Adolescent ; Adult ; Automobile Driving ; China ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noise, Occupational ; adverse effects ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Stress, Psychological ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Vibration ; adverse effects

Objective To explore the relationship between the inflammatory reaction and insulin function in children with critically ill.Me-thods Ninty-six children with critical disease in Oct.2003 to Oct.2006 were enrolled in the study.Blood sugar,plasma insulin,C-peptide,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-?,C reactive protein(CRP)were measured in the peak period and convalescence.Results Blood sugar and plasma levels of insulin,C-peptide,TNF-?,CRP were significantly higher in the peak period than those in the convalescence(Pa

Aim To investigate the effect of dihydromyricetin on canine carotid artery and the underlying mechanism.Methods The in vitro isometric tension measurement technique was employed to investigate the effect of dihydromyricetin on canine carotid artery rings.Laser scanning confocal microscope technique was used to measure the dynamic change of intracellular calcium concentration in single VSMC.Results Dihydromyricetin(1～300 ?mol?L-1)caused a concentration-dependent contraction of both endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded rings.This constrictive effect was attenuated in Ca2+-free solution(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of serum metalloproteinase with the severity of liver fibrosis and inflammation.

METHODSA total of 88 patients with HBV-related liver fibrosis and early cirrhosis were enrolled from six hospitals. Serum fibrosis markers including hyaluronic acid (HA), IV collagen (IV-C), aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIIP), laminin (LN), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1, 2, 9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP) 1, 2 levels were determined. Liver biopsies were assessed according to a modified Scheuer and Chevallier's scoring system.

RESULTSSerum TIMP1 (r=0.540) and MMP2 (r=0.314) were correlated positively with the degree of hepatic fibrosis, whereas serum MMP1 (r=-0.495) was correlated negatively. By receiver operating curve analysis (ROC), the sensitivity to distinguish the fibrosis stage 2 from stage 1 was 90.5% and the specificity was 52.0% if the cut-off value of MMP1 was 13.96 ng/ml, and the sensitivity was 91.6% and the specificity was 64.0% if the cut-off value of TIMP1 was 76.84 ng/ml. The sensitivity to distinguish cirrhosis (stage 4) from fibrosis (stage 3) was 70.7% and specificity was 80.9% if the cut-off value of MMP1 was 6.86 ng/ml, and the sensitivity was 60.5% and the specificity was 92.3% if the cut-off value of TIMP1 was 210.04 ng/ml.

CONCLUSIONSerum TIMP1, MMP1, MMP2 levels and TIMP1/MMP1 ratio could be used as serum fibrosis markers.

Adult ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; virology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; blood ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; blood

OBJECTIVESTo further assess the clinical antifibrotic efficacy of Cpd 861 on chronic hepatitis B related fibrosis and early cirrhosis using a randomized, double blind, and placebo controlled clinical trial.

METHODSTotal 136 patients with HBV-related fibrosis and early cirrhosis were allocated randomly into Cpd 861 treatment group and placebo group for 24 weeks treatment. Serum fibrosis markers including hyaluronic acid (HA), IV collagen (IV-C), amino terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIIP), and laminin (LN) and serum MMP1, 2, 9, TIMP1, 2 level were determined before and after 24 weeks treatment. Liver biopsies before and after 24 weeks of treatment were assessed according to modified Scheuer and Chevallier's scoring system.

RESULTSTotal 52 patients in Cpd 861 treatment group and 50 patients in placebo-controlled group completed the 6 months. ALT level decreased from 68.2 U/L+/-68.6 U/L to 45.9 U/L+/-26.1 U/L, AST level decreased from 60.4 U/L+/-62.6 U/L to 46.7 U/L+/-39.0 U/L (P < 0.05) after 24 weeks treatment, whereas there was no significant change in placebo group (ALT: 65.3 U/L+/-48.3 U/L to 85.4 U/L+/-115.5 U/L; AST: 60.4 U/L+/-44.6 U/L to 77.6 U/L+/-89.6 U/L, P > 0.05). Serum fibrosis markers, including HA, IV-C, PIIIP, and LN were decreased after treatment, but there is no statistically significant compared with placebo group. Compared with placebo group, serum TIMP1 and MMP9 level decreased significantly (TIMP1 172.0 ng/ml+/-79.6 ng/ml vs 133.5 ng/ml+/-66.8 ng/ml; MMP9 116.1 ng/ml+/-88.2 ng/ml vs 80.4 ng/ml+/-79.0 ng/ml), and the ratio of TIMP1/MMP1 (48.3+/-96.3 vs 19.9+/-28.0) were also decreased after 861 treatment. In patients treated with Cpd 861, hepatic inflammatory score (from 14.0+/-6.0 to 10.2+/-6.1), fibrosis score (from 11.9+/-6.5 to 8.2+/-4.5), and relative content of collagen (from 18.9%+/-9.5% to 14.9%+/-8.4%) decreased significantly. In contrast, there was no significant change in placebo group. The reversal (fibrosis score decrease > or = 2) rate of fibrosis in Cpd 861 group was 38.9% in S2, 53.3% in S3 (precirrhotic) and 78.6% in S4 (cirrhosis), significantly higher than those in placebo group (14.3%, 25.0%, and 41.7%, respectively). The overall reversal rate was 52.0% in Cpd 861 group, and 20.0% in placebo group (P < 0.05). No serious adverse effects were observed during Cpd 861 treatment.

