Objective To explore the influence of homocysteine(Hcy)on liver cystathionine-?-synthase(CBS)and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)system in apoE-/- mice,and determine the effects of atorvastatin and/or folate/vitamin B12 on liver CBS and MTHFR system.Methods Eighty male 6-week-old apoE-/- mice were randomly divided into two groups:65 mice were fed with a chow diet containing 2%(wt/vol)L-methionine(homomethionine group)and 15 mice were fed with normal saline(control group).Two months later,the 60 mice survived in homomethionine group were subdivided into four groups:group Ⅰ(untreated),Ⅱ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin),Ⅲ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin+2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12)and Ⅳ(2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12).After one month,Western blotting was performed to detect the liver CBS and MTHFR system protein expression in each group.Results The relative expression of liver CBS and MTHFR was significantly lower in group Ⅰ than in control group(P

Objective To study the clinical significance of P - selection expression in children with viral encephalitis and the correlation between this expression and the cerebral infarction with critical viral encephalitis. Methods Flow cytometric was employed to detect the expression of P- selection on the surface of platelet membrane in 44 children with viral encephalitis(20 light patients and 24 critical patients) and 20 healthy control children. The area of the cerebral infarction was determined by computed tomographic scan in 20 patients with critical viral encephalitis. The correlation between the two variables was analyzed. Results The expressions of P - selection on the surface of platelet membrane on less than 5 days and on 2 weeks after the onset of viral encephalitis were significantly higher in critical patients than those in normal control children and light patients( P

Objective:To define impact of spontaneous TIMI-3 flow before angioplasty on outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention strategy and the prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI ). Methods: The consecutive 301 patients enrolled in the ongoing register of emergent coronary angioplasty within 12 hours from symptoms who were diagnosed as having ST elevation AMI in our hospital from 2000 to 2006 were analyzed, they were followed up for one year and the clinical characteristics and survival rates were analysed. Results: Among the 301 patients enrolled in the ongoing register of emergent coronary angioplasty, spontaneous reperfusion (TIMI-3 flow) was present in 14.6% at initial angiography. Compared with patients without TIMI-3 flow, those with TIMI-3 flow before coronary intervention were less likely to present in new-onset heart failure(2.3% versus 16%, P=0.016), Patients with initial TIMI-3 flow had significantly lower 30-day mortality (0% versus 9.3%, P=0.035) , and cardiogenic shock (0%versus 8.6%, P=0.044) and had a shorter hospital stay (P=0.008). Cumulative 1-year mortality was 0% in patients with initial TIMI-3 flow, 11.3% with TIMI 0-2 flow (P=0.019). By COX regression analysis, postprocendural TIMI-3 flow was an independent determinant of survival (OR=0.285,P=0.004) , however,TIMI-3 flow before coronary intervention was not found as an independent determinant of survival significantly. The lenitive symptoms and current smoking were the independent determinants of TIMI-3 flow before coronary intervention (P=0.005, P=0.048, respectively).Conclusion: Patients undergoing primary percutaneous transluminal coronary intervention in whom TIMI-3 flow is present before angioplasty may present with greater clinical and angiographic evidence of myocardial salvage, be less likely to develop complications related to left ventricular failure, and improve early and late survival.

Objective To investigate the roles of adrenomedullin(ADM) and endothelin-1(ET-1) in left-to-right shunt congenital heart disease(CHD) complicated with congestive heart failure(CHF).Methods Plasma ADM and ET-1 concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in heart failure stage and recovery period of 18 infants with left-to-right shunt CHD.Also 20 healthy infants acted as control group were measured.Results Plasma concentrations of ADM and EF-1 were significantly higher in heart failure stage of left-to-right CHD infants than those in their recovery period,and both in their heart failure stage and in their recovery period were higher than that in control group(P

A high active soybean isoflavone glucoside hydrolase-producing mould strain was isolated from spirit qu. Its optimal hydrolase-producing conditions were as follows: 2.5% wheat bran as carbon source, 1% NaNO3 as nitrogen source, initial pH7. 0, culture medium volume 40mL/250mL, inoculating quantity 8% , culture temperature 30℃, revolutions 160r/min and culture time 84h. The enzyme activity reached 82 U/mL. Cu2+ can inhibit Absidia sp. R strain from producing the hydrolase, the influence of other metal ions was not remarkable on it.

Animals ; Arsenic ; toxicity ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects

Objective To investigate the changes of plasma adrenomedullin(ADM),endothelin-1(ET-1) in infants with severe pneumonia complicated by acute congestive heart failure,and its relationship with heart function.Methods Forty-seven bronchopneumonia patients in their acute phase were divided into three groups:group A1,severe pneumonia complicated by acute congestive heart failure without congenitive heart disease(CHD)(n=15);group B1,severe pneumonia complicated by acute congestive heart failure with CHD(n=12);group C1,mild bronchopneumonia(n=20).A2,B2 and C2 groups were the convalescence groups of A1,B1 and groups C1 respertively.Group D,20 healthy infants were used as control group.Plasma ADM,ET-1 levels of patients in acute phase(pre-treatment)and convalescent phase and controls were measured by specific radioimmunoassary.Results 1.The plasma ADM levels significantly increased in the acute phase of A1,B1 and C1 compared with healthy controls(Pa0.05).3.The plasma ADM,ET-1 levels in A2 and B2 groups significantly decreased compared with those in group A1 and B1(Pa0.05).Conclusions The ADM,ET-1 play very important roles in the pathophysiological processes of pneumonia and congestive heart failure in infants.ET-1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of severe pneumonia in infants complicated with congestive heart fai-lure.The level of plasma ET-1 is related with the degree of congestive heart failure.

Objective To evaluate dendritic cell vaccine immunotherapy in postoperative colorectal cancer patients. Methods 40 colorectal cancer patients were divided into two groups. Group A was not treated with the dendritic cell vaccine after chemotherapy, Group B was treated with four courses of autologous dendritic cell vaccine. The level of cytokines was tested before and after the therapy in both groups. DTH were tested after the last course of treatment. Results The levels of cytokines significantly increased in group B after vaccination compared with that in group B before vaccination and that in group A.8 patients were DTH positive in 15 patients that were tested after the vaccination. The PTS (progression-free survival) was 22 months in group B compared with 17 months in group A. The recurrence of the disease was not observed in patients with DTH positive. Conclusion DC vaccine in postoperative colorectal cancer patients improves the immune status and elicits tumor-specific response.

Objective To investigate the effects of advanced glycation end products(AGE)on the expressions and activity of cathepsin D(CatD)in ultraviolet A(UVA)?irradiated human dermal fibroblasts. Methods Human dermal fibroblasts were isolated and harvested from the circumcised foreskin of children, and subjected to a primary culture. CCK?8 assay was performed to screen non?cytotoxic concentrations of AGE?bovine serum albumin (BSA). Some fibroblasts were incubated with 50, 100 and 300 mg/L AGE?BSA separately for 24 hours, with untreated cells as the control group. Then, reverse transcription(RT)?PCR, Western?blot analysis and a fluorimetric assay were performed to measure the mRNA and protein expressions as well as activity of CatD, respectively. Some fibroblasts were classified into six groups: control group receiving no treatment, AGE?BSA group and BSA group treated with the highest non?cytotoxic concentration of AGE?BSA and the same concentration of BSA respectively for 24 hours, UVA group irradiated by 10 J/cm2 UVA, UVA?AGE?BSA group and UVA?BSA group treated with AGE?BSA and BSA at the above non?cytotoxic concentration respectively for 24 hours both before and after UVA radiation at 10 J/cm2. After the treatments, RT?PCR, Western?blot analysis and a fluorimetric assay were conducted to detect mRNA and protein expressions and activity of CatD respectively. Results AGE?BSA of 50- 200 mg/L exhibited no obvious influence on cellular proliferation of fibroblasts. The fibroblasts incubated with AGE?BSA of 50, 100 and 200 mg/L showed a significant increase in the mRNA expression(0.267 ± 0.007, 0.348 ± 0.007, and 0.418 ± 0.006 respectively), protein expression (1.403 ± 0.181, 2.233 ± 0.090 and 2.477 ± 0.111 respectively), and activity(1.760 ± 0.080, 2.330 ± 0.060 and 2.890 ± 0.080 respectively)of CatD compared with the control group(mRNA:0.161 ± 0.006;protein:0.903 ± 0.200;activity:1.100 ± 0.090, all P < 0.05). AGE?BSA increased CatD expressions and activity in a dose?dependent manner. The mRNA and protein expressions as well as activity of CatD were significantly higher in the UVA group than in the control group (mRNA expression: 0.480 ± 0.005 vs. 0.155 ± 0.005; protein expression: 2.583 ± 0.199 vs. 0.920 ± 0.235;activity:2.970 ± 0.110 vs. 1.110 ± 0.040, all P<0.05), but significantly lower in the UVA?AGE?BSA group than in the UVA group(mRNA expression:0.394 ± 0.008 vs. 0.480 ± 0.005;protein expression:2.070 ± 0.125 vs. 2.583 ± 0.199;activity: 2.560 ± 0.060 vs. 2.970 ± 0.110, all P < 0.05). Conclusion AGEs could increase CatD expressions and activity in human dermal fibroblasts not receiving UVA irradiation, but inhibit their increase in UVA?induced human dermal fibroblasts.

In this study, 31 Notopterygium incisum populations were analyzed using ITS sequences to investigate the genetic structure. The results showed that: the ITS region ranged in size from 634 to 635 bp and base composition was with high G + C content of 57.8%. Thirty-one polymorphic sites were detected from 402 sequences of 31 populations of N. incisum, and the proportion of polymorphic sites was 4.88%, in which parsimony informative sites were up to 12. And 31 haplotypes were identified based on these polymorphic sites. Molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) indicated that high genetic differentiation (57%) existed among population, and gene flow was low (N(m) = 0.38) among populations. Phylogenetic relationships of 31 haplotypes were analyzed using NJ method with N. forbesiias an out-group. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 31 haplotypes from different populations mixed together and did not form distinct geographically separated clades.
Apiaceae ; classification ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; China ; DNA, Intergenic ; genetics ; Gene Flow ; Genetic Variation ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny