Objective To screen for the miR-155 expression in synovial fibroblasts of rheumatoid arthritis (RASFs) and osteoarthritis (OASFs) and to evaluate the function of miR-155 on RASFs and its possible target mRNAs. Methods The expression levels of miR-155 in RASFs and OASFs were detected by real-time PCR. MiR-155 mimic and miR-155 inhibitor, as well as scrambled control were transfected into cultured RASFs by Lipofectamine 2000. Forty-eight hours later, MMP-3 levels in the cell culture supernatant were detected by ELISA and fibroblast proliferation was assayed by 3H -TdR incorporation test. Fibroblast invasive ability was tested by transwell system. IKBKE which previously identified as actual target of miR-155 was examined by real-time PCR. Comparisons between groups were performed with t test or one-way ANOVA analysis. Results It was shown that miR-155 was up-regulated in RASFs (1.79 ±1.94) and it was higher than that in OASFst (0.11±0.17), P<0.05]. Up-regulation of miR-155 could decrease MMP-3 levels (P<0.05). The proliferation and invasion of RASFs transfected with miR-155 were both evidently suppressed (P<0.05), while reducing the endogenous miR-155 could significantly enhance RASF proliferation (P<0.05). The expression of IKBKE of RASFs transfected with miR-155 was obviously down-regulated compared to those transfected with the scrambled control (P<0.05). Conclusion miR-155 is up-regulated in RASFs which may be a protective factor against the inflammatory effect, at least partially by attenuating the expression of IKBKK.

Objective ① To Screen for the miRNAs differently expressed in the peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells (PBMCs) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by microarray experiments.② To further evaluate the expression of miR-155 in PBMCs of RA.③ To determine the relevance between the expression of miR-155 and clinical as well as laboratory features.④ To test whether inflammatory mediators can induce miR-155 expression in PBMCs of RA.Methods ① Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from 5 patients of RA and 5 normal controls.Expression profiling of miRNAs was performed in a microarray analysis.② MiR-155 was identified for further study by stem-loop real-time RT-PCR based on SYBR-Green.PBMC from 26 patients of RA and 23 normal controls were collected.③ Association between miR-155 and the clinical and laboratory features of RA was evaluated.④Induction of miR-155 following stimulation with TNF-α, IFN-γ and LPS of cultures of RA PBMCs was examined by real-time RT-PCR.Statistical analysis was done with student's t test, paired t test, and ANOVA, Spearman correlation.Results ① Expression profiling of miRNAs revealed significant differential expression of 14 miRNAs, of which signal intensity changed over two times.MiR-155 was up-regulated in PBMCs of RA than in normal controls (t=9.218, P=0.001).② The expression level of miR-155 had a positive correlation with serum CRP level (r=0.57, P=0.002).③ Expression of miR-155 was markedly up-regulated in PBMCs of RA after stimulated with TNF-α,IFN-γ and LPS, especially with TNF-α.Conclusions The expression of miR-155 is induced by stimulating with TNF-α, IFN-γ and LPS.MiR-155 may be a regulator in RA pathogenesis.Further studies are required to elucidate the function of miR-155.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Fever ; complications ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; blood ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypergammaglobulinemia ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Pain ; complications

The marine biological source of mineral drugs recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 version) mainly including pearl, nacre, clam shell, common oyster shell, ark shell, cuttle bone, and sea-ear shell are widely used in clinical. Calcium carbonate and a small amount of protein are the main components in this type of drugs. In this paper, a systematical and comparable study were carried out by determination of calcium carbonate by EDTA titration method, the crystal of calcium carbonate by X-Ray powder diffraction and the total amino acids (TAAs) of the hydrolyzed samples by ultraviolet spectrophotometry method. As a result, the crystal structure is calcite for common oyster shell, mixture of calcite and aragonite for nacre and sea-ear shell, aragonite for the other drugs. The content of calcium carbonate ranged from 86% to 96%. Cuttle bone has the highest amount of TAAs among the seven drugs which reached 1.7% while clam shell has the lowest content of 0.16% on average. In conclusion, an effective method was developed for the quality control of marine mineral drugs by comprehensive analysis of calcium carbonate and TAAs in the seven marine mineral drugs.
Amino Acids ; analysis ; chemistry ; Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calcium Carbonate ; analysis ; chemistry ; Crystallization ; Edetic Acid ; chemistry ; Mollusca ; chemistry ; classification ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; analysis ; chemistry ; standards ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seawater ; Species Specificity ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; X-Ray Diffraction

Objective To explore the changes serum S-100? in children with acute carbon monoxide poisoning and its clinical significance.Methods The levels of serum S-100? of 28 children with acute carbon monoxide poisoning and those of 20 healthy children were mea-sured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results The serum S-100? levels of the study group and control group were(0.517?0.346)and(0.037?0.014)?g/L respectively,there was significant difference between two groups(t=6.197 P

