Objective To study the effect of angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ) on myocardial fibroblasts(MFs) proliferation,the expression and transposition of protein kinase C epsilon(PKC?) and alpha(PKC?),and to find out the mechanism of AngⅡpromoting proliferation and signal trarsduction.Methods The primary culture neonate rat's MFs was used depending on the different time of cell adherence,by the method of immunohistochemical method identifying MFs,2-4 generations MFs were divided into experimental group and control group,experimental group was added with AngⅡ 10-6 mol/L,and nothing was added to control group.Colorimetric method of metrazolium salt(MTT) was used to detect the MFs proliferation; indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect the distribution and location of PKC? and PKC?,then Image-Pro-Plus 4.0 was used to add up fluorescence intensity.Results 1.The number of MFs in experimental group increased much more than that in control group and there was obviously statistical significance(P

Objective To evaluate the effects of 131 adrenoceptor anfisense on blood pressure and?1 adrenoceptor mRNA and protein levels in 2 kidney 1 clip(2K1C)rats.Method 2KIC hypertensive rots were produced by clipping renal artery of SD rats.Liposome/AS-ODNs 2.0 were tested intravenously in rats with 2KIC hypertension.Animals were divided into 5 groups(n=18 in each group):?1-AS-ODN group,?1-IN-ODN group,2K1C group,Sham group and SD group.Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff method,the levels of myocardial?adreneceptor mRNA and protein were tested by RT-PCR and binding assay.Results On the basis of the magnitude and duration of hypotension,?1-AS-ODN decreased blood pressure by 39 mmHg at the most for 4 weeks.Compared with the 2KIC group,?1-AS-ODN did not significantly change the levels of myocardial?1 adrenoceptor mRNA but significantly decreased the levels of myocardial?1 adrenoceptor protein at 2,7,30 days (P

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effect of magnetron sputtered niobium nitride (NbN) on the bonding strength of commercially pure cast titanium (Ti) and low-fusing porcelain (Ti/Vita titankeramik system).

METHODSSixty Ti specimens were randomly divided into four groups, group T1, T2, T3 and T4. All specimens of group T1 and T2 were first treated with 120 microm blasted Al2O3 particles, and then only specimens of group T2 were treated with magnetron sputtered NbN film. All specimens of group T3 and T4 were first treated with magnetron sputtered NbN film and then only specimens of group T4 were treated with 120 microm blasted Al2O3 particles. The composition of the deposits were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). A universal testing machine was used to perform the three-point bending test to evaluate the bonding strength of Ti and porcelain. The microstructure of NbN, the interface of Ti-porcelain and the fractured Ti surface were observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy depressive spectrum (EDS), and the results were compared.

RESULTSThe XRD results showed that the NbN deposits were cubic crystalline phases. The bonding strength of Ti and porcelain in T1 to T4 group were (27.2+/-0.8), (43.1+/-0.6), (31.4+/-1.0) and (44.9+/-0.6) MPa. These results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and differences between groups were compared using least significant difference test. Significant inter-group differences were found among all groups (P<0.05). The results of SEM showed that with treatment of Al2O3 or NbN, alone, pre-cracks were found in the interface of Ti-porcelain, while samples treated with both Al2O3 and NbN had better bond. EDS of Ti-porcelain interface showed oxidation occurred in T1, T2 and T3, but was well controlled in T4.

CONCLUSIONSMagnetron sputtered NbN can prevent Ti from being oxidized, and can improve the bonding strength of Ti/Vita titankeramik system. Al2O3 blast can also improve the bonding strength of Ti/Vita titankeramik system.

Dental Bonding ; Dental Porcelain ; chemistry ; Dental Stress Analysis ; Magnetic Fields ; Materials Testing ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Niobium ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Surface Properties ; Titanium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical effect and safety of floating needle therapy and duloxetine in treating patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD).

