Dry eye disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross sectional study.

Aim: To explore ocular surface manifestations of dry eye disease (DED) and its influencing factors in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods: Ophthalmological examinations were conducted in SLE patients (=43) and controls (=41), including Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), objective scatter index (OSI), tear meniscus height (TMH), lipid layer thickness (LLT), non-invasive Keratograph tear breakup time (NIKBUT), corneal fluorescein score (CFS), Schirmer I test. DED was diagnosed according to the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society Dry Eye Workshop II Criteria.

MiR-125a-3p inhibits cell proliferation and inflammation responses in fibroblast-like synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis by mediating the Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB pathways via targeting MAST3.

Objectives: To explore the role and mechanism of miR-125a-3p in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression.

Methods: The RA-tissues and fibroblast-like synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-FLS) were used in this study. qRT-PCR, western blot and ELISA assay were performed to detect the expression levels of IL-6, IL-β and ΤΝF-α.

Lightweight pyramid network with spatial attention mechanism for accurate retinal vessel segmentation.

Purpose: The morphological characteristics of retinal vessels are vital for the early diagnosis of pathological diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. However, the low contrast and complex morphology pose a challenge to automatic retinal vessel segmentation. To extract precise semantic features, more convolution and pooling operations are adopted, but some structural information is potentially ignored.

IKWI-net: A cross-domain convolutional neural network for undersampled magnetic resonance image reconstruction.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to get the information of anatomical structure and physiological function with the advantages of high resolution and non-invasive scanning. But the long acquisition time limits its application. To reduce the time consumption of MRI, compressed sensing (CS) theory has been proposed to reconstruct MRI images from undersampled k-space data.

SP600125 blocks the proteolysis of cytoskeletal proteins in apoptosis induced by gas signaling molecule (NO) via decreasing the activation of caspase-3 in rabbit chondrocytes.

NO plays a key role in the pathological mechanisms of articular diseases. As cytoskeletal proteins are responsible for the polymerization, stabilization, and dynamics of the cytoskeleton network, we investigated whether cytoskeletal proteins are the intracellular pathological targets of NO. We aimed at clarifying whether the cytoskeleton perturbations involved in apoptosis are induced in rabbit articular chondrocytes by NO, which can be liberated by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) treatment.

Infusion of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells alleviates symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis.

The current study evaluated 5 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Patients received intravenous transfusions of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (uMSCs). All therapeutic and adverse responses were assessed and recorded during uMSC therapy.

Loss of Reelin suppresses cell survival and mobility in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Reelin, a secreted glycoprotein, was recently demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. However, its oncogenic activities in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the functional role of reelin in NHL, and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Effect of lutein supplementation on visual function in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Background And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether supplementation with lutein improved visual function in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).

Methods And Study Design: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 31 patients with NPDR were assigned randomly to 10 mg/d of lutein or identical placebo for 36 weeks. Visual performance indices, including visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity (CS) and glare sensitivity (GS) at four different spatial frequencies, were measured at baseline, week 18 and 36.

Determination of nitrofurans metabolites residues in aquatic products by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A method was described for monitoring four nitrofuran metabolites including 5-methylmorpholino-3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AMOZ), 3-amino-2-oxazolidone (AOZ), 1-amino-hydantoin (AHD) and semicarbazide (SEM) in aquatic products. The analytes were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry operating in positive ion multiple monitoring mode (MRM) after 2-nitrobenzaldehyde derivatization. The matrix calibration curve was established with correlation coefficient (R(2)>0.

T-2 Toxin Alters the Levels of Collagen II and Its Regulatory Enzymes MMPs/TIMP-1 in a Low-Selenium Rat Model of Kashin-Beck Disease.

The objectives of this study are to assess T-2 toxin's involvement in low selenium (Se)-induced Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) in rats and unveil the mechanisms underlying this disease. Two hundred thirty rats were randomly divided into two groups after weaning and fed normal or low-Se diets (n = 115), respectively, for a month. After low-Se model confirmation, rats in each group were subdivided into five: two subgroups (n = 20) were fed their current diets (normal or low-Se diets, respectively) for 30 and 90 days, respectively; two other subgroups (n = 25) received their current diets + low T-2 toxin (100 ng/g BW/day) for 30 and 90 days, respectively; and 25 rats were fed their current diets + high T-2 toxin (200 ng/g BW/day) for 30 days.

Cluster of differentiation 147 is a key molecule during hepatocellular carcinoma cell-hepatic stellate cell cross-talk in the rat liver.

The cross-talk between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is considered to be important for modulating the biological behavior of tumor cells. However, the molecular links between inflammation and cancer in the activation of HSCs remain to be elucidated. The present study demonstrated that cluster of differentiation (CD)147 is a key molecule involved in the interaction between HCC cells and HSCs.

Identification of therapeutic target genes with DNA microarray in multiple myeloma cell line treated by IKKβ/NF-κB inhibitor.

Purpose: To explore the mechanism of resistance to IKKβ inhibitor in multiple myeloma (MM) cells and uncover novel therapeutic targets for MM.

Methods: We downloaded the microarray data (GSE8476) from GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database. The data were derived from the human MM cells lines (L363 cells) treated with IKKβ inhibitor MLN120b (MLN) for eight, 12 and 24 hours.

Saikosaponin‑d suppresses the expression of cyclooxygenase‑2 through the phospho‑signal transducer and activator of transcription 3/hypoxia‑inducible factor‑1α pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and accounts for ~6% of all types of human cancer worldwide, particularly in Asia. The incidence and mortality rates in the USA have also rapidly increased. Saikosaponin‑d (SSD), a saponin derivative extracted from several species of Bupleurum (Umbelliferae), possesses unique biological activities, including anti‑inflammatory, antihepatitic and immunomodulatory effects.

