Down Syndrome ; complications ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; complications ; congenital

OBJECTIVETo observe the primary prevention role of Wuling Capsule (WC) on poststroke depression (PSD) patients.

METHODSAcute stroke patients were recruited and randomized into 2 groups by stratification, 55 in each group. All patients received same routine treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Patients in the experimental group additionally took WC (0.33 g each pill), 3 pills per day, three times per day; while those in the control group additionally took placebos, 3 pills per day, three times per day. Two weeks consisted of one therapeutic course. The diagnosis of PSD was performed once every other week. Those in accordance with PSD diagnosis discontinued any drug therapy. Those not in accordance with PSD diagnosis continued the drug therapy for 1-12 therapeutic course(s) (in total of 6 months). If they were still not in accordance with PSD diagnosis, then they discontinued the drug therapy. The morbidity of PSD, the average time of depression occurrence, Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) score, and adverse reactions were observed.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, and 6-month morbidity of PSD was 8%, 16%, and 34% in the experimental group, while they were 19.6%, 29.4%, and 54.9% in the control group. The occurrence rate was lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Besides, there was statistical difference in the 6-month occurrence rate between the two groups (chi2 = 4.465, P < 0.05). The average time of PSD occurrence was longer in the experimental group than in the control group (14.96 +/- 8.31 weeks vs. 9.36 +/- 6.06 weeks; t=6.762, P < 0.05). The HAMD score at the PSD occurrence was 11.96 +/- 2.14 in the experimental group, lower than that of the control group (14.57 +/- 4.24), showing statistical difference (t=5.641, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWC was superior to the placebos in lowering the incidence of PSD, delaying the occurrence time of PSD, attenuating the depression degree of PSD, and had certain preventive effect on the incidence of PSD.

Aged ; Capsules ; Depression ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Prevention ; Stroke ; complications

The membrane separation is a new practical technique with wide applications. This paper introduces the course of its development, theorem and feature, and the usage of its module. Its application in the research and production is reviewed. Its existent questions in the applications presently are analyzed and the relevant resolvents are brought forward.
Filtration ; instrumentation ; methods ; Hemofiltration ; instrumentation ; Micropore Filters ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; Ultrafiltration ; instrumentation ; methods

More than 50 new flavonoids derived from Annonaceae are reported in the last two decades. Many genuses in Annonaceae contain flavonoids having structural novelty and broad pharmacological activities. Due to the pharmacological interest of some of these compounds, chemical investigations on this topic have grown considerably in the decades. Here the biological activities of some of these flavonoids are also briefly discussed.
Annonaceae ; chemistry ; classification ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Objective To analyze the sensitivity of clinical isolates of Candida albicans to flucona- zole,to detect mutations in their ERG11 genes,and to investigate the correlation between ERG11 gene mutation and resistance to fluconazole.Methods Candida albicans was identified from clinical isolates of Candida spp..The sensitivity to fluconazole was detected in vitro by microdilution-basesd method and Rosco tablets method.Three pairs of primers were designed to amplify three fragments of ERG11 gene(483 bps, from 295 bp to777 bp;482bps,from 723 bp to 1204 bp;489 bps,from 1179 bp to 1667 bp)after the extracting of genomic DNA.PCR products were sequenced.Results Eighty clinical isolates of Candida spp.were collected,which included 52 isolates of Candida albicans,all of which were sensitive to flucona- zole.Nineteen mutations were detected in ERG11 gene of 5 fluconazole-sensitive clinical isolates.Of the 19 mutations,14 were samesense mutations,and the remaing 5 missense mutations(T495A,A530C, G640A,A945C and G1609A),resulting in amino acid substitution D116E,K128T,E165K,E266D and V488I,respectively in lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase.E165K was a novel mutation.Conclusions The clinical isolates of Candida albicans were highly sensitive to fluconazole;E165K and V488I might not lead to the resistance of Candida albicans to fluconazole.

