Arachidonic Acid ; metabolism ; Cardiovascular System ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; metabolism ; Humans

Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; Humans

Objective To evaluate the predictability of MSCT perfusion in the restorability of renal function of hydronephrotie kidneys with unilateral partial ureteric obstructed rabbit model as to explore a method to predict the restorability of renal function of hydronephrotic kidneys and to investigate the changes of MSCT perfusion parameters during the course of the restore of renal function.Methods Establish a unilateral partial ureteric obstructed rabbits hydronephrotie model.Hydronephrotie rabbits were grouped as control,2,4 and 8 week(G_2w,G_4w and G_8w)after obstruction and the later 3 groups of rabbits were reared for further 4 weeks after the obstruction was released.MSCT perfusion scanning was performed and the specimen was made into histological slices with HE staining.Results BF and BV value of renal cortex and medulla of G_2w after obstruction [(864?32)ml?100 g~(-1)?min~(-1),(19.5?0.9)ml/100 g (cortex ); (182.1?7.5)ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1),(8.37?0.51)ml/100g(medulla)]was released restored in substance and approached that of control[(899?63)ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1),(21.6 + 1.4)ml/100 g (cortex);(193.5?16.5 )ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1),(8.50?0.54 )ml/100 g (medulla)]while there was no significant restore in that of G_4w and G_8w after obstruction[(525?15)ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1),(12.8? 0.6)ml/100g (G_4 w);(512?10)ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1),(9.4?1.0)ml/100 g (G_8w)] was released. Histologically,there was a positive correlation between the duration of obstruction and the seriousness of pathologic changes.Conclusion MSCT perfusion can provide information not only morphologically but also about renal perfusion of hydronephrotic kidneys.

Objective To summarize the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics and clinical manifestations of brain abnormalities in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Methods The clinical and brain MRI data of 19 patients with NMO treated in our hospital from January, 2002 to May, 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Of the 19 patients with NMO, 15 underwent brain MRI, and brain abnormalities were identified in 7 patients. The lesions involved the cerebral hemisphere in 3 cases, the thalamus in 2 cases, the hypothalamus in 1 case, the surrounding areas of the third ventricle and the midbrain aqueduct in 1 case, the midbrain in 1 case, the pons in 1 case, and the medulla in 2 cases. On brain MRI, the lesions appeared as spots, patches or linear changes in the brain with low signals on T1-weighted imaging and high signals on T2-weighted and FLAIR imaging. The main clinical manifestations included nausea, vomiting, hiccup, diplopia, nystagmus, facial numbness, cognition impairment, and lethargy. Conclusion NMO may cause lesions in different brain regions, typically in the surrounding areas of the ependyma and hypothalamus. Clinical manifestations may occur in some patients with brain lesions, and in a few cases, these manifestations can be the initial clinical event of NMO onset.

Objective To discuss the microsurgical treatment of anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms at acute stage vit the supffontal approach. Methods Thirty-two patients with ruptured ACoA aneurysms,admitted to our hospital from January 2007 to October 2010 and underwent mierosurgery through supfrontal approach, were chosen in our study; their clinical manifestations,surgical methods and treatment efficacy were retrospectively analyzed. Results All 32 ACoA aneurysms in these 32 patients were clipped successfully.Forty-two aneurysm clips were used during the surgery; intraoperative aneurysm rupture occurred in 7 patients (21.88％). According to scores of Glasgow Outcome scale after 6-12 months of follow-up,26 patients (81.25％) enjoyed good results,5 (15.63％) had moderate disability and 1 (3.13％) had severe disability; no patients died,and no patients were having intracranial infection, having cerebrospinal leak or under vegetative state. Conclusion Microsurgical operation of anterior communicating aneurysms via subfronal approach was an effective and rapid method with minimal exposure and reliable neck clipping.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and related mechanisms of bezafibrate, a ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPARalpha), on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).

METHODSFirstly, in cultured bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAEC), the effects of bezafibrate on eNOS mRNA and protein levels were investigated by Northern blot and Western blot. The half-life of eNOS mRNA and NO production determined from BAECs treated with bezafibrate were performed by real-time quantitative PCR and NO assay. Next, the effects of bezafibrate on signal pathways in BAEC, through inhibitors of PPARalpha, PI3 kinase and MAPK, were investigated by Western blot. Then luciferase reporter gene driven by human eNOS promoter were cloned and transfected endothelial cells to see the effects of bezafibrate on eNOS promoter-driven luciferase activity.

RESULTSIn cultured BAEC, bezafibrate significantly upregulated eNOS expressions at protein and mRNA levels in a concentration-dependent fashion (50 - 200 micromol/L) (P < 0.05), and increased nitric oxide (NO) production, respectively[control (14.97 +/- 1.29) micromol/L, different concentration groups (25.12 +/- 1.25) micromol/L, (30.12 +/- 1.85) micromol/L, (33.47 +/- 1.22) micromol/L], and enhanced phosphorylation of eNOS-ser-1179 site (P < 0.05), but not eNOS-thr-497 site. Through real-time quantitative PCR, bezafibrate prolonged eNOS mRNA half-life from 3.1 hour to 6.1 hour were demonstrated. Further studies showed that bezafibrate treatments significantly enhanced dose-dependently luciferase activity (relative luciferase activity in 100 micromol/L and 200 micromol/L groups 4429.43 +/- 391.41 and 6187.5 +/- 307.53), compared with untreated luciferase reporter gene group (3361.81 +/- 316.85) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), and induced MAPK phosphorylation expression (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Then these effects of bezafibrate upregulated eNOS expressions could be blocked by PPARalpha antagonist, MAPK and PI3K inhibitor while not affected by PKC and MEK inhibitor (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSBezafibrate can upregulate eNOS expression, enhance eNOS-ser-1179 site phosphorylation, increase NO production and stabilize eNOS mRNA through PPARalpha dependent pathway and PPARalpha independent MAPK and PI3K pathways. This mechanism provides additional anti-atherosclerotic and anti-hypertension benefits of bezafibrate in addition of lipid-lowering effects.

Animals ; Bezafibrate ; pharmacology ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Gene Expression Regulation ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; metabolism ; PPAR alpha ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism

According to published nucleotide sequences, ORF4 gene of barley yellow dwarf virus GAV (BYDV-GAV) was synthesized by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The BYDV-GAV ORF4 gene was expressed in baculovirus -insect cell expression system efficiently, and western bolt analysis confirmed its expression product. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that GFP: ORF4 fusion protein was associated with the nuclear envelope of insect cells. By expressing the N- and C-terminal regions of ORF4-encoding product (P4) in insect cells combined with structure prediction, it was found that the N-terminal region of P4 containing four a-helices is required for targeting P4 to the nuclear envelope. These results provide a base for biological function of ORF4 gene during systemic infection of BYDV-GAV in host plants further.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genes, Plant ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Insecta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Luteovirus ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDAsthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by reversible bronchial constriction, pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling. Current standard therapies for asthma provide symptomatic control, but fail to target the underlying disease pathology. Furthermore, no therapeutic agent is effective in preventing airway remodeling. A substantial amount of evidence suggests that statins have anti-inflammatory properties and immunomodulatory activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of rosuvastatin on airway inflammation and its inhibitory mechanism in mucus hypersecretion in a murine model of chronic asthma.

METHODSBALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged by ovalbumin to induce asthma. The recruitment of inflammatory cells into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the lung tissues were measured by Diff-Quik staining and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. ELISA was used for measuring the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α in BALF. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used for mucus secretion. Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR) β2 expression was measured by means of immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting.

RESULTSRosuvastatin reduced the number of total inflammatory cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils recruited into BALF, the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α in BALF, along with the histological mucus index (HMI) and GABAAR β2 expression. Changes occurred in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONSBased on its ability to reduce the inflammatory response and mucus hypersecretion by regulating GABAAR activity in a murine model of chronic asthma, rosuvastatin may be a useful therapeutic agent for treatment of asthma.

Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Lung ; chemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mucus ; secretion ; Pyrimidines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, GABA-A ; analysis ; Rosuvastatin Calcium ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

Global longitudinal strain (GLS) at rest on two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) was demonstrated to help detect coronary artery disease (CAD).However,the optimal cut-off point of GLS and its diagnostic power for detecting critical CAD in non-diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are unknown.In the present study,211 patients with suspected CAD were prospectively included,with DM patients excluded.All patients underwent echocardiography and subsequently coronary angiography within 3 days.Left ventricular (LV) GLSs were quantified by 2D STE.Territorial peak systolic longitudinal strains (TLSs) were calculated based on the perfusion territories of the 3-epicardial coronary arteries in a 17-segment LV model.Critical CAD was defined as an area stenosis ≥70％ in ≥1 epicardial coronary artery (≥50％ in left main coronary artery).Totally 145 patients were diagnosed as having critical CAD by coronary angiography.Significant differences were observed in all strain parameters between patients with and without critical CAD.The area under the receiver operating charcteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for GLS in the detection of left main (LM) or threevessel CAD was 0.875 at a cut-off value of-19.05％ with sensitivity of 78.1％ and specificity of 72.7％,which increased to 0.926 after exclusion of apical segments (cut-off value-18.66％;sensitivity 84.4％ and specificity 81.8％).The values of TLSs were significantly lower in regions supplied by stenotic arteries than in those by non-stenotic arteries.The AUC for the TLSs to identify critical stenosis of left circumflex (LCX) artery,left anterior descending (LAD) artery and right coronary artery (RCA),in order of diagnostic accuracy,was 0.818 for LCX,0.764 for LAD and 0.723 for RCA,respectively.In conclusion,in non-DM patients with suspected CAD,GLS assessed by 2D STE is an excellent predictor for LM or three-vessel CAD with high diagnostic accuracy,and a higher cut-off point than reported before should be used.Excluding apical segments in the calculation of GLS can further improve the predictive accuracy of GLS.It is unsatisfactory for TLSs to be used to identify stenotic coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVETo compare plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and cystatin C levels in patients with or without coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODSWe recruited 87 CAD patients (39 with acute myocardial infarction and 48 with unstable angina pectoris) and 51 non-CAD controls. Plasma ADMA was measured by HPLC, cystatin C by particle-enhanced immunonephelometric assay (N Latex cystatin C, Dade Behring) with nephelometer (BNII, Dade Behring). CAD patients were further divided into low cystatin C group (< 1.0 mg/L, 36 cases) and high cystatin C group (> 1.0 mg/L, 51 cases).

RESULTS(1) The plasma levels of ADMA [(0.47 ± 0.15) µmol/L vs. (0.37 ± 0.15) µmol/L], SDMA [(0.39 ± 0.19) µmol/L vs. (0.28 ± 0.12) µmol/L] and cystatin C [(1.16 ± 0.32) mg/L vs. (0.73 ± 0.16) mg/L] were significantly higher in CAD patients than in controls (all P < 0.05). The plasma L-Arg was significantly lower in CAD patients than in controls [(59.4 ± 19.4) µmol/L vs. (83.7 ± 19.6) µmol/L, P < 0.05]. (2) Plasma ADMA was similar in CAD patients with low cystatin C level and controls [(0.42 ± 0.12) µmol/L vs. (0.39 ± 0.15) µmol/L, P = 0.251] and Plasma ADMA was significantly higher in CAD patients with high cystatin C level than in controls [(0.50 ± 0.17) µmol/L vs. (0.39 ± 0.15) µmol/L, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONADMA levels were significantly increased only in CAD patients with elevated cystatin C levels but not in CAD patients with normal renal function. The reported relationship between coronary heart disease and ADMA may not be direct, but could be secondary due to reduced renal function.

Aged ; Arginine ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; Cystatin C ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged