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Purpose. Studies have shown that corneas of young children were more susceptible to Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation damage. However, there exist limited information about the harm of UVB to eyes and preventive measures on infancy. Vitamin C as an antioxidant is widely used to prevent many diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the protective effect of vitamin C on the cornea of infant rats with acute UVB injury. Method. Thirty-six infant rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (CON) group, UVB (UVB) group, and UVB+vitamin C (UVB+VitC) group. The UVB group was exposed to UVB irradiation (8 J/cm2, 15 min/d, 7 d) and the UVB+vitamin C group suffered the same UVB irradiation treated with vitamin C at the dose of 40 mg/kg via intraperitoneal injection. Then, corneal morphology was detected in vivo and in vitro at 7 d post-UVB exposure. Furthermore, serum inflammatory factors (IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α) and oxidative status (4-HNE and MDA) were detected by ELISA, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-α (VEGF-α) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the cornea was detected by western blot or immunofluorescent staining. Results. Slit lamp detection revealed that the area of corneal desquamation and corneal neovascularization in the UVB+VitC group was significantly less than those in the UVB group at 7 d post-UVB exposure (all p<0.05). OCT results showed that the thickness of the central cornea in the UVB+VitC group was decreased than that in the UVB group (p<0.05). The serum inflammatory factors (IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α) and oxidative status (4-HNE and MDA) in the UVB group were significantly increased compared with the CON group (all p<0.05), while those factors in the UVB+VitC group were decreased compared with those in the UVB group. Furthermore, the expression of VEGF-α in the UVB+VitC group was dramatically decreased compared with that in the UVB group (p<0.05), and the expression of SOD2 in the UVB+VitC group was dramatically increased compared with that in the UVB group at 7 d post-UVB exposure (p<0.05). Conclusion. Vitamin C could protect infant rats from corneal injury induced by UVB via alleviating corneal edema, improving corneal inflammatory reaction, and decreasing VEGF-α expression.

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ObjectiveA low concentration of plasma triiodothyronine (T3) indicates euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS), which could be associated with a poor outcome in patients in intensive care units (ICUs). This study evaluated the relationship between ESS and prognostic indicators in patients admitted to an ICU and examined the free T3 (FT3) cut-off points that could be associated with 28-day mortality.MethodsThis prospective observational study included patients admitted to the ICU of The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University between February and November 2018. Baseline variables and data on the occurrence of low FT3 were collected. The patients were divided into ESS (FT3 &lt; 3.28 pmol/L) and non-ESS groups. The relationship between ESS and prognostic indicators in patients admitted to the ICU was evaluated, and the FT3 cut-off points that could be associated with 28-day mortality were examined.ResultsOut of a total of 305 patients, 118 (38.7%) were in the ESS group. Levels of FT3 (P &lt; 0.001) and FT4 (P = 0.001) were lower, while the 28-day mortality rate (P &lt; 0.001) and hospitalization expenses in the ICU (P = 0.001) were higher in the ESS group. A univariable analysis identified ESS, FT3, free thyroxine (FT4)/FT3, the APACHE II score, the sequential organ failure (SOFA) score, the duration of mechanical ventilation, creatinine (CREA) levels, the oxygenation index (HGB), white blood cells, albumin (ALB) levels, age, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels as factors associated with 28-day mortality (all P &lt; 0.05). The cut-off value of FT3 for 28-day mortality was 2.88 pmol/L, and the 28-day mortality rate and hospitalization expenses in the ICU were higher in patients with ESS. The syndrome was confirmed to be independently associated with 28-day mortality.ConclusionThis study determined the incidence of ESS in the comprehensive ICU to be 38.7%. APACHE II, SOFA, BNP, APTT, HGB, PLT, CREA, ALB, FT4, SBP, and DBP are closely related to ESS, while BNP, PLT, and ALB are independent risk factors for the syndrome.

Low plasma triiodothyronine (T3) concentration indicates nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS), which might be associated with a poor outcome in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study evaluated the relationship between NTIS and prognostic indicators in patients admitted to the ICU and examined the fT3 cut-off points that could be associated with 28-day mortality. This prospective observational study included patients admitted to the ICU of The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from February to November 2018. The baseline variables and the occurrence of low free T3 (FT3) were collected. The patients were divided into the NTIS (FT3<3.28) and non-NTIS groups. Among 305 patients, 118 (38.7%) were in the NTIS group. FT3 (P<0.001) and FT4 (P=0.001) were lower, while the 28-day mortality rate (P<0.001) and hospitalization expenses in ICU (P=0.001) were higher in the NTIS group. The univariable analyses identified NTIS, FT3, free thyroxine/FT3, APACHEII, sequential organ failure score, duration of mechanical ventilation, creatinine, oxygenation index, white blood cells, albumin, age, and brain natriuretic peptide as being associated with 28-day mortality (all P<0.05). The cut-off value of FT3 for 28-day mortality was 2.88 pmol/L. The 28-day mortality rate and hospitalization expenses in the ICU were higher in patients with NTIS. NTIS was independently associated with 28-day mortality.

Objective:To investigate whether Huisheng Oral Solution has an anticoagulant effect in a rat model of thrombosis.Materials and Methods:A total of 40 male SD rats were equally and randomly divided into four groups: blank group, model group, and two treatment groups (A and B). Rats were subcutaneously injected with carrageenan to induce thrombosis. Rats in the treatment group A were intragastrically administered with Huisheng Oral Solution at a dose of 2 ml/100 g body weight (once per 8 hours), 72 hours after carrageenan injection, while those in the treatment group B were administered with Huisheng Oral Solution both 72 hours before and after induction of thrombosis. Blood samples were collected 24, 48, and 72 hours after carrageenan injection for measurements of prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen (FIB), prothrombin activity (PTA), platelets (PLT), fibrin degradation products (FDPs), and D-dimer. Lung, liver, and mesentery samples were taken 72 hours after carrageenan injection for histopathological analysis. The numbers of microthrombi in sections of different tissue samples were counted under a microscope. Blood parameters among each group were compared using the Welch test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, or the SNK test after testing for normality, while the number of microthrombi was compared using the Bonferroni test.Results:Compared to those in the model group, PT, APTT, and INR were significantly prolonged or increased while FIB was significantly reduced at the majority of time points in the two treatment groups (P < 0.05 for all). The levels of FDPs and D-dimer and PLT counts at the majority of time points were significantly lower (P < 0.05 for all), and the numbers of microthrombi in lung, liver, and mesentery samples were significantly decreased (P < 0.05 for all) in the two treatment groups. The above parameters at the majority of time points showed no significant differences between the two treatment groups.Conclusions:Huisheng Oral Solution can significantly improve coagulation parameters, fibrinolysis parameters, and PLT count, and reduce blood hypercoagulability and microthrombosis, suggesting that Huisheng Oral Solution has an anticoagulant effect in a rat model of thrombosis.

Prognostic study, level III.

Royal jelly (RJ) is a natural bee product that contains a variety of biologically active ingredients and has antitumor, antiallergic, antibacterial and immune-regulating effects. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine that can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. With this study, we aimed to explore the protective effect of RJ on DSS-induced colitis in mice. The physiochemical parameters (water, protein, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, total sugar, starch, ash and acidity) of the RJ samples used in this study met the requirements of the international and Chinese national standards. Treatment with RJ improved symptoms and colonic cell apoptosis and decreased intestinal permeability by increasing the expression of tight-junction protein, goblet cells and their secretion mucin, MUC2, in DSS-induced ulcerative colitis mice. RJ also reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and increased the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and sIgA. DSS resulted in an increase in the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Erysipelotrichaceae, Proteobacteria (Gammaproteobacteria, Enterobacteriales and Enterobacteriaceae) and Escherichia Shigella in the colon and a decrease in the relative abundance of Muribaculum. In the RJ treatment group, the relative abundance of the above intestinal flora was improved by treatment with 2.0 g/kg RJ. These results suggested that RJ alleviated DSS-induced colitis by improving the colonic mucosal barrier.