BACKGROUND: Glomerular mesangial cell (GMC) is the chief target cell of diabetic nephrosis. A series of functional alternations on mesangial cell (MC) in high glucose condition results in constant development of the disease. Intervention of Chinese herb is very significant in retarding the progression of diabetic nephrosis.OBJECTIVE: To probe into GMC proliferation in high glucose condition and the effects of serum with tangshen tang contained on it.DESIGN: Controlled experiment was designed.SETTING: Laboratory Room of Second Affiliated Hospital to Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.MATERIALS: MCs of SD rats were taken as experimental objects collected from Internal Department of Kidney of Shanghai First People's Hospital in August 2003.Totally 45 SD rats of clean grade were employed from Experimental Animal Center of Zhejiang College of Chinese Medicine, of either sex,weighted with (180±20)g in October 2003 and they were prepared as the animals with herb-contained serum. Tangshen tang [composed of dahuang (Rhubarb), taoren (Semen Persicae), chong (insects), huangqi (Radix Astragali seu Hedysari), digupi (Cortex Lycii Radicis), huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis),etc.] was concentrated as 3 g/mL after decoction and infiltration at ratio.METHODS: SD rats were randomized as normal group, tangshen tang group and captopril group, 15 rats in each. The serums with tangshen tang and captopril of different doses were applied in MCs. In normal group,gastric perfusion of equal volume of distilled water was applied everyday.Trypan blue staining and MTT method were used respectively to assay the effects on MC toxicity and proliferation after medication.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Activity of GMC in rats after stimulation of medical-contained serums and cellproliferation.liferation was inhibited (P ＜ 0.05 , vs blank group) in constant high-glucose condition and the inhibited proliferation due to high glucose was reversed to various extents after the intervention of tangshentang and captoter the intervention of medical-contained serums on GMCs in rats in every group (cell activity was up to over 94% and P ＞ 0.05, vs blank group).CONCLUSION: High glucose inhibits MC proliferation and tangshentang stimulates MC proliferation.

Objective To compare the difference of wound healing quality of composite skin grafting consisting of xenogeneic (porcine) acellular dermal matrix (PADM) combined with micro-autograft or split-thickness autograft of skin. Methods Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats with full-thickness skin defect on the back were randomly divided into three groups,namely test group I with PADM with split-thickness autologous skin,test group II with HADM with autologous micro- skin and allogeneic skin graft,and control group with autologous micro-skin with allogeneic skin graft to cover the skin defect area respectively. The take rate and the condition of wound healing,and also the rates of wound contraction were calculated. Tissue samples were harvested for histological examination. Results The wound contraction was less in test group I and II than that in control group( P

Objective To investigate the relationship between coexisting depression and anxiety (CDA)and quality of life of female nurses in general hospitals.Methods Seven hundred and ninety-three female nurses completed Zung' s Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS),Zung' s Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the World Health Organization' s Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF).According to the cut-off scores of SDS and SAS,all subjects were divided into 4 groups (non-depression and non-anxiety,pure depression,pure anxiety,and CDA).Group differences in SDS,SAS and WHOQOL-BREF scores were compared.Results Of these 4 groups,CDA group had the highest SDS and SAS scores (P ＜ 0.001) (SDS scores:(34.3 ±5.4),(47.1 ±4.0),(39.4 ± 2.4) and (49.7 ±4.2)) and the lowest WHOQOL-BREF scores (P≤0.033)(WHOQOL-BREF physical domain scores:(15.6 ± 2.0),(13.8 ± 2.0),(13.6 ± 1.6) and (12.1 ± 2.0)).The corresponding stratification analysis (controlling for confounding factors) showed consistent results.Conclusion CDA nurses have the most severe depressive and anxious symptoms and the worst quality of life,and thus are the key target population of mental health service.

Objective To evaluate the antibacterial activity of Cefdinir compared with other four antimicrobial agents against common isolates in vitro.Methods Minimal lnhibitory Concentrations (MIC) were determined by agar dilution method Results Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) showed highest susceptibility to Cefdinir with 100% susceptible rate, Streptococcus pneumoniae (including PSSP and PISP) showed higher susceptibility to Cefdinir with 63 6% 100 0% susceptible rate Hemophilus influenza and Moraxelle catarrhalis both showed good susceptibility to three kinds of cephalosporins and Azithromycin Klebsiella pneumoniae (including ESBLs positive strains) were resistant to three kinds of cephalosporins, while ESBLs negative Klebsiella pneumoniae were sensitive to three kinds of cephalosporins, with 73 10%~88 50% susceptible rate Conclusion Compared with other four antimicrobial agents, Cefdinir has a powerful antibacterial activity to pathogen from respiratory tract infections

Aim To study the in virto interaction o f Cefathiamidine in combination with Ciprofloxacin against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis. Methods The activity of each drug alone was determined against all the isolates. Chequerborad synergy testing was then performed against all the isolat es. Results The percentage of the FIC index less than 0.5, from 0.5 t o 1,from 1 to 2,more than 2 was 53.3%～93.3%,6.7%～46.7%,0%,0% respectiv ely. Conclusion Synergism and additivity of cefathiamidine comb ined with ciprofloxacin respectively against 90 strains of Gram positive cocci w ere the main inter actions, there were little autonomy and no antagonism.

OBJECTIVE To study the in vitro activity of cefepime combined with sulbactam against carbapenem-resistant strains of Acinetobacter spp clinically isolated. METHODS The activity of each drug alone was determined against 24 isolates. Chequerborad synergy testing was then performed against all the isolates. RESULTS The percentage of the FIC index showed 33.3% synergism, 62.5% additive, 4.2% (1/24) indifference, and no antagonism tively. CONCLUSIONS Testing of cefepime and sulbactam combinations revealed synergism and additivity activity against some carbapenem-resistant strains(23/24) of Acinetobacter spp which could be likely to prove beneficial effect for the treatment of infections due to multidrug-resistant strains of Acinetobacter spp.

Most drugs need to interact with cell membrane to reach the biological target, so that membrane affinity assay is an important early screening step in drug discovery. However, at present, the traditional oil-water distribution method is still used, a new, simple and accurate method for membrane affinity assay is urgently needed. In this study, according to the colorimetric principle, a new assay model based on polydiacetylene vesicles was optimized through a series of experiments including different concentrations of vesicle solution, temperature, or pH reaction environment. On this basis, tetracaine hydrochloride, 2-methylimidazole and histamine were used as model drugs to measure the membrane affinity constants and verify the between-batch precision of the optimized assay model (relative standard deviation less than 5%). In addition, polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for up to 180 days, demonstrating the potential application of the assay model. This strategy is simple, stable, reliable, with high reproducibility, low cost and easy to promote, which provided a new tool and a new direction for the high-throughput assay of membrane affinity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the resistance phenotype of acinetobacter baumannii and the expression of ade efflux pump gene. METHODS: Non-repetitive 51 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii were collected in Peking Union Medical Hospital between Feb. 2004 and Feb. 2005. The active efflux system adeB structural gene and sequence were identified by PCR. RESULTS: The tested strains were not susceptible to common broad-spectrum antibiotics. Multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii carried adeB active efflux pump gene. CONCLUSION: The multiple-drug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii is independent of ?-lactamase. It maybe related to other drug resistance mechanism. The effect of active efflux system is possibly one of the major mechanisms of multidrug resistance of acinetobacter baumannii.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antagonizing effect of Hirsutella sinensis (HS) on renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (TEMT) and its possible pathogenic mechanism in rats with chronic aristolochic acid nephropathy (CAAN).

METHODSEighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into 3 groups, the model (M) group, the intervention (I) group and the control (C) group. The 24 h urinary protein (UP) in rats was measured before intervention and at the end of the 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th week, and creatinine clearance rate (CCr) was measured before intervention and at the end of the 12th week respectively. All rats were sacrificed at the end of the 12th week, their kidney was taken for examining the degree of fibrosis in renal interstitial with Masson's stain and determining mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), Snail, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and cytokeratin in renal tissue by Real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the C group, CCr was significantly lower, while 24 h UP was higher; the relative area of interstitial fibrosis was significantly larger in the M group; besides, the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-beta1, Snail and alpha-SMA were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and those of cytokeratin were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01) in renal tissue of the M group. While in the I group, all the above-mentioned abnormalities were restored to some extent (P < 0.05) and showed significant difference (all P < 0.05) as compared with those in the M group.

CONCLUSIONHS can downregulate TGF-beta1 and Snail expressions in renal tissue, antagonize TEMT and renal interstitial fibrosis, and improve renal function in CAAN rats.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aristolochic Acids ; toxicity ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; Chronic Disease ; Cordyceps ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Kidney Tubules ; pathology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Snail Family Transcription Factors ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the impacts on the muscle strength in the patients of stroke-induced acroparalysis treated with Xunjingcuiqi needling technique.

METHODSOne hundred patients were randomized into a Xunjingcuiqi group and a routine acupuncture group, 50 cases in each group. In the routine acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture technique was adopted at the main acupoints, such as Shangxing (GV 23), Baihui (GV 20), Dicang (ST 4), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30) and Zusanli (ST 36), etc. In Xunjingcuiqi group, on the basis of the routine acupuncture technique, Xunjingcuiqi needling technique (pricking technique was quickly applied with the filiform needle along the running course of meridian to promote the conduction of meridian qi) was added. For the patients being hard to feel the needling sensation and with the muscle strength of 0 to 1 degree, Dongzhencuiqi technique was supplemented at shu-stream points of yang meridians (after qi arrival, the needling manipulation with limb movement was given to promote the conduction of meridian qi). The treatment was given once every day in the two groups. Ten treatments made one session. Three sessions of treatment were required. At the end of each session treatment, the muscle strength and clinical efficacy were assessed.

RESULTSIn the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment, 20, 24 and 36 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and 6, 10 and 15 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in the routine acupuncture group. The differences were significant statistically in comparison of the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The markably effective rates were 60.0% (30/50), 64.0% (32/50) and 70.0% (35/50) after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and those were 38.0% (19/50), 44.0% (22/50) and 46.0% (23/50) in the routine acupuncture group, respectively. The differences were significant in the 1st and 3rd sessions of treatment between the two groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXunjingcuiqi needling technique combined with routine acupuncture achieves the apparent superior efficacy on acroparalysis induced by ischemic stroke as compared with the simple routine acupuncture. Xunjingcuiqi needling technique obviously improves muscle strength and shortens the duration of sickness.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paralysis ; etiology ; therapy ; Qi ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome