Humans ; Mercury ; blood ; urine ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; methods ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods

Arsenic ; urine ; Freeze Drying ; standards ; Humans ; Reference Standards ; Urinalysis ; methods ; standards

Traditional Chinese medicine Curcuma Zedoary ( E'Zhu) contains essential oil, curcuminoid and other effective constituents, with such pharmacological actions as anti-platelet aggregation, lowing blood lipid, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. In recent years, studies have showed that certain extracts and chemical components of E'Zhu could mitigate myocardial cell mitochondria injury and protect vascular endothelium by enhancing heme oxygenase-1 activity, inhibit nuclear factor NF-kappaB, target genes interleukin-associated kinase-1 (IRAK-1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-6 (TRAF-6) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), reduce inflammatory infiltration, and inhibit growth factor-induced smooth muscle cells (SMCs) proliferation and migration by impacting oxidation of cellular phosphatases. Due to its different functions in vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, E'Zhu has been applied in drug-eluting stents, with a potential effect in preventing in-stent restenosis and thrombogenesis. In this paper, studies on pharmacological effects and mechanisms of extracts and main chemical constituents from E'Zhu in preventing vascular restenosis were summarized.
Animals ; Constriction, Pathologic ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; Humans ; Stents

Objective To explore the mechanisms of integrin β1 on connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)-induced proliferation,migration,change of cytoskeleton of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell(PASMC) in vitro,and to investigate the effects of CTGF-integrin β1 signal pathway on pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).Methods Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of SD rats were cultured in vitro.WST-1 assay was used to detect the effects of anti-integrin β1 antibody on CTGF-induced proliferation of PASMC.Transwell chambers were used to observe the effects of anti-integrin β1 antibody on CTGF-induced migration of PASMC.The cytoskeletal rearrangement was observed with coomassie brilliant blue R250 staining and Confocal Lasar Scanning Microscopy (CLSM).Results Different concentration of anti-integrin β1 antibody could inhibit the proliferation of PASMC induced by CTGF,which presents concentration dependent pattern (P ＜ 0.05).The higher the concentration of anti-integrin β1 antibody,the more severity the proliferation of PASMC induced by CTGF was inhibited.and inhibition rate of PASMC proliferation was the highest at 72 hours.Anti-integrin β1 antibody(15 mg/L) decreased significantly the number of PASMC passing through Transwell induced by CTGF,compared with CTGF group (P ＜ 0.01).Meanwhile,antiintegrin β1 antibody could change cytoskeletal rearrangement of PASMC induced by CTGF.Conclusions Integrin β1mediates the proliferation,migration,cytoskeletal rearrangement of PASMC induced by CTGF.The CTGF-integrin β1signal pathway may play a key role in proliferation,migration,cytoskeletal rearrangement PASMC.

Objective To explore the exercise risk of urban residents aged18 to 65 years old.MethodsHealth screening and cardiovascular risk stratification were performed among adults18 to 65 years old in 2010by using exercise risk assessmentrecommendedbyAmerican College of Sports Medicine.Result A total of15 498 subjects were recruited 9293 males and 6205 females,mean age (44.8 ±11.1) years,8929(57.6％ ) in the lower risk group,5323(34.3％ ) in the moderate risk group,and 1246(8.1％ ) in the higher risk group.The proportion of those in the higher risk group was increased with age.Conclusion Risk assessment and Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaires should be used before physical activity programme is initiated,especially in middle aged or elderly people.

Objective Evaluate data of 1270 cases with free flap transplant,to find the problems in the process of operation,and then to analyse its causes and how to prevent and solve it,as well as providing reference for clinical colleagues. Methods To study 1270 cases of free flaps,musculocutaneous flap and perforator flap who was treated in our hospital from October 2000 to October 2010 retrospectively. A total of 722 cases of the group were followed-up 6 months to 5 years. To detective and search the problems and imperfection from designing,harvesting,tranfer,to the management and function of donor site after free flap transplantion.And also to analysis the couse of problems and operation failure,discuss the conclude of and to provide advisable measure. Results Total 1270 free flaps were transplanted successfully except 64 can-celled or failured for some reason, the success rate was 95.0％, the postopertive necrosis rate was 3.8％.Seventy-six cases were encountered vascular complications venous crisis in 42,arterial crisis in 38.Fifty-five cases were saved successfully without surgery,and 15 cases survived completely by vessel explorative operation. Five cases were partial necrosis and 7 cases necrosis. The rate of postoperative infection of emergency cases and chronic one were 4.7％ (682 cases)and 8.8％(588 cases) which show the infective incidence of latter was higher than former. In addition, there were many other problems were found such as distal flaps necrosis,contracture,deformation,impairment function of doner site,etc. Conclusion Preventing and management timely to vessle crisis is the key to flap suvive. The principle of dissecting flap should be followed strictly,and control the indications of modified processing during flap harvest,keep the proper flap tension were technical requirements in flap transplantion. Right way of donor site closed and management of insufficient timely were equally important to prevent and solve to complications and dysfunction.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of salidroside on hypoxia-induced apoptosis of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) in rats.

