Effect of Albiziae Flos and Polygalae Radix Alone and Their Combination on Depression-like Behavior and CREB and NOX2 Expression in Hippocampus of Chronic Unpredictable Stress-induced Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effects of Albiziae Flos （AF） and Polygalae Radix （PR） alone and their combination on the improvement of depression-like behavior in rats with chronic unpredictable stress （CUS） as well as on hippocampal ultrastructure and the expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein （CREB） and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 （NOX2）， to explore their action mechanisms. Method:Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal group， model group， AF group， PR group， AF-PR group， and fluoxetine group. Rats in all groups except for the normal group were exposed to CUS and separated feeding to induce depression. Since the first day of modeling， rats in the AF group， PR group， AF-PR group were provided with the corresponding decoction containing 1.05 g·kg^-1 total crude drug by gavage， the ones in the fluoxetine group with 2.1 mg·kg^-1 fluoxetine hydrochloride aqueous solution， and those in the normal group and model group with the distilled water， for 28 successive days. The open field test and forced swimming test were performed 1 d before modeling and 7， 14， 21， 28 d after modeling， respectively. The morphological changes in hippocampus were observed under an electron microscope on the 28^th day. The superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） levels in hippocampus were detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry， and the expression levels of CREB and NOX2 were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Result:The behavioral experiment results showed that the number of horizontal activities and sugar water consumption in the model group declined as compared with those in the normal group， while the immobility time in the forced swimming test was prolonged （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the AF group， PR group， and AF-PR group exhibited elevated number of horizontal activities， increased sugar water consumption but shortened immobility time in the forced swimming test （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the AF group or PR group， the AF-PR group showed significantly different behavioral indexes （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Morphological results showed that the mitochondria of the model group were obviously swollen and the ultrastructure of the hippocampus was destroyed. By contrast， the hippocampal ultrastructure in each administration group was close to normal. The comparison with the normal group revealed that the activity of SOD in the hippocampus of the model group was significantly reduced， whereas the content of MDA was elevated （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the AF group， PR group， and AF-PR group displayed increased activity of SOD and decreased content of MDA in the hippocampal tissues （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with AF or PR alone， the herbal pair AF-PR resulted in significant differences in the above-mentioned indexes （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. The results of Real-time PCR and Western blot demonstrated that NOX2 expression in the hippocampus of the model group was up-regulated in comparison with that in the normal group， while the CREB expression was down-regulated （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the AF group， PR group， and AF-PR group all showed diminished NOX2 expression but elevated CREB expression in the hippocampal tissues （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. The protein expression levels of NOX2 and CREB in the AF group or PR group were significantly different from those in the AF-PR group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:AF and PR alone and their combination improve the depression-like behavior of rats exposed to CUS， which may be related to the reduction of oxidative stress， the up-regulation of CREB expression， and the down-regulation of NOX2 expression in hippocampus.

Comparison of Two Occlusion Devices for Treating Cryptogenic Stroke Patients Combining Patent Foramen Ovale and Large Right to Left Shunt / 中国循环杂志

Objectives: To compare the effect of 2 different occlusion devices for treating cryptogenic stroke (CS) patients combining patent foramen ovale (PFO) and large right-to-left shunt (RLS). Methods: A total of 123 CS patients combining PFO and large RLS treated in our hospital from 2013-05 to 2016-08 were enrolled. All patients received percutaneous PFO interventional closure, based on different occlusion devices, the patients were divided into 2 groups: Cardi-O-fix PFO occluder group, n=80 and Amplatzer PFO occluder group, n=43. CS diagnosis was confirmed by 3 experienced neurologists via medical imaging examination; PFO and large RLS were diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography and right heart contrast echocardiography. The baseline features, clinical symptoms, operation and follow-up data were reviewed to observe the efficacy of 2 occlusion devices. Results: Each group had 1 patient suffered from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after the operation; 1 patient in Cardi-O-fix PFO occluder group had inguinal hematoma. No stroke recurrence, no death during follow-up period; the residual shunt was similar between 2 groups. Conclusions: PFO occlusion was beneficial for preventing stroke recurrence in CS patients combining PFO and large RLS. The safety and efficacy were similar in Cardi-O-fix and Amplatzer PFO occlusion devices.

Effect of neuregulin-1 on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and oxidative damage under hypoxia reoxygenation / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of NRG-1 on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and oxidative damage under hypoxia reox-ygenation.Methods:The myocardial cell HCM was taken as the object of study.The hypoxia reoxygenation of myocardial cell model was established,and NRG-1 at dose of 0.8 mg/L was added before hypoxia.The cell viability was measured by MTT assay and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.The level of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) in the supernatant was detected by 2,4-dinitrophe-nylhydrazine colorimetry assay,DCFH-DA method was used to detected ROS level,the level of MDA was measured by thiobarbituric acid method,the level of SOD was detected by xanthine oxidase method,and the protein levels of Akt and p-AktThr308were determined by Western blot.Results:The A values of the myocardial cells after hypoxia reoxygenation were changed from 0.66±0.03 to 0.36±0.04, the rate of apoptosis increased from (4.62±0.97)% to (29.07±3.43)%,the level of ROS increased from 69.29±7.96 to 280.84± 20.52,the levels of LDH and MDA also increased,and the levels of SOD and p-AktThr308/Akt decreased.After NRG-1 treatment,the A values of the cells were from 0.36±0.04 to 0.47±0.05,the rate of apoptosis decreased from (29.07±3.43)% to (19.76±3.41)%, the ROS levels decreased from 280.84±20.52 to 128.23±12.32,the levels of LDH and MDA also decreased,and the levels of SOD and p-Akt/Akt increased.Conclusion: NRG-1partly inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis and oxidative damage induced by hypoxia reoxygenation by affecting the protein levels of p-Akt/Akt in the cardiomyocytes.

Cryptosporidium suis Infection in Post-Weaned and Adult Pigs in Shaanxi Province, Northwestern China

Cryptosporidium spp., ubiquitous enteric parasitic protozoa of vertebrates, recently emerged as an important cause of economic loss and zoonosis. The present study aimed to determine the distribution and species of Cryptosporidium in post-weaned and adult pigs in Shaanxi province, northwestern China. A total of 1,337 fresh fecal samples of post-weaned and adult pigs were collected by sterile disposable gloves from 8 areas of Shaanxi province. The samples were examined by Sheather's sugar flotation technique and microscopy atx400 magnification for Cryptosporidium infection, and the species in positive samples was further identified by PCR amplification of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. A total of 44 fecal samples were successfully amplified by the nested PCR of the partial SSU rRNA, with overall prevalence of 3.3%. The average prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in each pig farms ranged from 0 to 14.4%. Species identification by sequencing of SSU rRNA gene revealed that 42 (3.1%) samples were Cryptosporidium suis and 2 (0.15%) were Cryptosporidium scrofarum. C. suis had the highest prevalence (7.5%) in growers and the lowest in breeding pigs (0.97%). C. suis was the predominant species in pre-weaned and adult pigs, while C. scrofarum infected pigs older than 3 months only. A season-related difference of C. suis was observed in this study, with the highest prevalence in autumn (5.5%) and the lowest (1.7%) in winter. The present study provided basic information for control of Cryptosporidium infection in pigs and assessment of zoonotic transmission of pigs in Shaanxi province, China.

Cryptosporidium suis Infection in Post-Weaned and Adult Pigs in Shaanxi Province, Northwestern China

Cryptosporidium spp., ubiquitous enteric parasitic protozoa of vertebrates, recently emerged as an important cause of economic loss and zoonosis. The present study aimed to determine the distribution and species of Cryptosporidium in post-weaned and adult pigs in Shaanxi province, northwestern China. A total of 1,337 fresh fecal samples of post-weaned and adult pigs were collected by sterile disposable gloves from 8 areas of Shaanxi province. The samples were examined by Sheather's sugar flotation technique and microscopy atx400 magnification for Cryptosporidium infection, and the species in positive samples was further identified by PCR amplification of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. A total of 44 fecal samples were successfully amplified by the nested PCR of the partial SSU rRNA, with overall prevalence of 3.3%. The average prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in each pig farms ranged from 0 to 14.4%. Species identification by sequencing of SSU rRNA gene revealed that 42 (3.1%) samples were Cryptosporidium suis and 2 (0.15%) were Cryptosporidium scrofarum. C. suis had the highest prevalence (7.5%) in growers and the lowest in breeding pigs (0.97%). C. suis was the predominant species in pre-weaned and adult pigs, while C. scrofarum infected pigs older than 3 months only. A season-related difference of C. suis was observed in this study, with the highest prevalence in autumn (5.5%) and the lowest (1.7%) in winter. The present study provided basic information for control of Cryptosporidium infection in pigs and assessment of zoonotic transmission of pigs in Shaanxi province, China.