CONCLUSIONLiver fibrosis and early cirrhosis due to HBV infection in man could be definitely reversed by herbal remedy Cpd 861.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Swertia mileensis.

METHODThe air-dried whole plants of S. mileensis were extracted with 50% EtOH. The EtOH extract was suspended in H20 and extracted with petroleum ether, CHCl3 and n-BuOH successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the CHCl3 fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, H-NMR, 13C-NMR).

RESULTTwelve compounds were isolated from S. mileensis, and were elucidated as 1,5, 8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (1), 1-hydroxyl-2, 3, 5, 7-tetramethoxyxanthone (2), 1-hydroxyl-3, 5, 8-trimethoxyxanthone (3), 1-hydroxyl-2, 3, 4, 6-tetramethoxyxanthone (4), 1-hydroxyl-2, 3, 4, 7-tetramethoxyxanthone (5), 1,8-dihydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxyxanthone (6), 1, 7-dihydroxy-3, 8-dimethoxyxanthone (7), 1, 3, 5, 8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (8), balanophonin (9), oleanolic acid (10), maslinic acid (11), sumaresinolic acid (12).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1, 3, 7-9, 11 and 12 were obtained from S. mileensis for the first time.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Swertia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEApoptosis of the cells of liver cancer cell line HepG2 could be induced by TNF alpha and actinomycin D (Act D). In the current study, the molecular mechanism of the apoptosis protection of stronger neo-minophagen C (SNMC) to HepG2 cells was investigated.

METHODSSNMC was added to the HepG2 cell culture medium when the cell concentration reached 0, 2, 20, 100, 200, 800 microg/ml 30 min before their apoptosis were inducted with TNF alpha and Act D. A flow cytometry assay was performed to detect the cell apoptosis rate; electromicroscopy was employed to visualize the subcellular structure after apoptosis. DNA ladder formation was checked with genomic DNA agarose electrophoresis. The expression pattern of apoptosis related protein Caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSAfter pretreatment with various concentrations of SNMC and 12 hours after treatment with TNF alpha and Act D, the HepG2 cell apoptosis rate and DNA ladder formation decreased dramatically when the SNMC concentration was higher in the media; the intracellular inactive form of Caspase-3 increased while the 17*10(3) active Caspase-3 decreased gradually. In addition, the expression of Bcl-2 increased and the expression of Bax decreased. Under the electromicroscope, the typical nucleolus condensation of HepG2 induced by TNF alpha and Act D was not seen among the 100 microg/ml SNMC treated cells.

CONCLUSIONSNMC inhibits TNF alpha and Act D induced HepG2 cell apoptosis. This protective action may be regulated by intracellular apoptosis related factors.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cysteine ; pharmacology ; Drug Combinations ; Glycine ; pharmacology ; Glycyrrhiza ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), the pathogenic agent of black rot disease in cruciferous plants, produces large amount of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), which has found wide applications in industry. For the great commercial value of the xanthan gum, many of the genes involved in EPS biosynthesis have been cloned and the mechanism of EPS biosynthesis also has been studied. In order to clone genes involved in EPS biosynthesis, Xcc wild-type strain 8004 was mutagenized with transposon Tn5 gusA5, and a number of EPS-defective mutants were isolated in our previous work. The Tn5 gusA5 inserted sites of these mutants were located by using thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR, and results showed that two EPS-defective mutants were insertion mutants of the gene wxcA which involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. The gene wxcA involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis but dose not extracellular polysaccharide in others' report. wxcA::Tn5 gusA5 mutant 021C12, the polar mutant, was complemented with recombinant plasmid pLATC8570 harboring an intact wxcA gene in this work, but the yield of EPS of the wxcA::Tn5 gusA5 mutant was not restored. In order to identify the function of wxcA gene of Xcc 8004 strain, the gene wxcA was deleted by gene replacement strategy, and the no-polar mutant of wxcA was obtained. DeltawxcA mutant strain, named Xcc 8570, was confirmed by using both PCR and southern analysis. Beside the LPS biosynthesis of deltawxcA mutant was affected, The EPS yield of deltawxcA mutant strain reduced by 50% as compared with the wild-type strain 8004. DeltawxcA mutant could be complemented in trans with the intact wxcA gene, and the EPS yield of the mutant was restored. The combined data showed that wxcA gene not only involved in LPS biosynthesis but also EPS yield in Xcc 8004 strain.
Cell Proliferation ; Genes, Bacterial ; physiology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; biosynthesis ; Mutation ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; biosynthesis ; Xanthomonas campestris ; genetics

