Since the endotoxic fever is mediated essentially by endogenous pyrogen (EP), we have examined the possibility that the central cAMP is involved in the mechanism of biphasic fever induced by endotoxin, as in the case of biphasic fever induced by EP. The results showed that administration of endotoxin in rabbits elicited typical biphasic fever. The fluctuation of concentration of cAMP in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) paralleled with the change of the rectal temperature, similar to that of the bipbasic fever caused by EP. Raised level of cAMP in plasma was observed only in the first phase. The cAMP concentration in CSF correlated positively with the febrile response. The correlation of cAMP levels in CSF and plasma was observed only in the first phase but not in all the febrilic periods. These findings indicated that the mechanism of endotoxic biphasic fever is associated with the Change of central cAMP. Content. The raised level of cAMP in CSF during fever is likely to represent the biosynthsis in brain regions. However, the possibility that the raised cAMP in plasma enters CSF in the first phase is not excluded.

The signals of body temperature from 4 different febrile patterns were sampled for power spectral analysis. The results showed that the spectrums had no difference between their distribution in frequency domain, only a low frequency peak has been seen. The values of the power spectrum varied directly to the intensity of the febrile responses. A high degree of relationship was found between the power spectral density and thermal response index (TRI).

AIM: To study the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) on the production of tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) in U937 cells. METHODS: PMA differentiated U937 cells were cocultured with PMN in the presence of lipopolysaccharide. Sodium azide was added in the culture. The supernatants of cell culture were collected and TNF-? was assayed with ELISA. RESULTS:The inhibitory effect of PMN on the production of TNF-? in U937 cells was observed. Sodium azide restored the TNF-? production in U937 cells/PMN coculture to the extent of 45% in concentration of about 10～15 ?mol/L. These concentrations of sodium azide did not affect TNF-? production by U937 cells. The restoration effect of sodium azide on PMN inhibition was not related to blocking of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The MPO inhibitors 3-amino-1,2,4,-triazole and 4-aminobenzoyl hydrazide had few effect on PMN inhibition. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that PMN inhibition depended on the cell-cell interactions. Sodium azide may be a useful reagent for further studying this mechanism.

A new method of calculating fractal dimension of short-term heart rate variability signals is presented. The method is based on wavelet transform and filter banks. The implementation of the method is: First of all we pick-up the fractal component from HRV signals using wavelet transform. Next, we estimate the power spectrum distribution of fractal component using auto-regressive model, and we estimate parameter 7 using the least square method. Finally according to formula D = 2- (gamma-1)/2 estimate fractal dimension of HRV signal. To validate the stability and reliability of the proposed method, using fractional brown movement simulate 24 fractal signals that fractal value is 1.6 to validate, the result shows that the method has stability and reliability.
Algorithms ; Electrocardiography ; Fourier Analysis ; Fractals ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

ObjectiveTo explore the role of psychological capital in psychological stress and mental maladjustment in recruits.Methods405 recruits were sampled and investigated using the psychological stress selfevaluation test( PSET),the psychological capital questionnaires(PCQ),and military mental maladjustment scale (MMMS).ResultsPsychological stress had significant positive correlation with each factor of mental maladjustment ( r =0.164 ～ 0.438,P ＜ 0.01 ),and psychological capital had significant negative correlation with each factor of mental maladjustment ( r=-0.312 ～ -0.463,P＜ 0.001 ).The hierarchical regression analysis indicated that psychological capital,confidence,hoping,resiliency and optimism had the positive prediction of all the four factors of mental maladjustment,the variance contribution rates were 27.2％,20.1％,25.8％ and 15.9％,respectively; the main effect of psychological capital(β1 =-0.406,P＜0.01 ;β2 =-0.351,P＜0.01 ) and psychological stress(β1 =0.304,P ＜ 0.01 ;β2 =0.267,P ＜ 0.01 ) on recruits'behavioral problem and interpersonal relationship maladjustment was significant,the interaction effect of psychological capital and psychological stress on recruits' behavioral problem (β =- 0.098,P ＜ 0.05 ) and interpersonal relationship maladjustment (β =- 0.087,P ＜ 0.05 ) was significant.ConclusionPsychological capital is a moderator in interaction between mental maladjustment and psychological stress.The PCQ score may predict the variation of recruits'mental status.

Periodontal ligament stem cells(PDLSCs) are not only the crucial type of cells in maintaining dynamic homeostasis and wound repair of periodontal tissues but also the basis for novel therapeutic strategy for periodontal regeneration.Although possessing the excellent proliferation and differentiation ability,PDLSCs behave differently under various conditions representative of several influential factors.Understanding of these influential factors will help us to exploit more about PDLSCs,and more importantly,lead a new modality in treating periodontal diseases based on stem cells.Here we review multiple important factors affecting function of PDLSCs and propose its use in future regenerative therapy of periodontal defects.

Objective To investigate the ontogeny of the islet amyloid polypeptide(IAPP)and explore the relationship IAPP and other classical hormones in human fetal colon and rectum. Methods The localization of IAPP immunoreactive(IR) cells and 5 hydroxytryptamine(5 HT) IR cells in 31 human fetal colon and rectum from 9\|27 weeks of gestation was investigated with immunohistochemical SABC method. Results At 9 weeks of fetal age,a lot of 5 HT IR cells were found in the colon,but IAPP IR cells appeared at 18 weeks.In the rectum,both 5 HT and IAPP IR cells were present at 11 weeks,the number of 5 HT IR cells ascended gradually with fetus aged,reached a peak at 20 weeks and dropped gradually after 21 weeks,while in the whole fetus period,IAPP IR cells appeared fewer and scattered.The co localization of IAPP and 5 HT in some cells of colon and rectum was proved as compared with adjacent sections.Immunohistochemical double staining procedures on the same tissue section also showed that IAPP co existed with 5 HT in some cells.Conclusion\ During the human fetus,IAPP were synthesized and co existed with 5 HT in endocrine cells of the colon and rectum.The possible function on the co existence of IAPP and 5 HT in the colon and rectum of fetal was discussed. [

Objective To investigate the relativity between morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) and carotid atheresclerosis. Methods Noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure monitor (ABPM) was per-formed on 97 patients with the first and second stage of essential hypertension and according the ABPM re-suits, the patients were classified into MP+ group (31 cases) and MP-group (66 cases). In the meantime, the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the carotid atheresclerotic plaque was examined by the color Doppler ultrasound. The relationship among MBPS, carotid atherosclerotic plaque and IMT was analyzed.Results The IMT of common carotid artery (CCA), carotid artery bifurcation (CAB)and internal carotid artery (ICA) in MP+ group was significantly higher than that in MP- group [ (1.02±0.36)mm vs (0.86±0.22) mm, (1.14±0.39 ) mm vs(0.96±0.26) mm, (0.94±0.30 )mm vs ( 0.82±0.18 mm ), P<0.05 ]. The ratio of carotid atherosclerotie plaque in MP+ group was significantly higher than that in MP- group (64.5% vs 42.4%,P<0.05). Conclusions The MBPS is related to carotid atheroselerotie plaque and the carotid IMT. The MBPS may accelerate the forming and developing of atherosclerosis.

The antagonistic effects of ruthenium red (RuR) on the biological activi-ties of endotoxin (ET) which included the limulus amebocytes lysate test, the local Shw-artzman reaction, decreasing the white blood cell counts, and increase of zinc in periphe-ral blood were observed. The destroyed meshes of endotoxin have been seen under electronmicroscope. The amino-groups of endotoxin increased markedly, which it was treated withRuR. These results indicated that the polycationic residues of RuR may be the effectiveunits of antiendotoxin activity.

AIM and METHOD: Human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene was transfected into human phagocytic cell U937 and the effects of gene transfer on cytokines and cAMP production were observed. RESULTS: A functional eNOS was stably expressed in transfected U937 cells, but NO release was undetectable in intact transfectants. However, eNOS gene expression upregulated tumor necrosis factor - a release and downregulated interleukin - 10 and cAMP production in either presence or absence of NOS inhibitor N? - monomethyl - L - arginine. CONCLUSION: The function of tranfected eNOS gene product showed cellular speciality. The effector molecule that changed the produced pattern of cytokines and cAMP in phagocytic cells seems not likely the nitric oxide.