Dual Effects of Bilirubin on the Proliferation of Rat Renal NRK52E Cells and ITS Association with Gap Junctions

Objective:

The effect of bilirubin on renal pathophysiology is controversial. This study aimed to observe the effects of bilirubin on the proliferation of normal rat renal tubular epithelial cell line (NRK52E) and its potential interplay with gap junction function.

Methods:

Cultured NRK52E cells, seeded respectively at high- or low- densities, were treated with varying concentrations of bilirubin for 24 hours. Cell injury was assessed by measuring cell viability and proliferation, and gap junction function was assessed by Parachute dye-coupling assay. Connexin 43 protein was assessed by Western blotting.

Results:

At doses from 17.1 to 513μmol/L, bilirubin dose-dependently enhanced cell viability and colony-formation rates when cells were seeded at either high- or low- densities (all p<0.05 vs. solvent group) accompanied with enhanced intercellular fluorescence transmission and increased Cx43 protein expression in high-density cells. However, the above effects of BR were gradually reversed when its concentration increased from 684 to 1026μmol/L. In high-density cells, gap junction inhibitor 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate attenuated bilirubin-induced enhancement of colony-formation and fluorescence transmission. However, in the presence of high concentration bilirubin (1026μmol/L), activation of gap junction with retinoid acid decreased colony-formation rates.

Conclusion:

Bilirubin can confer biphasic effects on renal NRK52E cell proliferation potentially by differentially affecting gap junction functions.     

试论市场经济条件下公共卫生服务的构建

公共卫生服务的提供,对于一个国家和社会来说是极为重要的.目前,我国公共卫生事业存在着群众承担的卫生费用增长过快、政府财政投入严重不足、医疗卫生资源城乡分布不合理及政府对公共卫生服务监督职能的缺位等问题.文章提出了对公共卫生服务提供方式的构建设想,包括明确公共卫生基本服务内容、突发公共卫生事件的危机管理、大力发展社区卫生...     

Drug synergistic antifertility effect of combined administration of low-dose gossypol with steroid hormones in rats

Background  Our previous studies suggested that low-dose gossypol combined with steroid hormones has a reversible antifertility role in adult male rats, and the course of treatment was shorter than that of either gossypol or steroid hormones alone. This result suggested that low-dose gossypol and steroid hormones have a drug synergistic effect on antifertility. The aim of the study was to find the target organs of the antifertility synergistic effect of the combined regimen.

Methods  Thirty-two adult male rats were divided into four groups randomly: group GH, rats were fed orally with gossypol acetic acid (GA, 12.5 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1) and desogestrel (DSG, 0.125 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1)/ethinylestradiol (EE, 0.025 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1)/ testosterone undecanoate (TU, 100 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1); group G, a single dose of GA (12.5 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1) was given; group H, the same dosage of DSG/EE/TU as in group GH were administered; group C, rats were treated with vehicle (1% methyl cellulose) as control. Testes and epididymis were removed at 8 weeks post-treatment for evaluating their weight, volumes, volume fraction, and total volume of testicular tissue structures and the seminiferous tubule diameter using stereological assay. Sperm cell numbers and the motility of epididymal sperm were quantitated by flow cytometry and morphological methods.

Results  Compared with group C, spermatogenesis was normal in group G and suppressed in groups H and GH. Similar changes of testicular tissue structures and sperm number were found in groups H and GH. The decreases of epididymal sperm number and motility in group GH were greater than that of the low-dose gossypol or steroid hormones alone group.

Conclusions  The suppression of spermatogenesis was induced by steroid hormones in the combined regimen, and the epididymis was the target organ of low-dose gossypol. Combined use of low-dose gossypol and steroid hormones played a comprehensive antifertility role in their synergistic effect on reducing the number and motility of epididymal sperm.

