Objective To investigate the expression changes of hepatic gelsolin (GSN) and the potential effect of traditional Chinese medicine Xuebijing injection in septic rats. Methods A total of 104 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, ie, normal control group (n = 8), sham operation group (n = 32), cecal ligation and puncture group (CLP group, n = 32) and Xuebijing treatment group (n = 32). The sepsis animal models in the last two groups were developed by CLP. In Xuebijing treatment group, animals were treated intravenously with Xuebijing injection (4 ml/kg) at 2, 12, 24,36, 48 and 60 hours after operation, respectively. Animals were sacrificed respectively at 6, 12, 24, and 72 hours after operation to harvest blood and hepatic tissue samples. Markers of liver function, contents of GSN and Gc globulin and expression of GSN mRNA in the liver tissues were detected. Results Compared with normal control group and sham operation group, hepatic GSN content was decreased significantly at various intervals in CLP group (P ＜ 0. 05), which reached the lowest value of (1.42 ±0.50) ng/mg at 12 hours. Meanwhile, expression of GSN mRNA in the liver was markedly enhanced at six hours after CLP and remained a high value until 72 hours, compared with the sham operation group (1.203±0.053 vs 1.030 ±0.084, P ＜0.05). Similarly, the hepatic Gc globulin contents was increased in the CLP group compared with the normal control group and sham operation group (P ＜ 0.05).After treatment with Xuebijing injection, the hepatic GSN contents at 6-72 hours was increased gradually while serum ALT and AST levels at 6, 12 and 24 hours were reduced significantly in comparison to the CLP group (P ＜ 0.05). Nevertheless, treatment with Xuebijing injection showed no marked effect on hepatic GSN mRNA expression and Gc globulin release (P ＞ 0.05). Conclusions Hepatic GSN contents are persistently reduced in the development of sepsis and treatment with Xuebijing injection can markedly attenuate acute liver injury through increasing GSN contents in severe sepsis.

Objective To examine the relationship between social functioning and psychiatric symptoms,and the mediation effect of self-esteem and emotion between social functioning and psychiatric symptoms among schizophrenia patients of the convalescent stage.Methods The Personal and Social Performance Scale,Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale,Self-Esteem Scale,General Self-Efficacy Scale were used to investigate patients with schizophrenia of the convalescent stage of Chifeng.Results Social functioning for patients with schizophrenia of the convalescent stage could predict psychiatric symptoms directly.Self-esteem and self-efficacy could make a negative prediction for psychiatric symptoms.Self-esteem and self-efficacy played a mediating role between social functioning and psychiatric symptoms.Conclusions Mental health workers should pay close attention to the mediating roles of self-esteem and self-efficacy,and give comprehensive assessment for the patients and provide continuous individualized psychosocial interventions,and thereby to alleviate psychiatric symptoms.

Objective To understand the psychological health status and related factors in the primary caregivers of schizophrenia patients in Inner Mongolia,in order to provide empirical basis for nursing care.Methods A sample of 264 chronic schizophrenia patients and their primary caregivers,and 260 local normal individuals were selected according to random cluster sampling.The Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS)were used to evaluate the psychological health status.Symptom severity was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Results The total SCL-90 score of caregivers of patients was higher than that of local normal individuals,especially the scores of somatization,interpersonal sensitivity,depression,anxiety,hostility,and paranoid ideation were higher than those of local normal individuals.Multiple regression analysis showed that caregivers' sex,caregivers' age,duration of illness,positive symptomatology,negative symptomatology and social support were significant predictors of caregivers' psychological health status.Conclusions The primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia have worse mental health.Health care professionals should pay close attention to psychological health status in the primary caregivers and provide continuous individualized services,and thereby to improve the primary caregiver' psychological health status.

AIM: To establish the method for determining tetrahydropalmatine、rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline in AnshenYangxue Oral Liquid(Ramulus uncariae cum uncis, stephania kwangsiansis,Radix polygoni multiflori praeparata cum succo glycinus sotae,Caulis Polygoni multiflori and Pine needle). METHODS: Tetrahydropalmatine、rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline were determined by HPLC.Chromatographic condition was composed of Kromasil C_18 column,a mixture of methanol and water(55∶45) as mobile phase with 0.01 mol/L triehthylamine,adjusted with acetic acid to pH of 7.5,UV detection wavelength of rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline was set at 254 nm,UV detection wavelength of tetrahydropalmatine was set at 281 nm. RESULTS: The averagere recoveries of tetrahydropalmatine、rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline were 98.47%、99.04%and 98.75% respectively;RSD were 0.95%、2.6%and 1.6%,respectively. CONCLUSION: This method is simple,sensitive,accurate,and can be used for determining tetrahydropalmatine、rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline in Anshen Yangxue Oral Liquid.