Laminin 411 acts as a potent inducer of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into insulin-producing cells.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an incurable metabolic disease constituting a major threat to human health. Insulin-producing cells (IPCs) differentiated from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold great promise in the treatment of DM. The development of an efficient IPC induction system is a crucial step for the clinical application of IPCs for DM.

[Combined effects of T-2 toxin and selenium deficiency on lipid peroxidation in rat's brain].

Objective: To explore the effects of T-2 toxin and it's synergy with low selenium on lipid peroxidation in rats' brain.

Methods: Early weaning male SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats were randomly divided into normal group and low-selenium model group by weight after 1 week for adaptive feeding, and respectively fed normal diet and low-selenium diet. After the low Se model was succeed, the normal group were randomly divided into control group, low T-2 group, high T-2 group, the model group were randomly divided into low Se group, low Se + low T-2 group, low Se + high T-2 group.

Increased levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in Kashin-Beck disease and rats induced by T-2 toxin and selenium deficiency.

The objective of this study is to investigate the possible role of inflammatory mediators such as IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) children and rats fed with T-2 toxin under a selenium-deficient nutrition status in order to determine possible mechanism underlying KBD. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a selenium-deficient diet for 4 weeks prior to their exposure to T-2 toxin for 4 weeks. The morphology of joint cartilages of KBD children and rats was examined by light microscopy, and the expression of proteoglycans was determined by histochemical staining.

Protective effects of selenium on oxidative damage and oxidative stress related gene expression in rat liver under chronic poisoning of arsenic.

Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid existing widely in the environment, and chronic exposure to it through contaminated drinking water has become a global problem of public health. The present study focused on the protective effects of selenium on oxidative damage of chronic arsenic poisoning in rat liver. Rats were divided into four groups at random and given designed treatments for 20 weeks.

[Role of JNK signaling pathway in chondrocyte apoptosis induced by nitric oxide].

Objective: To study the role of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway in chondrocyte apoptosis induced by nitric oxide (NO) using NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and JNK inhibitor SP600125.

Methods: Articular chondrocytes were separated from New Zealand rabbits aged 3 weeks by mechanical digestion and enzyme digestion and identified by toluidine blue staining, and then the chondrocytes were treated with SNP and SP600125 for 24 h. The cell apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL), and the expression levels of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and p53 were measured by western blot.

Pesticide residues in market foods in Shaanxi Province of China in 2010.

The aim of this study was to investigate the pesticide residues in market vegetables in Shaanxi Province of China. The concentrations of 33 pesticides were determined by gas chromatography (GC) in 285 samples. Ten organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) were found in concentrations ranging from 0.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt vs endoscopic therapy in preventing variceal rebleeding.

Aim: To compare early use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) with endoscopic treatment (ET) for the prophylaxis of recurrent variceal bleeding.

Methods: In-patient data were collected from 190 patients between January 2007 and June 2010 who suffured from variceal bleeding. Patients who were older than 75 years; previously received surgical treatment or endoscopic therapy for variceal bleeding; and complicated with hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic cancer, were excluded from this research.

Oxidant damage in Kashin-Beck disease and a rat Kashin-Beck disease model by employing T-2 toxin treatment under selenium deficient conditions.

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic degenerative osteoarthropathy, but the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis remains unclear. This study compares antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation using a novel model, in which rats were administered a selenium-deficient diet for 4 weeks prior to their exposure to T-2 toxin for 4 weeks. Changes in cell morphology and empty chondrocyte lacunae indicative of cell death, as well as cartilage proteoglycan loss in the deep zone of articular cartilage of knee joints were observed in rats with selenium-deficient diet plus T-2 toxin treatment.

SNP-induced apoptosis may be mediated with caspase inhibitor by JNK signaling pathways in rabbit articular chondrocytes.

NO plays an important role in cartilage destruction by inducing apoptosis of chondrocytes. Here we investigated the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal transduction pathways in the apoptosis induced by NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in rabbit articular chondrocytes. We used Annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay (TUNEL) assay to detect apoptosis rate.

Histopathology of chondronecrosis development in knee articular cartilage in a rat model of Kashin-Beck disease using T-2 toxin and selenium deficiency conditions.

The objective of this study is to observe pathogenic lesions of joint cartilages in rats fed with T-2 toxin under a selenium deficiency nutrition status in order to determine possible etiological factors causing Kashin-Beck disease (KBD). Sprague-Dawley rats were fed selenium-deficient or control diets for 4 weeks prior to their being exposed to T-2 toxin. Six dietary groups were formed and studied 4 weeks later, i.

Comparative study of p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with coal-combustion-type fluorosis with and without high hair selenium levels.

Coal-combustion-type fluorosis has only been reported in China and its pathogenesis has not been fully understood. Fluoride causes chronic toxic effects and selenium modulates cellular activities through signal transduction in human cells. The present study enrolled three groups of subjects with well-defined serum and urine fluoride and hair selenium: high fluoride+high selenium group, high fluoride group and normal control group.

High selenium status in individuals exposed to arsenic through coal-burning in Shaanxi (PR of China) modulates antioxidant enzymes, heme oxygenase-1 and DNA damage.

Background: Although interactions of arsenite and selenite in mammalian organisms have been suggested by literature data, the antioxidant effects and biochemical mechanisms of dietary selenium on human populations exposed to inorganic arsenic are not fully understood.

Methods: Total blood, urine and hair concentrations of arsenic and selenium were determined in all individuals by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The individuals with skin lesions were subsequently classified as "High As group" and "High Se/As group" and controls were classified as "High Se group" and "Control group" according to their blood selenium concentrations.