Aim To further research into the antithrombotic mechanism of scorpion venom active peptides (SVAP). Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured with enzyme digestive method. After the cultured HUVC was incubated in conditioned media for 1 hour, the effects of SVAP on the concentration of 6-Keto-PGF 1? and NO of HUVEC were determined with radioactive-immunolygic and nitrate reduction enzyme method respectively. Results As compared with control, SVAP in the doses of 1,5,10, 20 mg?L -1 had the distinctive increase of 54%, 68%,72%,79% of the concentration of 6-Keto-PGF 1? and SVAP in the doses of 10, 20 mg?L -1 had the significantly increased of 27%, 46% of the concentration of NO. Regression anylysis showed that the release levels of PGI 2 and NO in HUVEC induced by SVAP was of positive correlation. Conclusion Antithrombotic mechanism of SVAP is related to the increase of PGI 2 and NO released from HUVEC and synergistic and mediating action between NO and PGI 2.

Objective To detect the sperm apoptosis rate and level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in seminal plasma and explore their correlation among infertile males. Methods Ninety-two inferitile males were divided into varicocele (VC) group (n=32), leukocytospermia group(n=30) and the other cause group (n=30), and another 24 in vitro fertilization sperm samples were sereved as controls. The routine sperm parameters including seminal pH, sperm viability and sperm density were examined by computer assisted sperm analysis, the sperm apoptosis rate was asseseed using Annexin V/PI staining, and the ROS level in seminal plasma was detected by TBA method. The differences in seminal parameters between three infertile groups and control group were compared, and the correlation of sperm apoptosis rate with level of ROS in seminal plasma was explored in each group. Results The sperm viability of three infertile groups was significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.01). The sperm apoptosis rates and levels of ROS in seminal plasma in VC group and leukocytospermia group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The sperm apoptosis rate was positively correlated with the level of ROS in seminal plasma in leukocytospermia group(r=0. 573, P < 0.05). Conclusion The increased sperm apoptosis rate and level of seminal plasma ROS may be related to the infertility of patients with VC and leukocytospermia. The increased level of seminal plasma ROS may be one of the causes of increased sperm apoptosis rate in patients with leukocytospermia.

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in synovium of rats with adjuvant arthritis and the relationship between the histopathologic score and the expression of VEGF.Methods Adjuvant arthritis was established in Wistar rats by inoculating complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA). We calculated the arthropathologic score and the expression of VEGF mRNA and protein at different stages after CFA inoculation.Results In model group the arthropathologic score and expression of VEGF protein in synovium increased significantly all the time (P

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, treatments, and survival of patients with esophageal adeno-squamous carcinoma (EASC). Methods:A total of 494 patients with EASC were selected from the clinical information databases of 500, 000 cases with esophageal and gastric cardiac carcinomas in the Henan Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Research. Among the 494 EASC cases, 361 were males with an average age of 61.47 ± 8.32 years, and 133 were females with an average age of 65.56 ± 8.06 years. SPSS 21.0 software was applied to determine the statistical differences among the different groups. A life-table method was also used to calculate the five-year survival rate. A linear regression model was used to analyze the correlation of changes at different peri-ods. Results:The incidence of EASC in our database was 0.196%(494/251707). EASC occurred predominantly in male patients (male:female=2.71:1.00). The peak age was within 60-69 years in both males and females (39.6%vs. 40.6%). Notably, the incidence of male patients showed a downward trend (R2=0.063), whereas that of female patients showed an upward trend (R2=0.004). The prevalence of EASC was obviously higher in low-incidence areas for esophageal cancer than in high-incidence areas (53.1%vs. 46.9%, P<0.001). Ac-cording to the TNM staging criteria for esophageal cancer, phases II and III patients comprised the majority of cases, which accounted for 40.8%(173/424). The positive lymph node metastasis rate was 47.0%(206/438), and the number of positive lymph node metasta-ses ranged within 1-2 (48.5%, 100/206). In addition, preoperative biopsy was performed in 467 cases, and more than half of the pa-tients (53.96%, 252/467) were diagnosed before the operation. Surgical resection was the predominant treatment method for EASC (88.8%, 419/472). Only 1.9%patients (9/472) underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The five-year survival rate of male patients who were neither smoking nor drinking of alcohol was higher than that of male smokers (26.5%vs. 12.1%). In patients with stagesⅠ,Ⅱ, andⅢ+Ⅳcarcinomas with surgery as lone treatment, the three-year survival rates were 64.7%, 50.9%, and 48.5%, respectively. Correspondingly, these rates were 51.7%, 47.8%, and 33.1%after adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Conclusion:EASC is a rare type of esophageal malignant tumor. The preoperative biopsy pathological diagnosis has high misdiagnosis rate. Smoking and drinking of alcohol can influence the prognosis of patients. In EASC patients, lymph node metastasis easily occurs, and a simple surgery is bet-ter than other cancer treatments.

