Objective To study the level changes of tumor necrosis factor ? (TNF ?)and endothelin 1 (ET 1) and the intervention role of vitamin E and vitamin C in the patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).Methods 65 cases of heart failure were randomized into A group of 32 cases and B group of 33 cases.A group were given cardiotonic,diuretic and extending blood vessel drugs;B group were given 200 mg vitamin E once a day and 200 mg vitamin C three times a day,in the duration of two weeks,besides the medications administered to A group.Specific radioimmunoassay and double antibody sandwich ELISA were used to measure the concentrations of TNF ? and ET 1 of 65 cases with heart failure and 32 healthy subjects.Results The TNF ? and ET 1 levels of congestive heart failure patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (P

Objective To develop a rapid screening method of environmental estrogen in vitro. Methods Estrogen responsive element (ERE) was inserted into the upstream of Lac Z (?-galactosidase ) reporter gene and the reporter gene was regulated under estrogen receptor(ER) in the recombinant yeast cells by the molecular biological technique. When the yeast cells was affected by environmental estrogen, conformational change of ER lead to expression through binding to ERE. There exist the functional relationships between the expression and the pollution degree of environmental estrogen. Therefore, the pollution degree can be reflected by assaying the activity of ?-galactosidase. Results It was identified by PCR that recombinant yeast cell, whose Lac Z reporter gene regulated under estrogen receptor, was successfully reconstructed. The experimental results showed that the time-dose-effect response had no significant changes when the recombinant yeast cell bad been exposed to ?-estradiol for 4 and 8 hours respectively; among the three methods of yeast disintegration, the ultrasonic vibration method had more advantage compared with that of the other methods and this dose-effect curve exhibited "S" shape; among 3 test chemical products, ?-estradiol was the most estrogenic activity, biosphenol A take second place, estradiol benzoate was the lowest. Conclusion The assay system of yeast cell for environmental estrogen hormone mediated by estrogen receptor is stable and applicable.

Objective To assess quickly the potential environmental pollution by using the luciferase transgenic cells. Methods Many electrophile compounds in the environment can generate oxidative stress,so that the transcription of certain protective genes is induced via specific DNA motifs called electrophile response elements (EPREs). We have made a vector containing a single EPRE fused to the TK minimal promoter and the gene encoding firefly luciferase (EPRE-LUC) by adopting bio-molecular techniques. From this vector the stable LUC expression vector regulated by EPRE had been successfully reconstructed. This reporter construct was transfected into HeLa cells,and the clones resistant to G418 were selected. The resistant cells were treated by the different concentrations of sodium arsenate(NaAsO2),cadmium chloride (CdCl2),mercury chloride(HgCl2) and diethyl mateate (DEM). After that,the expression of luciferase was determined by luciferase assay kit. Results The correct construct frame of LUC reporter vector regulated by EPRE was identified by DNA sequencing; the dose-dependent relationships between the LUC expression and the test substance concentration were found. Among them,the relationship produced by DEM was the most significant. Conclusion The LUC transgenic cells regulated by EPRE have been successfully constructed.

Objective To identify the emergency factors associated with health-related quality of life(HRQOL)6 months after acute myocardial infarction.Methods HRQOL was assessed in 89 emergency patients 6 months after acute myocardial infarction,using the SF-36 health survey questionnaire.Multivariate linear regression analysis and analysis of covariance were applied to data analysis to identify the emergency factors associated with HRQOL.Results The sum scores of the SF-36 health survey and scores on 4 of the 8 dimensions showed negative linear correlation with age(P

Objective To evaluate the middle and short-term effects of integrative cognitive training on mild cognitive impairments(MCI).Methods All the participants with MCI aged over 70 years were selected from one sub-district of Putuo District,Shanghai and divided into cognitive intervention group (n=46) and control group (n=35).The integrative cognitive training was conducted in 24 sessions for 12 weeks.All subjects were assessed by Neuropsychological Test Battery for Elderly (NTBE) and by a questionnaire of Shanghai Health Survey for the Elderly (VER2006)at baseline,follow-up and one-year follow up phases.Results At baseline phase,semantic relations test in NTBE was better (t=2.13,P=0.037),verbal fluency test (vegetables) in NTBE was worse(t =-2.25,P=0.038) in intervention group than in control group,while there were no significant differences in scores of other neuropsychological tests between intervention group and control group(all P＞0.05).At follow up phase,16 subscales in reasoning test of NTBE were improved (t=-2.70,P=0.010)and 2 subscales were declined in cognitive intervention group(all P＜0.05).9 subscales in semantic relations test of NTBE (t=-2.27,P=0.013) were improved and 5 subscales were declined in control group (all P＜ 0.05).Comparison between groups at one year follow-up showed that 5 subscales in reasoning test of NTBE (F=16.80,P=0.000) were better in intervention group than in control group(all P＜0.05).General linear model (GLM) with repeated measures at three time points showed that 4 subscales in reasoning test of NTBE had a time-by group interaction (F=5.16,P=0.01).Conclusions Integrative cognitive training can improve cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairments,and the validity of reasoning ability can sustain one year.

