Study on the pathogenesis of pathophysiological changes of burn systemic infection

The present prospective study showed that incidence of systemic infection in severe burn patients was 30.9%. Toxic shock and multiple organ failure (MOF) developed in all patients with uncontrolled systemic infection. Both morbidity and mortality of MOF were 76.5%. In the infection group, plasma TXB(2) and TXB(2)/6-keto-PGF(1alpha) ratio increased markedly. Their changes were closely correlated with the clinical course and deterioration of systemic infection. Circulatory platelet aggregate ratio decreased significantly, while myocardiac enzyme spectrum greatly increased. Thrombi were observed in visceral tissues from patients dying of systemic infection. These suggested that TXA(2)/PGI(2). imbalance promoting microaggregate and thrombus formation may be one of the pathogenic effects of toxic shock and MOF in burn patients.     

环状RNA在肝细胞癌中的作用及机制

肝细胞癌（hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC）治疗困难、预后很差,是肿瘤相关死亡中的第4大癌症,严重危害人类生命健康,但其具体发病机制却仍未完全阐明。因此,探索能调控肝细胞癌发生发展,作为肝细胞癌的诊断标志物或能预测患者预后的关键分子仍十分必要。环状RNA是前体mRNA通过反向剪接产生的由3′, 5′ 磷酸二酯键首尾连接形成的共价闭合环状结构,主要有外显子circRNA（exonic circRNA,ecircRNA）、环状内含子RNA（circular intronic RNA,ciRNA）及外显子 内含子circRNA（exon-intron circRNA,EIciRNA）三大类。由于环状RNA具有普遍性、高度保守性和稳定性,其可以参与多种癌症的发生发展过程,并且可作为肿瘤的早期诊断标志物及预后因子,因此,这是一类新型且非常有潜力应用于临床诊治各阶段的分子。近年来,有大量关于环状RNA与肝细胞癌的研究。这些研究表明,环状RNA在肝细胞癌发生发展进程中发挥的作用十分重要,并且其机制多样。因此,本文主要关注环状RNA在肝细胞癌中的最新进展,总结不同环状RNA分子对于肝细胞癌细胞恶性表型、肿瘤干细胞及肿瘤微环境中免疫细胞的作用,以及其在肝细胞癌临床转移、分期、诊断、预后等各阶段中发挥的功能及其具体作用机制。此外,本文还提出了目前研究中存在的一些问题和不足,以期为未来的研究提供一些新的思路及策略。     

长非编码RNA PVT1与消化系统肿瘤

长非编码RNA（long non-coding RNAs, lncRNAs）在肿瘤发生、发展进程中承担重要角色,是近年来的研究热点之一。大量研究表明,浆细胞瘤变异易位基因1（plasmacytoma variant translocation 1, PVT1）可通过多种分子机制参与调控消化系统肿瘤的增殖凋亡、迁移侵袭、细胞自噬、血管生成、多药耐药及肿瘤代谢等过程,从而发挥致癌作用。本文主要就PVT1在消化系统肿瘤中的表达水平变化,及其与临床病理特征和预后的关系,以及PVT1对消化系统肿瘤的致癌作用机制和多药耐药机制等研究进展作一综述。     

倭竹属地理分布的研究

倭竹属Shibataea Makino隶于禾本科之竹亚科,现已知有8种,分布于我国东南部的浙江、福建、江苏、安徽、江西等省,广东、台湾两省有少量栽培,日本产1种。苏联、西德、印尼等国所栽培的倭竹均系自我国或日本引入。我国浙-闽地区产8种,且都有野生发现,是本属的现代分布中心。倭竹属植物体型矮小,常植于庭院或公园中供观赏。近年来盆景艺术迅速发展,微型园林日益兴起,倭竹属植物体态优美,常绿,耐寒且易于栽培,为广大园林工作者所垂青。     

触珠蛋白研究进展

触珠蛋白是一种酸性糖蛋白,属急性期反应蛋白之一,由于所含轻链类型的不同,触珠蛋白具有遗传多态性,触珠蛋白的合成和降解主要在肝脏进行,并受细胞因子、前列腺素、激素等的调节,触珠蛋白具有广泛的生物学功能,可能是一种重要的调节蛋白.     

Avicularin alleviates acute liver failure by regulation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathways to reduce inflammation and ferroptosis

Acute liver failure (ALF) is an inflammation-mediated hepatocyte death process associated with ferroptosis. Avicularin (AL), a Chinese herbal medicine, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. However, the protective effect of AL and the mechanism on ALF have not been reported. Our in vivo results suggest that AL significantly alleviated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced hepatic pathological injury, liver enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species and iron levels and increased the antioxidant enzyme activities (malondialdehyde and glutathione). Our further in vitro experiments demonstrated that AL suppressed inflammatory response in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells via blocking the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation protein-88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Moreover, AL attenuated ferroptosis in D-GalN-induced HepG2 cells by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway. Therefore, AL can alleviate inflammatory response and ferroptosis in LPS/D-GalN-induced ALF, and its protective effects are associated with blocking TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway and activating Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway. Moreover, AL is a promising therapeutic option for ALF and should be clinically explored.     

5-Methoxytryptamine Inhibits Cyclic AMP Accumulation in Cultured Retinal Neurons Through Activation of a Pertussis Toxin-Sensitive Site Distinct from the 2-[125I]Iodomelatonin Binding Site

Abstract: Melatonin and 5-methoxytryptamine inhibited forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP formation in cultured neural cells prepared from embryonic chick retina. Both methoxyindoles exhibited similar potency and efficacy, with EC₅₀ values of 0.8 n M for melatonin and 7.2 n M for 5-methoxytryptamine. Inhibition of cyclic AMP formation by 5-methoxytryptamine or melatonin was prevented by pretreatment with pertussis toxin. Pretreatment of cultures with 5-methoxytryptamine for 24 h reduced the subsequent inhibitory cyclic AMP response to 5-methoxytryptamine but not that to 2-iodomelatonin. Putative melatonin receptors on cultured retinal cells were labeled with 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin. Melatonin displaced specific 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin with a K _i value (0.8 n M ) similar to the EC₅₀ for inhibition of cyclic AMP formation. In contrast, 5-methoxytryptamine only inhibited 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin binding at very high concentrations ( K _i = 650 n M ). Pretreating cultured cells for 24 h with 2-iodomelatonin or melatonin, but not with 5-methoxytryptamine, reduced subsequent 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin binding. Thus, 5-methoxytryptamine appears to inhibit forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP formation at a site distinct from the 2-iodomelatonin binding site.     

The endosperm development and the variations of structures of embryo sacs: unravelling the low fecundity of Zephyranthes candida (Amaryllidaceae)

To unravel a low fecundity in Zephyranthes candida (Lindl.) Herb., the development of the endosperm was studied using conventional paraplast section technique. The results show that the endosperm develops normally and comprises four major stages viz. syncytial, cellularization, differentiation and maturation. Both proliferation of antipodal cells and their close contact with the primary endosperm nucleus were observed, which should favor transportation of nutrients and accelerate development of embryo and endosperm. In Z. candida, at least four events of nuclear migration occurred during the course of embryogenesis and endosperm development. The 12.7% structurally and functionally abnormal ovules, along with the 22.3% collapsed and aborted ovules observed accounts for the low fecundity to some extent.