Betaine supplementation protects against renal injury induced by cadmium intoxication in rats: Role of oxidative stress and caspase-3

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental and industrial pollutant that can induce a broad spectrum of toxicological effects that affect various organs in humans and experimental animals. This study aims to investigate the effect of betaine supplementation on cadmium-induced oxidative impairment in rat kidney. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 10 per group): control, cadmium, betaine and betaine + cadmium (1) saline control group; (2) cadmium group in which cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) was given orally at a daily dose of 5 mg/kg body weight for four weeks; (3) betaine group, in which betaine was given to rats at a dose of 250 mg/kg/day, orally via gavage for six weeks; (4) cadmium + betaine group in which betaine was given at a dose of 250 mg/kg/day, orally via gavage for two weeks prior to cadmium administration and concurrently during cadmium administration for four weeks. Cadmium nephrotoxicity was indicated by elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels. Kidneys from cadmium-treated rats showed an increase in lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) concentration and reductions in total antioxidant status (TAS), reduced glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, superoxide dismutase concentration (SOD) and catalase activity. Caspase-3 activity, a marker of DNA damage was also elevated in renal tissues of cadmium-treated rats. Pre-treatment of rats with betaine substantially attenuated the increase in BUN and serum creatinine levels. Betaine also inhibited the increase in TBARS concentration and reversed the cadmium-induced depletion in total antioxidant status, GSH, GSH-Px, SOD and catalase concentrations in renal tissues. Renal caspase-3 activity was also reduced with betaine supplementation. These data emphasize the importance of oxidative stress and caspase signaling cascade in cadmium nephrotoxicity and suggest that betaine pretreatment reduces severity of cadmium nephrotoxicity probably via antioxidant action and suppression of apoptosis.     

Studies on the effect of sodium arsenate on the enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism,brush border membrane,and oxidative stress in the rat kidney

Arsenic is an environmental pollutant and its contamination in drinking water poses serious world wide environmental health threats. It produces multiple adverse effects in various tissues, including the kidney. However, biochemical mechanism and renal response to its toxic insult are not completely elucidated. We hypothesized that sodium arsenate (ARS) induces oxidative stress and alters the structure and metabolic functions of kidney. Male Wistar rats were administered ARS (10 mg/kg body weight/day), intraperitoneally daily for 10 days. ARS administration increased blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, cholesterol, glucose, and phospholipids but decreased inorganic phosphate, indicating kidney toxicity. The activity of brush border membrane (BBM) enzymes significantly lowered in both cortex and medulla. Activity of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases, and NADP-malic enzyme significantly increased whereas malate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase, and fructose 1,6 bis phosphatase decreased by ARS exposure. The activity of superoxide dismutase, GSH-peroxidase, and catalase were selectively altered in renal tissues along with an increase in lipid peroxidation. The present results indicated that ARS induced oxidative stress caused severe renal damage that resulted in altered levels of carbohydrate metabolism and BBM enzymes.     

The sooty moulds

Sooty moulds are a remarkable, but poorly understood group of fungi. They coat fruits and leaves superficially with black mycelia, which reduces photosynthesis rates of host plants. Few researchers have, however, tried to quantify their economic importance. Sooty moulds have been well-studied at the morphological level, but they are poorly represented in a natural classification based on phylogeny. Representatives are presently known in Antennulariellaceae, Capnodiaceae, Chaetothyriaceae, Coccodiniaceae, Euantennariaceae, Metacapnodiaceae and Trichomeriaceae and several miscellaneous genera. However, molecular data is available for only five families. Most sooty mould colonies comprise numerous species and thus it is hard to confirm relationships between genera or sexual and asexual states. Future studies need to obtain single spore isolates of species to test their phylogenetic affinities and linkages between morphs. Next generation sequencing has shown sooty mould colonies to contain many more fungal species than expected, but it is not clear which species are dominant or active in the communities. They are more common in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions and thus their prevalence in temperate regions is likely to increase with global warming. Sooty moulds are rarely parasitized by fungicolous taxa and these may have biocontrol potential. They apparently grow in extreme environments and may be xerophilic. This needs testing as xerophilic taxa may be of interest for industrial applications. Sooty moulds grow on sugars and appear to out-compete typical “weed” fungi and bacteria. They may produce antibiotics for this purpose and their biochemical potential for obtaining novel bioactive compounds for medical application is underexplored.     

