[ ABSTRACT] AIM: To study the autophagy of prostate cancer PC-3 cells induced by CD147 in vitro.ME-THODS:Themethod of amino acid starvation to induce autophagy was used.The expression of CD147 was detected by Western blotting.To study the functional effects of CD147 on autophagy in prostate cancer PC-3 cells, the down-regulation of CD147 expression was induced by the technique of RNAi.The conversion of autophagic marker protein LC3-I to LC3-II was determined by Western blotting.The cell death after starvation-induced autophagy was analyzed by trypan blue exclu-sion assay.RESULTS:The CD147 expression gradually increased in starvation-induced autophagy.The down-regulation of CD147 significantly increased the expression of autophagy-related protein LC3-II compared with control group.Mean-while, the cell death rates increased from (19.3 ±3.1)%and (22.3 ±3.5)%in control groups to (38.4 ±3.1)%in si-lencing the expression of CD147 in the PC-3 cells (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:CD147 inhibits starvation-induced auto-phgy and autophagy death in the prostate cancer PC-3 cells.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of infliximab plus methotrexate combination therpy in Chinese with rheumatoid arthritis patients.Methods This was a double-blind placebo-controlled phaseⅢclinical trial,173 patients who had active rheumatoid arthritis were randomised to placebo(n=86)or infliximab(n=87)group on a background of a stable dosage of methotrexate.Patients were assessed at weeks 0,2,6,14 and 18.Results At week 2,the American College of Rheumatology(20)response criteria,which represent a 20% improvement from baseline,the same results with swollen joint count,tender joint count,du- ration of morning stiffness,VAS score,CRP,ESR were achieved in 52.9% of patients,compared with 14.0% of patients receiving placebo plus methotrexate.A 20% improvement was achieved in 75.9% of infliximab plus methotrexate at week 18,compared with 48.8% of patients on placebo plus methotrexate(P=0.0003).A 50% improvement was achieved in 43.7% of infliximab plus methotrexate at week 18,compared with 25.6% of pa- tients on placebo plus methotrexate(P=0.011).Infliximab was well-tolerated;withdrawals for adverse events as well as the occurrence of serious adverse events or serious infections were similar to those in the placebo group.There was only one case of tuberculosis in the treatment group.Conclusion Treatment with infliximab plus methotrexate is more effective than methotrexate alone in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.It has rapid onset of effect and the efficacy is persistent.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the exact mechanism of SARS-CoV pathogenesis at the protein level.

METHODUnder the condition of the establishment of dendrtic cells (DC) culture method, we used recombinant adenovirus to infect mature DC to make clear the development changes in mRNA levels and secreted protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha by using RT-PCR and ELISA.

RESULTWe found that mRNA levels and secreted protein levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in DC had increased gradually after rAd-N infection during first 24 h compared with the control DC infected by rAd-LacZ (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIt is suggested that N protein may be related to the excessive secretion of proinflammatory cytokines during SARS-CoV infection at the acute phase.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; Animals ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cytokines ; genetics ; secretion ; Dendritic Cells ; metabolism ; virology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate in vivo pharmacokinetics of Ophiopogonis Radix polysaccharide MDG-1 oily suspension injection prepared with different prescriptions in rats, and explore the feasibility of the long-acting drug delivery of MDG-1 Injection by using the oily suspension drug release system.

METHODMDG-1 microparticles were prepared by the anti-solvent precipitation method. Their size and size distribution were characterized. Castor oil with a high viscosity or aluminum stearate were added into soybean oil with a low viscosity, in order to prepare oily media with different viscosities, detect their rheological properties and screen out superior prescriptions for in vivo evaluation.

RESULTThe average size of microparticles was 21.81 microm, and the span between them was 2.63. The in vivo evaluation was conducted for prescriptions of mixed oil (soybean oil/castor oil, 2: 3) and soybean oils gelled by 2% and 4% aluminium stearate. Among them, the prescription of soybean gelled by 4% aluminium stearate could significantly reduce C(max) and prolong the apparent t1/2, with the MDG-1 release time of several days.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to achieve the long-acting MDG-1 drug delivery by using oily media with a high viscosity.

Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Ophiopogon ; chemistry ; Plant Oils ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Viscosity

Background Phlyctenular ophthalmia is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to some microprotein and affected mainly by adolescent in high incidence.Objective This study was to investigate the microscopy findings of phlyctenular ophthalmia and evaluate the histological changes by laser scanning confocal microscope.Methods Twenty-nine eyes suffered from phlyctenular ophthalmia and twenty normal eyes were examined using laser scanning confocal microscope.The pictures were taken by a CCD camera.All the cases had initially chest X-ray,tuberculin test,bacterial and mycobacteria culture.Results Dendritic and inflammatory cells were increased and concentrated in conjunctiva,and epithelial cells were deformed and squamatizated.The capillaries engorged and the goblet cells were injured.The corneoscleral Vogt meshing of the phlyctenular keratitis was obscured and dendritic cells were intruded into the corneas.The corneal epithelium of phlyctenular keratitis was absent and the subepithelial nerve plexus were bended and fractured,and the dendritic and inflammatory cells were intruded.Scarring of corneal stroma was seen under the laser scanning confocal microscope.Conclusions Laser scanning confocal microscopy is valuable for basic research and clinical diagnosis of phlyctenular ophthalmia.

Objective To explore the pulmonary function,DVH and radiation pneumonitis after three-dimensional conformal radiation treatment ofⅢphase non-small-cell lung cancer.Methods 71 pa- tients (male 52,female 19,median age 63,KPS≥80) were evaluated by pulmonary function tests before radiotherapy and in M1 and M3 after radiotherapy respectively.After 3 months of follow-up time,it reviewed the appearance and grade of radiation pneumonitis.Then V_(20),V_(30) and MLD were worked out from dose vol- ume histogram.Results All patients completed radiotherapy,and total dose was 66-70 Gy.FVC (L), FEV1 (L) and CLCO were (2.58?0.65) L,(1.85?0.58) L and (15.15?4.65)ml/(min)before radio- therapy,with (2.96?0.76) L,(2.13?0.65) L and (14.71?3.92) ml/(min) in Ml after radiotherapy, with (2.65?0.61) L,(1.92?0.52) L and (13.15?3.71)ml/(min)in M3 after radiotherapy.The ac- cidence of radiation pneumonitis was 30%,moderate and severe radiation pneumonitis was 7%.With V_(20), V_(30) and MLD increasing,the grade of radiation pneumonitis was increasing.V_(20),V_(30) and MLD were related to the change in CLCO value among before,M1 and M3 after radiotherapy,and the correlation coefficient was more than 0.2.Conclusions There is a relationship in the pulmonary function,DVH and radiation pneu- monitis surely.The change in C_LCO value between before radiotherapy and M1 after radiotherapy could pre- dict the radiation pneumonitis.V_(20),V_(30) and MLD are not only correlated to radiation pneumonitis evidently but the change in FEV_1 and C_LCO after radiotherapy.

With the in-depth study of related substances and the development of consistency evaluation of generic drugs, relative correction factors are gaining increasing attention. By analyzing the domestic and foreign literature on correction factors in recent years, this paper describes the correction factor component, the current measurement method and its application. The rules and key points of use of an impurity correction factor and its determination and application are described, and some problems in its determination and application are discussed, providing a reference and basis for the standardization of research on impurity correction factors in the future.

Twenty Newcastle disease virus(NDV)strains were isolated from diseased chicken and geese in field outbreaks during 2005 and 2006 in some regions of Jiangsu and Guangxi,and the antigenic analysis of the all NDV isolates had been done based on the reaction spectrum with a panel of monoclonal antibodies to the HN glycoprotein.The entire ORFs encoding HN protein of these NDV isolates were amplified by RT-PCR successfully,cloned and sequenced.The resultant sequences of HN genes of 13 isolates of chicken origin and 7 isolates of goose origin were gained and analyzed.The results of reaction spectrum showed that there were some distinct differences in the antigenic epitopes among the 20 NDV isolates.And the sequences revealed that the coding regions of the HN genes of these isolates all consisted of 1716 nt characteristic of virulent strains of NDV,coding for 571 amino acids.Neucleotides sequence homology were found to be from 94.8%to 100%among 18 NDV isolates of genotypeⅦ,and the neucleotides sequence homology between all the isolates and the other genotypeⅦstrains of recent years in China ranged from 92.1%to 99.6%.The deduced amino acid sequences and the receptor-binding regions of HN proteins between the NDV isolates of chicken origin and of goose origin were compared and analyzed.The results showed that some unique amino acid substitutions were found in the genome of the NDV isolates,and the close genetic similarity provided evidence for epidemiological linkage between the NDV isolates of chicken origin and of goose origin in the same period.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to explore the scene-trait coping style of military rescuers in Wenchuan earthquake in an effort to provide scientific evidences for mental intervention program for Chinese military personnel.

METHODSBy cluster sampling, a total of 151 military rescuers and 331 control servicemen were administered the military personnel scene-trait coping style scale (MPSTCSS).

RESULTSAll active coping factor scores, and passive coping factor scores of affection, health and economy in the rescuer group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). The 21-above age subgroup, the 3-year plus service subgroup, and the officer subgroup had significantly higher active coping factor scores on military tasks, military experience and personal development than those of the 21-below age subgroup, 3-year minus service subgroup and the soldier subgroup, respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe earthquake relief servicemen can cope with stressful situations better than control group by taking active coping style. The officers, servicemen older than 21 years, and servicemen with more service duration than 3 years could usually take active coping style.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; psychology ; Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of the phytoestrogen daidzein on the growth and development of the testis and epididymis in male SD rats.

METHODSThirty 10-week old (early adult) and 30 4-week old (pubertal) male SD rats were included in the study, each age group equally divided into 5 subgroups: normal control, positive control, low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose. The normal and positive control groups were given 1 ml distilled water and the same amount of distilled water containing diethylstilbestrol (DES) at the dose of 0.1 mg/kg, and the low-, medium- and high-dose groups administered daidzein in the dose of 2mg/kg, 20 mg/ kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively, all by gavage for 90 days. Observations were made on the changes in body weight and testicular and epididymal indexes, as well as on the structural changes of the testis and epididymis by H&E staining.

RESULTSThe early adult rats showed no significant differences in body weight and testicular and epididymal indexes between the claiclzein groups and the control (P > 0.05), nor did the pubertal rats in epididymal index (P > 0.05). The testicular index differed significantly between the high-dose group (3.21 +/- 0.07) and the normal control (3.71 +/- 0.45) (P < 0.05). The body weight reduced markedly in the high-dose group (P < 0.05), but with no significant differences between the normal control and the other two dose groups (P > 0.05). No obvious changes were observed in epididymal morphology in all the daidzein groups of the early adult and pubertal rats, but high-dose daidzein resulted in smaller testes and impaired spermatogenesis.

CONCLUSIONThe phytoestrogen daidzein, administered in a high dose, could delay the growth and development of the testis and induce structural changes of testicular tissues in pubertal SD rats.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; drug effects ; growth & development