AIM: To observe the effects of puerarin on blood pressure(BP),serum lipid in a rat model of insulin resistance and the mechanism.METHODS: Adult SD rats were maintained on high-fat-sugar-salt diet for 12 weeks.Puerarin was administered to the rats from 9th week for 4 weeks by intramuscular injection.BP was measured at the end of 0,8th,12th week.The levels of serum glucose,serum lipid,fasting serum insulin and the levels of MDA,TNF-?,plasma rennin,angiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ) and the activity of SOD were measured and the insulin-sensitivity index was also calculated at the end of the experiment.RESULTS: High and middle dosage of puerarin significantly decreased blood pressure,reduced the levels of serum lipid and AngⅡ,and also increased insulin-sensitivity index.The levels of MDA and TNF-? were significantly decreased by high dosage of puerarin.The activity of SOD was increased significantly.CONCLUSIONS: Puerarin possesses the effects of decreasing the blood pressure and serum lipid in a rat model of insulin resistance,which may be concerned with the changes of rennin-angiotensin system,the levels of oxygen-derived free radicals and TNF-?.

To investigate the effect of cyclin G1 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASON) with liposomal transfection on mediating proliferation of HL-60 cell, the cyclin G1 ASON with liposomal transfection was used in vitro in co-culture with HL-60 cell, the protein and mRNA expression levels of cyclin G1 were measured by immunocytochemistry assay and RT-PCR. The cell apoptosis was detected by electron microscopy, in situ cell apoptosis detection kit (POD), DNA gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry (FCM). The results showed that in the cyclin G1 ASON group the protein and mRNA expression of cyclin G1 were significantly inhibited as compared with sense oligodeoxynucleotide (SON) group and blank group. When the ASON concentration increased, the proliferation ratio of HL-60 cell and CFU of HL-60 were also significantly inhibited. There was apoptosis of HL-60 cell. In conclusion, cyclin G1 ASON can specifically inhibit its protein and mRNA expression levels as well as the HL-60 cell proliferations and can accelerate the apoptosis of leukemia cells with concentration-dependent effect of ASON.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cyclin G ; Cyclin G1 ; Cyclins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Flow Cytometry ; HL-60 Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liposomes ; Microscopy, Electron ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Transfection

AIMTo investigate the level of immune response and the immune mechanism of the single-dose hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-poly (d, l)-lactide-co-glicolide acid (PLGA) microspheres in BALB/c mice.

METHODSThree kind of HBsAg-PLGA microspheres, HBsAg-PLGA50/50-COOH microspheres, HBsAg-PLGA75/25 microspheres and HBsAg-PLGA50/50 microspheres, were prepared by double emulsion microencapsulation technique used three kinds of PLGA with different L/G ratio. The single-dose of HBsAg-PLGA microspheres was subcutaneously injected into BALB/c mice at the dose of 7.5 microg HBsAg per mouse. The conventional aluminum-adjuvant vaccine was subcutaneously injected at 0, 1 and 2 month as positive control. In certain time interval, the induced immune level of total antibody was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For subclass of IgG antibody and cytokines studies, the dose of HBsAg was 2.5 microg per mouse.

RESULTSThe HBsAg-PLGA microspheres could successfully induce a humoral immune response in BALB/c mice. Compared with the conventional aluminum-adjuvant vaccine, the antibody response of the HBsAg-PLGA50/50-COOH microspheres was significantly lower than the group received three injections of aluminum-adjuvant vaccine (P < 0.01) except for a higher priming response during the early 6 weeks. The results were ascribed to the relatively rapid degradation charactics of PLGA50/50-COOH polymer. The immune response for the HBsAg-PLGA50/50 microspheres and HBsAg-PLGA75/25 microspheres were comparable to the group administered with aluminum-adjuvant vaccine (P > 0.05) which was due to the sustained degradation of PLGA50/50 and PLGA75/25 polymer.

CONCLUSIONThe HBsAg-PLGA microsphere is a promising candidate for the controlled delivery of a vaccine which does not require multiple injections.

Animals ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Drug Carriers ; Female ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-5 ; metabolism ; Lactic Acid ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Microspheres ; Polyglycolic Acid ; Polymers ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression levels of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) and NF-kappaB p65 mRNA in lung tissue of acute paraquat (PQ) poisoning rats, and intervention effects of ulinastatin (UTI).

METHODSSeventy-two Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: PQ poisoning group, UTI group and control group. The rats were exposed intragastrically to PQ at the dose of 80 mg/kg to establish a model of the rat acute lung injury. The UTI group was intervened by peritoneal injection with 10000 U/kg UTI in 30 minutes. On the 12, 24, 48, 72 h after exposure, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue were detected. The expression of the NF-kappaB p65 mRNA and hsp70 mRNA in lung tissue was detected by the reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). The lung pathological changes of rats were observed.

RESULTSThe degree of lung injury in PQ group and UTI group was higher than that in control group. But in UTI group the degree of lung injury was lower than PQ group. MPO activity in the lung tissues in PQ group was (31.72 +/- 6.42), (56.23 +/- 8.63), (87.21 +/- 10.02) and (107.21 +/- 13.52) micro/g in 12, 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively which was significantly higher than that [(11.38 +/- 1.25) micro/g] in control group (P < 0.01). MPO activity in the lung tissues in UTI group was (15.65 +/- 3.21), (35.98 +/- 5.74), (59.33 +/- 9.65) and (71.25 +/- 10.58) micro/g in 12, 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively which was significantly lower than those in PQ group (P < 0.01). The expression levels of NF-kappaB p65 mRNA of lung tissues in UTI group in 12, 24, 48 and 72 h were 0.3288 +/- 0.0147, 0.5337 +/- 0.0328, 0.7357 +/- 0.0424 and 0.7547 +/- 0.0905, respectively, which were significantly lower that those (0.4185 +/- 0.0294, 0.8532 +/- 0.0841, 0.9554 +/- 0.0975 and 1.0094 +/- 0.0703) in PQ group (P < 0.01). hsp70 mRNA expression levels in 12, 24, 48 and 72 h of the UTI group were 0.5193 +/- 0.0254, 0.8289 +/- 0.0606, 0.7566 +/- 0.0277 and 0.4873 +/- 0.0105, respectively, which were significantly higher than those (0.3897 +/- 0.0125, 0.5904 +/- 0.0186, 0.4007 +/- 0.0237 and 0.2293 +/- 0.0137) in PQ group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression levels of hsp70 mRNA and NF-kappaB p65 mRNA of rats after intoxication increased significantly. UTI can protect the lung tissues by elevating the expression of hsp70 and reducing the expression of NF-kappaB in the lung tissues of rats with acute paraquat poisoning.

Animals ; Glycoproteins ; pharmacology ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism

Gene Expression Profiling ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo investigate the social health status of the HIV infected and their families in a high HIV/AIDS prevalence village in Hunan province and to examine the relations of the social health status, responses and social support.

METHODSA total of 51 HIV infected persons (infected group), 49 family members of the infected (family member group) and 96 normal persons (control group) were surveyed by Social Health Measurement Scale-a sub-scale of Self-rated Health Measurement Scale (SRHMS), Social Support Assessment Scale (SSAS) and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ).

RESULTS(1) In regard to the total scores of social health, responding style and social support, significant differences were found among the infected group, the group of family members and the control group (62.9 +/- 18.6, 79.8 +/- 18.0, 86.5 +/- 21.3, F = 18.16; 28.7 +/- 4.3, 27.2 +/- 5.4, 25.9 +/- 6.4, F = 5.21; 33.8 +/- 8.1, 41.0 +/- 6.6, 38.1 +/- 6.8, F = 13.23; P < 0.01). (2) Subjective care and support, the educational status, the marital status and support utilization were significant predictors to the social health status of the infected group (R(2) = 0.73, F = 27.78, P < 0.01). (3) Subjective support and negative responding style were significant predictors to the social health status of the group of family members (R(2) = 0.32, F = 12.35, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe HIV infected and their families have more negative responding style, make less use of social support and hold a inferior social health status. It's necessary to exert psychological intervention targeting at these population group.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Family ; psychology ; Female ; HIV Infections ; psychology ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sampling Studies ; Social Support ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of substance P (SP) on the release of histamine in the human hypertrophic scar tissue, and to explore the prerequisite of their interaction.

METHODSTissue specimens of normal skin and hypertrophic scar from eight hospitalized patients were excised and cut into 0.5 to 1.0 mm3 pieces, and the histamine release by mast cell (MC) under the stimulation of different concentration of SP and calcium, as well as the different affect time of SP, were determined with fluorescence spectrometer. Then the histamine release rate was calculated.

RESULTSThere was obvious release of histamine when SP concentration was 1 x 10(-6) mol/L , and the release rate was (50.0 +/- 3.6) %, which was significantly higher than that by SP in the concentration of 0 mol/L [(44.0 +/- 3.2) %, P < 0.01]. Therefore it seemed to be dose-dependent. About 90% of histamine was released within 15 minutes of 5 x 10(-1) mol/L Substance P stimulation, and it was also time-dependent. The histamine release reached the peak when calcium concentration was 5 x 10(-3) mol/L, which seemed to be dose-dependent, but it decreased transiently when calcium concentration was 1 x 10(-3) mol/L. In all occasions, the influence of SP on the histamine release by MC in hypertrophic scar (HS) was markedly higher than that in normal skin (NS) (P < 0.01). Conclusion The influence of SP on the histamine release by MC in HS was markedly higher than that in NS, and it might be closely related to itching sensation and the formation of hypertrophic scar.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; Female ; Histamine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; metabolism ; Substance P ; pharmacology

Objective To understand the prevalence of urinary incontinence(UI) and its related factors so as to develop a three-tier program for prevention of the disease.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in two townships of Jixian county,Tianjin,during July to November 2007.A total of 743 people aged 60 years and over were selected under cluster sampling,and all information were collected with a standardized structured questionnaire by face-to-face interview.All the data were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression method to explore the related factors for UI in the elderly.Results The overall prevalence of UI was 33.38 percent among people aged 60 years and over in two townships.Risk factors flor UI in men would include older age (OR=1.39).occupation(OR=5.00),awareness of UI(OR=1.91),having in chronic respiratory diseases(OR=2.23),prostate(OR=11.47),neurological(OR=11.76),or motor systems (OR=2.48).while protective factors would include high educational level(taking primary school or below as control group),OR for the junior middle school group appeared to be 0.35,for senior middle school group it was 0.77.and ofundergraduate group it was 0.53.Risk factors for UI in women would include older age(OR=1.31),constipation(OR=1.46),awareness of UI(OR=1.94),increased bodv nlass index(when normal weight group served as control group,OR in the overweight group was 1.03 and in the obesity group OR was 1.54),suffering from chronic respiratory diseases(OR=4.84).diabetes mellitus(OR=2.36),or motor system diseases(OR=1.37),more gravidity(OR=1.03),more parity(OR=1.02),suffering from perinea laceration(OR=1.72) and wound infection during delivery(OR=1.65),while protective factors would include physical exercises(OR=0.64).Conclusion Prevalence of UI was higher among the elderly people in rural areas of Jixian county,Tianjin.UI in the elderly might have been influenced by various factors which suggesting the intervention strategy should be targeted at those related factors as well as focusing on primary prevention.

0.05).Conclusions There is no obvious effect of danazol alginate microspheres used for uterine arterial embolization on ovarian function in rabblits.After UAE some animals are able to achieve pregnancies,while harmful effects are observed on short term pregnant rate.

Objective To assess the relationship between the BMI and the brain DAT, and the influence of BMI on the brain SPECT imaging with 99Tcm-TRODAT-1. Methods MRI and 99Tcm-TRODAT-1SPECT imaging were performed in 31 healthy volunteers(16 males and 15 females), and then the three-dimensional reconstruction of SPECT images were completed. Based on the MRI images, right striatum (RST) and the left striatum (LST) were drawn as ROI on the 4 most clearly consecutive transverse slices.The cerebellum (CB) was taken as the background reference area and the corresponding uptake ratios of ST/CB, LST/CB and RST/CB were calculated. The Pearson correlation tests for radio-uptake ratios (ST/CB, LST/CB, RST/CB), BMI and age were performed, Then multiple linear regression analysis using ST/CB as dependent variable and BMI and age as independent variables was performed. SPSS 15.0 was used in data analysis. Results The ST imaging was symmetrical. The radioactivity was higher in the ST front area than that of the back area. The average uptake ratios of ST/CB, LST/CB, RST/CB were 1.71±0.16,1.70 ± 0. 16 and 1.72±0.17 respectively, in which the three ratios of the female were 1.74 ± 0. 18, 1.71±0. 19 and 1.76 ± 0. 19 respectively and those of the male were 1.68 t 0. 14, 1.68 ± 0. 13 and 1.69± 0.15respectively. ST/CB, LST/CB and RST/CB were negatively correlated with patients'BMI (r = -0. 53,-0.57,-0.47, all P＜0.05). The ST/CB was negatively correlated with patients' age(r=-0.39, P=0. 03). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the BMI was significant independent variable (β=-0.53, t= -3.36, P=0. 002). Conclusions TheSTDAT,evel may decrease as patients' BMI and age increase. Females' DAT level is slightly higher than males'. For ST DAT imaging, age, gender and BMI should be all taken into consideration.