Yeast Selenium Exerts an Antioxidant Effect by Regulating the Level of Selenoprotein to Antagonize Cd-Induced Pyroptosis of Chicken Liver.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure can cause multiple organ damage in humans and animals by causing oxidative stress. Organic selenium can antagonize the toxic damage of heavy metals by exerting antioxidant effects. Oxidative stress can activate NLRP3/Caspase1-dependent pyroptosis, but it is not clear whether yeast selenium (Se Y) can antagonize Cd-induced pyroptosis in the chicken liver. In this experiment, we studied the effects of CdCl2 single, Se Y single, and combined exposure on the pyroptosis of chicken liver. The results showed that Cd exposure induced oxidative stress in the chicken liver, and the expression of Sepx1, SelU, SelT, GPx1, GPx4, Dio1, Dio2, Dio3, TrxR1, TrxR2, TrxR3, SelH, SelI, SelO, SelK, SelPb, Selpp, and Sel15 decreased. In addition, NLRP3 inflammasome complex (NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing (ASC), and pro-Caspase1), Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (Caspase1), Interleukin-ß (IL-1ß), and Interleukin-18 (IL-18) were upregulated. The combined treatment of Se Y and Cd found that the antioxidant level and the expression level of selenoprotein recovered to the Se group, and the liver pyroptosis decreased. Principal component analysis and correlation analysis screened out that selenoprotein O (SelO) is negatively correlated with pyroptosis-related genes. In short, our data shows that Se Y exerts an antioxidant effect by increasing the expression of selenoproteins and antagonizing the pyroptosis of chicken liver induced by Cd. This study provides new ideas for the field of heavy metal toxicology research. And the selected SelO has an important reference significance for follow-up research.

Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic treatment of stroke-associated pneumonia after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage:a randomized controlled trial / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective To investigate the guiding value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) level in antibiotic treatment of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods A total of 120 patients with SAP after acute cerebral hemorrhage were enroled and were randomly divided into either a conventional treatment group ( n=59) or a PCT guided group ( n=61). In accordance w ith the guidelines for the use of antibiotics in China, the conventional treatment group w as treated w ith antibiotics and the course of antibiotics w as determined by the treating physician. The serum PCT of the PCT group w as monitored continuously after using antibiotics for 5 days. When PCT w as 2 w as poor outcome. They were folowed up for 6 months after discharge. A Kaplan-Meier survive curve was use to compare the survival rate of both groups. Results The course of antibiotics ( 8.95 ±2.73 d vs.13.26 ± 4.11 d;t=6.407, P<0.001) and the length of hospitalization ( 15.64 ±2.63 d vs.18.36 ±4.27 d; t=3.967, P<0.001) of the PCT group w ere significantly shorter than those of the conventional treatment group. There w ere no significant differences in the proportions of 30 d mortality ( 9.8%vs.10.1%; χ2 =0.003, P=0.951) and 90 d good outcome ( 60.6%vs.59.3%; χ2 =0.022, P=0.881) betw een the PCT guided group and the conventional treatment group. At the end of the 6-month folow-up period, a total of 13 patients (12.0%) died, including 6 in the conventional treatment group and 7 in the PCT group. The Kaplan-Meier analysis show ed that there w as no significant difference in the 6-month survival rate betw een the 2 groups (χ2 = 0.070, P= 0.791 ). Conclusions Monitoring the serum PCT level for guiding antibiotic treatment of SAP after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage is safe, and it may shorten the course of antibiotics and reduce the length of hospitalization.

The value of D-dimer in assessing severity and predicting long-term prognosis in patients with community acquired pneumonia / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the value of D-dimer in assessing severity and predicting longterm prognosis in patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP).Methods From June 2009 to December 2010,a total of 189 patients with CAP were enrolled.After admission,D-dimer,procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured,and Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) was calculated.They were assigned into two groups according to their D-dimer levels:high D-dimer levels group (D-dimer levels≥500 μg/L) and normal D-dimer levels group (D-dimer levels ＜ 500 μg/L).The followup time was one year.A Kaplan-Meier survive curve was constructed to assess the 1-year mortality,and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to assess the value of D-dimer for predicting long-term prognosis.Results D-dimer levels increased with increasing PSI class [class Ⅰ-Ⅲ:378.37 μg/L (216.74,649.50) μg/L; class Ⅳ:673.41 μg/L (544.77,866.85) μg/L; class Ⅴ:831.58 μg/L (591.78,1066.39) μg/L,x2 =56.58,P ＜ 0.01].The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that 1-year mortality rate of high D-dimer levels group was higher than normal D-dimer levels group (log-rank test,x2 =52.51,P ＜ 0.01).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed an independent relationship between higher D-dimer levels and long-term mortality (OR =2.05,95％ CI:1.48-2.61,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion D-dimer is an independent predictor of severity and long-term prognosis in patients with CAP.