The expression of prostaglandins-related genes in erythrocytes of broiler chicken responds to thiram-induced tibial dyschondroplasia and recombinant glutathione-S-transferase A3 protein.

Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a type of bone deformity found in fast-growing chickens, which induce inflammatory responses. Prostaglandins (PGs) implicate in bone formation and bone resorption, associated with inflammation in an autocrine/paracrine manner. This study used qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis to identify the expression patterns of PG-related genes in the erythrocytes of broiler chickens and explore the effects of thiram-induced TD and the recombinant glutathione-S-transferase A3 (rGSTA3) protein on the expression of PG-related genes: GSTA3, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS), prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES), prostaglandin E2 receptor (PTGER) 3, PTGER4 and prostaglandin reductase 1 (PTGR1). Interestingly, the results showed that these seven PG-related genes expression was identified in the erythrocytes of broiler chicken, and thiram-induced TD suppressed the expression of these PG-related genes in the initial stage of TD and promoted their expression in TD recovery. These findings demonstrated that the immunoregulatory function of erythrocytes can be inhibited in the early stage of TD and promoted in the recovery stage by modulating the expression of PG-related genes. Further, the rGSTA3 protein can modulate the expression of PG-related genes in erythrocytes and participate in the recovery of TD.

Identification of apoptosis-related genes in erythrocytes of broiler chickens and their response to thiram-induced tibial dyschondroplasia and recombinant glutathione-S-transferase A3 protein.

Thiram, a carbamate pesticide, is known to induce tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in broiler chickens. This study used a thiram-induced TD model to explore whether apoptosis-related genes were expressed in erythrocytes of broiler chickens and the impacts of thiram-induced TD and the recombinant GSTA3 protein in regulating these genes expression. In this study, mRNA and protein expression of six types of apoptosis-related genes (Bcl-2, Bax, Murine double minute MDM2, Bcl-2-associated athanogene BAG-1, BAG-3, STAT3) were identified in erythrocytes of broiler chickens by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, and we also found that thiram-induced TD induced the decreased expression of these antiapoptotic genes in the initial stage of TD and promoted their expression in TD recovery, which suggested that the expression of these apoptosis-related genes in erythrocytes is highly related to the development of TD. Further, the recombinant GSTA3 protein promoted the expression of all apoptosis-related genes in the initial stage of TD and recovered the normal expression of these genes in the recovery stage of TD, which indicated that the recombinant GSTA3 protein may participate in the recovery of TD. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism of the response of erythrocytes to thiram-induced TD and the recombinant protein GSTA3 in broiler chickens.

Dexamethasone alleviates allergic asthma immature rat through Toll like receptor 4.

OBJECTIVE: The allergic asthma model induced by ovalbumin (OVA) was established in the immature rat. Dexamethasone (DXM) was adopted for intervention to analyze the treatment effect and to explore the relationship with toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immature SD rat was treated by OVA to construct allergic asthma model and intervened by DXM. The rats were randomly divided into model group, experimental group, and control group. The changes in lung tissue were observed by light microscope. The EOS infiltration and reactivity of airway wall were compared. The expressions of TLR2 and TLR4 protein and mRNA in the lung tissue were tested by Western blot and RT-PCR. RESULTS: The lung tissue in the model group was infiltrated by a lot of inflammatory cells, and mucous membrane edema was observed, compared with that in the control group. There were only a few inflammatory cells in the interstitial tissue and pulmonary alveoli in the experimental group compared with that in the model group. EOS count of airway wall and airway reactivity decreased in the experimental group. The levels of TLR2 and TLR4 were significantly elevated in the third week compared with the first week (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of DXM can alleviate the pathological changes of the lung tissue in SD immature rat with allergic asthma, reduce EOS infiltration in the airway wall, decrease airway reactivity, and elevate expressions of TLR2 and TLR4.