     

A systematic review of long-term outcomes of patients with psychosis who received early intervention services

Abstract

Despite convincing evidence of short-term symptom control and functional recovery of patients with psychosis after receiving early intervention (EI) services, little is known about the long-term outcomes of EI for these patients. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of EI services in improving long-term outcomes of patients with psychosis. A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, BIOSIS, and EMBASE electronic databases to identify studies that evaluated long-term outcomes of patients with psychosis measured 5 years or beyond after entering the EI service. Of 13,005 articles returned from the search, 14 eligible articles reporting study cohorts from nine EI services in seven countries and regions were identified. Data on study design, patient characteristics, intervention components, and outcomes were extracted and reviewed. Only a few studies reported better longitudinal outcomes for negative symptoms, mortality, employment, and hospitalization in patients received EI services. However, results from cross-sectional measurements provided little evidence for long-term impacts of EI services on clinical and functional outcomes. A dilution effect of benefits over time was also demonstrated in several studies. This review highlights the gap in current EI service provision and suggests possible future directions for service improvement and further research.     

Pocket-sized versus standard ultrasound machines in abdominal imaging

The pocket-sized ultrasound machine has emerged as an invaluable tool for quick assessment in emergency and general practice settings. It is suitable for instant and quick assessment in cardiac imaging. However, its applicability in the imaging of other body parts has yet to be established. In this pictorial review, we compared the performance of the pocket-sized ultrasound machine against the standard ultrasound machine for its image quality in common abdominal pathology.     

Impact of surgery in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma: A monocentric retrospective analysis

Background and Objectives

The role of local surgical procedures in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma is still undefined. Few retrospective studies have reported survival benefits for patients with pulmonary metastases after complete surgical resection. Treatment decisions are therefore mainly based on personal experiences rather than on reproducible knowledge.

Method

A total of 237 patients with metastatic sarcoma, treated between 1982 and 2015 at the University Hospital Tuebingen, Germany, were eligible for inclusion. Out of the 237 screened patients, 102 patients underwent at least one metastasectomy. Overall survival was defined as the primary endpoint in this study. For association of non‐linear relationship to the endpoint, significant prognostic factors were included into a recursive partitioning model. A subgroup analysis for long‐term survivors was also performed.

Results

The median overall survival was 64 months. The 3‐, 5‐, 10‐, and 20‐years overall survival rates were 70.7%, 50.3%, 24.7%, and 14.8%, respectively. The number of resections and the progression‐free intervals were independent prognostic factors in three statistical models.

Conclusion

Repeated resections of metastases from different localizations are a strong predictor for prolonged survival. We suggest that the progression‐free interval after metastasectomy should be considered as a predictive factor for benefit from further surgery.     

体外膜氧合治疗期间缺血性肝炎发病率、危险因素及预后

目的 研究探讨体外膜氧合（extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO）治疗期间缺血性肝炎（ischemic hepatitis, IH）的发生率、危险因素及结局。 方法 回顾性收集了82例因心源性疾病接受静脉-动脉（venous-arterial, VA）ECMO支持的成年患者（≥18周岁）资料,排除有肝、肾疾病病史者。患者分为IH组和非缺血性肝炎（NIH）组,对患者临床资料进行分析比较。 结果 20例（24.4%）患者发生IH,且均出现在使用ECMO 24 h内。AST随着时间的延长逐渐下降,而总胆红素（total bilirubin, TBIL）却逐步增高。IH组的生存率显著低于NIH组（15% 比 50%,P=0.006）。此外,IH组急性肾功能衰竭的发病率显著高于NIH组（70.0% 比 41.9%, P=0.029）。多元回归模型发现,内科心功能衰竭［比值比（odds ratio, OR） =149.71,95%CI 6.22～3 602.58,P=0.002］、乳酸最大值（OR=1.41,95%CI 1.14～1.76,P=0.002）、TBIL最大值（OR=1.02,95%CI 1.01～1.04,P=0.010）是ECMO支持24 h内发生IH的危险因素。 结论 IH在ECMO中较为常见,而且发生IH的患者预后较差。内科心功能衰竭、乳酸和TBIL最大值是VA ECMO支持期间IH的危险因素。     

Frailty and Mortality Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Frailty has been identified as a risk factor for mortality. However, whether frailty increases mortality risk in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the frailty measures and mortality outcomes in this setting.