OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on immune function of premature rats.

METHODSRHuEPO of 250 IU/(kg.t) or 500 IU/(kg.t) was administered to premature rats every other day for nineteen days. The control premature rats were received normal saline. The changes of hemoglobin (Hb), serum erythropoietin (EPO), red blood cell (RBC) immune function, T lymphocyte proliferative responsiveness, and production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were observed.

RESULTSPremature rats showed lower levels on Hb, RBC immune function, T cell responsiveness and production of TNF-alpha compared with mature rats at birth. The postnatal declines of Hb and RBC immune function were lessened in the treated groups of premature rats, the higher dosage group of 500 IU/(kg.t) was more significant than the lower dosage group of 250 IU/(kg.t). When experiments were over, Hb of control premature rats was (7.72 +/- 0.89) g/dl, Hb of premature rats received 500 IU/(kg.t) was (10.08 +/- 0.90) g/dl (P < 0.01). C3b-R% of control premature rats was (11.00 +/- 0.95)%, C3b-R% of premature rats received 500 IU/(kg.t) was (17.75 +/- 1.04)% (P < 0.01). IC-R% in control premature rats was (12.83 +/- 1.33)%, IC-R% of premature rats received 500 IU/(kg.t) was (10.50 +/- 1.67)% (P < 0.01). The postnatal rise of T cell responsiveness and the production of TNF-alpha in premature rats increased in the treated groups, which was more significant in the higher dosage group of 500 IU/(kg.t) than in the lower dosage group of 250 IU/(kg.t). The OD index of control premature rats was 0.159 +/- 0.014, the OD index of premature rats received 500 IU/(kg.t) was 0.354 +/- 0.050 (P < 0.01). TNF-alpha in control premature rats was (0.270 +/- 0.014) ng/ml, TNF-alpha of premature rats received 500 IU/(kg.t) was (0.415 +/- 0.010) ng/ml (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS(1) Premature rats had lower RBC immune function and T cell responsiveness and underproduction of TNF-alpha at birth. (2) Premature rats had an improvement with the RBC immune function after rHuEPO administration. (3) Premature rats had improvements with T cell responsiveness and TNF-alpha after rHuEPO administration, and there was a positive correction between the RBC immune function and T cell responsiveness with the production of TNF-alpha.

Animals ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; immunology ; Erythropoietin ; blood ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Recombinant Proteins ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

This study is to establish an HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for simultaneous determination of 5 flavones and saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae including neo-mangiferin, mangiferin, timosaponin B II, timosaponin B III and timosaponin A III. Samples were analyzed on a Merck Purospher STAR column(4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile( A) and 0. 1% formic acid (B) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1). The column temperature was set at 40 °C. The DAD detector wavelength was set at 254 nm. The ELSD conditions were as follows: the nebulizing gas flow rate was 2.0 L · min(-1) and temperature of drift tube was 105 °C. The volume was 10 μL. The five compounds were well separated with good linear correlations. The mean recoveries were between 102.0%-104.0%. This method was quick and reliable which provides a foundation for quality control of R. Anemarrhenae.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavones ; analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of p53 protein, incidence of p53 gene mutation and microsatellite instability in ulcerative colitis, dysplasia of colonic mucosa and ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

METHODSP53 protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in 70 specimens from 21 cases of ulcerative colitis and 25 colonic mucosa specimens from normal subjects. The specimens of ulcerative colitis were examined for the mutation in exon 5, 6, 7, 8 of p53 gene with microdissection-PCR-SSCP/HA-clone-sequencing technique and the alterations in 10 microsatellite loci with microdissection-PCR-SSLP-clone- sequencing technique.

RESULTNone of 25 normal specimens was p53-positive immunohistochemically, while 4/21 of ulcerative colitis specimens were p53-positive. P53- positive rate in inflammatory mucosa of ulcerative colitis specimens was 0/5, while that was 1/7, 2/7 and 1/2 in low-grade displasia (LGD), high-grade displasia (HGD) and carcinoma, respectively. The abnormal exons were detected by SSCP and confirmed by sequencing in 2 out of 21 cases: one was exon 6 in a case with carcinoma and the other was exon 8 in a HGD case; both had positive P53 expression. Two cases showed positive in Bat26 locus by SSLP: one was a LGD case, the other was a case of carcinoma, who also had abnormal exon 6 of p53 gene. Other 9 microsatellite loci, (TGF beta RII(A)(10), IGFIIR(G)(8), IGFIIR(CT)(5), TGF beta RII(GT)(3), BAX(G)(8), hMSH3(A)8, hMSH6(C)(8), TCF4(A)(9) and DPC4 (CA)(17)) were showed negative in all cases.

CONCLUSIONP53 gene mutations and microsatellite instability may be one of the mechanisms for higher risk of carcinogenesis in ulcerative colitis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; complications ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Female ; Genes, p53 ; Genomic Instability ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; pathology ; surgery ; China ; Forecasting ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasm Staging ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; methods ; trends

Aged ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Scrub Typhus ; epidemiology

BACKGROUNDPercutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion (PRTTG) is regarded as the first choice for most patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) because of its safety and feasibility. However, neuronavigator-guided PRTTG has been seldom reported. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of neuronavigator-guided PRTTG for the treatment of intractable TN.

METHODSBetween January 2000 and December 2004, 54 patients with intractable TN were enrolled into this study and were randomly divided into two groups. The patients in navigation group (n = 26) underwent PRTTG with frameless neuronavigation, and those in control group (n = 28) received PRTTG without neuronavigation. Three months after the operation, the efficacy, side effects, and complications of the surgery were recorded. The patients in the control group were followed up for 10 to 54 months (mean, 34 +/- 5), and those in the navigation group were followed up for 13 to 58 months (mean, 36 +/- 7). Kaplan-Meier analyses of the pain-free survival curves were used for the censored survival data, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival curves of the two groups.

RESULTSThe immediate complete pain-relief rate of the navigation group was 100%, whereas it was 95% in the control. The proportion of sustained pain-relief rates at 12, 24 and 36 months after the procedure were 85%, 77%, and 62% in the navigation group, and 54%, 40%, and 35% in the control. Recurrences in the control group were more common than that in the navigation group. Annual recurrence rate in the first and second years were 15% and 23% in the navigation group, and 46%, 60% in the control group. No side-effect and complication was noted in the navigation group except minimal facial hypesthesia.

CONCLUSIONNeuronavigator-guided PRTTG is a safe and promising method for treatment of intractable TN with better short- and long-term outcomes and lower complication rate than PRTTG without neuronavigation.

Aged ; Electrocoagulation ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; pathology ; surgery ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; mortality ; surgery

Aim To investigate the effects of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on renal TGF-β1/Smads signa-ling pathway in rats with diabetes mellitus(DM). Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into nor-mal group,DM group,APS low dose (APS-low) group and APS high dose (APS-high) group. Rats in APS-low group and APS-high group respectively received 200 and 400 mg·kg-1·d-1APS for 8 weeks. Con-centrations of fasting blood-glucose(FBG),blood urea nitrogen and creatinine,as well as urinary kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and osteopontin (OPN) were measured. Levels of TGF-β1,Smad2,phosphorylated Smad2 (p-Smad2),Smad3,phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3),Smad7,matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2,MMP-9,tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 were investigated. Results Compared to control group,DM group had higher levels of FBG,blood urea nitrogen,creatinine KIM-1,OPN, TGF-β1,Smad2,p-Smad2,Smad3,p-Smad3,TIMP-1 and TIMP-2,but lower levels of Smad7,MMP-2 and MMP-9. APS significantly decreased the levels of FBG,blood urea nitrogen,creatinine KIM-1 and OPN, as well as inhibited the activity of TGF-β1/Smads sig-naling pathway. Conclusion The renoprotective effects of APS might be associated with the inhibition of TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

Objective To study the neuronal apoptosis and expressions of apoptosis-related genes in the hippocampal CAI region after cerebral ischemia in gerbils and investigate the protective effects of mild hypothermia. Methods Seventy-two gerbils were randomized equally into sham-operated group, hypothermic sham-operated group, normothermic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group and hypothermic IR groups, and 5-minute forebrain iscbemia was induced in the latter 2 groups by bilateral common carotid artery obstruction. Normothermic or mild hypothermic condition was applied to the groups after the operation as indicated. At 1, 3 and 7 days after the operation, 6 gerbils were selected from each group for behavioral test using open field test, followed by detection of neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal CAI region using TUNEL staining and by immunohistocheraistry for p53 and nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) expressions. Results In normothermic condition, the 5-minute forebrain ischemia induced significant enhancement of the exploratory activities in the gerbils 1, 3 and 7 days after the operation (P<0.05). This enhancement was observed only 1 day after the operation in mild hypothennic condition (P<0.05). Increased neuronal apoptosis and up-regulated expressions of p53 protein and NF-kBin the hippocampal CA1 region occurred after the forebrain ischemia as shown by TUNEL staining and immunohistochemistry, and all these changes were significantly inhibited by the application of mild hypothermia (P<0.05). Conclusions Up-regulated p53 and NF-kB protein expression in the hippocampal CA1 region might be one of the mechanisms for ischemia-induced neuronal apoptosis in gerbils, and mild hypothermia may produce protective effects against these changes for brain protection following the iscbemia.

Objective To explore the relationship between NF-kB1-94ins/delATTG gene polymorphism and acute progressive cerebral infarction(APCD ofChinese Hart population in Qingdaodistrict Methods We detected the polymorphism of NF-κB1 -94ins/delA TTG gene in 100 patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI group) and 99 patients with acute progressive cerebral infarction (APCI group) by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP)analysis. The changes of expression of NF-κBp65 in PBMC cellular nucleus in the 2 groups were detected by cell immunohistochemistry. Results The frequency of TT genetype and T allele in the APCI group was significantly higher than that in the ACI group (P<0.05). Analysis on the relative risk of allele frequency showed that patients with T allele had 1.622 times of risk in having APCI than patients with C allele; logistic regressive analysis indicated that NF-κB1 TT genotype was independently related to the attacking of APCI (OR=2.14, 95% CI: 2.654-8.296, P<0.05). The expressions of NF-κBp65 of PBMC cellular nucleus of TT genotypic individuals in APCI group were significantly higher than those in ACI group (P<0.05); logistic regressive analysis indicated that the expressions of NF-KBp65 in PBMC cellular nucleus of TT genotypic individuals were independently related to the attacking of APCI (OR=1.96; 95% CI: 2.267-7.691; P<0.05). Conclusion The NF-κB1 gene polymorphism might participate in the onset of APCI and T allele of NF-κB1 gene might be a genetic risk factor of getting APCI for Chinese Han populations in Qingdao district. The NF-κB1 T allele carrier might increase the happening of APCI through up regulating the expression of NF-kB1.

OBJECTIVETo explore etiology, clinical manifestation and immunological changes of infectious pneumonia of neonates in Chengdu area.

METHODSSerum specimens were collected from 111 infants with infectious pneumonia. Eight viral and mycoplasmal specific serum IgM antibodies were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); C reactive protein (CRP), total IgG and its subclasses, IgA and IgM were determined by rate scattered nephelometry; T lymphocyte subpopulations were detected by biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase method, and clinical and other laboratory data were analyzed.

RESULTS(1) Etiological agents: specific serum IgM antibodies were positive in 40 of 111 cases (36.0%) with pneumonias. All the 30 control infants were negative for the specific serum IgM antibodies. Among 111 infants with infectious pneumonia, 20.7% had single viral or mycoplasmal infection, 40.5% had bacterial infection, 15.3% had viral and mycoplasmal infection with bacterial infection; 23.4% had infection with unknown agents. (2) The most common clinical manifestations were tachypnea and cyanosis. The next were cough, milk choking, rales, retractions of the supraclavicular, intercostal and subcostal areas. Roentgenographic examination commonly revealed vague opacities, increased density and patchy infiltration. (3) Immune status: (1) CD(3), CD(4) cell counts of infants with pneumonias were lower than those of the controls while their serum IgA, IgM concentrations were higher than those of the control. (2) The CD(3) and CD(4) cell counts of the group with bacterial infection were lower than those of the control group. (3) The serum IgA concentration of the group with viral and mycoplasmal infection was higher than those of the control group and the group with unknown infection. (4) The serum IgM concentration of the group with bacterial infection was higher than those of the control group. (5) There were no significant differences in CD(8) cell counts, CD(4)/CD(8), concentration of serum IgG and IgG(1 - 4) between pneumonia group and the control group, and among various infectious groups and the control.

CONCLUSIONPathogens of neonatal infectious pneumonia in Chengdu area included single viral or mycoplasmic infection or bacterial infection, viral and mycoplasmal infection with bacterial infection, and unknown infection. Immunological changes of newborn infants suffered from infectious pneumonia included declined CD(3) and CD(4) cell counts, particularly in bacterial infection.

Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Bacterial Infections ; complications ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; immunology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; metabolism ; Virus Diseases ; complications