《出生医学证明》签发影响因素分析

目的 分析《出生医学证明》签发的影响因素,提出提高《出生医学证明》签发率的措施和建议。方法 本研究采用现场调查（包括个人深入访谈、专题小组讨论）的方法了解《出生医学证明》签发流程和条件。结果 医疗助产机构（供方）设置的《出生医学证明》申领流程较为复杂;新生儿父母（需方）重视程度及主动申领《出生医学证明》的意识有待进一步提高;某些政策在执行过程中也会影响《出生医学证明》的签发。结论 建议充分利用现代信息技术手段,提升《出生医学证明》签发水平,简化《出生医学证明》发放流程;探讨建立多部门合作机制;实现部门间信息共享,规范使用;加强群众宣教,提高群众对《出生医学证明》的重视程度。     

中国儿童性虐待的流行病学研究现状：测量工具、流行现状及危险因素分析

目的初步掌握中国0-17岁儿童性虐待的流行病学研究现状。方法通过对近20年（1992-2012年）的国内外文献进行检索,获取较全面的、有代表性的中国儿童性虐待流行病学研究资料,对儿童性虐待研究的测量工具、发生率现状及危险因素等进行系统分析。结果 1测量工具：现有研究比较多的是调查16岁前发生的性虐待,多采用成年人回顾的方式进行调查。常用的测量方法是采用不记名自填式问卷对接触性和非接触性性行为的发生情况进行回顾性调查,也有研究者使用标准化的儿童虐待量表。2发生率现状：男性遭受性虐待的发生率为10.2%-23.0%,女性遭受性虐待的发生率为14.2%-25.5%;在性虐待发生的性别差异方面,尽管不同研究结果存在不一致性,但总体上女性遭受性虐待的发生率高于男性。3危险因素：城市地区儿童遭受性虐待的比例高于农村地区,生活在重组家庭中的儿童性虐待的报告率高于核心家庭,父、母亲经常在家庭中使用暴力、有不良嗜好、体弱多病、家庭关系紧张等是儿童性虐待发生的危险因素。结论有关儿童性虐待问题的测量方法不一致,现有研究多为成人回顾性调查,有必要在测量工具标准化、全国流行现状等方面开展深入研究。     

关于妇幼保健机构实施预约诊疗的思考

目的思考我国妇幼保健机构实施预约诊疗的利与弊。方法文献回顾。结果妇幼保健机构医疗服务特点适合采用预约诊疗服务方式。结论在妇幼保健机构实施预约诊疗一定程度上有利于优化就诊流程,资源合理配置,缓解拥挤及候诊时间长、等待时间长、检验检查等候时间长和医生接诊时间短的＂三长一短＂现象。预约诊疗工作的有效开展需要依托信息技术的运用、妇幼保健机构和就诊人员共同努力。     

Genetically modified microorganism Spingomonas paucimobilis UT26 for simultaneously degradation of methyl-parathion and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane

Bioremediation of pesticide residues by bacteria is an efficient and environmentally friendly method to deal with environmental pollution. In this study, a genetically modified microorganism (GMM) named UT26XEGM was constructed by introducing a parathion hydrolase gene into an initially γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) degrading bacterium Spingomonas paucimobilis UT26. In order to reduce its potential risk of gene escaping into the environment for the public concern on biosafety, a suicide system was also designed that did not interfere with the performance of the GMM until its physiological function was activated by specific signal. The system was designed with circuiting suicide cassettes consisting of killing genes gef and ecoRIR from Escherichia coli controlled by Pm promoter and the xylS gene. The cell viability and original degradation characteristics were not affected by the insertion of exogenous genes. The novel GMM was capable of degrading methyl-parathion and γ-HCH simultaneously. In laboratory scale testing, the recombinant bacteria were successfully applied to the bioremediation of mixed pesticide residues with the activity of self-destruction after 3-methylbenzoate induction.     