Clozapine prescription and quality of life in Chinese patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: Clozapine is frequently used to treat schizophrenia in China. Maintenance treatment for clinically stable patients with schizophrenia is usually provided by Chinese primary care physicians, but no study has investigated the frequency of its use prescribed by primary care physicians. This study described the frequency, demographic and clinical characteristics of clozapine treatment and its impact on insight and quality of life (QOL) of patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care in China. METHOD: A total of 623 patients with schizophrenia treated in 22 primary care services in Guangzhou, China in 2013 formed the study sample. Patients' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics including psychopathology, medication side effects and QOL were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection. RESULTS: The frequency of clozapine prescription was 35.6% with a mean daily dose of 127.7±88.2 mg. There were no significant differences between the patients with and without clozapine in either of the QOL domains after controlling the confounding factors. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that patients on clozapine had younger age of onset, more hospitalizations, more severe extrapyramidal side effects, but better insight and fewer prescriptions of first generation antipsychotics. CONCLUSIONS: Clozapine use was found to be common and associated with better insight in patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care in China. Further examination of the rationale and appropriateness of clozapine in primary care in China is warranted.

A three-phase epidemiological study of short and long sleepers in a middle-aged Chinese population: prevalence and characteristics.

Epidemiological studies of short and long sleepers have not been conducted previously. We collected socioeconomic, psychological, and polysomnographic characteristics of 6501 parents (3252 men and 3249 women) of 4036 primary school children in Guangzhou city. The study data were collected in three phases. The overall prevalence of short (5 h or less) and long (10 h or more) sleep duration was 0.52 and 0.64%, respectively. Long sleepers had higher Eysenck Personality Questionnaire neuroticism scores [odds ratio (OR)=1.224, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.047-1.409] and lower education levels (OR=0.740, 95%CI=0.631-0.849) than short sleepers. In the polysomnographic assessment, short, long, and normal sleepers (7-8 h) shared similar durations of Stage 3 sleep (short=25.7±10.7, long=20.3±7.9, and normal=28.0±12.8 min, F=1.402, P=0.181). In daytime multiple sleep latency tests, short sleepers (10/19, 52.6%) were more prone to have a short sleep latency (≤ 8 min) than long sleepers (2/23, 8.7%). In addition to different sleep durations, neuroticism might also contribute to differences between short and long sleepers in social achievements. Stage 3 sleep might be essential for humans. The short sleep latency (≤ 8 min) of short sleepers in multiple sleep latency tests should be interpreted cautiously, since it was of the same severity as required for a diagnosis of narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia.

A three-phase epidemiological study of short and long sleepers in a middle-aged Chinese population: prevalence and characteristics

Epidemiological studies of short and long sleepers have not been conducted previously. We collected socioeconomic, psychological, and polysomnographic characteristics of 6501 parents (3252 men and 3249 women) of 4036 primary school children in Guangzhou city. The study data were collected in three phases. The overall prevalence of short (5 h or less) and long (10 h or more) sleep duration was 0.52 and 0.64%, respectively. Long sleepers had higher Eysenck Personality Questionnaire neuroticism scores [odds ratio (OR)=1.224, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.047-1.409] and lower education levels (OR=0.740, 95%CI=0.631-0.849) than short sleepers. In the polysomnographic assessment, short, long, and normal sleepers (7-8 h) shared similar durations of Stage 3 sleep (short=25.7±10.7, long=20.3±7.9, and normal=28.0±12.8 min, F=1.402, P=0.181). In daytime multiple sleep latency tests, short sleepers (10/19, 52.6%) were more prone to have a short sleep latency (≤8 min) than long sleepers (2/23, 8.7%). In addition to different sleep durations, neuroticism might also contribute to differences between short and long sleepers in social achievements. Stage 3 sleep might be essential for humans. The short sleep latency (≤8 min) of short sleepers in multiple sleep latency tests should be interpreted cautiously, since it was of the same severity as required for a diagnosis of narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia.

[Detection of CAg in CSF of 231 cerebral cysticercosis patients].

The results of detection of circulating antigen (CAg) in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) of 231 cerebral cysticercosis patients with McAb (4F8)--based ELISA were reported and compared with the case histories, clinical manifestations and CT scans. No relationship was found between CAg detected in CSF of these cases and history of taeniasis. However, the positive rate of CAg in cerebral cysticercosis patients with subcutaneous nodules was found significantly higher than those in cases with simple cerebral cysticercosis and in cases with subcutaneous nodules disappeared after anti-Cysticercus therapy before CSF collection. The results of CAg detection in CSF were related with the CT findings as well as the stage of the disease. It is thus indicated that McAb (4F8)-based ELISA might be useful not only for diagnosis of neurocysticercosis, but also for the evaluation of efficacy of anti-Cysticercus therapy.