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To explore whether IL-1βinhibits the oligodendrocyte precursor cell ( OPCs) differentiation and affects axonal myelination.METHODS:One-day-old SD rats were randomly divided into control group and LPS group ( 48 rats in each group) .The rats in LPS group were intraperitoneally injected with 1 mg/kg LPS.The rats in control group were injected with an equal volume of PBS.The rats in each group were further divided into 3 h, 24 h, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d and 28 d subgroups after injection.The expression of IL-1βand IL-1R1 in the rat corpus callosum at 3 h, 24 h, 3 d, 7 d was determined by double immunofluorescence and Western blotting.The myelin basic protein( MBP) expression in the rat cor-pus callosum at 14 d, 28 d after injection was also measured.In vitro, primary OPCs culture was performed and divided in-to control group, 30 μg/L IL-1βgroup, 30 μg/L IL-1β+IL-1Ra group and 30 μg/L IL-1Ra group.The expression of MBP in the OPCs induced differentiation for 3 d was observed by double immunofluorescence and Western blotting.RE-SULTS:The expression of IL-1βand IL-1R1 in the rat corpus callosum at 3 h, 24 h, 3 d, 7 d after LPS injection was ob-viously increased and the expression of MBP in the rat corpus callosum at 14 d, 28 d in LPS group was obviously decreased compared with control group in vivo.The level of MBP was significantly decreased after IL-1βtreatment for 3 d in vitro. However, IL-1Ra (IL-1R inhibitor) reversed the down-regulation of MBP expression.IL-1βinhibited the expression of p-ERK, ERK over-expression reversed the down-regulation of MBP expression compared with IL-1βgroup.CONCLUSION:IL-1βinhibits the differentiation of OPCs, which may be involved in ERK pathways, thus leading to axonal hypomyelination in the corpus callosum of septic neonatal rats.

BACKGROUND:Currently, there are a lot of studies addressing oral microflora variation in patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliance. OBJECTIVE:To determine the changes in Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacil us and oral health in teenagers wearing metal orthodontic appliances. METHODS:Twenty-three who were subjected to fixed metal orthodontic appliances as testing group and 18 adolescent volunteers with no oral diseases served as controls. We col ected saliva samples from al the participants immediately, 90 days and 180 days after fixed metal orthodontic treatment to detect changes in Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us, which can lead to dental caries, and other oral parameters, including gingival index and oral hygiene index. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the control group, there were no difference in Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacil us, gingival index and oral hygiene index at three time points. In the testing group, the hazard levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us were significantly increased at 90 and 180 days than immediately after fixed metal orthodontic treatment (P<0.05), as wel as the gingival index at 90 days and oral hygiene index at 180 days became worse (P<0.05). At 180 days after fixed metal orthodontic treatment, the hazard levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us, gingival index and oral hygiene index were severer in the testing group than the control group (P<0.05). These findings indicate that the fixed metal orthodontic appliance could lead to increasing of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us, and reduce oral health status badly.

Objective To study the effects of polypeptide from Chlamys farreri(PCF) on PI3K/Akt and ASK1-JNK signal transduction pathway in thymocytes after ultraviolet B radiation.Methods Murine thymocytes were exposed to UVB radiation.The reactive oxygen species(ROS) level in thymocytes was detected by colormatching.The activation of Akt was investigated by western-blot.ASK1,JNK activation,mitochondria memberine potential and DNA ladder were also investigated after pretreatment with or without PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor LY294002.Results PCF could activate Akt,inhibit the activation of the ASK1 apoptosis pathway in murine thymocyte radiated by UVB.Conclusion PCF decreased ROS level,increased Akt activity and inducing ASK1 degradation leading to the inhibition of ASK1-JNK induced apoptosis.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was a functional component extracted from fish oil. The experiment results indicate that PUFA might inhibit platelet agglomeration induced by Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) in rabbit and rat. The results also suggested that PUFA has extent effect of anti-coagulation in mice. These effects are related with dosage of giving drug.

Aim To investigate antiaging effects of beta-carotene(?-C) from dunaliella salina on fruit flies and rats and to probe possible mechanisms.Methods The whole study contains fruit flies experiment and rats experiment.In the fruit flies experiment,fruit flies were divided into nine groups according to different ingredient in the nutrient medium.We took life span,flight capability,the number of copulatory fruit flies aged 8 days,and head MDA content of fruit flies aged 40 days as indexes of aging.In rats experiment, 54 aged male rats were divided randomly into 6 groups and bred for 45 days with different diet.Plasma MDA,CAT and GSH-Px were detected.MDA,SOD and GSH-Px in heart,liver,pulmo,lien and brain were also detected.Results Compared with control group in fruit flies experiment,the shortest life span,maximum life span and mean life span were increased in each experimental group.Flight rate and flight frequency were increased,the number of copulatory fruit flies was also increased.The content of MDA was significantly decreased.In rats experiment,plasma MDA content was significantly decreased.The activity of GSH-Px was elevated.Similar results were obtained in different tissues.MDA content was significantly decreased in each tissue sample,while activities of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly inceased.Conclusion ?-C from dunaliella salina had antiaging effects on fruit flies and aged rats.The possible mechanism resided in its antioxidative effects owing to the elevated antioxidases.