超声体检发现血脂正常者患脂肪肝原因分析

目的 对体检发现血脂正常但确诊为脂肪肝患者的患病原因做出统计分析.方法 对2012年01月至2014年1月来我门诊体检发现的150例血脂正常的脂肪肝患者和150例血脂正常的非脂肪肝患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析,对临床表现为血脂正常但患脂肪肝的原因进行回归统计分析.结果 血脂正常的脂肪肝患者和血脂正常的非脂肪肝患者在肥胖情况、高血糖情况、嗜酒情况三方面差异显著,具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.在肝炎情况、服用肝损伤药物病史情况存在差异,但是差异减小,不具有统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 即使血脂正常也具有患脂肪肝的概率,血脂正常者患脂肪肝的主要原因为过度肥胖、高血糖以及嗜酒.     

Device Modeling and Design of Inverted Solar Cell Based on Comparative Experimental Analysis between Effect of Organic and Inorganic Hole Transport Layer on Morphology and Photo-Physical Property of Perovskite Thin Film

It is crucial to find a good material as a hole transport layer (HTL) to improve the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), devices with an inverted structure. Polyethylene dioxythiophene-poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and inorganic nickel oxide (NiO_x) have become hotspots in the study of hole transport materials in PSCs on account of their excellent properties. In our research, NiO_x and PEDOT: PSS, two kinds of hole transport materials, were prepared and compared to study the impact of the bottom layer on the light absorption and morphology of perovskite layer. By the way, some experimental parameters are simulated by wx Analysis of Microelectronic and Photonic Structures (wxAMPS). In addition, thin interfacial layers with deep capture levels and high capture cross sections were inserted to simulate the degradation of the interface between light absorption layer and PEDOT:PSS. This work realizes the combination of experiment and simulation. Exploring the mechanism of the influence of functional layer parameters plays a vital part in the performance of devices by establishing the system design. It can be found that the perovskite film growing on NiO_x has a stronger light absorption capacity, which makes the best open-circuit voltage of 0.98 V, short-circuit current density of 24.55 mA/cm², and power conversion efficiency of 20.01%.     

Can increasing the prevalence of vegetable-based diets lower the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal subjects? A systematic review with meta-analysis of the literature

ObjectivesSeveral epidemiological investigations have assessed the association between vegetable-based diet intake (VDI) and risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal subjects (OPS), but the outcomes have been inconsistent. We performed a review of the updated literature to evaluate this correlation.MethodsWe searched for relevant studies published in September 2018 or earlier. Two researchers conducted eligibility assessment and data extraction. Discrepancies were resolved through consultation with a third expert. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsTen studies, which included 14,247 subjects, were identified. On comparing the highest category of VDI consumption with the lowest category of VDI consumption, the pooled OR for OPS was 0.73 (95% CI = 0.57–0.95), i.e., participants with a higher intake of vegetables had a 27% (95% CI = 5–43%) lower risk of OPS. Significant benefits were found on subgroup analyses of case-control studies (OR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.48–0.78]), but not on subgroup analyses of cross-sectional studies (OR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.57–1.16]). The synthesized effect estimates were in the direction of decreased risk of OPS on subgroup analyses of the femoral region (OR, 0.57, 95% CI = 0.41–0.80) and the lumbar spine (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.38–0.81), but not on subgroup analyses of the calcaneus (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.33–2.16) and the lumbar and/or femoral region (OR = 1.04, 95%CI = 0.79–1.38). Positive results were observed on pooled analyses of the Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) measurement method (OR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.54–0.95]), but not on pooled analyses of the Standardized Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) measurement method (OR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.33–2.16]). This might have resulted from a type II error due to wide confidence intervals and less number of included studies.ConclusionThis meta-analysis seemingly confirms that higher consumption of VDI was associated with a lower risk of OPS. Taken together, these results highlight the need for future high-quality design-based trials on quantified vegetable intake and OPS.