Relationship between sensory characteristics and gray matter volumes in children with autism spectrum disorders / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the potential relationship between sensory characteristics and gray matter volumes in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), to provide a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of children with ASD.@*Methods@#A total of 40 ASD children who were treated or recovered in Xi an medical institutions and 16 typically developing (TD) children who were from several kindergatens in Xi an were invited for participation. Sensory characteristics were evaluated by the sensory processing and self regulation checklist, 3D structural brain images were obtained with TIWI, and gray matter volumes were analyzed by voxel based morphometry. Sensory characteristics and gray matter volumes were compared between groups and the relationship between sensory characteristics and different gray matter volumes were analyzed.@*Results@#The scores of auditory, visual, tactile, sensory processing ability and sensory under responsivity in the ASD group were lower than those in the TD group ( Z/t =-2.63, -2.57 , -3.11, -2.19, -3.83, P <0.05). Gray matter volumes in nine brain regions increased in the ASD group compared to the TD group, including the left and right posterior inferior lobe, right parahippocamal gyrus, left insula, left media frontal gyrus, left superion occipital gyrus, right superion occipital gyrus, right superion parietal lobe, and right posterion central gyrus ( t =3.53, 3.69 , 3.37, 3.86, 3.61, 3.37, 4.04, 3.38, 3.16, P <0.01). In the ASD group, the scores of visual, vestibular, proprioceptive, sensory processing ability, sensory seeking behavior and sensory over responsivity were negatively correlated with gray matter volumes of left superior occipital gyrus ( r =-0.36, -0.40, -0.39, -0.36, -0.40, -0.36), and the scores of visual, vestibular, and sensory over responsivity were negatively correlated with gray matter volumes of the right superior parietal lobule ( r =-0.36, -0.50, -0.42)( P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#The presence of paresthesia in children with ASD is associated with gray matter volumes of the left superior occipital gyrus and right superior parietal lobule.

miR-29c-3p represses the angiogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting SERPINH1 to regulate the Wnt signaling pathway

Purpose: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is characterized by early metastasis and late diagnosis. miR-29c-3p is confirmed to repress angiogenesis in multiple tumor types. Yet, the functions of miR-29c-3p in the mechanism of ESCC angiogenesis, which were not sufficiently explored previously, were exactly what we investigated here at the molecular level. Methods: The mRNA level of miR-29c-3p and Serpin peptidase inhibitor clade H member 1 (SERPINH1) in ESCC tissues were assessed via bioinformatics analysis. Thereafter, miR-29c-3p and SERPINH1 (HSP47) mRNA level in ESCC cell lines was evaluated via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The effects of abnormal miR-29c-3p and SERPINH1 expression on ESCC cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and HUVEC angiogenesis were examined via CCK8, colony formation, transwell, and angiogenesis assays, respectively. The protein levels of SERPINH1, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA), Wnt-1, ?-catenin, and p-?-catenin were evaluated via Western blot. Expression of VEGFA secreted by ESCC cells was measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Treatment with the Wnt activator BML-284 further revealed the way miR-29c-3p mediated the Wnt signaling pathway and its effects on angiogenesis. Results: Herein, we revealed a decrease of miR-29c-3p expression in ESCC tissues and cells, while the overexpressed miR-29c-3p could remarkably suppress ESCC cell progression, as well as HUVEC angiogenesis. Meanwhile, overexpressed miR-29c-3p notably downregulated VEGFA and repressed the Wnt signaling pathway. Treatment with the Wnt activator BML-284 could reverse the inhibition of HUVEC angiogenesis caused by miR-29c-3p. SERPINH1 was a downstream target of miR-29c-3p. SERPINH1 knockdown suppressed the malignant phenotypes of ESCC cells and impeded the Wnt signaling activation, while such suppression was reversed through miR-29c-3p inhibitor. Conclusions: We confirmed the mechanism that miR-29c-3p targeted SERPINH1, thus regulating angiogenesis in ESCC through the Wnt signaling pathway. It improves the understanding of angiogenesis in ESCC and offers new ideas for the research of ESCC treatment strategies in the future.

Environmental and health literacy of medical students in Gansu Province / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To analyze environmental and health literacy and associated factors of medical students in Gansu Province, and to provide reference for targeted environmental and health education.@*Methods@#The questionnaire was designed based on the "core questions of citizen environmental and health literacy assessment" in the technical guide for citizen environmental, and demographic characteristics were added appropriately. The stratified cluster sampling method was used to selecte 6 619 medical students in Gansu Province as respondents.@*Results@#The proportion of medical students in Gansu Province with environmental health literacy was 5.7%. The proportions of basic literacy, basic knowledge, and basic skills were 14.2%, 1.8% and 40.4%,respectively. Medical students of different genders, nationalities, majors and age had different levels of environmental and health literacy and three types of classification literacy, all of which showed that the rate of boys were higher than girls, the rate of han students were higher than minority students, the rate of preventive medicine students were higher than that of other majors, and an increasing trend was found with the increase of age(P<0.05).The environmental and health literacy level and basic concept literacy level of medical students at different professional levels also showed an increasing trend(P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the factors affecting medical students’ environment and health literacy included gender, nationalities, majors and professional levels(OR=0.68, 0.66, 0.30-2.83, 0.18, P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The environmental and health literacy of medical students are generally low, especially in terms of basic knowledge of environment and health. Comprehensive health education regrading environment and health literacy should be carried out in colleges to increase awareness and knowledge among future education leaders.

Protective effects of naringenin against hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats through suppression of NOD2/RIP2/NF-κB pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the protective effects of naringin on hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats and its mechanism. Methods Ninety-six healthy 7-day neonatal SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, hypoxic-ischemic brain damage group (HIBD group),HIBD with low-dose naringenin group(50 mg·kg-1, NG-L) and HIBD with high-dose naringenin group(100 mg·kg-1,NG-H). Neu-rological deficit, HE staining and brain water content were measured 48h after operation. Immunoblotting was used to detect the expressions of NOD2,RIP2 and NF-κB. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method was adopted to detect TNF-α and IL-1β ex-pression. Results Compared with HIBD group, the neurological deficit score decreased, the pathological damage was reduced, and the water content of brain tissues markedly decreased by naringenin(50,100 mg ·kg-1) treatment(P<0.05). Western blot revealed the down-regulation of NOD2,RIP2 and NF-κB by na-ringenin (50,100mg·kg-1) treatment (P<0.05). The content of TNF-α and IL-1β in brain tissues was lower than that of HIBD group (P <0.05). Conclu-sion Naringenin is likely to exert a protective role in neonatal rats of hypoxic ischemic brain injury perhaps through decreasing the expression of NOD2, RIP2 and NF-κB,and reducing the secretion of TNF-α and IL-1β.

Intrahepatic portosystemic shunt assisted by percutaneous transhepatic approach for treatment of portal vein thrombosis / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To retrospectively analyze the safety and efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy combined with pharmacologic thrombolysis to treat non-acute and symptomatic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) using an intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (IPS) assisted by percutaneous transhepatic approach.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From April 2006 to May 2012, 18 patients with non-acute and symptomatic PVT were treated with balloon dilation, sheath-directed thrombus aspiration and continuous infusion of urokinase using the IPS assisted by percutaneous transhepatic approach. The significance of differences in the portosystemic gradient measured before and after therapy was assessed by paired samples t-test, and survival analysis was made by the Kaplan-Meier method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>IPS was successfully created in all patients. The mean duration of the thrombolytic therapy was 65.3 +/- 29.5 h, and the mean concentration of urokinase used for the thrombolysis was 2324000 +/- 945000 U. Comparison of the mean portosystemic gradients showed a significant improvement in response to the therapy (before: 33.8 +/- 4.9 mm Hg vs. after: 15.4 +/- 2.1 mm Hg; P less than 0.001). The overall rate of clinical improvement was 94.4%. One patient died on day 2 post-therapy and another two patients experienced mild hepatic encephalopathy or right hemothorax, respectively, on day 5 post-therapy, with conservative medical management achieving complete recovery for both. The mean follow-up time was 18.6 +/- 17.5 months, during which only one patient died and five others experienced shunt dysfunction; all remaining patients showed maintenance of shunt patency without symptoms of recurrence.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Mechanical thrombectomy combined with pharmacologic thrombolysis via the IPS assisted by percutaneous transhepatic approach is a safe and effective therapeutic option for patients with non-acute and symptomatic PVT.</p>

Comparative study of portal vein stent and TACE combined therapy with or without endovascular implantation of iodine-125 seeds strand for treating patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and main portal vein tumor thrombus / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the efficacies of portal vein stenting and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined therapy performed with or without endovascular implantation of iodine-125 (125I) seeds strand in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and main portal vein tumor thrombus (MPVTT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One-hundred-and-six patients with HCC complicated by MPVTT who were treated with portal vein stents and TACE, either with (Group A, n=56) or without (Group B, n=50) endovascular implantation of 125I seeds strand, between July 2005 and April 2011, were retrospectively analyzed. Overall survival, stent patency, and procedure-related adverse events were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The technical success rate was 100% for placement of 125I seeds strands and stents in the obstructed main portal vein. No serious procedure-related adverse events were recorded. Group A had significantly higher median survival (335 days vs. group B: 146 days; P=0.001, hazard ratio (HR)=2.244). Additionally, group A had significantly higher median stent patency (400 days vs. group B: 190 days; P=0.005, HR=2.479).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combination therapeutic strategy of portal vein stenting and TACE with endovascular implantation of 125I seeds strands improves the survival of HCC patients with MPVTT complication.</p>

Experimental study on Rhizoma sparganii and Radices zedoariae treating hepatic fibrosis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae on hepatic fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The rat immunohepatic fibrosis model was made by intraperitoneal injection of porcine serum and treated with rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae. The ALT, GGT, TP, ALb, A/G, IVC, LN, HA and the pathological change of the liver were observed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae could increase TP, ALb, A/G, decrease ALT, GGT, IVC, LN, HA and improve the pathological change.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae can protect hepatic cells, alleviate degeneration and necrosis, recover structure and function, and reduce the proliferation of fibrous tissue.</p>