With high-performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC ) we have determined the content of Vit C in adrenal glands of mice at different adrenocortical function. The results indicated that the content of Vit C in mice adrenal glands was increased when the adrenocortical function was enhanced with ACTH and Vit C content was decreased when dexamethason was administered. The resultes also indicated that by HPLC-E C the VitC content in mice adrenal glands could be exactly determined.

Objective To examine the possible role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in transdifferentiation induced by TGF ? 1 in cultured human renal tubular epithelial cell lines(HKC). Methods The HKC cells were divided into negative control, positive control, HGF group, HGF inhibition group, HGF delayed administration group. Then the expression of E cadherin and alpha smooth muscle actin(? SMA)of HKC cells were assessed by indirect immunofluorescence ,the expression of ? SMA mRNA of HKC cells were assessed by reverse transcriptase ploymerase chain reaction(RT PCR). Results HKC cells treated with TGF ? 1 present a clear fibroblast like morphology, loss of epithelial marker E cadehrin and de novo expression of ? SMA. Simultaneous incubation of HGF or delayed administration of HGF abrogated the ? SMA expression and E cadherin depression triggered by TGF ? 1 in HKC cells in a dose dependent manner. HGF also blocked morphologic transformation of tubular epithelial cells. Conclusion TGF ? 1 is a key mediator that regulates the transdifferentiation of tubular epithelial cells into ? SMA (+) myofibroblast, HGF can inhibit transdifferentiation of HKC cells induced by TGF ? 1 , Delayed administration of HGF effectively suppresses, and partially reverses myofibroblastic transition of tubular epithelial cells

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; complications ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Scalp ; Young Adult

Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39) are considered as the lower He-sea points, which are located along the leg lines of stomach meridian of foot Yangming from top to bottom. According to the corresponding zang-fu of lower He-sea points, the distribution order from top to bottom is stomach, large intestine and small intestine. This is significantly different from digestive physiology function sequence of stomach, small intestine and large intestine in modern medicine. However, it conforms to their anatomical position from top to bottom. In order to make a further confirmation that the indication specificity of Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39) is closely associated with anatomical location, a great number of ancient and modern literature is reviewed. It is found that the functions of the three acupoints are obviously related to stomach, large intestine and small intestine, respectively, indicating that the sequence of Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39) is related to anatomical position of corresponding zang-fu. This study conclusion could play an important role for exploring the significance of anatomical location in indication specificity of acupoints.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Intestine, Large ; physiopathology ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians ; Stomach ; physiopathology

To investigate the protective effects and possible mechanism of Mycelium of Hirsutella hepiali Chen et Shen (MHCS) on metabolic syndromes, free fatty acid and MHCS-treated hepatocytes were used for detecting autophagy-related LC3, p62 and lipid accumulation. Moreover, high fat diet fed mice were used to establish metabolic syndromes model. 50-weeks age mice were randomly divided into: control group, model group and MHCS group. At 80-weeks age, 15 mice were randomly chosen from each group separately for examining oral glucose tolerance, serum insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), hepatic LC3, p62, p-NF-kappaB p65, NF-kappaB p65, IL-6 and CXCL-8. Moreover, insulin resistance index (IRI) was calculated. Hepatic pathological changes, including vacuoles, lipids accumulation and fibrosis were observed. Remaining mice were fed with diet separately to 110 weeks-age for statistics of mortality. MHCS promoted autophagy of free fatty acid treated hepatocytes. Mice fed with high fat plus MHCS diet exhibited improved oral glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, hepatic pathology, inflammation, mortality and activated autophagy. The protective effects of MHCS against metabolic syndroms might be through the activation of hepatic autophagy.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hypocreales ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Mycelium ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

Autophagy is an active research area in the biomedical field as its role has been identified in many physiological and pathological processes. Accordingly, there is a growing demand to identify, quantify and manipulate the process accurately. Meanwhile, there is great interest in identifying compounds that modulate autophagy because they may have applications in the treatment of a variety of autophagy-related diseases. In this review, we summarize the current status of autophagy screening systems to facilitate identification of autophagy modulators.
Autophagy ; Humans

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of prenatal ultrasound examination in the diagnosis of fe?tal digestive tract development. Methods Twenty-nine cases of congenital digestive tract malformation were examined in according to the different characteristics of their different fetal ultrasound images. Results There were 11 cases with non-magenblase or less magenblase (37.93%), 4 cases with combination of multiple malformations, and 9 cases with combination of amniotic fluid in the 29 cases. There were 7 cases (24.14%) with dilatation of intestine and intestinal vesicles, in which 3 with multiple malformations and 3 with polyhydramnios. There were 8 cases (27.58%) with double bubbles, in which 1 case with multiple malformations and 7 cases with amniotic fluid. Conclusion The prenatal ultrasound examination in 30 to 32 weeks of pregnancy is very valuable in diagnosis of fetal digestive tract development, which is worthy of clinical application.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Tanreqing Injection combined with levofloxacin injection in treatment of acute episode of chronic bronchitis and its effect on bacterial clearance rate. Methods Totally 66 patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group (33 cases for each). Both groups were given expectorant and antispasmodic treatment. The treatment group was given Tanreqing Injection combined with levofloxacin injection, while the control group was given levofloxacin injection only. The treatment course was 12 days. The clinical symptoms, signs, and sputum culture before and after treatment were observed. The clinical efficacy and the bacterial clearance rate of the two groups were compared. Results The markedly effective cases and the effective cases in the treatment group were 15 and 29 respectively, and those in the control group were 7 and 21 respectively, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The bacterial clearance rate was 89.5% (17/19) in the treatment group, while 55.6%(10/18) in the control group, with significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusion Acute episode of chronic bronchitis treated by Tanreqing Injection combined with levofloxacin injectcion is more effective than levofloxacin injection only.

1000 ml).Methods From 2000 to 2002,a total of 89 critically ill surgical patients were enrolled whose preoperative liver function and blood analysis were normal. The patients′ heart rate?blood pressure?body temperature?hemoglobin(Hb)?platelet count(PLT)?hematocrit(HCT)?prothrombin time(PT)?activated partial thrombo-plastin time(APTT)?fibrinogen concentration(FIB)?fibrinogen degrade product(FDP)?D-dimer immediately after enrollment into the study were determined. Results As the blood loss increased PT prolonged from(11.4?0.6) s to (16.0?0.6) s ( P