Following acute and chronic liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) become activated to undergo a phenotypic transformation into myofibroblast-like cells and lose their retinol content, but the mechanisms of retinoid loss and its potential roles in HSCs activation and liver fibrosis are not understood. The influence of retinoids on HSCs and hepatic fibrosis remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) on cell proliferation, mRNA expression of collagen genes [procollagen α1 (I), procollagen α1 (III)], profibrogenic genes (TGF-β(1), CTGF, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, PAI-1), fibrolytic genes (MMP-3, MMP-13) and the upstream element (JNK and AP-1) in the rat hepatic stellate cell line (CFSC-2G). Cell proliferation was evaluated by measuring BrdU incorporation. The mRNA expression levels of collagen genes [procollagen α1 (I), procollagen α1 (III)], profibrogenic genes (TGF-β(1), CTGF, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, PAI-1), and fibrolytic genes (MMP-3, MMP-13) were quantitatively detected by using real-time PCR. The mRNA expression of JNK and AP-1 was quantified by RT-PCR. The results showed that ATRA inhibited HSCs proliferation and diminished the mRNA expression of collagen genes [procollagen α1 (I), procollagen α1 (III)] and profibrogenic genes (TGF-β(1), CTGF, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, PAI-1), and significantly stimulated the mRNA expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 in HSCs by suppressing the mRNA expression of JNK and AP-1. These findings suggested that ATRA could inhibit proliferation and collagen production of HSCs via the suppression of active protein-1 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signal, then decrease the mRNAs expression of profibrogenic genes (TGF-β(1), CTGF, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, PAI-1), and significantly induce the mRNA expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13.

Acupressure ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Syndrome

A de-noising method for electrocardiogram (ECG) based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and wavelet threshold de-noising theory is proposed in our school. We decomposed noised ECG signals with the proposed method using the EEMD and calculated a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Then we selected IMFs and reconstructed them to realize the de-noising for ECG. The processed ECG signals were filtered again with wavelet transform using improved threshold function. In the experiments, MIT-BIH ECG database was used for evaluating the performance of the proposed method, contrasting with de-noising method based on EEMD and wavelet transform with improved threshold function alone in parameters of signal to noise ratio (SNR) and mean square error (MSE). The results showed that the ECG waveforms de-noised with the proposed method were smooth and the amplitudes of ECG features did not attenuate. In conclusion, the method discussed in this paper can realize the ECG denoising and meanwhile keep the characteristics of original ECG signal.
Algorithms ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Wavelet Analysis

Forty-eight patients with essential hypertension or coronary disease in cardiac function NYHA class I underwent a routine electrocardiography and a cotour Dopper echocardiography were studied,and by multiple stepwise regression analysis irwas found that significant partial correlations exist between PTFVl and left atrial dimensionas wee as E peak,Macruz index and A peak.Macruz index≥1.6 gave a sensitivity of 71%VS accuracy 64% for A peak increase(>70 cm/s),of 61% vs 58% for A/E>1 respectively,.These results suggest that electrocardiographlic indexes of abnormality of left atriun combined with Colour Doppler echocardiograpby may be more helpful to predict wkether the latent left ventricutar diastolic dysfunction or decrease of diastolic reserve was present or absent in patients with essential hypertension or coronary artery disease in normal clinical cardiac function.

Physician quality information public reporting can help consumer selection,improve physician performance,and ease the patient-doctor disputes.As well,the selection and evaluating methods for public reporting quality measures have a significant effect in the value and social identity of public reporting.The paper introduced the content of doctor information publication,including patients' safety,diabetes,heart disease,preventing disease and the process of measures selection for public reporting.The paper proposed the multielement and regular publication content,the best publication quality index formulated by multichannel and interest group cooperation,stability and scientificness of test index before publication and the selection measurement of comprehensive index of disease module to provide evidence-based doctor quality information in China.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Saccharomyces boulardii adjuvant with aluminium phosphate on symp-toms and signs disappearance time,immune function and inflammatory factors in children with acute diarrhea. METHODS:Totally 110 children with acute diarrhea were chosen from our hospital during Mar. 2013-Mar. 2016,and then randomly divided into con-trol group and observation group according to random number table,with 55 cases in each group. Control group was given Alumini-um phosphate gel 2.5 g,po,qd,on the basis of conventional treatment. Observation group was additionally given S. boulardii cap-sules 0.25 g,po,bid,on the basis of control group. Both groups were treated for 3 d. Clinical efficacies,symptoms and signs(di-arrhea,abdominal pain,vomiting,abnormal stool routine)disappearance time as well as stool frequency,stool character scores, immune function indexes(CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,CD4+/CD8+),inflammatory factors(IL-6,IL-10,TNF-α)before and after treat-ment,the occurrence of ADR were compared between 2 groups. RESULTS:The total response rate of observation group (90.91%)was significantly higher than that of control group(70.91%);the symptoms and signs disappearance time was signifi-cantly shorter than control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05). Before treatment,there was no statistical significance in stool frequency,stool character scores,immune function indexes or inflammatory factor levels between 2 groups(P>0.05). After treatment,stool frequency,stool character scores and inflammatory factor levels of 2 groups were significantly lower than before, and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group;the levels of CD3+,CD4+,CD4+/CD8+ were significantly higher than before treatment and control group,and the level of CD8 + was significantly lower than before treatment and control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in immune function indexes of control group be-fore and after treatment(P>0.05). Total incidence of dry mouth and constipation was 5.45% in control group and 9.09% in obser-vation group,without statistical significance(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:S. boulardii adjuvant with aluminium phosphate in the treatment of pediatric acute diarrhea can efficiently improve symptoms and signs,shorten disease duration,improve immune func-tion and reduce inflammatory reaction with good safety.

Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease type with high morbidity and mortality,of which ischemic stroke accounts for about 80％.Now,it is believed that the inflammatory mechanisms play an important role in the progress of pathological physiology of ischemic stroke.Peripheral T lymphocytes infiltrate to the damaged area within 24 hours after cerebral ischemia and are involved in the advance of inflammatory process of brain tissue.As a subtype of T lymphocytes,regulatory T cells are mainly located in the ischemic penumbra; however,at present,its role in ischemic brain injury remains controversial.The research on the mechanisms of regulatory T cells in ischemic stroke may contribute to further understanding of the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke and find new therapeutic targets.

Using the IL—6 dependent hybridoma cell line KD83, we investigated the relationship between KNA—anti—DNA immune complexes(DNA—anti—DNAICs)from the sera of lupus nephritis patients and interleukin 6 (IL—6) production by mouse glomerular mesangial cells cultured in vitro. The results show that DNA—anti—DNA IgM and DNA—anti—DNA IgG and DNA—anti—DNA IgM all enhance IL—6 production by mesangial cells; of those DNA—anti—DNA IC, the effect of DNA—anti—DNA IgM on IL—6 production by mesangial cells was significant. This enhanced production of IL—6 by mesangial cells was dependent on concentration of DAN—anti—DNA ICs.

To investigate the effect of arginine vasopression (AVP) on the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by vascular endothelial cell (VEC). VEC of human greater omentum artery were isolated and cultured. The concentrations of VEGF and activity of protein kinase C (PKC) in the culture medium were measured. Results indicated that after the cells were incubated with 1?10 -9～1?10 -7mol/L AVP for 6 hours, the concentration of VEGF and activity of PKC were markedly increased compared to control (P