Cellular autophagy is a major degradative pathway for clearance of aggregate-prone proteins and damaged organelles. It plays an important role in regulating cellular homeostasis, cell growth and development, and disease development. Dysfunctional autophagy contributes to the pathology of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, in which specific pathological protein accumulation occurs. A growing body of evidence suggests that resveratrol plays a significantly role in the regulation of autophagy and clearance of pathological proteins. Resveratrol is a potential drug for neurodegenerative diseases therapy. This review focuses on the effects of resveratrol on cellular autophagy and clinical application in the control of neurodegenerative diseases.
Alzheimer Disease ; Autophagy ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; drug therapy ; Parkinson Disease ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology

Cellular autophagy is a major degradative pathway for clearance of aggregate-prone proteins and damaged organelles. It plays an important role in regulating cellular homeostasis, cell growth and development, and disease development. Dysfunctional autophagy contributes to the pathology of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, in which specific pathological protein accumulation occurs. A growing body of evidence suggests that resveratrol plays a significantly role in the regulation of autophagy and clearance of pathological proteins. Resveratrol is a potential drug for neurodegenerative diseases therapy. This review focuses on the effects of resveratrol on cellular autophagy and clinical application in the control of neurodegenerative diseases.

OBJECTIVEThis study examined the changes of serum levels of interleukin 12 ( IL-12), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta 1) and immunoglobulin E ( IgE) in children with asthma as well as the correlation of IL-12 and TGFbeta 1 with IgE in order to investigate their roles in asthma.

METHODSSerum levels of IL-12 , TGFbeta 1 and IgE were detected using ELISA in 85 asthmatic children at the acute and the remission stages. Thirty healthy children served as control group.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, serum IL-12 and TGFbeta 1 levels were significantly lower and serum IgE levels were significantly higher in the asthmatic group through the acute to the remission stages. Serum IL-12 and TGFbeta 1 levels (40.42+/-15.26 ng/L and 65.41+/-22.38 pg/mL) significantly increased in the asthmatic group at the remission stage compared with those at the acute stage (28.42+/-10.73 ng/L and 40.25+/-11.73 pg/mL) (P<0.01), but remained lower levels than those in the control group (67.42+/-20.58 ng/L and 178.54+/-90.56 pg/mL) (P<0.01). The asthmatic patients at the remission stage showed significantly decreased serum IgE levels (145.67 +/-51.25 IU/mL) compared with those at the acute stage (280.35 +/-80.54 IU/mL) (P<0.01), but the IgE level in the remission stage was obviously higher than in the control group (53.61+/-13.32 IU/mL) (P<0.01). Serum IL-12 and TGFbeta 1 levels were negatively correlated with serum IgE level in asthmatic children.

CONCLUSIONSThere might be an imbalance in serum IL-12, TGFbeta 1 and IgE levels in asthmatic children. IL-12, TGFbeta 1 and IgE may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. They may be useful in the diagnosis and severity evaluation of asthma.

Asthma ; etiology ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Male ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood

OBJECTIVETo discuss the changes in Wnt pathway inhibiting factors in esophageal precancerosis lesions induced by methyl benzyl nitrosamine (MBNA) and the effect of Gexia Zhuyu decoction.

METHODWistar rats were subcutaneously injected with MBNA (3.5 mg x kg(-1) for twice per week to establish the model. Since the 1st day after the model establishment, they were orally administered with Gexia Zhuyu decoction (16, 8 mg x kg(-1)). At the 10th week, esophageal tissues were collected to observe the pathological changes of esophageal mucosa, detect SFRP1, sFRP4, Axin1, Axin2 and GSK-3β mRNA levels.by fluorescent quantitation PCR analysis and β-catenin protein level by Western blotting.

RESULTBeing induced by MBNA, rats in the model group showed slight atypical hyperplasia in the histopathological examination. Compared with the normal group, Gexia Zhuyu decoction dose high and low groups showed no significant pathomorphological and histological changes. The model group showed lower gene transcription levels of esophageal tissues sFRP1, sFRP4, Axin1 and Axin2 (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and higher β-catenin protein expression level (P < 0.01) than the normal control group. The Gexia Zhuyu decoction low dose group showed higher gene transcription levels of esophageal tissues sFRP1, sFRP4, Axin1 and Axin2 (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and lower β-catenin protein expression level (P < 0.01) than the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONUp-regulated β-catenin protein level and down-regulated Wnt pathway could enhance Wnt pathway activity of MBNA-induced esophageal precancerous lesions. Gexia Zhuyu decoction could down-regulate the β-catenin protein level and up-regulate the transcription level of Wnt pathway inhibiting factors, but could not block MBNA-induced esophageal precancerosis lesions.

Animals ; Axin Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Esophageal Diseases ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Nitrosamines ; adverse effects ; Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Wnt Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; drug effects

'Bronze teeth' reflect the mechanical properties of natural teeth to a certain extent. Their mechanical properties resemble those of a tough metal, and the gradient of these properties lies in the direction from outside to inside. These attributes confer human teeth with effective mastication ability. Understanding the various mechanical properties of human teeth and dental materials is the basis for the development of restorative materials. In this study, the elastic properties, dynamic mechanical properties (visco-elasticity) and fracture mechanical properties of enamel and dentin were reviewed to provide a more thorough understanding of the mechanical properties of human teeth.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Dental Enamel ; physiopathology ; Dentin ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Mastication ; Tooth ; physiopathology

Objective To analyze the complications due to CT-guided transthoracic aspiration biopsy for pulmonary lesions and discuss the role of puncture skill for reducing the complications.Methods CT- guided transthoracic aspiration biopsy was performed in 116 patients with intrapulmonary parenchymal occupied lesions from June 2006 to June 2007 in our hospital.The complications and the whole process of puncture were analyzed to obtain the experience for reducing the occurrence of complications.Results CT-guided transthoracic aspiration biopsy was succeeded in all 116 cases.The major complications included pneumothorax (15.51%),puncture tract hemorrhage(10.34%),hemoptysis(4.31%)and others(1.72%).Only 1 case of pneumothorax was treated by closed thoracic drainage and no specific treatment for others.Conclusion CT- guided transthoracic aspiration biopsy for pulmonary lesions is an efficient and safe diagnostic modality.The criteria for reducing the complications are associated with accurate localization,the correct breath training and evaluation of lesion before the operation.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:847-849)

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between alcohol intake and traditional Chinese medicine Syndrome type in patients with cardio-cerebral diseases.

METHODSStudy was conducted in 1013 selected inpatients with myocardial infarction (MI) or/and cerebral infarction (CI) by logistic multivariate regression analysis and comparison among groups.

RESULTSThe scores of blood stasis syndrome showed a decreasing tendency along the increasing of alcohol intake, but it cannot prove that taking alcohol could prevent blood stasis. The scores of dampness-heat syndrome increased in patients who had chronically taken alcohol in large dose.

CONCLUSIONDampness-heat syndrome induced by alcohol is one of the basic mechanisms of cardio-cerebral diseases. Alcohol intake should be restricted.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Cerebral Infarction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Currently, the herbal prescription therapy for corresponding constitutional diseases is a common constitution regulating method. This method has an obvious effect in treating and regulating constitution-related diseases. However, for people who do not have disease, they prefer to regulate constitution with dietary therapy. In this paper, the researchers came up with a design method of constitution regulating and healthcare foods based on medicinal property combination mode of clinical empirical formulas. With "Yupinfeng San", a common formula for Qi-insufficiency constitution and specific endowment constitution, as the example for constitution regulating and healthcare foods, the researchers proved the effectiveness and rationality of healthcare food schemes in terms of the efficacy of single herb and the modern pharmacological study.
Diet ; Diet Therapy ; Humans ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Prescriptions

Humans ; Tuberculosis ; Vocal Cord Paralysis ; surgery ; Vocal Cords

Objective To explore the growth and developmental parameters and behavioral characteristics of rhesus monkeys during the first year of birth and to establish the background data.Methods A total of 18 (♂=11,♀=7 ) infant rhesus monkeys born from individually caged mothers and with known genetic background and postnatal days were monitored monthly for body weight, body height, head circumference, chest circumference, forelimb length, hind limb length, crown-rump length, tail length and anal-genital distance from postnatal day ( PND) 1 to 360, while hematology, blood chemistry and lymphocyte subsets were examined on PND 28, 175 and 360, and finger maze test was carried out on PND 208.Results The body weight showed linear growth with no significant difference between genders (P>0.05). Except for the anal-genital distance of male infants was significantly greater than that of female infants ( P<0.01 ) , no significant differences were observed between sexes in other morphological parameters.No significant differences of hematology were seen between genders (P >0.05).Compared with that at PND28, TP and BUN were significantly increased (P<0.01) while ALP decreased with no significant difference (P>0.05) at PND 175 and 360.Compared with that at PND28, CD4 +and CD4 +/CD8 +were significantly decreased ( P<0.01) while CD8+significantly increased ( P<0.01) at PND175 and 360.The number of sessions to solve task 2 in learning test was significantly greater than other tasks with females significantly less than males ( P<0.05) .The females had higher correct rate than males in the 2-day random memory test (P<0.05).Conclusions Body weight and morphological parameters show a linear growth.The PND.The RBC, HGB, LYMPH, TP, BUN, ALP, CD4 +, CD8 +and CD4 +/CD8+in hematology, blood chemistry and lymphocyte subsets show relevant changes to the growth and development of organs and systems in infants, which should be highly concerned in drug evaluation.The finger maze test indicates that female infants have better reversal learning and long-term memory than male infants.Background data and behavioral characteristics of infant rhesus monkeys during the first 12 months of birth are established in this study, which provide useful reference and support the evaluation of developmental and reproductive toxicity of drugs in rhesus monkeys.