Objective To investigate the relationship of folates,vitamin B_(12) with tan phosphorylation and the possible mechanism in Alzhcimer's disease (AD).Method Tau protein phosphorylation was examined in hippocampns of rats of two months old and forty months old treated or untreated by folates and vitamin B_(12) using Western blot and immunohistochemistry with phosphorylation dependent and independent tau antibodies.Results We found that tau phosphorylation in aged rat brain showed a significant higher level than that in the two-month olds.Folates combined with vitamin.B_(12) could decrease tau phosphorylation by 27% at the site of Ser396/404 of hippoeampus in aged rats.Conclusion It suggests folates and vitamin B_(12) may play an important role in preventing the neurodegenerative change via effeeting tau phosphorylation in AD brain.

Objective To find out the status of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis and the effect of preventive measures in Hebei Province,so as to provide a basis to prevent and cure fluorosis.Methods One affected county (city,district) with drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis was sampled in every city and 10 water improvement projects were investigated in that county.Three villages were taken out in every county.The operating state of the projects,the water fluoride content,and the dental fluorosis of children aged 8-12 and skeletal fluorosis of adults were investigated in these villages.Results A total of 93 projects were investigated,among which 94.6％(88/93) were operating properly and the qualified rate(fluoride content ≤ 1.2 mg/L) of the projects was 54.84％(51/93).Among the 9 large projects,the water fluoride content of 7 projects exceeded 1.2 mg/L.A total of 23 villages with water improvement projects were investigated and only 43.4％ (10/23) of them water fluoride content were lower than 1.2 mg/L.The dental fluorosis rate,the dental fluorosis index and the rate of skeletal fluorosis were 33.2％ (532/1601),0.74 and 5.7％ (66/1155),respectively.In the 7 villages without water improvement projects,2 of them exceeded 2.0 mg/L,but lower than and equal to 4.0 mg/L of water fluorosis and 5 of them were normal(＜ 1.2 mg/L).The dental fluorosis rate,the dental fluorosis index and the rate of skeletal fluorosis were 33.4％ (111/332),0.72 and 2.9％ (10/350),respectively.Conclutions The qualified rate of water improvement projects of fluoride content ≤ 1.2 mg/L is low and the endemic fluorosis is still comparatively serious in Hebei Province.The progress of water improvement projects in the areas with endemic fluorosis should be accelerated and the quality of water improvement projects should be increased.

Intracranial arterial dolichoectasia (IADE), also known as dilatative arteriopathy of the brain vessels, refers to an increase in the length and diameter of at least one intracranial artery, and accounts for approximately 12% of all patients with stroke. However, the association of IADE with stroke is usually unclear. Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is characterized by pathological changes in the small vessels. Clinically, patients with CSVD can be asymptomatic or present with stroke or cognitive decline. In the past 20 years, a series of studies have strongly promoted an understanding of the association between IADE and CSVD from clinical and pathological perspectives. It has been proposed that IADE and CSVD may be attributed to abnormal vascular remodeling driven by an abnormal matrix metalloproteinase/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase pathway. Also, IADErelated hemodynamic changes may result in initiation or progression of CSVD. Additionally, genetic factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of IADE and CSVD. Patients with Fabry’s disease and late-onset Pompe’s disease are prone to developing concomitant IADE and CSVD, and patients with collagen IV alpha 1 or 2 gene (COL4A1/COL4A2) and forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) variants present with IADE and CSVD. Race, strain, familial status, and vascular risk factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of IADE and CSVD. As well, experiments in mice have pointed to genetic strain as a predisposing factor for IADE and CSVD. However, there have been few direct genetic studies aimed towards determining the association between IADE and CSVD. In the future, more clinical and basic research studies are needed to elucidate the causal relationship between IADE and CSVD and the related molecular and genetic mechanisms.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), because of its good targeting, minimal invasion, and safety, is becoming a very active area in cancer prevention and treatment, in which the photosensitizers have proved to be the core element for PDT. We developed a new HPLC method for analyzing porphyrin photosensitizers using Shiseido Capcell PAK C18 (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) as the column at 30 °C, methanol-1% aqueous solution of acetic acid as the mobile phase in a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1) in a gradient elution mode, and the detection wavelength at 380 nm. This method, showing good specificity, precision, accuracy and robusty via methodology validations, can be applied to the purity test and assay of porphyrin photosensitizers, and has played a key guide role in the R&D of the new porphyrin photosensitizer--sinoporphyrin sodium.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Photochemotherapy ; Photosensitizing Agents ; chemistry ; Porphyrins ; chemistry