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris ( Xcc), causative agent of the black rot disease of cruciferous crops worldwide, produces large amount of extracellular polysaccharide( EPS), which has found wide applications in industry. In order to clone genes involved in EPS biosynthesis, Xcc wild-type strain 8004 was mutagenized with transposon Tn5gus A5, and a number of EPS-defective mutants were isolated. The Tn5gusA5 insertion sites in the mutants were analyzed by using thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR(TAIL-PCR), and the corresponding genes were identified by homology blast to the completely sequenced genome of Xcc 8004 strain. A novel gene, waxE, identified from the EPS-defective mutant 151D09, was found to be disrupted by the insertion of Tn5gusA5 in the open reading frame(ORF) with genome coordinates 4478998bp to 4479819bp.This gene showed 52% similarity to the kdtX gene of Serratia marcescens and 50% to the waaE of Klebsiella pneumoniae at amino acid level, with characteristics of glycostransferase 2 family domain. In order to identify the function of waxE gene, waxE gene deletion mutant of Xcc 8004 was constructed by gene replacement strategy in which waxE gene of genome was replaced by kanamycin resistant gene kan. The waxE gene deletion mutant strain, named Xcc 8570, was confirmed by both PCR and southern analysis. The growth rate of the deletion mutant 8570 in rich medium was not affected, but the EPS yield reduced by 35% as compared with the wildtype strain 8004. The deletion mutant could be completmented in trans with plasmid pLATC8976 harboring an intact waxE gene, and the EPS yield of the mutant was restored. The combined data showed that waxE gene involved in EPS biosynthesis in Xcc.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Southern ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Transposable Elements ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Xanthomonas campestris ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDPercutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) has become a popular procedure for painful vertebral osteoporotic fracture (VOF), with immediate pain relief and improved mobility; however, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) injected into the vertebral body is not absorbable and little information is available concerning the long-term results. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the long-term clinical results and radiological changes after PVPs for VOFs.

METHODSFifty-one patients with VOFs were treated by PVPs with PMMA between 2000 and 2004. After > 7 years of follow-up, eight patients had died from causes unrelated to the intervention and 12 patients were lost to follow-up, thus leaving 31 patients available for evaluation with an average length of follow-up of 9.2 years (follow-up rate, 72.1%). Among these 31 patients, the PMMA was injected at 43 levels with a mean volume of 4.3 ml per level (range, 2 - 6 ml). The pain was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS), and the mobility was graded as walking without difficulty (grade 1), walking with assistance (grade 2), and bedridden (grade 3). Plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) were obtained and assessed pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively, and after 7 years of follow-up. The PMMA, vertebral height, and Cobb angle were assessed and compared.

RESULTSAll of the patients experienced pain relief and improved mobility after intervention and during the follow-up period. Cement leakage was detected in post-operative CT scans in 9 of 51 patients, but without neurological compromise. For the 31 patients followed up over 7 years, the VAS decreased from 8.3 ± 2.6 pre-operatively, to 2.1 ± 1.6 immediately post-operatively, and 1.0 ± 0.9 at the final follow-up evaluation, with significantly improved mobility. Additional compression fractures occurred at adjacent levels in three patients, and there were no new fractures at the augmented vertebrae. Based on a review of the radiographs, neither loose nor displaced cement was detected. The changes in vertebral height and Cobb angle were not significant. On CT scans, the cement closely contacted or infiltrated the trabecular bone. The boundary between the cement and trabecular bone was indistinct and there was no evident radiolucent gap between the cement and trabecular bone.

CONCLUSIONSAt an average follow-up of 9.2 years, PVPs provided sustained pain relief and improved mobility in patients with VOFs. The PMMA injected into the vertebral body combined closely with the host trabecular bone without adverse reactions.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; surgery ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Vertebroplasty ; methods