The primary object of this fundamental research was to survey the synergistic cardiovascular effects of iptakalim, a novel ATP-sensitive potassium channel (K(ATP)) opener, and clinical first-line antihypertensive drugs, such as calcium antagonists, thiazide diuretics and β receptor blockers by a 2 x 2 factorial-design experiment. It would provide a theoretical basis for the development of new combined antihypertensive therapy program after iptakalim is applied to the clinic. Amlodipine besylate, hydrochlorothiazide and propranolol were chosen as clinical first-line antihypertensive drugs. Blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and cardiac functions were observed in anesthetized normal rats by an eight-channel physiological recorder. The results showed that iptakalim monotherapy in a low dose could produce significant antihypertensive effect. There was no interaction between iptakalim and amlodipine on the maximal changes of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), and the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (P > 0.05). However, the effects of combination iptakalim/amlodipine on the maximal changes of SBP, DBP, MABP, LVSP and LVEDP were more obvious than those of iptakalim or amlodipine monotherapy. And there was strong positive interaction between iptakalim and amlodipine on the maximal changes of HR (P>0.05). According to the maximal changes of DBP, MABP, LVSP and LVEDP (P < 0.05) of combination iptakalim with hydrochlorothiazide, there was strong positive interaction between them. But there was no interaction between iptakalim and hydrochlorothiazide on the maximal drop of SBP and HR (P > 0.05). According to the maximal drops of DBP, MABP of combination iptakalim with propranolol, there was strong positive interaction between them (P < 0.05). But there was no interaction between iptakalim and propranolol on the maximal changes of SBP, LVSP, LVEDP and HR (P > 0.05). In conclusion, it was the first time to study the effects of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide or propranolol, which had different mechanisms of action from iptakalim, on cardiovascular effects of iptakalim in anesthetized normal rats. This study proved that the combination of iptakalim with hydrochlorothiazide or propranolol respectively had significant synergism on lowering blood pressure, while the combination of iptakalim/amlodipine had additive action on lowering blood pressure. Meanwhile the antihypertensive effect was explicit, stable and long-lasting. Iptakalim thus appears suitable for the clinical treatment of hypertensive people who need two or more kinds of antihypertensive agents.
Amlodipine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Drug Synergism ; Heart Rate ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; pharmacology ; Hypertension ; Propranolol ; pharmacology ; Propylamines ; pharmacology ; Rats

Topological description and matching are committed steps for three-dimensional reconstruction of vessel tree from two angiograms. Binary tree is proposed to describe the two-dimensional vessel tree. "Node Weight" and "Similar Node" are defined in order to get better description. Vessel segments in two images are matched by the preorder traversal of the binary trees, and the method is proved fast and accurate.
Algorithms ; Angiography ; methods ; Computer Simulation ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Models, Biological ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its risk factors in rural area in the southern part of Hubei province and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment.

METHODSUsing uniform scheme, procedures and questionnaire, a multistage survey for 1883 people in rural area in southern part of Hubei province was performed, and physical examinations and lung function tests were conducted for every participant.

RESULTSIn this survey, 186 COPD cases were identified with a overall prevalence of 9.88%. The prevalence for male was 13.68% while in female it was 6.46%. The prevalence was higher in males than in females (chi2 = 27.48, P< 0.001) and higher with the increase of age (chi2 = 79.22, P<0.001). Factors associated with COPD were identified in one-way variance model as follows: sex, age, smoking, time for cooking, using biomass fuels for in-door cooking, family history, frequent cough before age 14, low body index and having house remodelling in the last five years. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex (OR= 1.3010), age (OR = 1.8506), smoking (OR= 3.0118), cooking time (OR= 1.7651), family history (OR = 1.5278), frequent cough before age 14 (OR = 2.8965) were risk factors.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of COPD in the southern part of Hubei province was high, suggesting that comprehensive intervention measures should be taken.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Population Surveillance ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Rural Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

0.05).(3)The average CTDIvol values were 60?5 mGy,88?10 mGy for 2C_2 and NC_2(C_2)groups,respectively.The corresponding ED values were(12.3?1.0)and(18.0?2.0)mSv,respectively.The CTDIvol and ED values for 2C_2 group were about 32% lower than those of NC_2 group and were statistically significant with P

Objective:To investigate the effects of estradiol on ~(60)Co?-ray induced apoptosis of bone marrow hematopoietic cells of mice,and to discuss the related anti-irradiation mechanism.Methods:KM mice were randomly divided into 3 groups(15 mice/each group):control group(without radiation),pure radiation group and estradiol+radiation group(ER group).The pure radiation group was irradiated by 4.0 Gy?-ray at a dose rate of 1.15Gy/min;the ER group was administered with 0.1 mg estradiol(IM)at 10 days before 4.0 Gy?-ray radiation;and the control group received no special treatment.The apoptotic DNA segments of bone marrow hematopoietic cells were analyzed by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis;flow cytometry was used to examine the apoptosis rate of cells and expression of Fas and Bcl-2 at 4 h,8 h,and 12 h after irradiation.Results:Eight hours after radiation,the apoptotic DNA segments were obviously increased and apoptotic DNA ladder appeared,which was not seen in the other 2 groups.The apoptosis rate of bone marrow hematopoietic cells in ER group was significantly lower than that in the pure radiation group at 4,8,and 12 h after irradiation(P