BACKGROUND: Due to lack of the distribution of vessels and nerve, self-repairing capability of articular cartilage tissue is poor after inflammatory erosion.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of melatonin combined with compound betamethasone on the articular cartilage of osteoarthritis (OA) in rats.METHODS: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats received intra-articular injection of papain solution for establishing knee OA models.Meanwhile, 20 of them underwent constant intensive light condition for establishing pinealectomy models. Ten rats that under pinealectomy were administered melatonin combined with compound betamethasone. Another 10 normal control rats receiving no treatment served as controls. After 4 weeks of treatment, serum melatonin concentrations at 2 a.m. (highest melatonin concentration within circadian rhythms) and 2 p.m. (lowest melatonin concentration within circadian rhythms) were detected by ELISA. At the same time, all rats were sacrificed to collect femoral condyle cartilage for gross observation.After decalcification and toluidine blue staining, articular cartilage lesions were evaluated based on Mankin scores.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After OA model was created, cartilage surface was uneven, lost their luster, the chondrocytes were poorly arranged, severe loss of staining was observed, serum level of melatonin was decreased, and circadian change was unobvious. Constant intensive light condition further aggravated cartilage damage. After treatment by melatonin combined with compound betamethasone, softened cartilage disappeared, there were more regular chondrocytes arrangement, and dispersed chondrocytes and loss of staining were gradually decreased. In addition, there was significant difference in Mankin scores of toludine blue staining among groups (P ＜ 0.05). These findings indicate that melatonin combined with compound betamethasone can restrain the progression of cartilage damage.

[Abstract] Objective To investigate the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Methods Seventy-eight patients with admitted in the 986th Hospital of PLAAF (former the 323th Hospital of PLA) from May 2016 to January 2018 and our hospital from February 2018 to May 2018 were selected as the study group, and 72 patients with non stress disorder in the same period served as the control group A, and 74 healthy persons enrolled in the same period served as the control group B. The blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability of the three groups were monitored and compared between the groups. Results The systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the patients in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group A and control group B, and the control group A was significantly higher than the control group B (P<0.05). The 24h total heart rate, average heart rate, fastest heart rate, and slowest heart rate of the patients in the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group A and control group B (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the control group A and control group B (P<0.05). The standard deviation of normal to normal intervals (SDNN), SDANN, and SDNN index of the patients in the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group A and control B, and the control group A was significantly lower than the control group B (P<0.05), however, there was no significant difference between the two groups in rMSSD and PNN50 (P>0.05). Conclusion PTSD can raise blood pressure, increase heart rate, and lead to abnormal autonomic nervous tone and imbalance of regulatory function.

This article discussed the theoretical basis,therapeutic thoughts and concrete methods for treating ankylosing spondylitis on Governor vessel from the aspects of the clinical symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis,the circulation of Governor vessel,traditional Chinese medicine basic theory and clinical application.Moxibustion on Governor vessel can effective improve the stiffness and pain of ankylosing spondylitis.

Amblyopia greatly affects the physical and mental development of children. Acupuncture is effective for amblyopia, though its mechanism remains unclear. This article summarized the mechanism of acupuncture treatment of amblyopia from the perspectives of morphology of neurons in visual cortex, visual electrophysiology, and molecular biology, etc. It was found that acupuncture may treat amblyopia through repairing the morphological and ultrastructural damages of neurons in visual cortex, promoting the electrical activities in visual pathway and visual cortical neurons, and modulating the synthesis and expression levels of factors involved in visual system. Nevertheless, further studies are required to unveil the mechanism of acupuncture treatment of amblyopia.

Objective To explore whether adiponectin (APN) can attenuate the injury of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) caused under fluid shear stress (SS) and the mechanism involved. Methods BMSCs were isolated and cultured by whole blood adherent method, and then identified and divided into control group, SS (10dyne/cm2) group and SS+APN group. BMSCs were subjected to fluid SS for 24 hours by using liquid plate flow chamber model, the cell morphology was observed by microscopy, the apoptosis of BMSCs was detected by TUNEL staining, and Western blotting was performed to detect the protein expressions of Akt, p-Akt and Bax. Results Compared with the control group, the apoptosis of BMSCs significantly increased, and the expression of Bax was up regulated in SS group. Compared with SS group, the cell morphology was significantly improved, the number of cells obviously increased, the Bax expression was down-regulated and the p-Akt expression was up-regulated markedly in SS+APN group. There was no significant difference in Akt expression among the three groups, but the p-Akt expression significantly increased in SS+APN pretreatment group. Conclusion Adiponectin may activate the Akt signaling pathway and inhibit the apoptosis of BMSCs under fluid SS.

AIMTo study the synthesis and anti alpha-adrenoceptor activity of 1,2-dihydro-quinoline-2-one compounds.

METHODSAcylation, bromination and cyclization, and substitute reactions were used in the synthesis of the title compounds IV. A proposed mechanism was showed to explain the unusual compounds 5 and 6 in the route C. The inhibition activity of the six target compounds were tested.

RESULTSTwelve new compounds were synthesized (II1-6 and IV1-6). Among them, six new compounds (IV1-6) are the title compounds. Structure of the title compounds were determined by IR, 1HNMR, MS and HRMS.

CONCLUSIONCompounds IV3, IV4 and IV6 showed inhibitiion activity, and were worth further studying.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; In Vitro Techniques ; Molecular Structure ; Phenethylamines ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Quinolones ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

AIMTo study the effect of genistein (GEN) on contractility of isolated right ventricular muscles in guinea pig and its mechanisms.

METHODSIsolated guinea pig ventricular muscles were suspended in organ baths containing K-H solution.After an equilibration period, the effect of GEN on contraction of myocardium was observed.

RESULTSGEN and isoprenaline hydrochloride had the positive inotropic effects on contractity of myocardium. Meanwhile, the effect of GEN (1-100 micromol x L(-1)) was in dose-dependent manner. Propranolol (1 micromol x L(-1)) and verapamil hydrochloride (0.5 micromol x L(-1)) attenuated the positive inotropic effect of isoprenaline hydrochloride (1 micromol x L(-1)), but did not change the effect of GEN (50 micromol x L(-1)). Further more, the enhancement of the contraction induced by elevation of extracellular Ca2+ concentration in ventricular muscles had no change after pretreatment with GEN (1.10 micromol x L(-1)). In addition,the positive inotropic effect of GEN was inhibited partially by tamoxifen (1 micromol x L(-1)) and SQ22536 (1 micromol x L(-1)), also, could be attenuated by bpV (1 micromol x L(-1)).

CONCLUSIONGEN has the positive inotropic effect on guinea pig ventricular muscles, which is not related to the activation of beta adrenoceptor, Ca2+ channel on cell membrane,but may involve in cAMP of intracellular signal transduction and tyrosine kinase pathway.

Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Genistein ; pharmacology ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Ventricles ; drug effects ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To construct four types of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and human serum albumin (HSA) fusion proteins that can be realeased at different rate in vivo by introducing protease cleavage sites between these two moieties.The therapeutic effect and release rate are studied to achieve balanced pharmacokinetics ( PK) and pharmacody-namics ( PD) of GLP-1 and HSA fusion proteins.Methods The gene with different polypeptide joint of GLP-1 and HSA fusion proteins were synthesized by overlap extension PCR amplification, cloned into expression vector pPIC9 and transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115.Then, fusion proteins were obtained by protein purification after being induced by methanol.The preliminary PK and PD of the fusion proteins were studied after purification.Results The fusion protein Gly2-GLP-1-GGGGG-HSA showed no release while Gly2-GLP-1-VTR-HSA, Gly2-GLP-1-SARSVRA-HSA, and Gly2-GLP-1-GRSRVTRSV-HSA showed a slow, medium and fast release rate, respectively, after incubation with furin.In vitro biological activity test results dispalyed that each type of fusion protein promoted insulin secretion of MIN6 cells.In vivo PK test indicated the half-life size of fusion proteins was the largest in Gly2-GLP-1-GGGGG-HSA, followed by Gly2-GLP-1-VTR-HSA, Gly2-GLP-1-SARSVRA-HSA, and Gly2-GLP-1-GRSRVTRSV-HSA.In vivo PD test exhibited hypoglycemic activity that was the highest in Gly2-GLP-1-VTR-HSA, followed by Gly2-GLP-1-SARSVRA-HSA, Gly2-GLP-1-GRSRVTRSV-HSA, and Gly2-GLP-1-GGGGG-HSA.Conclusion GLP-1 can be released from fusion proteins with full activity after the introduction of protease cleavage sites.Releasable fusion proteins at an appropriate release rate have the most balanced PK and PD.

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the extraction technology of Bushen yangxue granules, and to provide reference for developing hospital preparations. METHODS: The orthogonal test was designed to optimize the extraction technology of Bushen yangxue granules using the comprehensive score including the content of hyperoside and total flavonoids, extract yield as evaluation indexes, water amount, extraction time and extraction times as factors. Verification test was also conducted. RESULTS: The extraction technology of Bushen yangxue granules was 10-fold water, extracting for 2 times and 1 hour each time. The results of verification test indicated that the contents of hyperoside and total flavonoids were 0. 154 mg/g (RSD=0. 010％, n=3) and 11. 094 mg/g (RSD=0. 008％, n=3). The average extract yield was 37. 76％ (RSD=0. 008％, n=3). CONCLUSIONS: The optimized extraction technology is stable and feasible, which can provide the basis for developing hospital preparations of Bushen yangxue granules.

OBJECTIVE: To access application value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) in investigation the coronary artery disease (CAD), and to explore the effective way of virtual autopsy to evaluate the sudden death due to CAD. METHODS: Nine cases of sudden cardiac death were collected to analyze MSCT before the autopsy. The quantitative analysis of the degree of coronary artery calcium was made by Agatston's method. The CACS of all the subjects were calculated based on the diagnostic criteria for CAD, in which calcium scoring was more than 400. The results of CACS were compared with that of the autopsy. RESULTS: Only 2 cases got the high calcium scoring which were more than 400 in the 9 cases died of CAD confirmed by the autopsy. The prediction rate of CACS for CAD was only 22.2%. Pulmonary edema of different severity was found in both autopsy and MSCT. There was a higher morbidity rate in the left anterior descending of coronary artery than the other branches. CONCLUSION Obvious calcification of coronary artery can be detected by MSCT and calculating CACS. To detect subtle calcification needs other technologies such as postmortem angiography.
Autopsy ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; Death, Sudden/pathology* ; Humans ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/methods* ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Vascular Calcification/diagnostic imaging*