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Objective:To investigate the relationship between serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and white matter high signal and non-dementia vascular cognitive dysfunction in patients with cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD).Methods:Total 106 patients with CSVD who were admitted to the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College from April 2019 to December 2020 were enrolled.They were divided into vascular cognitive impairment no dementia group (VCIND group, n=47) and no vascular cognitive impairment group (N-VCI group, n=59)according to mini-mental assessment scale (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scale and activity of daily living scale (ADL). Serum VEGF levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The baseline data, serum VEGF levels, MoCA score and Fazekas score were compared between the two groups.The correlation between serum VEGF level and white matter high signal and cognitive function was analyzed.SPSS 19.0 software was used for data processing.The statistical methods were t-test, Chi square test, nonparametric test, Logistic regression analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and Spearman correlation analysis. Results:There were significant differences in serum VEGF level((464.18±114.58)pg/mL, (414.17±45.80)pg/mL, F=22.880), MoCA score((13.07±6.48), (20.17±4.06), F=17.920) and Fazekas score (4(3, 5), 3(1, 3), Z=-4.189)between the two groups (all P<0.05). The level of VEGF( β=0.008, OR=1.008, 95% CI=1.001-1.015, P<0.05) was the influencing factor of cognitive function in patients with CSVD .The level of VEGF was negatively correlated with the total score of MoCA, attention and calculation power, and orientation ability ( r=-0.345, -0.373, -0.445, all P<0.05) and it was positively correlated with the total Fazekas score and the Fazekas score of paraventricular and deep white matter ( r=0.392, 0.495, 0.302, all P<0.05). There was a linear trend between the high signal grade of paraventricular and deep white matter and VCIND (both P<0.05). Conclusion:Serum VEGF level is correlated with cognitive function and white matter hyperintensity in patients with CSVD.The increase of VEGF level may be a factor reflecting cognitive dysfunction.In addition, with the increase of white matter hyperintensity level, the risk of VCIND in CSVD is increased.
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Drinking culture has high significance in both China and the world, whether in the entertainment sector or in social occasions; according to the World Health Organization's 2018 Global Alcohol and Health Report, about 3 million people died from excessive drinking in 2016, accounting for 5.3% of the total global deaths that year. Oxidative stress and inflammation are the most common pathological phenomena caused by alcohol abuse (Snyder et al., 2017). Scutellarin, a kind of flavonoid, is one of the main active ingredients extracted from breviscapine. It exerts anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and vasodilation effects, and has been used to treat cardiovascular diseases and alcoholic liver injury. Although scutellarin can effectively alleviate multi-target organ injury induced by different forms of stimulation, its protective effect on alcoholic brain injury has not been well-defined. Therefore, the present study established an acute alcohol mice brain injury model to explore the effect of scutellarin on acute alcoholic brain injury. The study was carried out based on the targets of oxidative stress and inflammation, which is of great significance for the targeted therapy of clinical alcohol diseases.
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Animals , Humans , Mice , Apigenin/therapeutic use , Brain Injuries/drug therapy , Glucuronates/therapeutic use , Oxidative StressABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the relationship between serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) level and the location and severity of bleeding in patients with cerebral microbleeds(CMBs).Methods:A total of 60 CMBs patients admitted to the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Xinxiang Medical University from January 2019 to August 2020 were selected as subjects as the CMBs group, and 60 healthy controls without nervous system diseases in outpatient physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. The clinical data and biochemical indicators of the two groups were collected. Serum MMP-9 levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). According to susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), CMBs patients were divided into grade 1 group ( n=24), grade 2 group ( n=19) and grade 3 group ( n=17), and according to the micro analytical rating scale (MARS), the CMBs patients were divided into the lobar group ( n=19), the deep or infratentorial group ( n=17) and the mixed group ( n=24).The relationship between serum MMP-9 level and the location and severity of CMBs was analyzed. SPSS 19.0 software was used for data statistical analysis.One-way ANOVA, t-test and rank sum test were used for comparison. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors. Pearson correlation analysis and Spearman correlation analysis were used for correlation analysis. Results:The level of MMP-9 in CMBs group was significantly higher than that in control group (208.13(142.25, 285.88) μg/L, 149.50(93.40, 186.51)μg/L), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Serum MMP-9 level was a risk factor of CMBs ( β=1.322, OR=3.750, 95% CI=2.038-7.997, P=0.002). The difference of level of MMP-9 in different severity of CMBs was statistically significant (147.55(109.25, 266.47)μg/L, 242.12(147.55, 288.80)μg/L, 270.42(203.43, 364.27)μg/L, P=0.017). Serum MMP-9 level was positively correlated with the number of CMBs ( r=0.371, P=0.003). The difference of MMP-9 level of CMBs in different locations were statistically significant (249.77(158.43, 338.46)μg/L, 188.83(138.52, 243.15)μg/L, 210.65(144.25, 255.78)μg/L, P=0.013). The increased serum MMP-9 level was a risk factor for CMBs( β=0.401, OR=1.122, 95% CI=1.004-1.204, P=0.036). Conclusion:The increased level of serum MMP-9 may be a risk factor of CMBs, especially for CMBs in cerebral lobesand, and the level of MMP-9 is positively correlated with the severity of CMBs.
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Leishmaniasis is a prevalent cause of death and animal morbidity in underdeveloped countries of endemic area. However, there is few vaccine and effective drugs. Antimicrobial peptides are involved in the innate immune response in many organisms and are being developed as novel drugs against parasitic infections. In the present study, we synthesized a 5-amino acid peptide REDLK, which mutated the C-terminus of Pseudomonas exotoxin, to identify its effect on the Leishmania tarentolae. Promastigotes were incubated with different concentration of REDLK peptide, and the viability of parasite was assessed using MTT and Trypan blue dye. Morphologic damage of Leishmania was analyzed by light and electron microscopy. Cellular apoptosis was observed using the annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection kit, mitochondrial membrane potential assay kit and flow cytometry. Our results showed that Leishmania tarentolae was susceptible to REDLK in a dose-dependent manner, disrupt the surface membrane integrity and caused parasite apoptosis. In our study, we demonstrated the leishmanicidal activity of an antimicrobial peptide REDLK from Pseudomonas aeruginosa against Leishmania tarentolae in vitro and present a foundation for further research of anti-leishmanial drugs.
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Objective:To investigate the relationship between serum matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) level and vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia (VCIND) in patients with cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVD).Methods:A total of 374 patients with CSVD treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from January 2016 to January 2020 were collected and 150 healthy subjects in the same period were used as general data of the control group. All subjects were detected for serum MMP-9 level using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and received cognitive function scoring using Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA). The 374 patients with CSVD were divided into the Group A(186 cases with vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia) and the Group B(188 cases without cognitive impairment). The general data, serum MMP-9 level and cognitive function score were compared among the three groups and the correlation between MMP-9 level and cognitive function was analyzed.Results:The MMP-9 levels of Groups A and B ( (335.10±105.10)μg/L, (261.62±80.32)μg/L) were higher than those of the control group ( (168.23±48.85)μg/L), and the MMP-9 level of Group A was higher than that of Group B ( P<0.05). The MoCA scores of Groups A and B ( (18.45±5.24), (28.31±1.52) ) were lower than those of the control group (29.49±0.90), and the MoCA scores of Group A were lower than those of Group B ( P<0.05). The serum MMP-9 level, a risk factor for VCIND in patients with CSVD ( β=1.505, OR=1.323, 95% CI=1.149-1.527, P<0.05), was negatively correlated with total score of MoCA scale, visual-spatial and executive function, naming, language, abstract thinking, delayed recall, and directive force factor score ( r=-0.299, r=-0.155, r=-0.383, r=-0.358, r=-0.192, r=-0.259, r=-0.246 respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusion:The increased level of MMP-9 may be a risk factor of VCIND in CSVD patients, and it is closely related to cognitive impairment.
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Objective To analyze the importance and necessity of patient public education, and to explore its contents and approaches. Methods From September to October 2017, 2224 medical workers and patients from 9 tertiary public hospitals among southern, central and northern Jiangsu province were surveyed with the self-designed questionnaire. Demographic data of respondents and their views related to patient public education topics were surveyed. Descriptive analysis and chi-square test were used to analyze the data. Results Some patients were irrational in their cognition of patients′ obligations, risk of disease, expectation of curative effect, and responsibility for medical malpractice. 19. 9％ of them held that"patients were vulnerable groups who should not carry much obligations". Some of them were found with obvious negative emotions and unhealthy psychological characteristics. 54. 4％ of the medical workers held that"psychological conflicts among the various roles of patients lead to various behavioral contradictions", which obviously affected their medical work. Conclusions Patient public education can be an important approach to avoid irrationality of patients when they see doctors. Patient public education is an education activity against irrational cognition, psychology and behavior of the patients at large. It requires an orchestrated effort by the governments, schools, hospitals among other stakeholders.
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Objective To compare the effects of different extracts of Rheum palmatum on weight and tissue structure of hypothalamusand and pituitary of adult female rats,and screen the main reproductive toxicity extract.Methods The water,chloroform,ethyl acetate,and n-butanol extracts and water-soluble substance of R.palmatum were prepared by polarity gradient extraction method.Female adult rats were randomly divided into blank control group,rhubarb water extract group,and different extracts groups.The dosage of all the groups was equivalent to 4.00 g/kg crude rhubarb.Rats were administered with extracts by gavage for 60 d.Body mass growth rate of rats were calculated before and after administration.The pathological changes of hypothalamic arcuate nucleus neurons and pituitary gonadal cell were observed with light microscope.Results Compared with the blank control group,the body mass growth rate of rhubarb water extract group was decreased (P ＜ 0.05),while those in the different extracts groups were increased (P ＜ 0.01);The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus neurons of rhubarb water extract group showed chromatin marginalization,nissl substance dissolving,fuzzy boundary of nuclear membrane,as well as hell cells,and the total number of adenohypophysis cells reduced and the cells arranged in irregular.However,there were no apparent pathologic changes in different extracts groups.Conclusion Rhubarb water extract administration by long-term dose can reduce weight growth rate and result in pathologic changes of hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and adenohypophysis,while the different extracts can increase weight growth rate significantly and have little effects on the organizational structure ofhypothalamic arcuate nucleus and adenohypophysis.