Objective To observe effects of angieminⅡ(AngⅡ)and captopril on outward potassium channel currents in canine atrial myoeytes,and to study mechanisnof Ang II and capupril on atrial arrhythmia.Method Ten healthy adult mongrel dogs(general class),weighing 15 to 20 kg,male and female informality,were provided bythe service centre of Tianjin Li-qun experimental animals.Single canine atrial myotcyte was acutely isolated and whole-cell configtmtion of the patch-clamp tchnique was used to detec trapidly activating delayed reefifier outward K+ current(Ikr),slowly activating delayed recti fier outward K+ current(Iks),ultra-rapidly aetivatin delayed rectifier outward K+ current(Ikur)and transient outward potassium current(Ito)before and after An II and captopril peffion.Software of pClamp 7.0 for windows and pClampfit 7.0 Was used to measure current and data were expressed as mean±standard deviation(x±s).SPSS 10.0 statistical was used for statistical analysis.The paired t test was useel for comparison betwn before and after treatment.P<0.05 was comidered as statistical significance.Results AngII(0.5/mol/L)increased Ikr and Iks,ilfibited Ito[(19.54±2.41)pA/pF vs.(24.83±2.52)pA/pF,P=0.001;(20.69±2.29)pA/pF Vfl.(25.59±3.42)pA/pF,P:0.0003;(6.34±1.93)pA/pF vs.(3.71±1.50)pA/pF,P=0.001)],and had no effect on k[(19.78±1.22 pA/pr Vs.(20.39±1.50)pA/pF,P=0.258)].Captopril(5tot/L)had no significant effect on Ikr.,b.k and[(19.11 4-4.91)pA/pF vs.(18.99 4-4.04)-∥pF,P=0.808;(20.76 4-2.89)pA/pF vs.(20.27 a-3.46)pA/pF,P=0.305;(18.50 4-3.78)pA/pF vs.(18.25 4-4.02)pA/pF,P=0.704;(7.31±1.99)pA/pF vs.(6.89±2.12)pA/pF,P=0.136)].Conclusioas AngⅡmay promote atrial electrical remocof atrial fibrillation through outward potassium currents.As angiotemin-eonverting enzy/ne inhibitor.captioruk can prevent atrial electrical rodding of atrial fibrillation by inhibiting renin-angiotensin-system.

Cell Line ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; P-Selectin ; metabolism

AIM To investigate the impact of the combination use of Caragana sinica Radix and Astragali Radix on a rat model of diabetic kidney disease(DKD).METHODS The SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group,the model group,the Engelgin group,the Caragana sinica Radix group,the Astragali Radix group and the Caragana sinica Radix-Astragali Radix compatibility group,with 10 rats in each group.Following the successful establishment of a DKD model by unilateral amputate renal combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ),the corresponding gastric gavage of drugs were administered for 8 weeks.The rats had their 24 h urinary microalbumin(24 h U-mALB)detected at 0,4 and 8 weeks;their levels of Scr,BUN,CysC,MDA and SOD activity detected by ELISA;their renal ROS expression detected by fluorescence probe method;their renal pathological changes observed by HE,PAS,Masson and PASM-Masson staining;their renal expressions of NOX4,Drp1,MFN2 and P62 detected by immunohistochemistry;and their renal expressions of PINK1,MFN2,Parkin,LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ,P62 and p-Drp1 proteins detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the model group,each treatment group displayed lower contents of 24 h U-mALB,BUN,Scr and CysC in the serum of rats(P＜0.01);reduced pathological structure damage of the renal tissue;decreased MDA level in serum and kidney(P＜0.01);increased SOD activity(P＜0.01);increased renal protein expressions of PINK1,MFN2,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);and decreased protein expressions of p-Drp1 and P62(P＜0.01).And the Astragali Radix group and the Caragana sinica Radix-Astragali Radix compatibility group took the lead(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Upon the rat model of DKD,the compatibility of Caragana sinica Radix and Astragali Radix may alleviate their renal pathological damage and improve their renal function by activating the mitochondrial autophagy to improve mitochondrial dynamics and inhibit their oxidative stress via PINK1/MFN2/Parkin pathway.

Objective To discuss the value of detection of small liver tumor with Galactose-Bovine-serum-albumin containing superparamagetic(Gal-BSA-SPIO) in rabbits primarily.Methods Gal-BSA-SPIO was obtained by stabilizing small superparamagnetic iron with galactose-bovine-serum-albumin,and its size was measured.Models of liver tumor(diameter＜1.5 cm) in rabbits were founded.The animals were randomly divided into groups of SPIO (n=10) and group of Gal-BSA-SPIO (n=10).Each group was further subdivided as 5 μmol Fe/kg group (n=5) and 10 μmol Fe/kg group (n=5),respectively.All animals were performed magnetic resonance imaging before and after administration of agents according to groups.SE T2WI,FSE T2WI and GRE T2WI sequences were used.Then signal of noise(SNR) of liver and contrast-noise ratio(CNR) of tumor-liver were measured and compared statistically.The histopathology study was performed for liver and tumor specimens after MR imaging.Results The mean value for the volume size was 34.4 nm,and the core particle size was 14.8 nm.The differences of liver SNR between before and after enhancement for 5 μmol Fe/kg SPIO,5 μmol Fe/kg Gal-BSA-SPIO,10 μmol Fe/kg SPIO and 10 μmol Fe/kg Gal-BSA-SPIO group were (1.92±0.42),(3.75±0.51),(3.25±0.72) and (4.73±0.34) on SE sequence,respectively;(1.56±0.18),(3.56±0.64),(3.33±0.16) and (4.83±0.16) on FSE sequence,respectively;(5.55±0.91),(9.58±0.66),(9.20±0.29) and (10.63±0.32) on GRE sequence,respectively.There were significant differences between all groups for difierent doses and agents and within all different sequences (P＜0.01).The differences of tumor-liver CNR between before and after enhancement of these 4 groups were(2.22±0.68),(5.27±0.22),(4.25±0.51) and (6.97±0.63) on SE sequence,respectively;(1.73±0.41),(4.46±0.54),(3.73±0.49)and (5.39±0.39) on FSE sequence,respectively;(5.98±0.71),(11.79±0.57),(9.57±0.54)and(14.64±1.35)on GRE sequence,respectively.The differences between all groups of different doses and agents and within all sequences showed significant (P＜0.01). Histopathological study revealed that Gal-BSA-SPIO was mainly distributed in hepatocytes while SPIO mainly in Kupffer cells.Conclusion Gal-BSA-SPIO is a agent with good negative enhancement effect in liver.It may be helpful for detecting small tumor of liver.

Objective To compare the effect of perineal cleansing with the potassium permanganate or sterile water on mid- stream urine culture. Methods Mid- stream specimens of urine were obtained from inpatients in our hospital between January 2002 and December 2006. All these patients may be diag-nosed as urinary tract infection. The urine specimens were divided into the potassium permanganate group (n=1572, the sterilization group) and the sterile water group (n=544). The change of positive and contami-nation rate of mid-stream urine culture from the specimens was observed. More than two kinds of germs in one urine specimen were defined as contamination. Results 830 patients with urinary tract infection had been enrolled. 2116 specimens were collected and 531 strains of causative organism were detected. The positive rate of the sterilization group and the sterile water group was 20.04% and 39.71%, respectively,and such difference was significant. The rate of identical causative organism from the same patient whose spec-imen was cultivated twice in the sterilization group was 0.012% and the rate was 0.105% in the sterile water group. The difference was significant. The rate of different or one kind of causative organism from the same patient whose specimen was cultivated twice in these two groups hadn't significant deviation. The contami-nation rate of the sterilization group (0.028%) was significantly higher than that of the sterile water group (0.007%). Conclusions Perineal cleansing with sterile water can reduce the false negative rate of mid-stream urine culture without increasing the contamination rate. Potassium permanganate sterilization is re-sponsible for the high false-negative in mid-stream urine culture.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Methods Twenty-three male patients and 8 female patients were included in this study.All patients were metastatic renal cell carcinoma with prior radical nephrectomy or biopsy.Patients received treatment with sunitinib in repeated 6-week cycles,consisting of 4 weeks of 50 mg daily sunitinib administration followed by 2 weeks off treatment(schedule 4/2).CT scan was used to evaluate the efficacy every 2 cycles. Results Twenty-four of the patients could be evaluated the efficacy.None of them achieved complete responses,5 achieved partial responses,15 were in stable and 4 were with disease progression including 1 death.Four patients were forced to stop treatments because of poor general condition,lack of financial support or hepatic injury.Three cases could not be evaluated because of no long enough follow-up.The objective response rate was 21%(5/24)and disease control rate was 83%(20/24).The common adverse effects included hand-foot syndrome,diarrhea,anorexia,stomatitis,hemorrhagic tendency and hematotoxicity.But almost all of them were curable by using adjuvant drugs. Conclusions Sunitinib is efficient in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcisoma.Most of the side effects are tolerable or curable.

Objective To evaluate the hematological adverse events of sunitinib in treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma.Methods Forty-four male patients and 18 female patients were included in this study.They were all with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and received sunitinib treatment at the dose of 50 mg daily in repeated 6 weeks cycle (4 weeks on and 2 weeks off).Toxicity was assessed every cycle with tumor assessments every 2 cycles via CT or PET-CT.Results Fifty patients (80.6％) had experienced treatment-related hematotoxicity,including leucocytopenia,anemia and thrombocytopenia.Severe hematological adverse events ( grade 3 -4 ) occured in 18 patients ( 29.0％ ) and slight events ( grade 1 - 2 ) in others (51.6％).Most of the hematological adverse events were manageable and reversible and treatment-changes (dose reduction,interruption) were necessary in severe cases.Almost half of the dose reduction (9/21,42.9％ ) were owing to hematotoxicity.Conclusions Sunitinib of 50 mg dose on schedule 4/2 is effective and well-tolerated in advanced renal carcinoma patients.Hematological adverse events are frequent in Chinese patients and can be controlled well.

AIMTo determine the involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway in the expression of endothelin receptor type B (ETB) during culture.

METHODSSB386023, a specific inhibitor for ERK1/2 pathway, was used to define the intracellular signaling pathway for the upregulation of ETB receptors and sarafotoxin 6c (S6c), a selective agonist for ETB receptors, induced contraction in isolated rat superior mesenteric arteries. The contraction was recorded by a sensitive in vitro myograph and the receptor mRNA was quantified by a real-time PCR. The phosphorylated ERK1/2 proteins were analyzed by phosphoELISA assay.

RESULTSS6c induced strong contractile responses of the artery after culture for 24 h, while there was no response to S6c in fresh vessel segments. The enhanced contractile response to S6c paralleled with an increase of mRNA for ETB receptors. The phosphorylated ERK1/2 proteins significantly increased after culture for 3 h. After co-culture with SB386023 for 24 h, S6c-induced contractions significantly decreased with reduction of Emax from (217 +/- 14) % to (127 +/- 23) % (P <0.01). This response paralleled with a decreased level of ETB receptor mRNA.

CONCLUSIONERK1/2 pathway was involved in the up-regulation of ETB receptors on smooth muscle cells isolated from rat mesenteric arteries during culture.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; cytology ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Organ Culture Techniques ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Endothelin B ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Signal Transduction ; Up-Regulation ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; pharmacology ; Viper Venoms ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate and compare the efficacy and safety of two kinds of Qinbai ointment prepared conventionally and finely (C-QBO and F-QBO) in treating psoriasis in the active stage of blood-heat syndrome type, and to observe their influences on vaginal epithelial cell mitosis, also on keratinization of caudal flakes in mice.

METHODS

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONAdopting randomized, single-blinded, controlled design, 93 patients administered orally with Liangxue Huoxue Decoction were randomized into three groups treated externally with C-QBO, F-QBO and white vaseline respectively, applied twice a day for 8 weeks. The safety was checked and the changes of modified psoriasis area severity index (PASI), as well as the conditions of skin lesions (size, erythema, infiltration, squama, and itching) and symptom improving time were compared. Experimental study 1: Mice were randomized into the model group, the C-QBO group, the F-QBO group and the blank group, 7 in each group. Their vaginal epithelial cell mitosis indices were compared after 3 days of treatment with corresponding remedies. Experimental study 2: Mice were randomized into the C-QBO group, the F-QBO group and the blank group, 7 in each group. After the mice had been treated with corresponding remedies for 28 days, the granular layer formation in their caudal scales was compared.

RESULTS

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONThe markedly effective rate was 63.3% (25/30) in the C-QBO group, 66.7% (20/30) in the F-QBO group, and 36.7% (11/30) in the control group. No statistical difference was showen between the two QBO treated groups (P > 0.05), but that in both of them was significantly different from that in the control group (P < 0.05). PASI scores lowered after treatment in all the three groups (P < 0.01), but the improvement in the two QBO groups was better than that in the control group (P < 0.05); the conditions of skin lesion were improved in all groups, but the improvements were more significant in the two QBO groups in terms of squama, infiltration and itching (P < 0.05), in aspects of improving time on erythema, infiltration and itching, especially the itching, F-QBO was superior to the C-QBO. Experimental study 1: The mitosis index in both QBO groups was lower than that in the blank group and the model group (P < 0.01). Experimental study 2: Number of scales with granular layer formation was higher in the two QBO groups than in the blank group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONC-QBO and F-QBO can effectively relieve the skin lesion of psoriasis patients in the active stage of blood-heat type, and they could also promote the formation of epithelial granular layer in the caudal scales of mice.

Adult ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Middle Aged ; Ointments ; Phytotherapy ; Psoriasis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo survey the married couples at reproductive age for contraceptive knowledge in 5 Chinese cities.

METHODSThe data derived from a questionnaire-based research conducted in 2002 on family planning among married couples in 5 Chinese cities were statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThe total rate of good contraceptive knowledge was 70.10% in the couples. Among all the contraceptive measures, condom use was the most familiar one. The understanding of contraceptive knowledge in couples working in official departments and educational institutes was better than that among the couples working in common enterprises, affected by such factors as gender, geographic regions, educational background and willingness of child-bearing.

CONCLUSIONThe married couples in the Chinese cities have generally good understanding of contraceptive knowledge, which can be affected by different factors among different populations.

Adult ; China ; Cities ; Contraception ; Contraception Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marriage ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urban Population