Objective To analyze the disease burden caused by occupational coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) in Anhui Methods Province. A total of 1 649 patients with occupational CWP diagnosed in Anhui Province from 1950 to 2019 were selected as the study subjects using a retrospective study method. Age, gender, survival time, location, working age of disease onset, age of death, stage and date of diagnosis of CWP, comorbidities at the time of investigation, hospitalization and outpatient expenses in the past year, cost of absence from work, cost of absence from work of caregivers, and cost of nutrition and transportation were investigated. The years of life lost, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability adjusted life years (DALYs) Results and economic losses were calculated. Among these patients, 1 405 cases survived and 244 cases died. In the age range - - - of 20.0 70.0 years, the YLDs of surviving patients were 2.12 22.20 (8.19±3.59) person years. The YLDs of patients with disease vs - P complications was higher than that of patients without complications [(8.55±3.95) (7.87±3.21) person years, <0.01]. The total - - DALYs of the patients was 14 031.59 person years, and the average per capita DALYs was 8.51 person years. Its YLDs accounted for 82.0 % of the total DALYs. The total economic loss caused by CWP in the 1 405 surviving patients was 354.903 0 Conclusion million yuan, and the average per capita economic loss was 252 600 yuan. The disease burden caused by CWP is relatively high in Anhui Province. In addition to early detection, diagnosis and treatment, it is necessary to focus on prevention and treatment of CWP complications to reduce the disease burden.

Arachidonic acid (AA), which is one of the essential fatty acids in the human body, plays an important physiological, pharmacological and health role. This paper discusses the general characteristics of arachidonic acid, physiological, pharmacological effects and health roles. There are also a comparison of arachidonic acid extraction methods and domestic developments and problems existed. At last, it is prospected the trend of its development.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Arachidonic Acid ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid ; methods ; Dietary Supplements ; Humans ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Memory ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cardiac effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and to explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODSThe video tracking system and spectrofluorometric method were used to measure the cell contraction and intracellular calcium. Fura-2/AM was used as a calcium fluorescence probe. Langendorff perfusion technique was used to determine the effect of IL-2 on the intact heart.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, IL-2 5 U/ml, 50 U/ml significantly decreased cell contraction amplitude [(74.95+/-4.79) vs (98.09+/-5.02)%, (64.30+/-5.24) vs (97.38+/-4.05)%], peak velocity of cell shortening [(70.23+/-4.85)% vs (98.09+/-5.46)%, (61.15+/-5.20)% vs (97.38+/-6.85)%], peak velocity of cell relengthening [(71.22+/-4.79)% vs (98.32+/-6.08)%, (68.16+/-5.24)% vs (97.55+/-5.00)%] and end- diastolic cell length [(88.28+/-5.84)% vs (97.95+/-5.52)%, (84.18+/-6.52)% vs (98.94+/-6.76)%]. IL-2 (5 U/ml, 50 U/ml) also markedly inhibited intracellular calcium transient [(74.94+/-4.90)% vs (98.09+/-3.74)%,(71.00+/-5.28)% vs (97.38+/-5.52)%], and elevated end-diastolic calcium level of ventricular myocytes [(113.91+/-5.93)% vs (100.10+/-3.02)%, (119.09+/-7.12)% vs (100.52+/-6.00)%], which were attenuated by the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (Nal,10 nmol/L). In the isolated perfused rat heart,when compared with the control group, IL-2 50 U/ml markedly decreased left ventricular developed pressure [(79.91+/-2.18) vs (93.84+/-2.94)mmHg], maximal rate of rise of left ventricular pressure [(2370.7358.29) vs (2591.50+/-62.81)mmHg] maximal rate of fall of left ventricular [-(1460.95+/-38.6) vs -(1634.24+/-54.05) mmHg/s] and heart rate [(217.35+/-10.56) vs (244.52+/-11.23) beats/min], but increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (11.44+/-1.02 vs 9.23+/-0.46). Pretreatment with Nal (10 nmol/L) antagonized the cardiac depression and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure elevation induced by IL-2.

CONCLUSIONThe cardiac effect of IL-2 is mediated by opioid receptors on the membrane of cardiomyocytes.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Depression, Chemical ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Naloxone ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid, kappa ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of survivin antisense oligodeoxynucleoties (ASODN) transfection mediated by cytofectin on apoptosis and cisplatin resistance in cisplatin resistant human lung adenocarcinoma A549/CDDP cells in vitro.

