Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

525-530

Authors: Alamneh Abera, Endalkachew Nibret

Objective To determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes and associated risk factors among schoolchildren in Tilili town, northwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 385 schoolchildren was conducted between November 2011 to February 2012. Each student was selected using systematic random sampling method. Questionnaire and observation were used to identify socio-demographic and associated risk factors. Fresh stool samples were observed using formal-ether concentration technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. Results Four species of intestinal helminthes were identified with an overall prevalence of 44.2% (170 of 385 schoolchildren). The predominant parasites were Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides) 153 (39.7%) and Trichuris trichiura (T. trichiura) 30 (7.8%). One hundred thirty five (35.1%) had single infections and 35 (9.2%) were infected with more than one helminthic parasites in which 32 (8.4%) were double infections and 3 (0.8%) were triple infections. Significant associations were observed between intestinal helminth infection and those of age, grade level, and school variables. Prevalence of hookworm infection was significant in children who did not wear shoes regularly (P<0.05). Conclusions Intervention programs and education on personal and environmental hygiene should be implemented for the prevention and control of helminthic infections in the study area.

536-544

Authors: Ademola Ayeleso, Nicole Brooks, Oluwafemi Oguntibeju

Objective To investigate the role of red palm oil (RPO), rooibos tea extract (RTE) and their combined treatment (RPO + RTE) on antioxidant status in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single administration of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) and the rats were treated for 7 weeks. Antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD)], antioxidant capacity [trolox equivalence antioxidant capacity (TEAC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)] as well as total protein, albumin, globulin, total glutathione, conjugated diene and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were investigated. Results Treatment with RPO, RTE and RPO + RTE significantly (p>0.05) improved liver SOD and plasma ORAC in the diabetic rats. Similarly, diabetic rats treated with RTE and RPO + RTE enhanced liver GPx. A significant (P<0.05) increase in the plasma TBARS in the diabetic control group was observed when compared with the normal control group. Treatment of diabetic rats with RTE and RPO + RTE reduced plasma TBARS to a level not significantly different at P<0.05 from the normal control group. Conclusions The results revealed the anti-oxidative potentials of red palm oil, rooibos and their combination in diabetic conditions and hence, they could be useful in the management of diabetes and its complications.

552-556

Authors: Xin Liu, Qiu-Ran Xu, Wan-Fu Xie, Mao-De Wang

Objective To explore the suppressing effect of γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT on proliferation of human glioma cell line SHG-44 in vitro and its mechanism. Methods The SHG-44 cell was treated by DAPT with different concentration. The proliferation of cells was detected by MTT assay; cell cycle and TSC of CD133+ were determined by flow cytometry analysis technique; the key factor in Notch signaling pathway (Notch-1, Delta-1, Hes-1) was measured by reverse transcrip tase-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Results DAPT inhibited the growth and proliferation of SHG-44 cells significantly(P<0.05). And the inhibiting effect on SHG-44 cells produced by DAPT showed a dose-dependent manner. DAPT increased the rate of cells in G0/G1 phase of SHG-44 cells, while it decreased the rate of cells in S phase. TSC of CD133+ was significantly reduced after DAPT treated SHG-44 cells. The expression of protein and mRNA of Notch-1, Delta-1 and Hes-1 were gradually downregulated with the increase of DAPT doses. Conclusions DAPT can downregulate these key factor in Notch signaling pathway, reduce the TSC of CD133+ and inhibit the proliferation of SHG-44 cells.

562-567

Authors: Qing-Zhong Zhou, Ge Zhang, Hai-Bo Long, Fei Lei, Fei Ye, Xu-Feng Jia, Yun-Long Zhou, Jian-Ping Kang, Da-Xiong Feng

Objective To investigate the effect of the spinal cord extracts (SCE) after spinal cord injuries (SCIs) on the proliferation of rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) and the expressions of mRNA of Notch1 as well as of Hes1 in this process in vitro. Methods The experiment was conducted in 4 different mediums: NSCs+PBS (Group A-blank control group), NSCs+SCE with healthy SD rats (Group B-normal control group), NSCs+SCE with SD rats receiving sham-operation treatment (Group C-sham-operation group) and NSCs+ SCE with SCIs rats (Group D-paraplegic group). Proliferative abilities of 4 different groups were analyzed by MTT chromatometry after co-culture for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 d, respectively. The expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA were also detected with RT-PCR after co-culture for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Results After co-culture for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 d respectively, the MTT values of group D were significantly higher than those of group A, group B and group C (P<0.05). However, there were no significantly differences regarding MTT values between group A, group B and group C after co-culture for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 d, respectively (P>0.05). Both the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA of group D were significantly higher than those of other 3 groups after co-culture for 24 h and 48 h as well (P<0.05). But there was no difference oin expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA among group A, group B and group C after co-culture for 24 h and 48 h (P>0.05). There was no difference in expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA between 24 h and 48 h treatment in group D. Conclusions SCE could promote the proliferation of NSCs. It is demonstrated that the microenvironment of SCI may promote the proliferation of NSCs. Besides, SCE could increase the expression of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA of NSC. It can be concluded that the Notch signaling pathway activation is one of the mechanisms that locally injured microenvironment contributes to the proliferation of ENSC after SCIs. This process may be performed by up-regulating the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 gene.

576-581

Authors: Zhen-Chang Wang, Shan Yang, Jing-Jing Huang, Song-Lin Chen, Quan-Qiang Li, Yuan Li

Objective To observe the effect of Rougan Huaqian granules combined with human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) transplantation on the liver fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis rats. Methods Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups. The rats in control group received intraperitoneal injection of saline, while those in model control group, treatment group A, group B and group C received intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride oily solution to induce liver cirrhosis within 8 weeks. Then, the rats in the model control group, treatment group A, treatment group B, treatment group C received vein tail injection of saline, Rougan Huaqian granules, hMSC suspension and Rougan Huaqian granules combined with hMSC suspension. Results The treatment groups had significantly different liver function (AST levels), liver fibrosis index (laminin and HA), hepatic sinusoidal wallsα-smooth muscle actin, IV collagen and laminin protein expression and I, III collagen from the model group (P<0.05). The transplanted cells showed human hepatocyte-like cells differentiation trend in the liver. Conclusions The Rougan Huaqian granules combined with hMSC transplantation can alleviate liver fibrosis in cirrhosis rats.

585-588

Authors: De-Hui Zhang, Liang-Yu Zhang, Dong-Jie Liu, Fang Yang, Jin-Zao Zhao

Objective To observe the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) in the oncogenesis of lung cancer in rats and to explore their clinical value. Methods A total of 140 rats were selected, of which 20 were selected randomly as the control group; and the remaining 120 as the observation group. The observation group was injected with benzopyrene to establish diseases model such as tissue proliferation, abnormal proliferation and lung cancer. Detected the MMP-9 levels of lung tissue by enzyme-linked assay, detected the MDM2 levels of lung tissue by immunochcmistry assay. Results The MMP-9 and MDM2 expression of the lung cancer group and the abnormal proliferation group were significantly higher than that in the tissue proliferation group and the control group, the difference was significant (P<0.05). And the MDM2 expression of the tissue proliferation group was significantly higher than that in the control group, the difference was significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the MMP-9 expression between the tissue proliferation group and the control group (P>0.05). The MDM2 and MMP-9 expression were increased in turn in the small cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The MMP-9 and MDM2 expressions of stage III and stage IV lung cancer tissue in rats were significant higher than that during stage I and stage II, the difference was significant (P<0.05). There was no significantly different in the MMP-9 and MDM2 expressions between stage III and stage IV(P>0.05), and there is no significant difference of the MMP-9 and MDM2 expressions between stage I and stage II(P>0.05). Conclusions The expression of MMP-9 and MDM2 in lung tissue was associated with lung disease and lung cancer, both of them may be involved in the development and metastasis of lung cancer. Combined detection can be used as therapy and prognostic indicators for lung cancer.