OBJECTIVE:To investigate the curative effect of metoprolol in treating chronic congestive heart failure (CCHF) and to discuss its administration technique.METHODS:A total of 72 patients with CCHF were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. The patients in the control group were treated with conventional therapy for heart failure,while those in the treatment group were treated with additional metoprolol at an initial dose of 6.25mg bid but gradually increased to 100mg bid for 24 weeks apart from the conventional therapy.RESULTS:The total responsive rate(RR) in the treatment group(88.9%) was significantly higher than in the control group(63.9%)(P

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on human renal tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by high glucose. MethodsCultured HK-2 cells were divided into 5 groups: normal control group, osmolarity control group, high glucose group, high glucose with EPO (5 U/ml)group and high glucose with EPO (10 U/ml)group. The mRNA expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, Smad2, ILK of cells were measured by RT-PCR. The levels of intracellular α-SMA and TGF-β1 protein were measured by immunocytochemistry. ResultsCompared with the control groups, mRNA expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, Smad2, ILK and protein expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 were increased after high glucose treatment (P<0.01). Compared with the high glucose group, EPO 5 U/ml or EPO 10 U/ml remarkably down-regulated the expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, Smad2 and ILK (P<0.01). ConclusionEPO can inhibit the progression of EMT and the up-regulation of TGF-β1, Smad2 and ILK induced by high glucose.

Aim To investigate the changes of phosphodiesterase4(PDE4,type 4 cAMP-specific PDE) activity,TNF-? and neutrophil recruitment in experimental rat lung injury(ALI).Methods ALI in the rat was induced by lipopolysacdharide(LPS).PDE4 activity was measured with HPLC,and the level of TNF-? was detected with ELISA,neutrophil infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and lung tissues was detected by cell count and morphological analysis.Result Lung tissue PDE4 activity significantly increased as early as 1 h,peaked 6 h,and then markedly lowered at 24 h after intratracheal administration of LPS,while there was a same time-course change of total white cell and neutrophil in the BALF(r=0.83,P

Objective To study the effect of siRNA targeting survivin and tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) cells. Methods siRNA eukaryotic expression vector was constructed and the effects of soluble tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand ( sTRAIL) on HCC cells were observed. Results The recombinant plasmid Psilence ( + )-survivin was successfully constructed. Survivin mRNA expression inhibition ratio reached 73% by RT-PCR. Observed by MTT method sTRAIL failed to inhibit the survival rate of HepG2、HepG2/Silence( - ) cells at 12 h、24 h、48 h when compared to control groups. With the survivin gene being inhibited, the survival rate of HepG2/Silence( + ) cells(0. 518?0. 017) decreased in 12 h compared to control groups (0. 741?0. 005 ) and reached the lowest level in 48 h ( P

Objective To explore the effects of biomimetic electrical stimulation on inducing differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) into cardiomyocyte-like cells in isolated myocardium.Methods MSCs and cardiac myocytes from SD rats were isolated and cultured by modified method.MSCs were then co-cultured with cardiac myocytes(MSCs/ cardiomyocyte co-culture system).The co-culture system was divided into stimulated group and non-stimulated group.MSCs cells in stimulated group were given supra-threshold square biphasic pulses stimulation(5ms duration,0.5Hz,10V) lasting for 2h each day,while in non-stimulated group were routinely cultured.Each group was divided into three subgroups according to the incubation time of 3,5 and 7 days.The characteristic morphology of MSCs in every subgroup was observed under light microscope.The expression of cTnT in MSCs was detected by immunofluorescence.The rate of cTnT positive expression was also compared between two groups.Results The growth and frequency of myocardial wave of MSCs cells in stimulated group were better or higher than those in non-stimulated group.No expression of cTnT was detected in non-stimulated group at the 5th day of the experiment,while a few MSCs cells in the stimulated group expressed cTnT at the same time point.The cTnT expression was detected in the MSCs cells in the both groups on the 7th day.The rate of cTnT positive expression in stimulated group(20.98%?5.55%) was significantly higher than that in non-stimulated group(13.20%?3.98%,P

In present study, animal model of cardiac hypertrophy induced by abdominal aortic stenosis was utilized, and the lysosomes were investigated by electron microscopy and ultrastructural cytochemistry. The results showed that while cardiac hypertrophy developed, lysosomes participate in apparent remolding of cardiac muscle cells; in the late stage of cardiac hypertrophy, a great deal of autophagocytoses were viewed in some muscle cells which may result in irreversible cell damage.

