OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of total flavonoids of epimedium (TFE) on the streptozocin (STZ)-induced kidney injury in diabetic rats and discuss the possible mechanism.

METHODSDiabetes was produced by a single injection of streptozocin (40 mg/kg, iv) in male SD rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10): control group, model group and TFE group (100 mg/kg, ig). Animals were sacrificed 12 weeks later. The level of blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) as well as the renal index were determined. Detect the specific biochemical of renal tissue: superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA). Use masson staining to observe the morphology of the renal tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the protein levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1).

RESULTSCompared to control group, the enhancement of blood glucose, renal index, BUN and Cr was found in model group, which was significantly attenuated by treatment with TFE. Meanwhile, elevated MDA level in renal tissue as well as decreased SOD activities in renal tissue were significantly remitted by TFE. Furthermore, TFE decreased the expression of TGF-beta1.

CONCLUSIONTFE can evidently relieve renal damage in rats with diabetic nephropathy induced by STZ, which might be related to antioxidation and modulating the expression of TGF-beta1 protein.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

ObjectiveTo investigate clinical features, correlative factors and prognosis of senile coronary heart disease accompanied with depression.MethodsFifty two senile patients of coronary hart disease with depression were selected for the observation group, sixty cases without depression as control group. Clinical features, family conditions, society factors and Holter report (supervision) of two groups were analyzed.ResultsClinical features such as severe dyssomnia, anxiety agitation, emotion depressing, loss of interest, feeling waste and sense of guilty in patients of observation group were significant different with those in control group. The rate of family harmoniousness and society supporting between patients of two groups were significantly different. The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, atrial arrhythmia and myocardial ischemia changes on ST-T in the Holter reports of patients in observation group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The incidence of cardiac sudden death of patients in observation group was also higher than patients in control group (P<0.05).ConclusionClinical symptoms such as severs dyssomnia, anxiety agitation, emotion depressing are easily occurred in senile coronary heart disease patients with depression. Patients with depression have higher incidence of cardiac sudden death, having better relationship and society support are advantageous to prevent and reduce the depression in senile coronary heart disease patients.

Saliva and blood were collected from two patients who had not received post exposure prophylaxis in the cities of Wenzhou and Xinning respectively. Both patients were confirmed as positive for rabies by detection of rabies virus specific nucleoprotein antibodies in the sera by Western Blot. However, rabies virus specific RNA was only identified in the saliva collected from the patient in Wenzhou. Furthermore, the isolate Zhejiang Wz0 (H) was obtained by inoculating one-day-old suckling mice. Both nucleoprotein (N) and glycoprotein (G) genes from the isolate were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to classic rabies virus, and shared a higher homology with the street viruses from dogs in the main endemic areas in China and the street virus from dogs in Indonesia than with other known strains. Further comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences between the isolate and the vaccine strains used in China showed that the virus had a higher level of homology with the vaccine strain CTN than with the other vaccine strains (3aG, PV, PM and ERA). In particular, amino acid residues substitutions located in antigenic site Ⅲ in the G protein, which could react with the neutralizing antibodies, were observed. These results suggested that the virus belonged to the classic rabies virus, and both N and G genes diverged from the current vaccine strains used in China at either the nucleotide or the amino acid level.

Adult ; Chondromatosis, Synovial ; pathology ; surgery ; Elbow Joint ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUNDDysregulated metallothionein 2A (MT2A) has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of MT2A in gastric cancer (GC) and its correlation with prognosis.

METHODSReverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the mRNA expression of MT2A in 12 GC cell lines, normal gastric epithelial GES-1 cells, and 36 GC and adjacent normal tissues. MT2A protein expression was determined in 258 GC tissues and 171 adjacent normal tissues by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSMT2A mRNA expression was lower in GC cells and primary tumors than in GES-1 cells and adjacent normal tissues, respectively. High protein expression of MT2A was present in 130 of 171 normal tissues (76.0%) and in 56 of 258 GC tissues (21.7%; P < 0.001). MT2A protein expression was higher in well/moderately differentiated GC (22/54; 40.7%) than in poorly differentiated GC (34/204; 16.7%; P < 0.001). Moreover, the protein expression of MT2A was lower in diffuse-type GC (6/82; 7.3%) than in intestinal-type GC (50/176; 28.4%; P = 0.0001). Importantly, MT2A expression was an independent prognostic factor for GC, and decreased MT2A expression was associated with poor clinical outcome (P < 0.001). The expression status of MT2A could predict prognosis in intestinal and diffuse-type GCs.

CONCLUSIONExpression status of MT2A might be a useful prognostic biomarker for GC, especially when used in combination with Lauren's classification.

Adult ; Aged ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Metallothionein ; analysis ; genetics ; MicroRNAs ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Stomach Neoplasms ; chemistry ; classification ; pathology

Variant pulmonary vein anatomy (PVA) has been reported to influence the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency ablation.However,the effects of PVA on AF in patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation (CBA) remain unknown.The present study aimed to examine the impact of PVA on the long-term outcome of CBA for AF.A total of 78 patients (mean age 60.7±10.9 years,64.1％ males) with symptomatic and drug-refractory paroxysmal AF were enrolled in the study.Left atrium (LA) and PVA acquired at computed tomography angiography (CTA) were reconstructed with CARTO(R) 3 SYSTEM.Patients were routinely evaluated by 24-hour Holter monitoring following CBA.Cox regression was used to detect the predictors of AF recurrence after CBA.The results showed abnormal PVA in 30 patients (38.5％) and 18 patients (23.1％) had left common PV (LCPV).Electrical pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in all patients.After a mean follow-up of 689.5±103.8 days,it was found that patients with abnormal PVA had similar AF recurrence rate to those with normal PVA (26.7％ vs.25.0％,P=0.54),and there was no significant difference in AF recurrence rate between LCPV patients and non-LCPV patients (33.7％ vs.23.3％,P=0.29).Cox regression analysis showed that AF duration (72.9±9.0 vs.42.3±43.2 months,HR 1.001;95％CI 1.003-1.014;P＜0.001) and cryo-applications of right-side PVs (3.0±1.6 vs.4.7±1.7,HR 0.661;95％ CI 0.473-0.925;P=0.016) were independent predictors of freedom from AF,but PVA was not identified as a predictor of long-term success.In conclusion,the variant PVA cannot significantly influence the long-term outcome of AF patients undergoing CBA;longer AF duration and less cryo-applications of right-side PVs are associated with higher AF recurrent rate.

Objective To assess if the modulating effect of platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF)BB on p21~(WAF1) was mediated by upregulating transforming growth factor(TGF)-β_1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC).Methods TGF-β_1 mRNA and protein expressions were measured by reverse transeription-PCR and ELISA,the protein expressions of p21~(WAF1) and the downstream TGF-βsignalling including TGF-β type I receptor(ALK-5 in VSMC),Smurf2,pSmad2/3,Smad4,Smad7 were detected by Western blot.Results PDGF-BB significantly upregulated the expressions of TGF-β_1 at mRNA(0.79-fold)and protein(1.98-fold)levels in VSMC,significantly inhibited the expression of p21WAF1(-67±12)%,and enhanced the expressions of ALK-5,pSmad2/3,Smad4,Smurf2 protein by 1.21-fold.0.95-fold,0.69.fold and 2.55-fold respectively,inhibited Smad7 expression(-65±9)%,these alterations were partially restored by anti-TGF-β_1 neutralizing antibody.Conclusions These findings suggested that PDGF-BB inhibited p21~(WAF1) expression in VSMC partially through upregulating TGF-β_1 expression via PDGFBB and TGF-β signalling pathways.

Objective: To study the effect and mechanism of Shuanghua aerosol (SHA) in treating infantile upper respiratory tract infection. Methods: In the clinical study, 276 patients were randomly divided into two groups. The treated group was treated with SHA and the control group was treated with Shuanghuanglian aerosol (SHLA, 双黄连气雾剂). In the experimental study, the effects of SHA on anti-inflammation and anti-virus were observed. Results: The clinical total effective rate of SHA was 99.03% and its cure rate 65.38%, while those of the SHLA were 94.11% and 44.12% respectively, significant difference was shown between the two groups (P<0.01). Experimental study showed that SHA could inhibit the xylol induced ear swelling and the egg white induced paw swelling in mice obviously, and inhibit the proliferation of influenza virus in rat's lung. Conclusion: SHA has obvious anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effect, and has good curative effect in treating infantile upper respiratory tract infection.

OBJECTIVETo appraise the value of clinical treatment of percutaneous reduction and fixation of osteoporotic fractures for the proximal humerus in a geriatric population.

METHODSPostoperation complication, mortality in hospital and within the first three months postoperation, operation time, blood transfusion requirement, the functional outcome of the shoulder had been analysed and observed in 37 cases for open and closed fixation.

RESULTSClosed reduction provided the benefit of obtaining and holding adequate reduction without the soft-tissue dissection of open reduction and internal fixation. The general complication and mortality in the first three months postoperation in the open reduction and internal fixation cases were more severe than the percutaneous cases.

CONCLUSIONSOpen operation increases the risk of the geriatric population with osteoporotic proximal humerus fracture; percutaneous reduction and fixation may be preferable.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Osteoporosis ; complications ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Shoulder Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVERenal interstitial fibrosis is the final common pathway leading to end-stage renal failure for progressive renal disease of various types. The present study was undertaken to add to the knowledge on colchicine's antiinflammatory and antifibrotic properties confirmed by both human and experimental studies. As the main effector cells, fibroblasts have a central role in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine on the synthesis and excretion of cytokines transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and extracellular matrix (collagen III, collagen IV) in human renal fibroblast.

METHODSVarious concentrations of colchicine (5.0 micromol/L, 10.0 micromol/L, 20.0 micromol/L, 40.0 micromol/L) were used to pretreat human embryo renal fibroblasts for 1 hour which were cultured in vitro and then stimulated by 10.0 microg/ml of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After 18 hours, these fibroblasts and their supernatant were collected. The expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA, IL-1beta mRNA in the cells was studied by using RT-PCR, and the excretion of TGF-beta1, IL-1beta, collagen III and collagen IV by the fibroblasts was assessed by ELISA respectively.

RESULTS(1) By pure stimulation with 10.0 micro g/ml LPS, the expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA and IL-1beta mRNA of fibroblasts was up-regulated 3 times (66.1 +/- 1.6 vs. 22.3 +/- 2.0, q = 590.5, P = 0.002) and 4.7 times (22.0 +/- 2.2 vs. 4.7 +/- 0.8, q = 106.8, P = 0.009), respectively. The protein excretion of TGF-beta1 and IL-1beta was remarkably increased as well compared with the control group [TGF-beta1: (516 +/- 14) pg/ml vs. (420 +/- 5) pg/ml (q = 80.3, P = 0.012), IL-1beta: (3.4 +/- 0.3) pg/ml vs. (0.3 +/- 0.1) pg/ml (q = 297.9, P = 0.003)]. (2) Colchicine could inhibit the expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. IL-1beta mRNA and protein were both up-regulated by colchicine. (3) LPS could not stimulate the excretion of extracellular matrix by fibroblasts, but the excretion of collagen III and collagen IV was down regulated by colchicine in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSION(1) The expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA and the excretion of TGF-beta1 protein in the fibroblasts was significantly suppressed by colchicine, while the expression of IL-1beta mRNA and the excretion of IL-1beta protein were enhanced. (2) Colchicine has significant inhibitory effect on the excretion of extracellular matrix such as collagen III and collagen IV in fibroblasts.

Colchicine ; pharmacology ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Gout Suppressants ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kidney ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1