METHODSRat CCSMCs were cultured in vitro by the enzyme digestion method and identified by immunofluorescent staining of anti-alpha-SMA and anti-Desmin. The non-toxic dose of salidroside was determined by MTT assay. Low-oxygen mixed gas (1% O2, 5% CO2, and 94% N2) was piped into a modular incubator chamber to induce hypoxia. The CCSMCs were divided into a normal, a hypoxia, and a 32 microg/mL salidroside intervention group. The apoptosis of the CCSMCs was detected by flow cytometry and the expression of the caspase-3 protein determined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe majority of the CCSMCs were positive for alpha-SMA and Desmin at immunofluorescent staining. Salidroside at < 32 microg/ml produced no obvious toxicity to CCSMCs. Compared with the normal control group, the rates of early and late apoptosis of CCSMCs were both increased significantly in the hypoxia group ([12.77 +/-1.41]% vs [18.69 +/- 1.29]%, P < 0.01 and [14.63 +/- 2.00]% vs [21.03 +/- 1.530]% , P < 0.05). Western blot showed a markedly increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01). Intervention with 32 microg/ml salidroside significantly reduced hypoxia-induced early apoptosis of CCSMCs ([13.46% +/- 1.87]%, P < 0.01) and decreased the expression of cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSalidroside can reduce the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis of CCSMCs in rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Penis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Phenols ; pharmacology ; Rats

AIM: To explore the localization and expression of transfo rming grow th factor-? 1,2 (TGF-? 1,2 ) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (?- ASMA) in fetal a nd adult skins. METHODS: Skins of 15 cases of fetuses with different gestational ages and 5 cases of adults were taken, embedded with paraffin wax, and sectione d. Immunohistochemistry method and pathological method were used to detect the e xpression intensity and distribution of TGF-? 1,2 and ?-ASMA. RESULTS: Positive immunohistochemical signals of TGF-? 1,2 and ?-A SMA were found in fetal and adult skins. In skins derived from young fet us, the positive signals of these three proteins were very weak. Along with the incr ement in gestational age, the positive cellular rates of TGF-? 1,2 and ?- ASMA were elevated pro gressively. In elder fetal and adult skins, TGF-? 1,2 were mostly distributed i n epidermal cells, endothelial cells and some fibroblasts, while ?-ASMA was mainly located in myofibroblasts and sweat gland epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: The endo genous TGF-? 1,2 might be involved in the cutaneous development at embryoni c stage, in the cutaneous structure maintenance at adult stage, and in the wound healing af ter injury.

Objective To explore the protective effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4I) on AD-like neurodegenerative changes and its mechanism. Methods The human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y on the logarithmic phase was divided into six groups:control group (CON group, treated with PBS contained 1‰DMSO for 12 h), wortmannin intervention group (W group, treated with 0.03 μmol/L wortmannin for 12 h), DPP-4I intervention group (DPP-4I group, treated with 10μmol/L DPP-4I for 12 h), both DPP-4I and wortmannin intervention group (DPP-4I+W group, pre-treated with 10 μmol/L DPP-4I for 2 h, then 0.03 μmol/L wortmannin for 12 h), DPP-4I, wortmannin and Ex9-39 intervention group (DPP-4I+W+Ex9-39 group, pre-treated with 10μmol/L Ex9-39 for 2 h, then 10μmol/L DPP-4I for 2 h followed by 0.03μmol/L wortmannin for 12 h), and Ex9-39 intervention group (Ex9-39 group, treated with 10μmol/L Ex9-39 for 12 h). MTT assay was used to detect the cell vitality. Western blot assay was used to detect the level of total tau protein (tau-5) and phosphorylated tau at different sites (pSpS199/202, pT231 and pS396), the level of phosphorylated neurofilaments (NF-H, NF-M) and phosphorylation of critical enzyme in PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway. Results (1) The cell vitality decreased, the levels of pSpS199/202, pT231, pS396 and NF-H/M increased significantly in W group than those in CON group. However, comparing with CON group, the above mentioned parameters reversed in DPP-4I group. Comparing with W group, the cell vitality increased and phosphorylated levels of above mentioned indices were decreased in DPP-4I+W group. (2) The cell vitality showed a decline trend while the levels of phosphorylation tau at three different sites and NF-H/M were higher in Ex9-39 group than those in CON group. Comparing with DPP-4I+W group, the results of the phosphorylated levels showed the same changes in DPP-4I+W+Ex9-39 group. (3) Comparing with CON group, the expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K, Akt and GSK3β increased significantly in DPP-4I group, while those decreased in W group. Additionally, the expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K, Akt and GSK3β were significantly increased in DPP-4I+W group than those in W group. Conclusion DPP-4I can enhance the level of GLP-1 and activate PI3K/Akt/GSK-3βinsulin signaling pathway to improve the hyperphosphorylated tau and NFs induced by wortmannin, and to protect AD-like neurodegeneration.

Human acute premyeloid leukemia cell cDNA expression library was constructed to screen acute premyeloid leukemia tumor antigen. Total RNA and purified mRNA were extracted from human premyeloid cell line NB4. First and second strands of cDNA were synthesized by reverse transcription. After blunting, the cDNA fragments were ligated with EcoR I adapters. Then the cDNAs were digested with Xho I, and less than 400 bp cDNA fragment was removed by Sephacryl-S400 spin column, the remaining were ligated with lambdaZAP vector. The recombinants were packaged in vitro, and a small portion of packaged phage was used to infect E. coli XL1-Blue-MRF' for titration. The recombinants were examined by color selection. In order to evaluate the size of cDNA inserts and the diversity of library, the pBK-CMV phagemid was excised from the ZAP express vector by using ExAssist helper phage with XLOLR strain, and then the pBK-CMV phagemid was digested by Xho I and EcoR I. The results showed that the NB4 cell line cDNA library consisting of 1.65 x 10(6) recombinant bacteriophages was constructed with the recombinant ratio of 99.6%. The average length of the recombinant exogenous inserts was about 1.7 kb. It was concluded that the constructed cDNA library are deserved to screen target clones.
Bacteriophages/genetics ; DNA, Complementary/*biosynthesis ; *DNA, Neoplasm/biosynthesis ; DNA, Recombinant/biosynthesis ; *Gene Library ; Genetic Vectors ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/*genetics ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/metabolism ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/pathology ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase/metabolism ; Transcription, Genetic/genetics