BACKGROUND:As propofol has a neuroprotective effect, and umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cel s have a high differentiation potential, their combination wil have a better therapeutic effect on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. OBJECTIVE:To study the effect of propofol pretreatment combined with umbilical blood mesenchymal stem cel transplantation on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. METHODS:Sixty-three Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into model, propofol, and combined group (n=21 per group). Rat models of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury were made using ligation of the middle cerebral artery occlusion in the three groups. Rats in the combined group were given 100 mg/kg propofol injection at 1 day before injury and injection of umbilical blood mesenchymal stem cel s via the tail vein (0.5 mL, 2×109/L). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the model group, the neurological function was improved significantly in the propofol and combined group, especial y in the latter one, presenting with a remarkable mitigation in brain injury and an increased level of survivn mRNA in the rat hippocampus. The content of serum malondialdehyde was lower but the activity of superoxide dismutase was higher in the combined group compared with the propofol group. These findings indicate that propofol pretreatment combined with umbilical blood mesenchymal stem cel transplantation has better therapeutic effects than propofol pretreamtnet alone for improving cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Objective To study the effect of different mechanical ventilation modes and parameters on intragastric pressure and digestive function. Methods Forty patients suffered respiratory failure were selected in the study. In different modes and parameters of mechanical ventilation, a multi-channel physiological signal recording device was used to monitor the intra-trachea pressure (ITP), intra-gastric pressure (IGP) synchronously, and the emptying time of stomach, pH value and total bile acid (TBA) concentration in gastric fluid of patients. Results (1) For three types of ventilation mode(PSV,SIMV and CMV), ITP was the lowest in group PSV, the highest was in group CMV and the middle was in group SIMV. With the in-crease in ITP, IGP was also increased. CMV was the most influencing factor for the IGP (P＜0.01). In different PEEP values, the greater the PEEP, the higher the ITP. (2) Under mechanical ventilation support, when ITP increased, the emptying time of stomach decreased (P＜0.01), the concentration of TBA increased (P＜0.05). However, there was no significant change in pH value of gastric fluid (P>0.05). Conclusion Various mechanical ventilation modes and parameter settings induced differ-ent ITP, thereby affecting the IGP and gastric emptying. The digestive function can be promoted by choosing the appropriate mechanical ventilation mode and parameters.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanism of Wnt5a and Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) aberrant expression in the nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis and to estimate if it can act as a molecular marker for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). METHODS: Immunohistochemistry combined with previously made tissue microarrays were used to study the expression of Wnt5a and LMP1 in the nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis tissues. We investigated the role of over expression of Wnt5a and LMP1 in the development and progression of NPC and their relation with the clinicopathological features of NPC and whether they could act as molecular markers in benign and malignant NPC. RESULTS: The positive percentage of Wnt5a and LMP1 protein expression in the NPC was significantly increased as compared with that in atypically hyperplastic nasopharyngeal epithelium, hyperplastic nasopharyngeal epithelium and histologically normal nasopharyngeal epithelium (P<0.05, P<0.01, and P<0.01). Wnt5a and LMP1 proteins were significantly higher in atypically hyperplastic nasopharyngeal epithelium than those in the hyperplastic nasopharyngeal epithelium and normal nasopharyngeal epithelium (P<0.05 and P<0.01). The positive expression of Wnt5a and LMP1 proteins in clinical T3 and T4 staged NPC was higher than that in clinical T1 and T2 staged NPC (P<0.01 and P<0.05). The positive expression of Wnt5a protein in the NPC with lymph node metastasis was higher than that in the NPC without lymph node metastasis (P<0.01). The positive percentage of LMP1 protein was significantly increased in non-keratinizing carcinoma compared with undifferentiated carcinoma and keratinizing carcinoma (P<0.05 and P<0.05). The expression of Wnt5a protein in the NPC had significant positive correlation with LMP1 (r=0.354, P<0.001). Combined molecular phenotype of both Wnt5a and LMP1 expression was a good marker to distinguish NPC from non-cancerous nasopharyngeal epithelium. CONCLUSION The expression of Wnt5a and LMP1 protein in the NPC is positively correlated, and both wnt5a and LMP1 protein play important roles in the nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis either together or successively promoting the malignant transformation of nasopharyngeal epithelium and the development and progression of NPC. Both Wnt5a and LMP1 positive expression may act as good markers for NPC differential diagnosis.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinogenesis ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tissue Array Analysis ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Wnt Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Wnt-5a Protein

We used 293 cells to express the recombinant membrane protein of the Ebola virus. Then, the immunogenicity of the recombinant protein was studied by immunized BALB/c mice. According to the codon use frequency of humans, the gene encoding the extracellular domain of the Ebola virus membrane protein was optimized, synthesized, and inserted into the eukaryotic expression plasmid pXG-Fc to construct the human IgG Fc and Ebola GP fusion protein expression plasmid pXG-modGP-Fc. To achieve expression, the fusion protein expression vector was transfected into high-density 293 cells using transient transfection technology. The recombinant protein was purified by protein A affinity chromatography. BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified fusion protein, and serum antibody titers evaluated by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Purification and analyses of the protein revealed that the eukaryotic expression vector could express the recombinant protein GP-Fc effectively, and that the recombinant protein in the supernatant of the cell culture was present as a dimer. After immunization with the purified recombinant protein, a high titer of antigen-specific IgG could be detected in the serum of immunized mice by indirect ELISA, showing that the recombinant protein had good immunogenicity. These data suggest that we obtained a recombinant protein with good immunogenicity. Our study is the basis for development of a vaccine against the Ebola virus and for screening of monoclonal antibodies.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Ebolavirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Immunization ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of spironolactone on the concentration of collagen type I, III in the myocardium of spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR).

METHODSTwenty 8-week male SHR were assigned randomly into spironolactone (SHR-SPIRO, n=10) and control groups (SHR-CON, n=10), sex-age matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY group, n=7) were also served as controls. The rats of SHR-SPIRO group were given 20 mg/(kg*d) of spironolactone, the rats of SHR-CON and WKY groups were given the same volume of distilled water. After 16 weeks, the concentration of collagen type I was analyzed with Western blot. The areas of collagen type I and III were observed under polarized light microscopy and the ratio of type I/III collagen was calculated through accumulation score.

RESULTSCompared with WKY group,the concentration of collagen type I in SHR-CON group was significantly higher (1.87 ±0.2 Compared with 1.21 ±0.7, P<0.05). After 16 weeks of treatment the concentration of collagen type I (1.42 ±0.05 Compared with 1.87 ±0.2, P<0.05) and I/III ratio in SHR-SPIRO group were significantly reduced (15.64 ±1.34 Compared with 20.8 ±3.04, P<0.05) compared with SHR-CON group; but there were no differences in accumulation area scores of collagen type III among three groups (368.3 ±30.2 Compared with 481.6 ±32.4 Compared with 406.2 ±45.3, P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe deposition of collagen type I in myocardium may be involved in myocardial fibrosis of SHR, and spironolactone can decrease the concentration of collagen type I, which may be one of the mechanisms for its therapeutic effects.

Animals ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Male ; Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Spironolactone ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To identify the etiology of a patient with severe symptoms of DMD and to trace its pathogenic gene, so as to provide a basis for genetic counseling and clinical intervention. METHODS: Multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) technique was used to analyze exon deletion/repetitive variant of DMD gene, and further analysis was performed by chromosome G-banding, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and SNP array analysis. RESULTS: The MLPA results of the proband showed that the exon 1-79 of DMD gene were deleted, the G-banding karyotype of blood sample was 46, XY, and the deletion of the short arm of X chromosome was found by FISH. SNP array results showed that 5.8Mb (29 628 158-35 434 714) deletion occurred in the Xp21.2p21.1 region of X chromosome, and the patient was diagnosed as the contiguous deletion syndrome involving the genes of IL1RAPL, MAGEB1-4, ROB, CXorf2, GM, AP3K7IP, FTHL1, DMD, FAM47A, TMEM47, and FAM47B. CONCLUSION The exact pathogenic site of this family is the deletion of 5.8 Mb (29 628 158-35 434 714) in the Xp21.2p21.1 region of X chromosome, which can be used for prenatal diagnosis. High resolution SNP array technique plays an important role in detecting potential chromosome abnormalities in patients.
Dystrophin/genetics* ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/genetics* ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis