Objective To study the function of the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling pathway in the synthesis and secretion of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of rats with COPD. Methods The primary pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of rats with COPD were digested, separated and purified. Then they were randomly divided into control group, LPS group, TLR4 inhibitor group (TAK242) and LPS + TLR4 inhibitor group. RT-PCR, Western blot were used to detect the expression level of TLR-4 and NF-κB among groups. The levels of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB in supernatant with PASMCs in each group were detected by ELISA. Results LPS increased the expression of TLR-4、 NF-κB and the levels of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB. The expression of TLR4, NF-κB and the levels of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB were significantly reduced after inhibiting the expression of TLR4(P < 0.05). Conclusion TLR-4 signaling pathway involved in the inflammatory response and pulmonary vascular remodeling which increased the synthesis and secretion of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB in PASMCs. It provides a theoretical approach for the early intervention of clinical with COPD.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effects of IBI302 on experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV).Methods Affinity of IBI302 to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family cytokines (including VEGF-A165,VEGF-A121 and placental growth factor PlGF) and complements (C3b,C4b) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The antagonist effect of IBI302 on VEGF was measured by proliferation,migration and tube formation tests of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).The anti-complement activity of IBI302 was measured by hemolysis test mediated by complement classical pathway and alternative pathway.Rhesus laser-induced CNV model was divided into 5 groups including model control group,bevacizumab group,IBI302 0.25 mg group,IBI302 0.50 mg group and IBI302 1.25 mg group.Fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography were performed on these monkeys at 14 and 28 days after drug delivery to observe the fluorescein leakage area and retinal thickness.The aqueous VEGF concentration was measured at 29 days after drug delivery.Results IBI302 showed good affinity to VEGF-A165,VEGF-A121 and PlGF,as well as C3b and C4b.IBI302 significantly inhibited the proliferation,migration and tube formation of HUVEC induced by VEGF-A165.IBI302 inhibited the hemolysis induced by complements obviously.At 14 and 28 days after drug delivery,the area of fluorescein leakage and retinal thickness in IBI302 0.25 mg group,IBI302 0.50 mg group,IBI302 1.25 mg group were reduced.The differences of the area of fluorescein leakage and retinal thickness in three IBI302 groups were not significant (P＞0.05).At 29 days after drug delivery,the VEGF concentration in the aqueous of rhesus monkey in bevacizumab group [(38.644 ± 6.521) pg/ml] was decreased than that in model control group [(94.203± 17.360) pg/ml],the difference was significant (P＜ 0.05).The VEGF concentration in the aqueous of rhesus monkey in three IBI302 groups were less than 31.300 pg/ml.Conclusion IBI302 inhibited experimental CNV through blocking the activity of VEGF and complement.

AlM: To observe the therapeutic effects of improved external dacryocystorhinostomy.
METHODS:Retrospective analysis on 94 patients with monocular chronic dacryocystitis in our hospital from October 2010 to December 2013 were taken the improved external dacryocystorhinostomy. The improved surgery which was based on the traditional surgery including: 1. Nasal packing after anesthesia to relieve the pain and bleeding; 2. Not cut the medial palpebral ligament; 3. Suture the upper membrane of the nasal mucosa only;4. Pipe placement;5. Skin layered hairdressing suture. The patients were follow-up 3mo-2a after operation.
RESULTS: Ninety-three cases of patients cured with completely asymptomatic, no epiphora or mucopurulent secretion flow out from the lacrimal punctum, unobstructed lacrimal irrigation, the efficiency is 99%, 1 case of patient was epiphora, obstructed lacrimal irrigation, 1% was invalid.
CONCLUSlON:The improved external dacryocystorhinostomy is an effective surgical method which is easy to operate with high cure rate and its long term effect is precise.

Objective To analyze the expression level of CD44v6 in small cell lung cancer and the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in serum,to explore the clinical significance of them in small cell lung cancer.Methods The expression level of CD44v6 was detected by immunohistochemical methods in 80 cases of small cell lung cancer as patients group,who were treat in People''s Hospital of Jiangyin from January 2014 to January 2016.Another 80 cases of healthy subjects as control group.Used ELISA method to detect the concentration of VEGF of the two groups of patients in the blood.Analyzed the relationship between VEGF,CD44v6 with the survival time of patients.Results The CD44v6 expression in small cell lung cancer was positive in 6 cases,the total positive expression rate was 7.5%.The serum levels of VEGF in patients group((490.9±342.7) ng/L) was significantly different from that in the control group((180.8±67.5) ng/L),and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.024).There was no correlation between the survival time and the expression of CD44v6 in small cell lung cancer(P=0.723).The survival time of small cell lung cancer was negatively correlated with the concentration of VEGF in serum.Conclusion There is a significant correlation between serum VEGF concentration and survival time in patients with small cell lung cancer,which is one of the prognostic factors in patients with small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo exacted analysis each time interval in isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) of normal subjects through observin the changes of cardiac structure and hemodynamics during the IVRT. Then to provide the evidence of cardiac resynchronization therapy.

METHODSQuantitative analysis was performed for 60 subjects. The dual-channel echocardiography(DCE), pulse wave doppler (PW) and tissue wave dapper (TDI) examination of all the subjects were recorded, and IVRT was divided into two intervals, isovolumic relaxation time of early intervals (IVRTe) and isovolumic relaxation time of late interval (IVRT1). Then measured the time of each interval. Indicators were used including: (1) IVRT; (2) IVRTe; (3) IVRTI; (4) IVRTI/IVRT; calculating the data after heart rate corrected; (5) cIVRT; (6) clVRTe; (7) clVRTI; (8) clVRTI/clVRT; (9) measuring the time difference in mitral blood and tissue (TE-é) of DCE group.

RESULTSThe i-wave within IVRT in PW images was found in 45 subjects, and the i-wave was about 1/2 of IVRT (49.17 +/- 5.37) ms. IVRT was divided into IVRTe and IVRTI by a turning point at descending branch of i-wave as t-point. The j-wave was observed in 84% TDI images, and the j-wave was about 1/2 of IVRT (43.13 +/- 4.83) ms. IVRT was divided into IVRTe and IVRTI by a turning point of the onset of j-wave as t-point. A significant difference was found between PW and TDI with measurement of IVRT, IVRTe, IVRTI (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the common group and DCE group (P > 0.05). After heart rate corrected, the data showed no significant difference using pairwise comparisons among the three groups (P > 0.05). The mean and standard deviation of IVRTI/IVRT, cIVRTI/clVRT were (0.50 +/- 0.12) ms. There were little difference of time intervals and good consistenc using DCE measured IVRT with multiple tests confinmed.

CONCLUSIONThe study found that IVRT might be divided into IVRTe and IVRT1 phases. There were i-wave in IVRTe and j-wave in IVRT1. The t-point was nearly midpoint inisovolumic relaxation time.

Adult ; Diastole ; physiology ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

There exist a number of mercury-resistant bacterial in environment, Mer operon is involved in the resistant mechanism, MerRTPA of Mer operon encodes the proteins related to the regulation, transport and reduction of mercury ion, respectively. The toxic mercury ion is transported by MerTP from medium to cytoplasmic mercuric reductase, MerA, and deoxidized to non-toxic and volatile element mercury, Hg(0). Bacterial mercury-resistant system originated from ancient times, and evolved into the Mer operon with diversity by gene integration and insertion. Mercury-resistant bacteria highly specifically absorb mercury ion, and can be used in recovering the mercury-polluted environment as well as the genetic selective marker.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Sheshang capsule for treatment of blood coagulation dysfunction in patients bitten by Trimeresurus stejnegeri snake. Methods A prospective study was conducted. Seventy Trimeresurus stejnegeri snake envenoming patients whose manifestations conformed to the diagnostic criteria of the fire toxin syndrome in TCM were assigned into therapy group and control group by random number table (each, 35 cases). The basic treatments (including wound disinfection, intramuscular injection of 1 500 U tetanus antitoxin, conventional dose of antibiotics, 10 mg dexamethasone, 40 mg omeprazole) and 10 Jidesheng Sheyao tablets three times a day were applied in the control group. In the therapy group, the basic treatments the same as those of the control group were given, and in the mean time 5 Sheshang capsules (the drug was prepared in our hospital including ingredients:rhubarb, coptidis rhizoma, pleione bulbocodioides, elecampane inula root, bayberry bark, borneol and so on) were administered three times a day. The therapeutic course in the two groups was 1 week. The levels of platelet α-granule membrane protein (CD62p), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), platelet factor 3 (PF3) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in serum were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment. Results Before treatment, there were no significant differences in CD62p, TXB2, PF3 and vWF between therapy group and control group [CD62p (μg/L):3.81±1.64 vs. 3.52±1.43, TXB2 (μg/L):13.04±1.67 vs. 13.31±1.14, PF3 (μg/L): 2.84±1.08 vs. 2.88±1.23, vWF (μg/L):12.36±2.42 vs. 11.89±2.08, all P>0.05]. After treatment, the levels of CD62p, TXB2 and PF3 were increased, while vWF decreased compared with those before treatment in both groups, the level changes in therapy group being more remarkable [CD62p (μg/L): 6.73±1.77 vs. 5.81±1.62, TXB2 (μg/L):18.65±1.77 vs. 17.90±1.68, PF3 (μg/L):5.61±1.48 vs. 4.77±1.24, vWF (μg/L):3.87±1.01 vs. 4.58±1.09, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01]. Conclusion The Sheshang capsule is capable of treating patients with blood coagulative disorder after Trimeresurus stejnegeri snake bite, and its mechanism is possibly related to the improvement of platelet activation function and amelioration of the damage of vascular endothelial cells.

Silica gel column chromatography and preparative HPLC were applied to isolate the chemical constituents from the roots of Ixeris chinensis. Fifteen compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated by the physicochemical properties and spectral analysis as chinensioide G(1), chinensioide B(2), 10α-hydroxy-guaia-12,6-lactone-3-keton(3), chinensioide C(4), 10α-hydroxy-11βH-guaia-4(5) -ene-12,6-lactone (5), 3β, 10α-dihydroxy-11βH-guaia-11 (13)-ene-12,6-lactone (6), 3β, 10α-dihydroxy-4βH, 11βH-guaia-12,6-lactone(7), 3β, 10α-dihydroxy-guaia-4 (15), 11 (13) -diene-12, 6-lactone (8), caffeic acid (9), p-hydorxyphenylacetic acid(10), methyl p-hydroxyphenylacetate (11), ethyl p-hydroxyphenylacetate (12), sitosterol (13), daucosterol (14), and ixerin D(15). Compound 1 was new, and 6 and 7 were isolated from I. chinensis for the first time.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study whether acupressure could relieve urinary retention after radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer patients.

METHODSA randomized controlled prospective double-blinded trial was carried out in 107 urinary retention patients undergoing grade III radical hysterectomy. They were assigned to Group A (positive acupoints, 40 cases), Group B (negative acupoints, 32 cases) , and Group C (with no acupoints, 35 cases). All patients received protective 115 000 potassium permanganate sitz bath, 15 - 20 min each time, 3 times per day. Patients in Group A received acupressure at positive points [liniao point and Qihai (RN6)] combined points by syndrome typing [Guanyuan (RN4) , Zhongji (RN3) , Shenshu (BL23) , Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Taixi (K13)]. Patients in Group B received negative acupressure at sham-acupoints (for adjusting gastrointestinal functions). Patients in Group C only received conventional sitz bath. All medication was performed 3 times per day, 7 days as one therapeutic course, 21 days in total. The residual urine volume was detected. The recovery time for bladder function was recorded. The average residual urine volume was also recorded at day 7, 14, and 21.

RESULTSCompared with Group B and C, the time for ureter retention was shortened for mild and severe CKD patients in Group A (P <0. 01). The residual urine volume was also lessened for mild and severe CKD patients in Group A at day 7, 14, and 21 (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONCervical cancer patients could relieve urinary retention by self-acupressure after radical hysterectomy.

Acupressure ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Prospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Retention ; therapy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of ethyl acetate extract of Huanglian Jiedu decoction (EAHD) on hyphae development of Candida albicans.

METHODInverted microscope, fluorescence microscope, SEM were applied to inspect the Morphological change of C. albicans treated by EAHD at different concentrations. Solid agar plate was utilized to evaluate the colony morphology. Quantitative Real-ime PCR(qRT-PCR) was adopted to observe the expression of hyphae-specific genes such as HWP1, ALS3, UME6, CSH1, SUN41, CaPDE2.

RESULTEAHD with concentration of 312 and 1 250 mg . L-1 could inhibit formation of hyphae and colony morphology. The expression of HWP1, ALS3, UME6, CSH1 were downregulated 4. 13, 3. 64, 2. 46, 2. 75 folds ,while the expression of SUN41 were upregulated 7. 26 folds, CaPDE2 keep unchanged.

CONCLUSIONEAHD could inhibit formation of hyphae and colony morphologies of C. albicans through downregulating HWP1, ALS3, UME6 and CSH1.

Acetates ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Candida albicans ; cytology ; drug effects ; genetics ; growth & development ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; drug effects ; Hyphae ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction