgery following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) on outcomes in cervical cancer (CC) patients. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with cervical squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma (FIGO stages IB2 to IIB) at the Yinbin Second People's Hospital between September 2008 and September 2013, were included in this study. Patients were classified into 2 groups based on the treatment received: surgery group (CCRT plus radical surgery) and non-surgery groups (CCRT only). In addition to clinical information, inter-group differences with respect to local control rate (LCR), local recurrence rate (LRR), metastasis rate, overall survival (OS), progress free survival(PFS) and complications were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 314 patients were included in the analysis. Parametrial invasion, pelvic lymph node metastasis, tumor diameter > 4 cm and presence of residual disease were risk factors for recurrence in the non-surgery group. In patients with risk factors, radical surgery significantly improved their clinical outcome. The 3-year/5-year LCR in the surgery and non-surgery groups was 88.3%/87.4% and 82.3%/77.5%, respectively (P = 0.04). The 3-year/5-year OS rate in the two groups was 87.1%/81.7% and 72.8%/67.3%, respectively (P = 0.001). The 3-year/5-year LRR in the two groups were 11.7%/12.6% and 17.7%/22.5%, respectively (P = 0.04). The metastasis rates in the two groups were 19.9% and 24.8%, respectively (P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery following CCRT could improve overall survival and progressfree survival. Radical surgery following CCRT appears to confer significant benefits including an increase in LCRs and decrease in LRR in CC patients with risk factors.

Insights into Bacterial Cellulose Biosynthesis from Different Carbon Sources and the Associated Biochemical Transformation Pathways in Komagataeibacter sp. W1.

Cellulose is the most abundant and widely used biopolymer on earth and can be produced by both plants and micro-organisms. Among bacterial cellulose (BC)-producing bacteria, the strains in genus Komagataeibacter have attracted wide attention due to their particular ability in furthering BC production. Our previous study reported a new strain of genus Komagataeibacter from a vinegar factory. To evaluate its capacity for BC production from different carbon sources, the present study subjected the strain to media spiked with 2% acetate, ethanol, fructose, glucose, lactose, mannitol or sucrose. Then the BC productivity, BC characteristics and biochemical transformation pathways of various carbon sources were fully investigated. After 14 days of incubation, strain W1 produced 0.040⁻1.529 g L-1 BC, the highest yield being observed in fructose. Unlike BC yields, the morphology and microfibrils of BCs from different carbon sources were similar, with an average diameter of 35⁻50 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that all membranes produced from various carbon sources had 1⁻3 typical diffraction peaks, and the highest crystallinity (i.e., 90%) was found for BC produced from mannitol. Similarly, several typical spectra bands obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were similar for the BCs produced from different carbon sources, as was the Iα fraction. The genome annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that the biochemical transformation pathways associated with the utilization of and BC production from fructose, glucose, glycerol, and mannitol were found in strain W1, but this was not the case for other carbon sources. Our data provides suggestions for further investigations of strain W1 to produce BC by using low molecular weight sugars and gives clues to understand how this strain produces BC based on metabolic pathway analysis.