OBJECTIVETo observe interventional effects of anti-viral therapy and Compound Qin-gre Granule (CQG) on host cellular immune functions of acute virus infection patients.

METHODSThirty acute virus infection patients were recruited to detect peripheral lymphocyte subsets. They were randomly assigned to two groups, the Western medicine treatment group (treated with anti-virus Western medicine) and the integrative medicine treatment group (treated with anti-virus Western medicine plus CQG). T-cell subsets were re-examined 7 days later. Changes between before and after treatment were observed. Effect on host cellular immune functions and efficacy were compared between the Western medicine treatment and the integrative medicine treatment.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the percentage of peripheral T cells increased, and the percentage of B/NK cells decreased in acute virus infection patients (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, in T cell subsets, the percentage of CD8+ T cells and CD8+ CD38+ T cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and percentages of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD28 + T cells, and CD8+ CD28+ T cells decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). After one-week treatment, percentages of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD28+ T cells, and CD8+ CD28+ T cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while the percentage of CD8+ CD38+ T cells decreased (P < 0.01). More significantly, these changes were greater in the integrative medicine treatment group than in the Western medicine treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDisarranged cellular immune functions existed in acute virus infection patients. CQG could significantly improve viral infection induced immunologic derangement and immunologic injury.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; Virus Diseases ; drug therapy

Adult ; Female ; Hemangioma ; pathology ; Humans ; Mesoderm ; pathology ; Placenta ; pathology ; Placenta Diseases ; pathology ; Pregnancy ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the effect of adenovirus carrying pigment epithelium-derived factor(ADV-PEDF)gene treatment on retinal neovascularization of mice with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).Methods Sixty 7 d C57BL/6J mice were put into the environment with (750?5)mL/L oxygen for 5 days and returned to normal environment to establish animal models of ROP.The eyes in experimental group received an intravitreal injection of 1 ?L of ADV-PEDF,and the same volume of ADV-LacZ was injected into the eyes of mice in control group.The ADPase histochemical staining was used for retinal flatmount to observe changes of retinal vessels.The inhibitory effects of PEDF on retinal neovascularization were evaluated by counting the endotheliocyte nuclei of new vessels extending from retina to vitreous in the tissue-slice.The expression of PEDF in retina were detected by Western blotting.Results The vessels from optic disc were very thin and distorted in eyes of control group in retinal flatmount.There were avascular area around optic disc and neovascular trufts beside avascular area.Compared with control group,regular distributions and no conspicuous avascular area were found in eyes of experiment group in retinal flatmount.The number of the endotheliocyte nuclei of new vessels extending from retina to vitreous was less in the eyes of the experiment group than that in control group (P

Objective: To explore the adsorption properties for the separation of apigenin from Viola yedoensis on LSA-10 resin. Methods: After different types of macroporous resins were optimized, the effects of initial concentration, temperature, pH value, and other factors on resin adsorption were studied, and the kinetics and thermodynamics in the process of the static adsorption of LSA-10 resin for the apigenin separation from V. yedoensis were also investigated. Results: The initial concentration of 4.0 mg/mL, temperature of 50 °C, and pH 5 were suitable for the resin adsorption, the experimental data of adsorption isotherms of LSA-10 resin were validated to fit the Freunclich and Langmuir equation, the adsorption process of apigenin was fitted to the first order adsorption kinetics equation, and the adsorption rate was mainly affected by film diffusion. The thermodynamic parameters such as adsorption enthalpy change (δ. H > 0), adsorption free energy change (δ. G < 0), and adsorption entropy change (δ. S > 0) were investigated. Conclusion: The adsorption for the separation of apigenin on LSA-10 resin was an entropy-driven spontaneous process of decalescence and entropy increase, which belongs to physical adsorption. LSA-10 resin is suitable for the industrial separation of apigenin from V. yedoensis. © 2014 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines.

Objective To invesgate the effect of P-glycoprotein(PGP)inhibitor,verapamil,on electrobiological activity and seizure behavior in phenytoin-carbamazepine(PHT-CBZ)resistant rats.Methods The model of medically intractable epilepsy was established by kindling of amygdale. Verapamil was applied to PHT-CBZ resistant rats,followed by the observation on after discharge threshold (ADT),after discharge duration(ADD)and seizure activity.Results Compared with the control group, the ADT was higher in PHT-CBZ resistant rats peritoneally injected with verapamil((238.0?32.2)?A vs (177.0?23.3)?A,P

This study was aimed to establish a stable animal model of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) to provide theoretical and experimental basis for understanding the development of LVH. The abdominal aorta of male Wistar rats (80-100 g) was constricted to a diameter of 0.55 mm between the branches of the celiac and anterior mesenteric arteries. Echocardiography using a linear phased array probe was performed as well as pathological examination and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurement at 3, 4 and 6 weeks after abdominal aortic constriction (AAC). The results showed that the acute mortality rate (within 24 h) of this modified rat model was 8%. Animals who underwent AAC demonstrated significantly increased interventricular septal (IVS), LV posterior wall (LVPWd), LV mass index (LVMI), cross-sectional area (CSA) of myocytes, and perivascular fibrosis; the ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), and cardiac output (CO) were consistently lower at each time point after AAC. Notably, differences in these parameters between AAC group and sham group were significant by 3 weeks and reached peaks at 4th week. Following AAC, the plasma BNP was gradually elevated compared with the sham group at 3rd and 6th week. It was concluded that this modified AAC model can develop LVH, both stably and safely, by week four post-surgery; echocardiography is able to assess changes in chamber dimensions and systolic properties accurately in rats with LVH.

OBJECTIVETo study the role of NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 cancer-testis antigens as targets for immunotherapy and the relationship between corresponding gene expression and biologic behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe expression of NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 was studied in frozen tumor tissues from 30 cases of HCC by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. NY-ESO-1 expression and its distribution were further studied by immunohistochemistry in a tissue array contained 191 cases of HCC.

RESULTSNY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 mRNAs were expressed in 33.3% (10/30) and 16.7% (5/30) of HCC respectively. Either NY-ESO-1 or LAGE-1 was expressed in 36.7% (11/30) cases. NY-ESO-1 was expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. It was positive in 13.8% (24/174) cases of HCC. There was an increased expression of NY-ESO-1 from 6.8%, 3/44 in small HCC, 16.2%, 21/130 in advanced HCC and 23.1%, 12/52 in metastatic HCC. The expression in the non-metastatic group was 9.8% (12/122). The differences between the metastatic group and non-metastatic group (< 0.05) and between normal liver tissue and HCC (< 0.01) were statistically significant. There was no relationship between NY-ESO-1 expression and tumor size. NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 were not detected in adjacent normal liver tissue.

CONCLUSIONSNY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 are expressed in a high percentage of HCC, especially in cases with metastasis. It is thus possible that NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1 can serve as targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy in HCC and NY-ESO-1 peptide vaccination may be of use for patients with advanced HCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Antigens, Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the age, gender and region specified milk consumption and its changing trends of Chinese 18 - 44 years old adults in 9 provinces (autonomous region) from 1991 to 2006.

METHODSThe data of 18 - 44 aged old adults investigated in Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey from 1991 to 2006 in 9 provinces (autonomous region) were utilized. The numbers of the subjects selected in 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2006 were 5593, 5491, 5334, 4188 and 3908, respectively. Changes of the percentage of milk consumption, average intake of daily milk and dietary calcium intake were analyzed across different groups of gender, income levels, and areas.

RESULTSThere was an increasing trend in the percentage of milk consumption and daily intake of milk from 1991 to 2006. The average percentage of Chinese adult milk consumption went up from 2.2% (123/5593) in 1991 to 7.6% (297/3908) in 2006 (Z = -22.16, P < 0.01). Specifically, urban adult and rural adult showed significant increase in the percentages from 9.7% (80/823) to 23.7% (112/472) (Z = -12.81, P < 0.01) and 0.1% (2/2937) to 1.8% (36/1987) (Z = -9.21, P < 0.01) respectively. Percentages of adult who ever drank milk at top income level and bottom income level increased from 4.7% (95/2006) to 14.6% (200/1373) (Z = -17.36, P < 0.01) and from 0.1% (2/1748) to 2.4% (28/1171) (Z = -9.58, P < 0.01), respectively. Meanwhile, the average daily intake of milk increased from (3.6 ± 24.6) g/d in 1991 to (11.8 ± 51.4) g/d in 2006 (F = 67.07, P < 0.01). The daily milk consumption among top income level adults and bottom income level adults increased from (8.5 ± 50.9) g/d to (23.1 ± 71.5) g/d and from (0.2 ± 6.5) g/d to (3.3 ± 23.5) g/d (F = 13.90, P < 0.01), respectively. From 1991 to 2006, milk consumers significantly promoted their percentage of achieving the Chinese dietary reference intake on calcium (800 mg/d) from 6.5% (8/123) to 12.8% (38/297) (Z = -1.67, P < 0.05), whereas this percentage increased from 1.6% (38/5470) to 3.6% (130/3611) among milk non-consumers (Z = -5.66, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONChinese adult milk intake still remains in quite low level, and the situation of milk consumption among rural adults requires further promotion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Calcium, Dietary ; analysis ; China ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Milk ; Nutrition Surveys ; Rural Population ; Suburban Population ; Urban Population ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Down syndrome cellular adhesion molecule (DSCAM) on differentiation of rat marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into neurons in vitro.

METHODSMSCs from Sprague-Dawley rats were induced into neurons by baicalin. The expression of DSCAM before and after induction was evaluated by immunocytochemical staining and Western blot assay. After knockdown of DSCAM by siRNA transfection, the differentiation rate of neurons derived from MSCs was measured.

RESULTSBefore induction, the expression of DSCAM was not detectable in MSCs. After bFGF preinduction for 24 hrs, DSCAM was slightly expressed in MSCs (1.71+/- 0.67%). The DSCAM expression increased 6 hrs after baicalin induction (15.79+/- 4.24%), reached a peak at 3 days (53.16+/- 5.94%) and then decreased gradually. The DSCAM expression 6 days after baicalin induction (28.99+/- 6.72%) was significantly lower than that at 3 days (P<0.01). However, after DSCAM-siRNA transfection, the DSCAM expression in MSCs was significantly reduced. MSCs did not express neuron-specific beta-III-tubulin before induction. After baicalin induction for 6 hrs, 3 days and 6 days, the expression of beta-III-tubulin was 1.40+/- 0.79%, 41.59+/- 3.17% and 59.11+/- 4.76% respectively. But the beta-III-tubulin expression significantly decreased 3 and 6 days after DSCAM-siRNA transfection (28.57+/- 2.91% and 43.90+/- 12.31% respectively).

CONCLUSIONSDSCAM may play an important role in MSCs differentiation into neural cells.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; physiology ; Cell Differentiation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Neurons ; cytology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transfection