METHODSTotally 108 PSPD patients were randomly assigned to the floating needle treatment group, the duloxetine treatment group, and the placebo treatment group, 36 in each group. Patients in the floating needle treatment group received floating needle therapy and placebo. Those in the duloxetine treatment group received duloxetine and simulated floating needle therapy. Those in the placebo treatment group received the placebo and simulated floating needle therapy. All treatment lasted for six weeks. Efficacy and adverse reactions were evaluated using Simple McGill pain scale (SF-MPQ) and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) before treatment and immediately after treatment, as well as at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD, 17 items), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were assessed before treatment and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Patients in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group with the total reducing score rate of SF-MPQ in Pain Rating index (PRI) ≥ 50% after 6 weeks' treatment were involved in the follow-up study.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the same group before treatment, SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total scores all decreased in all the three groups at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides , each item of SF-MPQ significantly decreased immediately after treatment in the floating needle treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the placebo treatment group, SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA total score in the floating needle treatment group significantly decreased after 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total score in the duloxetine treatment group also significantly decreased after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (2) There were 3 patients (8.3%) who had adverse reactions in the floating needle treatment group, 17 (50.0%) in the duloxetine treatment group, and 7 (21.2%) in the placebo treatment group. Compared with the placebo treatment group, the incidence of adverse reaction increased in the duloxetine treatment group (χ² = 6.04, P < 0.05). Besides, it was higher in the duloxetine treatment group than in the floating needle treatment group (χ² = 14.9, P < 0.05). (3) There were 19 patients in the floating needle treatment group and 17 patients in the duloxetine treatment group involved in the follow-up study. Compared with 6 weeks after treatment, no significant difference was observed at 3 and 6 months after treatment in the score of SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were 5 patients (29.4%) who had adverse reactions in the duloxetine treatment group, and no adverse reactions were observed in the floating needle treatment group. The adverse reaction rate was significantly different between the two groups (χ² = 4.26, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFloating needle therapy and duloxetine were effective in treatment of patients with PSPD. However, floating needle therapy could relieve pain more rapidly than duloxetine, with obviously less adverse reactions.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Anxiety Disorders ; Duloxetine Hydrochloride ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain ; Pain Management ; methods ; Pain Measurement ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Somatoform Disorders ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVEThis study investigated the effect of silicon coating (SiO2) by solution-gelatin (Sol-Gel) technology on bonding strength of titanium and ceramics.

METHODSSixteen pure titanium specimens with the size of 25 mm x 3 mm x 0.5 mm were divided into two groups (n=8), test group was silicon coated by Sol-Gel technology, the other one was control group. The middle area of the samples were veneered with Vita Titankeramik system, the phase composition of two specimens were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The bonding strength of titanium/porcelain was evaluated using three-point bending test. The interface of titanium and porcelain and fractured titanium surface were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy depressive spectrum (EDS).

RESULTSContents of surface silicon increased after modification with silicon coated by Sol-Gel technology. The mean bonding strength of test group and control group were (37.768 +/- 0.777) MPa and (29.483 +/- 1.007) MPa. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.000) between them. The bonded ceramic boundary of test group was wider than control group.

CONCLUSIONSilicon coating by Sol-Gel technology was significant in improving bonding strength of titanium/Vita Titankeramik system.

Ceramics ; Dental Bonding ; Dental Porcelain ; Materials Testing ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Silicon ; Silicon Dioxide ; Surface Properties ; Titanium

Objective To investigate plasma glutathione S-transferase(GSTs) activity and GSTP1 gene Ile105Val polymorphism in Bijie City, Guizhou Province, a coal-burning fluorosis endemic area. Methods One hundred and sixty villagers from Yachi Twon using non-improved cooking stoves were selected as the non-intervened group in Bijie City, Guizhou Province where coal-burning fluorosis was prevailing; 153 villagers as the intervented group were chosen from Changchun Twon, where cooking stoves were improved; 151 villagers were served as the control group from Baiyunshan Twon, Changshun County without endemic fluorosis. The activity of GSTs was tested by colorimetric analysis with spectrophotometer. The genotype of the GSTP1 gene Ile105Val polymorphism, presenting as either homozygous wild-type (AA), or heterozygous mutation type (AG), or homozygous mutation type (GG), was detected through the PCR-RFLP procedure. Results The activity of GSTs in plasma of non-intervened group [(12.44±4.97) kU/L]was significantly lower than that of intervened group (P < 0.05), and that of intervened group[(20.78±6.20)kU/L]was significantly lower than that of control group[(24.30±6.27)kU/L, P< 0.05]. The difference of the enzyme activity of three groups were statistically significant (F = 51.71, P < 0.05), but this enzyme activity did not vary significantly in each sex of each grnup(P > 0.05). Compared intervened group [AA:67.3%(103/153), AG:29.4%(45/153),GG:3.3%(5/153)]and non-intervened group[AA:66.9%(107/160), AG:30%(48/160), GG:3.1%(5/160)]with control group[AA:74.8%(113/151), AG:25.2%(38/151), GG:0 (0/151)], the Ile105Val polymorphism site of GSTP1 gene had significant difference(χ2= 6.04,6.07, both P< 0.05), but not significant between intervened and non-intervened groups(χ2 = 0.02, P>0.05). Conclusions Fluorosis can decrease the activity of GSTs and introduce the GSTP1 gene Ile105Val polymorphism, intervention with the fluorine intake will improve the effect of fluoride on the body.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) on human gastric cancer xenografts in vivo and to explore its potential tumoricidal mechanism.

METHODSCultured MGC-803 human gastric cancer cells were injected below the skins of the nude mice to develop the tumor model. The tumor-bearing nude mice were examined under the Leica LT-9 MACIMSYSPULS to detect the fluorescence. The tumor volume of day 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 after treatment were measured, and its histological changes were also studied. The tissues of the tumors in nude mice of the control group, light group, 5-ALA group and PDT group were examined with the electron microscope and apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay.

RESULTSThe tumor model was successfully developed. The tumor in the nude mice emitted the red fluorescence under the Leica LT-9 MACIMSYSPULS. The tumor volumes were (0.189+/-0.010) cm(3), (0.183+/-0.011) cm(3), (0.185+/-0.019)cm(3), (0.182+/-0.015)cm(3) for the control group, light group, 5-ALA group, PDT group, respectively at day 1 after treatment, while at day 3, (0.294+/-0.010) cm(3), (0.280+/-0.013) cm(3), (0.278+/-0.016) cm(3), (0.183+/-0.014) cm(3); at day 7, (0.409+/-0.016) cm(3), (0.411+/-0.009) cm(3), (0.407+/-0.015) cm(3), (0.221+/-0.008) cm(3); at day 14, (0.970+/-0.055) cm(3), (0.976+/-0.054) cm(3), (0.981+/-0.032)cm(3), (0.318+/-0.005) cm(3); at day 21, (1.495+/-0.059) cm(3), (1.513+/-0.057) cm(3), (1.524+/-0.063) cm(3), (0.446+/-0.042) cm(3) (F=1003.086, P=0.000). The histology demonstrated that most tumor blood vessels were congested and necrosis developed after PDT while not in the control group, light group and 5-ALA group. Necrosis and apoptosis were observed in the cells of the tumors of the PDT group examined by TUNEL and electron microscope while not in the cells of the tumors of the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) can induce injury to human gastric cancer xenografts and inhibit the tumor growth while light only and 5-ALA only can not. 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA- PDT) appears to be a promising therapy for human gastric cancer, whose mechanism involves in the destruction of the tumors partly by apoptosis other than necrosis.

Aminolevulinic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; Photochemotherapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; therapy ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo construct a rheumatoid arthritis-specific full-length fully human mammalian display antibody libraries.

METHODSPeripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The repertoires of kappa light chain (LCκ) and heavy chain variable region (VH) of the antibodies were amplified by RT-PCR. The amplified LCκ and VH genes were inserted into the vector pDGB-HC-TM separately, and the ligated libraries were transformed into competent E.coli TOPO-10 strain to construct the rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibody heavy and light chain libraries. 293T cells were co-transfected with the libraries and the full-length fully human antibody expressed on the surface of 293T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe libraries of rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibody LCκ and heavy chain (IgG1) were constructed. The expression of full-length fully human antibody on the surface of 293T cells was confirmed by flow cytometry. With the rates of correct LCκ and heavy chain sequence insertion reaching 80% and 60%, respectively, as shown by DNA sequence analysis of the randomly selected clones, the libraries showed an expressible combinatory diversity of 6.13×10(10).

CONCLUSIONThe constructed libraries provide a useful platform for screening rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibodies.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antibodies ; genetics ; immunology ; Antibody Specificity ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; immunology ; Cell Surface Display Techniques ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Peptide Library ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo appraise the effect of single- and two-layer Percoll density gradient centrifugation in sperm separation.

METHODSTwenty semen specimens underwent single-(50%) and two-layer (90% and 45%) density gradient centrifugation, respectively. The sperm class analyzer (SCA) was used to analyze sperm density, motility and dynamic parameters and round cell density before and after the treatment.

RESULTSAfter separation, the sperm recovery rate of the single-layer method was (65.5 +/- 12.8)%, significantly higher than that of the two-layer method (P < 0.01). The percentages of grade a sperm of the single- and two-layer method were significantly higher than pre-treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), that of the single-layer was significantly lower than that of the two-layer method (P < 0.05), but the percentage of grade c sperm of the former was significantly higher than that of the latter (P < 0.05). Compared with pre-treatment, the percentage of grade a + b sperm of the two-layer method was significantly higher (P < 0.05), while that of the single-layer method showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), and the round cell density of both the methods was significantly lower (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), with no significant differences between the two methods (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe single-layer method yields a higher rate of sperm recovery and causes little change in the sperm motility, while the two-layer method effects a lower rate and significantly improves sperm motility. Both the methods can efficiently separate sperm from round cells, and each has its own advantages and its application value in in vitro treatment of sperm.

Cell Separation ; methods ; Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Povidone ; Silicon Dioxide ; Sperm Count ; methods ; Spermatozoa ; cytology

This study is to elucidate the immunoregulation mechanisms of artesunate (AST) on allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Pharmacodynamics analyses, HE staining, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to explore the effects of AST on the related cytokines, transcription factor and signaling molecule of ACD respectively. The results indicated that topical administration of AST not only reduced the increase of ear swelling, spleen index and inflammatory cells infiltration in ACD mice, but also inhibited remarkably the expression of IFN-gamma, T-bet and NF-kappaB p65. It's suggested that AST could exhibit suppressive effects on inflammatory response and immune function of ACD, which indicates the possibility of developing AST as a novel immunoregulatory agent in the treatment of ACD and other immune-related diseases.
Administration, Topical ; Animals ; Artemisinins ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ear ; pathology ; Female ; GATA3 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; drug therapy ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Interferon-gamma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Molecular Structure ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism