Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of Astragalus & Angelica (A&A) , the mixture of Chinese herbs, on different vasoconstrictors and vasodilators in the process of renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into Sham,UUO and UAA (UUO+A&A) groups. After administration of A&A (14 g?kg-1?d-1) for 0, 3, 7 and 10 days, the levels of Ang-II , ET-1, nitric oxide(NO) and the activities of different NOS in renal homogenate were measured by RIA or enzyme method. The expression levels of eNOS, nNOS, iNOS were detected in the kidney by immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitively assessed by Western blot. Results After A&A administration, the levels of Ang- II and ET-1 were increased in UUO at all time points (P

Aim The mixture of Chinese herbs,Astragalus & Angelica(A&A) has been found that has antifibrotic effect in rats.Methods To elucidate themechanisms underlying the renoprotective effects of A&A in the process of renal interstitial fibrosis,we investigated the pathology changes of kidneys in unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) rats.In the study,Wistar rats were randomly divided into CON,Sham,UUO and UUA(UUO+A&A) groups.After administration of A&A(12 g?kg?d~(-1)) for 0,3,7 and 10 d,renal damage including interstitial cell infiltration,tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis were quantified on HE and Masson stained tissue sections.The expression of ?-smooth muscle actin(?-SMA),transforming growth factor-?_1(TGF-?_1) and fibronectin(FN) was measured using computer image analysis of immunohistochemistry staining sections,ELISA and Western Blot.Results Renal damage and the expression of ?-SMA,TGF-?_1 and FN were all significantly exacerbated in UUO group compared with those of Sham group(P

Objective:To observe the biological behaviors of colorectal cancer LS174 cells before and after pcDNA3.0-hugl-1 transfection,so as to investigate the association of hugl-1 with colorectal cancer.Methods:The eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.0-hugl-1 was constructed and transfected into LS174 cells.RT-PCR and Western blotting methods were used to analyze the expression of hugl-1 mRNA and protein in LS174 cells before and after transfection.Soft agar colony formation assay,wound-healing experiment,adhesion assay and Matrigel invasion assays were used to study the effects of hugl-1 expression on the proliferation,adhesion,movement and invasion in LS174 cells.Results:The recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.0-hugl-1 was successfully constructed.RT-PCR and Western blotting showed that the hugl-1 expression was higher in cells transfected with pcDNA3.0-hugl-1 than in those un-transfected or empty vector-transfected cells (P

Objective:To explore whether Chinese herbs Astragalus and Angelica mixture(A&A) have renoprotective effects on chronic renal failure in rats.Methods:5/6 nephrectomized kidney in rats was used as chronic renal failure model.Rats were randomly divided into four groups which included sham,Model,A&A and enalapril(Ena) groups.The remnant kidney was harvested after 2,4,8,12 weeks,and levels of serum creatinine(scr),urea and urinary protein excretion were measured using routine biochemical methods.The pathological lesions were observed by light microscope.The expressions of fibronectin(FN) and collagen Ⅳ(Col-Ⅳ) in glomeruli and interstitium were detected by immnuohistochemistry.Results:5/6 nephrectomized rats were presented with the characteristics of increasing scr and urea,persistent proteinuria at the end of the 2nd,4th,8th,12th weeks,respectively.They had increasing size of glomeruli with progressive proliferation of mesangial cells and mesangial matrix followed by glomerulosclerosis and progressive elevated expressions of FN and Col-Ⅳ.Compared with Model group,the administration of A&A could decrease urinary protein excretion for 34%,44%,25%,45% at the end of the 2nd,4th,8th and 12th weeks,respectively(P

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of a micro-array for multi-tumor marker detection (abbreviate C-12 system in the following) in four kinds of tumors (lung, liver, pancreas/colon and stomach cancers). Methods:30 lung cancer?19 liver cancer?24 pancreas/colon?22 stomach cancer and 173 non-tumor patients' serum were detected by C-12 system, and the results were analyzed by ROC curve.Results:There is no difference in the positive rate of single TM between C-12 system and the previously reports; The positive rate and the mean positive value of tumor patients were both obviously higher than that of non-tumor patients (P

Objective: To review the effect of the treatment of maxillofacial and cervical tumor with external cervical atery intervention technique(ECAI). Methods: 92 cases of maxillofacial and cervical tumor were treated with ECAI. Therapeutic embolization was conducted in 30 cases, arteroy perfusion in 42 and opacification in 20. The patients were cared psycologically befor operation, monitored carefully in operation, especially for contrast medium responsing, antitumor drug responsing,embolisming responsing, etc. Results: Permanent embolization was achieved in 5 cases of hemangioma, bleeding was reduced by 75% in 25 cases treated with subsidiary embolization, local and general condition was improved in 32 patients with malignant tumor by perfusion of antitumor drug. Accuration of angiography was achieved in 93% of the cases. Complications were found in 7 cases and cured after treatment but in 1 who died of cerebrovascular disease. Conclusion: Perioperative monitoring is important to eliminate complications of ECAI.

Objective To clarify whether the NADPH oxidases (NOXs) family contributed to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and subsequent interstitial fibrosis in unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO) rats.Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (n =8),sham operation + apocynin treatment group (n =8),UUO operation group (n =8) and UUO operation+apocynin treatment group (n =8).Either vehicle or apocynin (100 mg/kg per day) were given by gavage for 7 days after surgery.Rats were sacrificed at 7th day.ELISA was used to detect the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT),and the level of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (8-isoPGF2α) in renal tissue.Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of NADPH oxidase subunit NOX2 and NOX4,α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),collagen Ⅰ (COL-Ⅰ) and the level of ERK1/ 2 phosphorylation (p-ERK1/2).Results UUO rats with vehicle displayed increased oxidative stress,as measured by renal tissue 8-iso-PGF2α,accompanied with increased renal expression of NADPH oxidases (NOX2,1.5-fold and NOX4,1.7-fold,respectively),compared with sham-operated rats (P ＜0.05).Furthermore,vehicle treated UUO rats showed increased renal COL-Ⅰ and α-SMA levels,compared with sham-operated rats (P ＜ 0.05).ERK1/2 was also activated as detected by p-ERK1/2 expression in UUO rats with vehicle (P ＜ 0.05).Apocynin treatment significantly decreased renal tissue 8-iso-PGF2α level and expressions of NOX2 (-28.7％) and NOX4 (-31.0％) in UUO rats,respectively,compared with vehicle treated rats (P ＜ 0.05).And significant decrease of COL-Ⅰ (-26.4％) and α-SMA expression (-80.0％) were also observed (P ＜ 0.05).The activation of ERK1/2 in UUO rats was greatly inhibited by apocynin treatment (P ＜ 0.01).Despite the pronounced dysregulation of pro-oxidative NOXs family,no compensatory increase of antioxidative enzyme activities occurred.Conclusion The NOXs family contributes largely to the production of ROS and subsequent interstitial fibrosis after ureter ligation,and inhibition of the NOXs family may be a choice for preventing interstitial fibrosis.

Objective To identify the risk factors for progression of advanced chronic kidney disease(CKD) patients who were cared by nephrologists in a specific CKD outpatient management clinic.Methods A prospective monocentric cohort study was performed.CKD patients of stage 3, 4 and 5 without renal replacement treatment were followed up regularly by nephrologists in this specific CKD management clinic.Patients with established atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis(ARAS) and chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis, and those who had not been followed-up for at least 12 months before Jun.30, 2010 were excluded.Clinical and laboratory data including blood pressure (BP), proteinuria, hemoglobulin (Hb), calcium phosphate product (Ca×P) and serum creatinine were consecutively collected.The treatment regimen was also recorded.Estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR) was calculated with the formula modified for Chinese to evaluate the change of renal function.The progression of kidney disease was defined as initiation of renal replacement therapy, the annual decrease of eGFR＞4 ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1, and/or death associated with renal disease.Results A total of 138 patients were enrolled in the final analysis with 84 patients of CKD stage 3, 36 of CKD stage 4 and 18 of CKD stage 5, respectively.At the time of enrollment, patients had an average age of (56.5:±:16.7) years old with an average eGFR of (32.3±13.4) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1.During a mean follow-up interval of (27.1±12.1) months, the patients were well-controlled with an average blood pressure of (126.5±12.4)/(76.4±7.9) mm Hg in 50.7％(70/138), less than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg, an average Hb of(123.8±17.1) g/L in 73.9％(102/138), above or equal to 110 g/L and an average Ca×P of (45.2±7.7) mg2/dl2 in 89.1％(123/138), less than or equal to 55 mg2/dl2.Sixty-two patients (44.9％) had progression of kidney disease. On univariate analysis, factors predicting progression were low eGFR at referral, high systolic pressure, low Hb level, high Ca×P and proteinuria during follow-up, and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors treatment did not affect the progression.After the adjustment, multivariate analysis revealed proteinuria and low Hb level were independent factors for the progression of kidney disease.Conclusions The co-morbidities of advanced CKD patients can be managed efficiently in specific CKD outpatient management clinic.Control of proteinuria and correction of anemia may be beneficial to prevent the progression of advanced CKD.

Objective To investigate the influence of a combination of Chinese herbs,Astragalus membranaceus var.mongholicus and A ngelica sinensis (A&A)on the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS)and the underlying mechanism during the process of renal interstitial fibrosis in the obstructive kidneys of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction(uuo).Method Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control,sham,UUO and UAA (UUO+A&A)groups.The rats in UAA group were administered with A&A(14 g/kg)by oral gavage once daily:the ones in sham and UUO group were given with equal volumes of water.Three days after setting up models,pathological injury of renal tissue was evaluated.Level of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC)and activity of CuZn superoxide dismutase(CuZn-SOD)in renal homogenates were measured bv spectrophotometry.Expression of NADPH oxidase subunits p47-phox,p22-phox and nintrotyrosine was analyzed by Western blot. Results Severe interstitial inflammatory cells infiltration, mild tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis were found in UUO group, which were alleviated by A&A administration. Compared to sham group, T-AOC of UUO group was not significantly changed, but the expression of the nitrotyrosine, NADPH oxidase subunits p47-phox and p22-phox was increased significantly (P<0.05). After A&A administration, T-AOC level was increased (2.5±1.1 vs 1.5±0.5, P<0.05) and the expression of nitrotyrosine was decreased (P< 0.05) in UAA group compared with UUO group. Additionally, the expression of p47-phox was reduced at day 3 (P<0.05), accompanied with a reduced expression of p22-phox (P< 0.05). CuZn-SOD activity was not significantly changed among the groups. Conclusion The inhibition of A&A in NADPH oxidase subunits p47-phox and p22-phox, which is responsible for reduction of oxidative stress, is associated with the alleviation of renal fibrosis in obstructive rat kidney.

Objective To analyze the baseline clinical characteristics of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) in aged people in the clinic.Methods Patients aged 18 years or older in our CKD clinic from October 2003 to December 2012 were included in this study.According to their age patients were divided into 2 groups:aged CKD group:aged 65 or older and non-aged CKD group:younger than 65.A group of the elderly without CKD from health screening program were selected as aged non-CKD control group.Causes,distributions of stages and complications of CKD in three groups were analyzed.Results The major cause of the elderly CKD was hypertension,different from that of younger CKD.The distribution of CKD stage in the elderly was mainly in the G3b stage,different from that in the younger.Anemia and mineral bone disease presented in earlier CKD stage in the aged CKD patients and the prevalence was higher than in the aged non-CKD group.The prevalence of hypertension had no statistical difference between the two CKD groups,but hypertension control rate was lower in aged CKD patients.Conclusions The clinical characteristics including causes and renal stage are different between the young and aged CKD patients.Complications such as anemia and mineral bone disease presents in earlier renal stage in aged CKD patients which means we should monitor and interfere earlier.