Objective To understand the status of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis and the effect of preventive measure in Hebei province, so as to provide a basis to prevent and cure the disease. Methods Thirtyeight affected counties(cities, districts) with drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis were sampled by random sampling in Hebei in 2009. All affected villages in every county were divided into mild, moderate and severe endemic fluorosis areas and a village was randomly selected from each category of the area to carry out the monitoring of endemic fluorosis. Dental fluorosis of children aged 8 - 12 were examined and 6 copies of urine samples were randomly collected in each age group in the above-mentioned villages. Clinical skeletal fluorosis was diagnosed among adults aged 16 and over and 20 copies of urine samples were tested for fluorosis in every village.Results A total of 112 affected villages were investigated, among which the drinking water quality of 66 villages were improved and 46 villages were not improved. A total of 236 copies of water samples from the 66 villages were measured and the fluoride content ranged from 0.1 to 4.3 mg/L, among which 20 copies of water samples exceeded the fluorine standard of 1.2 mg/L, accounting for 33.3%. A total of 230 copies of water samples were collected in the 46 villages and the fluoride content ranged from 0.2 to 4.6 mg/L, among which 76.1% (35/46) of the water samples exceeded the fluorine standard of 1.2 mg/L. A total of 5169 children aged 8 - 12 were examined of dental fluorosis, the dental fluorosis rate was 36.43%(1883/5169) and the dental fluorosis index was 0.81. A sum of 71 497 adults aged over 16 years were examined, and the rate of skeletal fluorosis was 4.81%(3438/71 497), moderate or severe clinical detection rate of skeletal fluorosis was 1.56%( 1114/71 497). A total of 2876 copies of children urine samples and 2021 copies of adult urine samples were tested and the geometric mean of fluoride content was 2.30,3.32 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions The prevalence of dental fluorosis of children in the areas with improved water is less than 30% and the rate of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis decline gradually with time.The rate of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis increases with the increase of water fluoride in the water quality not improved areas. The endemic fluorosis is still comparatively serious in Hebei. The progress of improving water quality in the areas with endemic fluorosis should be accelerated and the acceptability of improved water should be enhanced.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether neuroblastoma cells LA-N-6 express Foxp3 and whether the expression of Foxp3 is sensitive to chemotherapy by cyclophosvnamide (CTX)and pirarubicin (THP).

METHODSExpression of Foxp3 on LA-N-6 cells was examined by flow cytometry analysis. The dose-effects of chemotherapy drugs including CTX and THP on LA-N-6 cells were investigated by MTT assay. The effects of CTX and THP on Foxp3 expression were examined by flow cytometry and real-time PCR assays.

RESULTSFlow cytometry analysis showed that LA-N-6 cells expressed Foxp3 at a high level. At sub-optimal concentration, chemotherapy drugs CTX and THP significantly down-regulated expression of Foxp3 on LA-N-6 cells at protein level (P<0.05). CTX also decreased the expression of Foxp3 at mRNA level (P<0.05). CONCLSUSIONS: Neuroblastoma cells LA-N-6 express Foxp3 at a high level, which can be suppressed by chemotherapy drugs CTX and THP. These data suggest that chemotherapy might suppress the growth and metastasis of tumor cells partially through inhibiting the expression of Foxp3.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclophosphamide ; pharmacology ; Doxorubicin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Humans ; Neuroblastoma ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Disease Management ; Hospitals ; standards ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of saffor injection on renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.

METHODSeventy-five SD rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 15, in each), normal control groups, I/R control groups, low-dose treatment groups, middle-dose treatment groups and high-dose treatment groups. After rat's I/R injury model was established, renal function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine osmotic pressure and urine osmotic pressure/blood osmotic pressure, the apoptosis rate in I/R renal tissure was measured by TUNEL method and caspase-3 concentration was measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTReperfusion of the ischemic kidney induced marked renal dysfunction. Saffor injection significantly inhibited the reperfusion-associated increase in apoptosis rate and caspase-3 protein absorbance value. Moreover, the renal dysfunction at all treatment groups was markedly ameliorated by Saffor injection. (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe results show that saffor injection significantly reduces the renal dysfunction and injury caused by I/R of the kidney, And the protective effect of Saffor injection may be related to the inhibition of cell apoptosis and caspase-3 gene expression following renal I/R.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Injections ; Kidney ; blood supply ; Male ; Osmotic Pressure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; enzymology ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo provide theoretic warrant and technical reference for Salvia miltiorrhizr standardization planting, by carrying out various systemic studies such as observation of seeds configuration fabric, idiosyncrasy of water absorption and groping germinating conditions.

METHODIn the study of configuration fabric, seeds were observed and taken photos by scanning electronic microscope, and heft method was used for measuring changes of water absorption velocity and dehydration velocity. Seeds germination conditions were probed into under the national test regulations for crop seeds and related prescription from international standards.

RESULT(1) There was a layer of slime about 10-20 microm thickness covering epicarp of Danshen seeds. The slime formed as diamond meshwork (reseau) and the weight of it was 8%-10% of total seeds weight. (2) The speed of water absorption of seeds was extremely rapid. The weight of seeds could increase above 10 times as original while the dehydration velocity was quite low. (3) The optimal temperature for the seeds germination is around 25 degrees C, and the germination rate of the new seeds gained yearly was above 75%, but the rate would decrease sharply as years went by. It was also found that the seeds germination power and exponent of vigor were quite high under the temperature transformation between 23 degrees C, 28 degrees C. Such treatments as pre-cool, PEG treatment and infusing with GA3 could increase the rate of seeds germination capacity obviously.

Germination ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; physiology ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; physiology ; Seeds ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Temperature ; Water

Objective To explore the changes in macrophage infiltration behavior during the dynamic evolution of thrombi following the formation of acute carotid artery thrombosis occlusion(ACTO).Methods 15 healthy male New Zealand rabbits were selected to establish an ACTO model by causing injury to the rabbit carotid artery using surgical sutures treated with ferric chloride.All rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups according to the end-point time using the random number table method,namely 24-hour group,1 week group,4week group,8 week group,and 12week group postoperatively,with 3 rabbits in each group.At 24 hours post-operation,the ACTO model was examined by DS A.At 24 hours,1 week,4 weeks,8 weeks,and 12 weeks post-operation,samples were taken from the thrombotic arterial segment of the 3 rabbits in each group and embedded in paraffin.The thrombus samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Martius scarlet blue(MSB)to analyze changes in thrombus morphology and composition(including red blood cells,fibrin and collagen fibers).Orbit Imaging Analysis software was used for semi-quantitative analysis of the thrombus composition components.Using immunohistochemistry to detect the distribution of MO and M2 macrophages in thrombi,aimed to summarize the dynamic evolution of thrombus morphology,composition,and macrophage infiltration behavior at different stages following ACTO occurrence.Results The 24-hour DSA results indicated that all experimental rabbits successfully established the ACTO model.(1)HE staining showed a continuous increase in thrombus size from 24 hours to 1 week.By 4 weeks,signs of thrombus dissolution appeared,and at 8 weeks,neovascularization was observed within the thrombus.By 12 weeks,signs of fibrosis were evident in the thrombus.(2)MSB staining revealed that during the acute phase of thrombus formation(within 24 hours after surgery),red blood cells were the predominant component initially,but after this period,fibrin and collagen fibers became the main components.(3)The detection results of MO macrophages showed that 24 hours after surgery,MO macrophages in the thrombus were not evenly distributed throughout the thrombus,but mainly gathered at the thrombus edge;at 1 week after surgery,the positive area percentage of MO macrophage in the thrombus increased compared with 24 hours after surgery(thrombus edge:[41.7±27.0]％vs.[24.6±16.7]％,thrombus core:[35.7±19.6]％vs.[11.1±10.4]％,all P＜0.001),and evenly distributed within the thrombus;at 4 weeks after surgery,MO macrophages in the thrombus decreased compared with 1 week after surgery(thrombosis edge:[10.7±6.1]％vs.[41.7±27.0]％,thrombus core:[12.1±8.5]％vs.[35.7±19.6]％,all P＜0.001),the differences were statistically significant.At 4,8,and 12 weeks after surgery,MO macrophages within the thrombus did not change significantly with time(thrombus edge:[10.7±6.1]％,[8.0±7.7]％,and[8.9±5.3]％;thrombus core:[12.1±8.5]％,[9.5±4.2]％,and[15.7±11.0]％),and the differences were not statistically significant(all P＞0.05).In addition,at 12 weeks after surgery,MO macrophages at the thrombus edge was less than the thrombus core([8.9+5.3]％vs.[15.7±11.0]％,P＜0.01).The detection results of M2 macrophages showed that 24 hours after surgery,M2 macrophages in the thrombus were widely distributed throughout the thrombus;at 1 week after surgery,the positive area percentage of M2 macrophages in the thrombus increased compared with 24 hours after surgery(thrombus edge:[22.1±11.3]％vs.[11.4±8.7]％,P＜0.001;thrombus core:[24.5±9.8]％vs.[7.6±6.0]％,P＜0.001);at 4 weeks after surgery,M2 macrophage in the thrombus decreased compared with 1 week after surgery(thrombosis edge:[10.6±3.7]％vs.[22.1±11.3]％,P＜0.001;thrombus core:[9.2±4.3]％vs.[24.5±9.8]％,P＜0.001);at 8 weeks after surgery,M2 macrophages in the thrombus increased compared with 4 weeks after surgery([17.9±8.8]％vs.[9.2±4.3]％,P＜0.001),and the differences were statistically significant.However,M2 macrophages in the thrombus did not change significantly from 8 weeks to 12 weeks after surgery(thrombus edge:[9.4±6.3]％vs.[8.5±5.3]％,P＞0.05;thrombus core:[17.9±8.8]％vs.[14.4±10.0]％,P＞0.05).In addition,at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery,M2 macrophages in the thrombus core was greater than the thrombus edge(8 weeks after surgery:[17.9±8.8]％vs.[9.4±6.3]％,P＜0.001;12weeks after surgery:[14.4±10.0]％vs.[8.5±5.3]％,P＜0.001).Conclusions This study successfully established an ACTO animal model and demonstrated for the first time the dynamic evolution of macrophages within 12 weeks post-thrombus formation.Macrophages may played a significant role in both thrombus formation and fibrinolysis,as well as in the promotion of thrombus dissolution and the formation of new blood vessels within the thrombus which may potentially promote the spontaneous reperfusion of the occluded vessels.The results of this study need further verification.