Objective:To study the mechanisms of neutrophil elastase (NE) induced expression of respiratory mucin MUC5AC. Methods:Using gene recombination techniques,four luciferase reporter gene plasmids containing different length of human MUC5AC gene promoter were constructed.Site-directed mutagenesis technique was used to establish mutants of Sp-l and NF-?B site in MUC5AC gene promoter; the relative luciferase activities were detected in the transfected human pulmonary A549 cells. Results:Series of luciferase reporter gene containing different sequences of human MUC5AC promotor were constructed successfully.NE could increase the expression of luciferase reporter gene plasmid containing -1300bp,-689bp and-324bp version of MUC5AC promoter in the transfected A549 cells (P

Melanin is formed by oxidative polymerization of phenolic compounds,basically different kinds of melanin come from different organisms.DOPA melanin and DHN melanin have same physical and chemical characters although they have different biosynthetic pathway.DHN melanin is common in plant fungi and plays an important role on infection.The melanin accumulates in the fungal cell walls and prevents organic and inorganic molecules penetrating out,that insures appressorium's pressure and infection ability.This paper has reviewed the kinds and characters,especially discussed the role of melanin during pathogen infection based on our some research.

Objective To investigate the effect of Hedysarum Polybotys saccharide(HPS)on insulin resistance rats.Methods The model of type 2 diabetic-insulin resistance rat was successfully made by STZ and high caloric diet.Then the rats were intervene by Metformin(MT)and HPS.Results Compared with the model group,the level of blood glucose,INS and CP were lowered,ISI were improved and FFA were restrained by HPS.Conc(?)sion HPS can reduce the insulin resistance in multiple ways.

Aneurysm, Dissecting ; etiology ; Aortic Aneurysm ; complications ; Aortic Rupture ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Ventricular Septum

Objective To investigate the protective effect of genistein on endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in rats,and explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups: saline control(S), genistein alone(G),lipopolysaccaride(LPS) alone(L),and genistein pretreatment(G+L).Each treatment group consisted of eight animals.Animals were observed for 6h after LPS challenge,and the wet/dry(W/D) weight ratio of the lung and the protein contents of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were used as indexes of lung injury.Neutrophil recruitment and activation were evaluated by BALF cellularity and myeloperoxidase(MPO) activity.RT-PCR analysis was performed with lung tissue to assess the gene expression of ICAM-1.The histopathologic changes were also observed using the H&E stains of lung tissue.Results Lung injury parameters,including the wet/dry weight ratio and protein content in BALF,were significantly higher in the L group than in the S group(P

Objective To study the prospective memory and the severity of the impairment of event- based prospective memory(EBPM)and time-based prospective memory(TBPM)in normally aging adults. Methods We set a neuropsychological battery to measure the education-matched 40 adults and 40 normally aging adults who were given EBPM and TBPM tasks.Results Compared with the young controls(EBPM, 6.25?1.60;TBPM,5.38?0.87),both EBPM(2.50?0.85)and TBPM(4.93?1.07)in the elderly had been impaired,especially EBPM(t = 13.117,P

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of transumbilical single-site single-port with that of transumbilical single-site double-port laparoscopic varicocelectomy in the treatment of varicocele in adolescents.

METHODSWe randomly assigned 80 varicocele patients aged 10 - 16 years to two groups of equal number to receive transumbilical single-site single-port and single-site double-port laparoscopic varicocelectomy, respectively. We compared the operation time, postoperative hospital stay, incisional pain, complications and satisfaction with the abdominal cosmetic outcomes between the two groups.

RESULTSAll the operations were successfully performed. The double-port group showed a significantly higher score on the Visual Analogue Scale than the single-port group (4.8 +/- 1.4 vs 3.6 +/- 1.1, t = -4.986, P < 0.01), but there were no significant differences between the two groups in the operation time ([29.8 +/- 4.2] vs [31.2 +/- 4.6] min, t = 1.383, P = 0.171), postoperative hospital stay ([1.95 +/- 0.7] vs [1.82 +/- 0.8] d, t = -0.784, P = 0.436), complications (0 vs 0) and scores on the satisfaction with abdominal cosmetic outcomes (4.6 +/- 0.6 vs 4.8 +/- 0.5, t = 1.253, P = 0.214). No recurrence, umbilical hernia, hydrocele and orchiatrophy were found in the two groups of patients at 6 months after operation, and no visible scar was observed on the abdominal surface.

CONCLUSIONWith strict surgical indications, single-site single-port and single-site double-port laparoscopic varicocelectomies have similar clinical effects in the treatment of varicocele, which leave no scar on the abdominal surface. Single-site double-port laparoscopy needs no special instruments and therefore is worthier of wide clinical application.

Adolescent ; Child ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Operative Time ; Umbilicus ; surgery ; Varicocele ; surgery

BACKGROUNDMitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to demonstrate mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS using a lactate stress test and to examine the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction with motor deterioration.

METHODSWe enrolled 116 patients and observed clinical variables, including the survival state.

RESULTSPatients with a rapid slope of revised ALS functional rating scales (ALSFRS-r) (>20 U/year) exhibited the slowest elimination rate (median -4.67 × 10-3 mmol·L-1·min-1 , coefficient of variation, 590.15%), the shortest duration (0.63 ± 0.28 years) and the worst ALSFRS-r (32.59 ± 4.93). Patients with a moderate slope of ALSFRS-r (10-20 U/year) showed a moderate elimination rate (median -11.33 × 10-3 mmol·L-1·min-1 , coefficient of variation, 309.89%), duration (1.16 ± 0.45 years), and ALSFRS-r (34.83 ± 6.11). The slower progressing (<10 U/year group) patients exhibited a rapid elimination rate (median: -12.00 × 10-3 mmol·L-1·min-1 , coefficient of variation: 143.08%), longer duration (median: 3 years, coefficient of variation: 193.33%), and adequate ALSFRS-r values (39.58 ± 9.44). Advanced-phase ALS patients also showed slower elimination rate (ER, quartiles -17.33, -5.67, 4.00) and worse ALSFRS-r (34.88 ± 9.27), while early-phase patients showed a more rapid ER (quartiles -25.17, -11.33, -3.50) and better ALSFRS-r (39.28 ± 7.59). These differences were statistically significant. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed strong direct associations among ER, ALSFRS-r slope (standard beta = 0.33, P = 0.007), and forced vital capacity (predict %) (standard beta = -0.458, P = 0.006, adjusted for ALSFRS-r, course and onset region). However, the data obtained from 3 years of follow-up showed no statistically significant difference in the survival rates between the most rapid and slowest ER groups.

CONCLUSIONThere is a potential linear relationship between ER and motor deterioration in ALS. Slower ER might be associated with faster disease progression.

Adult ; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; blood ; mortality ; pathology ; Analysis of Variance ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lactic Acid ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Water soluble extract (WSE) is an important index for the quality evaluation of Astragali Radix (AR). In this study, the WSE of the wild AR from Shanxi province (SX) and the cultivated AR from Gansu Province (GS) were compared. The WSEs of two types of AR were determined according to the appendix of Chinese pharmacopoeia. Then the WSEs were subjected to NMR analysis, and the obtained data were analyzed using HCA, PCA, OPLS-DA, microarray analysis, and Spearman rank analysis. In addition, the Pearson correlation of differential metabolites were also calculated. The results showed that the WSE content of GS-AR (37.80%) was higher than that of SX-AR (32.13%). The main constituent of WSE was sucrose, and other 18 compounds, including amino acids, organic acids, were also detected. Multivariate analysis revealed that SX-AR contained more choline, succinic acid, citric acid, glutamate, taurine and aspartate, while GS samples contained more sucrose, arginine and fumaric acid. In addition, the Pearson correlations between different metabolites of the two types of AR also showed apparent differences. The results suggested that the WSE of two types of AR differs not only in the content, but also in the chemical compositions. Thus, the cultivation way is important to the quality of AR. This study supplied a new method for the comparison of extract of herbal drugs.
Arginine ; analysis ; Aspartic Acid ; analysis ; Choline ; analysis ; Citric Acid ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Fumarates ; analysis ; Glutamic Acid ; analysis ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phylogeography ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Succinic Acid ; analysis ; Sucrose ; analysis ; Taurine ; analysis

Objective To investigate the protective effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on caecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods A total of 260 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) were randomly divided into 6 groups:normal control group,sham group,CLP model group,the large dose rHuEPO (5000 U/kg)group,the middle dose rHuEPO (1000 U/kg) group,and the small dose rHuEPO (500 U/kg) group.The rat models of sepsis were established by CLP.In treatment groups,rats were treated with rHuEPO through caudalis injection after CLP surgery.Each group was divided into 2-,6-,12-,24-,36-hour subgroups with 10 rats.Rats were sacrificed and the tissue samples including kidney and blood samples were collected.The kidney function,plasma cytokines [interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)],kidney injury moleclue 1 (KIM-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)were measured.Cytokines were determined by ELISA method.The expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) protein in kidneys were detected by immnunohistochemistry method.Pathological changes of kidney tissues were observed by light and transmission electron microscopy for cytokine content and apoptosis.Results Compared with CLP model group,renal function,the levels of TNF-α,IL-6,KIM-1 and iNOS in serum,the expression of NF-κB,significantly decresed in large dose rHuEPO group (all P ＜ 0.05).rHuEPO also lessened the histological changes in large dose group.rHuEPO did not lessen the histological changes in others.Conclusion rHuEPO can inhibit the levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and iNOS in serum,thus modify the inflammatory response and provide protective effects against acute kidney injury induced by sepsis.