METHODSA549/CDDP cells were cultured routinely in RPMI-1640 medium. Survivin ASODN mediated by cytofectin was transfected into the A549/CDDP cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry SABC assays were performed to determine the regulation of survivin expression by ASODN. The influence of ASODN transfection on apoptosis was determined by fluoroscence microscopy and Hoechst staining, agarose gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry and caspase-3 colorimetric assay. MTT assay was performed to detect the cell viability, half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) and cisplatin resistance index (RI) were thereby calculated.

RESULTSTransfected by survivin ASODN for 48 h, down-regulation of survivin expression was measured, of which mRNA and protein expression was significantly down-regulated to 41.56% and 0.864 +/- 0.045, respectively (P < 0.05). Transfection with survivin ASODN caused typical apoptotic changes, including characteristic chromatin condensation, nuclear shrinkage, nuclear cleavage and the cells grew more regularly, and some cells were floating. Typical DNA ladder pattern was observed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, apoptotic index and caspase-3 activity was enhanced to 34.03% and 1.1298 +/- 0.2502, respectively (P < 0.05). It was significantly different as compared with the control group. While combination with ASODN and 10 micromol/L cisplatin caused far more distinctive apoptotic alterations, of which AI and caspase-3 activity reached to 65.85% and 1.6805 +/- 0.2758, respectively (P < 0.05), and even compared with the single ASODN group, the difference was still significant (P < 0.05). Transfected with survivin ASODN only or with combination of cisplatin for 48 h, the inhibitory rate of cell growth was enhanced to 59.3% and 83.7% (P < 0.05), respectively, while inversely, the cell viability reduced to a lowest value. The half-maximum inhibitory concentration of cisplatin was reduced from 225.03 +/- 10.59 micromol/L to 158.84 +/- 4.26 micromol/L, and the resistant index was conversely reduced from 11.9 to 8.39. Non-sense oligodeoxynucleotides (NSODN) and liposome had no effect on the cells growth (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTransfection with survivin ASODN can to a great extent reverse the cisplatin resistance in human cisplatin resistant lung adenocarcinoma cells A549/CDDP in vitro, and can thereby significantly inhibit the growth of the cells. The mechanism of reversal of resistance to cisplatin by this transfection can be associated with specific down-regulation of survivin expression, which decreases the threshold of apoptosis, induces more pronounced apoptosis,and reverses the resistance to apoptosis induced by cisplatin in A549/CDDP cells in vitro.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of CKJ Recipe (consisting of Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharide, amygdaloside, and gypenosides) containing serum on the activation of rat primary hepatic stellate cells (rHSCs) and to explore its pharmacological mechanism.

METHODSrHSCs were isolated form liver and cultured for four days. Then they were divided into the normal control group, the model group, and the CKJ group. rHSCs in the model group and the CKJ group were treated with 2.5 ng/mL transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in serum-free DMEM for 24 h. Serum free DMEM (containing no TGF-beta1) was taken as the control for the normal control group. rHSCs in the CKJ group were treated with 5% CKJ-containing serum for 24 h. rHSCs in the other two groups were treated with 5% blank serum for 24 h.The protein expression level of a smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) was determined using high throughput screening (HCS) and Western blot. mRNA expression levels of alpha-SMA, collagen I (Col-I), platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGF-betaR), TGF-beta1, transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGF-betaR1), and transforming growth factor beta receptor 2 (TGF-beta R2) were detected using quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the protein expression level of alpha-SMA, mRNA expression levels of alpha-SMA, Col-I, PDGF-betaR, TGF-beta1, TGF-betaR1, and TGF-betaR2 significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the protein expression level of alpha-SMA, mRNA expression levels of alpha-SMA, Col-I, PDGF-betaR, TGF-beta1, TGF-beta1, and TGF-beta R2 significantly decreased in the CKJ group (P<0.05, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONCKJ containing serum could inhibit the protein expression level of o-SMA, which was probably related with inhibiting TGF-beta1 and its related receptors.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; Rats ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism