[Effects of ursolic acid on oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in a rat model of AR after PM2.5 exposure].

Objective: To investigate the effects of ursolic acid (UA) on oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in a rat model of AR after PM2.5 exposure. Methods: Sixty healthy female SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group (NC group), PM2.5 unexposed AR group (AR group), PM2.5 exposed AR group (ARE group), UA intervention AR group (AR+UA group), and UA intervention PM2.5 exposed AR group (ARE+UA group), with 12 rats in each group. AR model was performed by a basal sensitization with intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and followed by nasal instillation. PM2.5 exposure was carried out by inhalation exposure system at a concentration of 200 µg/m3 for 3 h/d for 30 days. UA intervention group was given UA intragastric administration at 20 mg/(kg·d). AR symptoms including sneezing, nasal scratching and nasal secretion of rats in each group were observed. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in nasal mucosa were tested. The pathological changes of nasal mucosa were observed by HE staining. The levels of OVA-sIgE, IL-6 and IL-17 in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Protein microarray was used to measure the expression of multiple inflammation cell factors in nasal mucosa. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0. Results: After UA intervention, the frequency of nasal sneezing, scratching and nasal secretion in ARE+UA group were lower than those of ARE group (P<0.05). Pathological examination of nasal mucosa showed that ARE+UA group had less inflammatory granulocyte infiltration and less pathological damage to the epithelial layer than ARE group. The activities of SOD in nasal mucosa of ARE+UA group were higher than those of ARE group ((50.10±3.09) U/mg vs (20.13±1.30) U/mg, F value was 597.54, P<0.01). The contents of MDA in nasal mucosa of ARE+UA group were lower than those of ARE group ((57.78±12.36) nmol/g vs (124.12±9.40) nmol/g, F value was 115.51, P<0.01). The expression levels of OVA-sIgE, IL-6 and IL-17 proteins were lower in the ARE+UA group than those in ARE group ((11.61±0.27) ng/ml vs (20.30±0.67) ng/ml, (47.59±15.49) pg/ml vs (98.83±10.98) pg/ml, (623.30±8.75) pg/ml vs (913.32±9.06) pg/ml, F value was 283.42, 80.45, 683.73, respectively, all P<0.01). After UA intervention, protein microarray analysis showed that the expression of IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, chemokine CXCL7, IL-1α, IL-1ß, MMP-8 and MCP-1 in ARE+UA group was decreased compared with ARE group while IFN-γ and IL-10 increased (all P<0.01). Conclusion: UA can reduce the aggravated AR symptoms and pathological damage of nasal mucosa, inhibit oxidative stress and release of inflammatory factors after PM2.5 exposure, and thus plays a protective role in the pathological damage of AR induced by PM2.5 exposure.

High prevalence and risk factors for kidney dysfunction in patients with atherosclerotic cardio-cerebrovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic cardio-cerebrovascular disease are at high risk of kidney dysfunction because of the overlap of several risk factors. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and characteristics and risk factors for kidney dysfunction in the cardio-cerebrovascular disease population. METHODS: Renal functions of 1012 patients with the cardio-cerebrovascular disease were evaluated with the purpose of evaluating characteristics of the incidence, risk factors for kidney dysfunction in the cardio-cerebrovascular disease population. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, the major risk factors for kidney dysfunction in the patients with the cardio-cerebrovascular disease were age, gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and serum uric acid. In the patients with both hypertension and diabetes mellitus the percentages of significantly decreased eGFR were 25.6%. Results of multivariable analysis showed that diabetes mellitus (odds ratio (OR) 1.609, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.08-2.398, P = 0.019), hypertension (OR 1.547, 95% CI 1.049-2.281, P = 0.028) and serum uric acid (OR 1.009, 95% CI 1.007-1.010, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for reduced kidney function. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of the cardio-cerebrovascular disease kidney dysfunction is common and has a high prevalence. Patients with both cardio-cerebrovascular disease and kidney dysfunction at any stage should be recognized as high-risk population.

The evaluation of developmental toxicity of chemicals exposed occupationally using whole embryo culture.

The purpose of this study was to employ the whole embryo culture (WEC) system to evaluate the developmental toxicity of industrial chemicals. Five chemicals including lead, cadmium, vinyl chloride, 1,2-dichloroethan, and carbon disulphide were tested in our laboratory both in vitro and in vivo (except lead). In vitro studies showed that cadmium and lead were teratogenic in the rat; whilst carbon disulphide, 1,2-dichloroethan and vinyl chloride mainly induced embryo growth retardation. The in vitro effects on development of the five industrial chemicals were similar to the effects in vivo. The in vitro effects were studied by three different exposure routes, direct exposure--chemicals added to the culture medium; indirect exposure--serum prepared from treated rats then used as culture medium, and pre-exposure--embryos treated maternally then explanted into control (untreated) culture medium. Comparing these three different exposure routes suggests that the last exposure route is the most effective when using WEC to evaluate developmental toxicity of industrial chemicals. The effects on embryo development of culturing in sera prepared from subjects occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs (ADs) was also tested by the WEC system. Embryos were cultured with human serum that was thought to contain ADs or ADs' metabolic materials (serum taken from nurses routinely handling ADs), to evaluate the effects of ADs on embryo development. Embryos (9.5-day) cultured with serum from 11 female nurses who had been handling ADs for 2-17 years in the oncology department all survived, but showed slight growth retardation. Embryos cultured with serum from 30 healthy and unexposed people served as controls and embryo development in their serum was normal.

[Studies on the scope of labour contraindication for female workers].

According to the physiological characteristics of women and the specific effects of occupational hazards on the female, the medical basis of the scope of labour contraindications for female workers was discussed. The condition of female workers engaged in harmful works was investigated at 263 factories in 11 cities. In addition, an evaluation of the adverse effects on women's reproductive function of 28 harmful occupational factors was carried out. On this basis the range of labour contraindication for female workers was proposed.

[The effects of carrying and moving heavy loads on female reproductive system and maternal function].

This study attempt, to evaluate the remote effects of carrying and moving heavy loads on the reproductive system and maternal function of female workers. 364 married women employed in various types of occupation involving carrying and moving different weights were subjects inducted in this study. The workers were divided into light load group (less than 20 kg) and heavy load group (greater than 20 kg) according to weight carried by workers at each time. 267 married sales women who worked in standing posture and 183 married art and craft factory workers who worked in sitting posture were selected as control. Histories of menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth among the workers were recorded. The results showed that no significant difference of prevalence of disturbances of menstruation between weight carrying and control groups was found. However, there was a tendency to increasing of prevalence of pelvic infection with the weight carrying group, by gynecological examination. The incidence of premature birth in the heavy load group (7.0%) was higher than that of the light load group (3.4%) as well as that of the art workers, but they are not statistically significant. The position of uterine cervix was lower in the heavy load group by measuring the distances of cervix to edge of vaginal membrane.