OBJECTIVETo explore the methodology on prevalence study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in line with the world, to obtain accurate epidemic data of COPD in China.

METHODSA national multi-center cross-sectional survey on prevalence, risk factors and burden of COPD was conducted in China. In each area, a population-based cluster sample of approximately 1450 individuals aged 40 years or older was interviewed, using standardized questionnaires that were revised on the methodology of burden of lung diseases (BOLD) study and according under the context of China. All participants were submitted to pre-bronchodilator spirometry. Those with airflow limitation received post-bronchodilator spirometry, physical examination, X-rays of chest and EKG (electrocardiogram) tests. The post-bronchodialators FEV1/FVC < 70% was identified as having COPD.

RESULTSInvestigation has been completed with the same standardized procedures by all sites, up to the requirement of quality control. Over 85.0% of the spirometry tests and 95.0% of questionnaires had met the criteria of quality control in each area. Overall, 95.2% of the data was valid with acceptable spirometry and questionaire, and the valid response rate was 79.0%.

CONCLUSIONThe protocol was in line with the international standards, by which the prevalence of COPD in China was of adequate quality and valid.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; epidemiology

Objective To study the effects of TYRO protein kinase-binding protein (TYROBP) deficiency on learning behavior, glia activation and pro-inflammatory cycokines, and Tau phosphorylation of a new Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model carrying a PSEN1 p.G378E mutation.Methods A new AD mouse model carrying PSEN1 p.G378E mutation was built based on our previously found AD family which might be ascribed to the PSEN1 mutation, and then crossed with TYROBP deficient mice to produce the heterozygous hybrid mice (PSEN1^G378E/WT; Tyrobp^+/-) and the homozygous hybrid mice (PSEN1^G378E/G378E; Tyrobp^-/-). Water maze test was used to detect spatial learning and memory ability of mice. After the mice were sacrificed, the hippocampus was excised for further analysis. Immunofluorescence was used to identify the cell that expresses TYROBP and the number of microglia and astrocyte. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of Tau and phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau), and ELISA to measure the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results Our results showed that TYROBP specifically expressed in the microglia of mouse hippocampus. Absence of TYROBP in PSEN1^G378E mutation mouse model prevented the deterioration of learning behavior, decreased the numbers of microglia and astrocytes, and the levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in the hippocampus (all P < 0.05). The ratios of AT8/Tau5, PHF1/Tau5, pT181/Tau5, pT231/Tau5 and p-ERK/ERK were all higher in homozygous hybrid mice (PSEN1^G378E/G378E; Tyrobp^-/- mice) compared with PSEN1^G378E/G378E mice (all P < 0.05). Conclusions TYROBP deficiency might play a protective role in the modulation of neuroinflammation of AD. However, the relationship between neuroinflammation processes involving microglia and astrocyte activation, and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and p-Tau pathology needs further study.
Mice ; Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/genetics* ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases ; Hippocampus/pathology* ; Mutation ; Cytokines/pharmacology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; tau Proteins/pharmacology* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/pharmacology*

, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine, was considered as central nervous system (CNS) drug for years. Both ethanol extracts (EES) and water extracts (WES) of it were applied clinically. Unfortunately, the difference of their efficacy and even effective material foundation of remains obscure. In this study, to explore the active constituents of , we compared pharmacodynamics and chemical profiles / of EES/WES for the first time using multiple chemical analysis, pharmacological and data processing approaches. It was proved that there was no significant difference in the anti-depressive effects between WES and EES. However, the contents of most components and in plasma were higher in EES than those in WES, which was unconvincing for their similar efficacy. Therefore, we further explored components of targeted onto brain and the results showed that 5 lignans were identified with definite absorptivity respectively both in EES and WES caused by the limitation of blood-brain barrier. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis predicted their anti-depressive action. Above all, the systematic strategy screened 5 brain-targeted effective substances of and it was suggested that exploring the components into nidi would promote the studies on herbs effective material basis.