Induction of adipocyte apoptosis has been postulated as a novel strategy with which to treat obesity. The effects of curcumin, a polyphenol compound, on the apoptotic signaling pathway in SW872 adipocytes were investigated in the present study. The results showed that cell viability decreased following curcumin treatment in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The results from a single-stranded DNA ELISA assay indicated that curcumin causes the number of apoptotic cells to increase in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, curcumin treatment resulted in an increased expression of Bax, and a decrease in that of of Bcl-2, with a concomitant upregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Curcumin treatment also led to the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol. Similarly, caspase-dependent poly (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage by curcumin was observed in the current study. In conclusion the results indicate that curcumin is an effective therapeutic agent with which to induce apoptosis in adipocytes. This effect is, in part, mediated through the mitochondrial pathway, which involves upregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, cytochrome c release, activation of caspase-3 and the cleavage of PARP.

Objective. To explore the effects of improved oral care on the number of oropharyngeal bacteria and the incidence of ventilatorassociated pneumonia in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation through oral endotracheal intubation by improving conventional oral care methods and operating procedures and to evaluate the quality of improved oral care and effect. Methods. A total of 100 cases of mechanically ventilated patients with oral endotracheal intubation who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into the observation group and control group with 50 cases each. The control group took routine oral care, that is, scrubbing 3 times per day, and the oral care solution was selected as physiological brine. The observation group improved the conventional oral care method, namely, oral scrubbing before intubation, brushing and washing after intubation, 3 times per day, and 0.1% povidone-iodine in oral care solution. Analysis and comparison of the oral bacterial flora, oral cleanliness, and incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, mechanical ventilation time, ICU hospitalization time, and mortality rate of the two groups of patients were analyzed and compared. The relevant data were collected and processed for statistical processing. Results. The oral bacterial flora of the two groups of patients before oral care after mechanical ventilation after oral tracheal intubation was compared, and there was no significant statistical difference (P > 0:05). After nursing, the oral bacterial flora of the observation group at 8 h, 16 h, and 24 h after intubation was significantly lower than that of the control group. Statistics showed that the difference was statistically significant (P < 0:05). After nursing, the number of patients with oral cleanliness in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group, while the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the observation group was 8% significantly lower than that of the control group 14%. Statistics show that this difference is statistically significant (P < 0:05). After nursing, the observation group's oral cleanliness score, mechanical ventilation time, ICU hospitalization time, and GCS score were better than those of the control group. Statistics showed that the difference was statistically significant (P < 0:05). The mortality of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group, which was not statistically significant (P > 0:05). Conclusion. Oral care can effectively reduce the number of oropharyngeal bacteria in patients who are mechanically ventilated through orotracheal intubation and significantly reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) develops rapidly with a high malignancy. SOX9 expression is increased in several tumors. However, its expression and role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma have not yet been elucidated. Real time PCR and Western blot were done to assess SOX9 expression in tumor tissues and adjacent tissues of ICC. ICC cell line QBC939 cells were separated into control group, SOX9 overexpression group and SOX9 siRNA group followed by analysis of cell survival by MTT assay, cell migration by cell scratch assay, cell invasion by transwell chamber, E-cadherin and Vimentin level by western blot, TGFβ/Smad signaling protein level by real time PCR. SOX9 level in tumor tissues was significantly increased compared to adjacent tissues (P < 0.05) and it was associated with TNM stage, tissue type and metastasis, and survival time (P < 0.05). Transfection of pcDNA3.1-SOX9 upregulated SOX9, promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion, downregulated E-cadherin, upregulated Vimentin, TGF-β1 and Smad4 (P < 0.05). SOX9 siRNA transfection into QBC939 cells could significantly reverse the above mentioned changes (P < 0.05). SOX9 level is increased in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and targeting SOX9 can inhibit cell migration and invasion, and EMT via regulating TGFβ/Smad signaling.