Peroxisomes (microbodies) were studied with CATase, G-6-Pase, TPPase, CMPase cytochemistry and stereology by electron microscopy in 15 cases of normal human liver specimens. In human hepatocytes peroxisomes are ellipsoid or round intracellular bodies. They contain homogeneous fine granular matrix, and surrounded by unit membrane, and distribute randomly in the cytoplasm. By stereological analysis, the peroxisomes accounted for 1.33?0.38% of the cytoplasmic volume, their numerical density in spase was 9.76?1.63/100 ?m~3 cytoplasm, and the ratio of mitochondria to peroxisomes in quantity was 6.22?1.17. The result of G-6-Pase cytochemistry showed no luminal connection between endoplasmic reticulum and peroxisomes. The membrane similar to smooth endoplasmic reticulum seem to be connected with peroxisomes which was G-6-Pase negative, hence such membrane may be peroxisomal membrane system rather than smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The TPPase cytochemistry showed that peroxisomes did not connect with the Golgi complex structurally, and the Golgi complex may not be involved in the biogenesis of peroxisomes. Some figures resembled fission and budding of peroxisomes were viewed, and this finding suggested that new peroxisomes formed probably by division of preexisting peroxisomes.

The human atrial muscle cells were investigated by ultrastructural CMPase cytochemistry and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) immunocytochemistry. The primary lysosomes and ANF were labelled by these techniques, respectively. ANF was localized in the atrial specific granules, these granules were similar in size and 0.20? 0.051?m in diameter, distributed over the entire cytoplasm, preferentially being located in the subsarcolemmal and perinuclear region and forming clusters. Primary lysosomes were various in size, 0.30?0.191?m in diameter, significantly larger than atrial specific granules (P

Objective: To study the efficacy,safety and relative characteristics of formulated Chinese medicinal herbs as a vascular embolizing agent. Methods: We prepared a mixture as a vascular embolizing agent from several Chinese medicinal herbs,they served as anticarcinogen and/or coagulant according to the Chinese Pharmacopeia.We studied the characteristics of the mixture through embolizing the hepatic artery in eight pigs with it. Results: The mixture was prepared as a suspension.It was easily injected through catheters and showed good histocompatibility and hemo-compatibility without pyrogenetic response and toxicity.The mixture mainly embolized peripheral arteries,maintaining occlusion for 5 weeks and without formation of collateral circulation.We found injuries of normal hepatic tissues as slight hepatocyte hydrops and focal endochyloma necrosis through optical and electronic microscope. Conclusion: This suspended mixture of Chinese medicinal herbs is safe and effective as a potential peripheral embolizing agent.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of 2 patients with renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (AML), representing 5.4 % of a series of 37 patients undergoing biopsy for renal tumors. Methods:The histopathological, immunohistochemical and clinical characteristics of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma were studied by immunohistochemical stain for melanoma marker (HMB45), (Pan)melanoma marker Ab-1,cytokeratin (CK), smooth muscle actin (SMA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA),vimentin (Vim), p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), Ki67 antigen. Results:Two patients,aged 31 and 39,were alive for 8 and 10 months,respectively.Microscopically, both tumors were mainly made up of diffuse sheets of epithelioid cells and scattered thick-walled blood vessels, necrosis was account for up to 30% of the mass. The epithelioid cells had huge, extremely pleomorphic nuclei with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Scattered tumor giant cells with prominent nuclei were also seen. The epithelioid AML regions of these tumors were immunoreactive for HMB45, (Pan)melanoma marker Ab-1, SMA, Vim and PCNA. Neither atypical epithelioid cells nor typical AML cells were immunoreactive for cytokeratin (CK) and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA).Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that the renal epithelioid AML was a mild malignant tumor before distant metastases. The differential diagnosis between renal malignant AML and sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma was established by immunohistochemical findings.