Objective To investigate the changes of plasma adrenodullin(ADM) and C-type natriuretic peptide(CNP) level in children with chronic heart failure(CHF) and its clinical implications.Methods Forty-two children with CHF were collected.The patients suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy,congenital heart defects,and other heart diseases.According to a modified scoring system described by Ross and Reithman,16 patients were classified as class Ⅱ,14 as class Ⅲ,and 12 as class Ⅳ.Plasma levels of ADM and CNP were measured by radioimmunoassay assay in these patients and 11 healthy children.Echocardiography was performed to measure left ventricular function and the ratio of E/A.Results Plasma ADM and CNP levels of CHF patients were significantly elevated as compared with those of the control subjects [(218.27?106.53) ng/L vs(74.39?53.99) ng/L,P=0;(190.27?108.38) ng/L vs(92.59?(59.46) ng/L),P0.05).ADM levels were elevated with the advancing severity of CHF determined by a modified scoring system described by Ross.However,the plasma CNP levels in the normal state wasn′t significantly different from those observed in class Ⅱ.Likewise,the plasma CNP level in the class Ⅲ was not significantly different from that observed in class Ⅱ.Conclusions ADM and CNP might play a compensatory and defensive roles in the pathophysiology of the pediatric CHF.ADM may be a biochemical marker for evaluation the severity of the chronic heart failure in children,but also a new prognostic indicator of this syndrome.

Aluminum ; toxicity ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the mucosal immune mechanism of anti-tumor action of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP).

METHODSThe concentration of H22 cells in suspension were adjusted to 1 x 10(9)/ L, and 0.2 mL of the cell suspension was injected subcutaneously in the right oxter of Kunming mice. Then the H22 bearing mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: the GLP group, the Cytoxan (CTX) group, the CTX + GLP group and the untreated model group, 8 mice in each group. Besides, a blank control group was set up. Starting from the 2nd day of modeling, GLP, at the dose of 1.02 g/kg was given to GLP group and GLP + CTX group by gastrogavage once a day for 12 successive days; CTX at the dose of 100 mg/kg was administered via peritoneal injection to the CTX group and the GLP + CTX group on the 1st day and the 6th day of the experimental course; but to the model group and the blank group, only equal volume of distilled water was given. All mice were sacrificed on the 14th day, the ileum at 1 cm upper to cecum was taken, through 4% paraform fixation and paraffin section, it was used for immunohistochemical detecting expressions of immunoglobulin A (IgA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in ileum. Besides, the lymphocyte subsets in the intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL), lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL), and Peyer's patch lymphocytes (PPL) were analyzed by immune fluorescence technique and flow cytometry.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, the phenotype of lymphocytes and the expression of cytokines in ileum in the model group changed significantly; and the phenotype was variant in different regions. Compared with the model group, both indexes were adjusted in the GLP, CTX and GLP + CTX group to different degrees.

CONCLUSIONThe adjustment of GLP on intestinal mucosal immune is probably another path for its anti-tumor action.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Immunoglobulin A ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Reishi ; chemistry ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

To investigate the effect of NVP-DPP728, a DPP-Ⅳ inhibitor on new-onset diabetes and the autoimmune response in non-obese diabetic ( NOD ) mice. Diabetes could be reversed in 75% of NVP-DPP728 treated 20 NOD mice. In these 15 mice with remission, insulitis scores were significantly lower than those of the control group. The percentage of Tregs was increased in the thymus and celiac lymph nodes, plasma TGF-β1 and GLP-1 were also significantly increased ( P＜0. 01 ). NVP-DPP728 treatment may reverse new-onset diabetes in NOD mice by reducing insulitis and increasing Tregs.

Objective To understand the current situation of iodine deficient disorder(IDD) 10 years after achieving the stage goal of eliminating IDD in Longyan city and to evaluate the effect of prevention and treatment measures, and to provide the basis for the development of control strategies. Methods There were 7 counties in the city, and each county(city, district) was as a unit to carry out the inspection for organization and leadership,iodine salt management, monitoring and control, health education (referred to as the four management indicators)according to "The County-Level Assessment and Evaluation Implementation Detailed Rules of Realizing the Goal to Eliminate IDD in Fujian Province". According to the east, west, south, north and middle positions in each county,a village and a primary school were selected. Forty 8 to 10 year-old students in each school were randomly selected to check thyroid and among them 20 students were collected urine samples to determine urinary iodine. Nine townships were selected in the 7 counties of the city and among which 4 administrative villages were selected in each township. Eight edible salt samples from each household in each administrative village were collected to test salt iodine. Goiter was examined by palpation, the level of urinary iodine was examined by arsenic and cerium spectrophotometry, salt iodine was detected by direct titration. Results The average score of the four management indicators was 94.1 in Longyan city. The adjusted goiter rate of children aged 8 - 10 years old was 1.9%. The median of urinary iodine was 278.6 μg/L, among which less than 100 μg/L accounted for 4.57%(32/700), 100 -＜ 200 μg/L accounted for 24.00%(168/700), 200 - ＜ 300 μg/L accounted for 25.29%(177/700), and higher than 300 μg/L accounted for 46.14%(323/700). The using rate of qualified iodized salt was 98.86%. The coverage rate of iodized salt was 99.50%, the qualified rate of iodized salt was 99.35%, and the rate of non-iodized salt was 0.50%. All the indicators had reached the national standard to eliminate IDD. Conclusions After achieving the stage goal of eliminating IDD, the disease is stable and the effect of control measures are significantly. But the iodine provided has a trend of more than suitable. Therefore, it is reasonable to reduce the current salt iodine content.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Guizhi Decoction (GZD) on immunological indexes in intestinal mucosal immune system of mice with Bi syndrome (collagen induced immune arthritis).

METHODSEighty male DBA mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, the normal group, the model group and the high and low dosage GZD groups. Model of Bi syndrome was induced by collagen type II. CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocytes and SIgA in mice' small intestine and PP node were labeled by immunohistochemical staining and their number was calculated using imaging analyzer.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, in the model group, after immunization with collagen type II, numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes and SIgA in mice' intestinal mucosal immune system reduced significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). After treatment with GZD of both high and low dosage, CD4+ T-lymphocytes and SIgA increased significantly, but significant difference only showed in comparison between the high dosage GZD group and the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONGZD could enhance the immune function in intestinal mucosa in mice with Bi syndrome, thus it might induce immune tolerance and immune inhibition.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; immunology ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; immunology ; Intestinal Mucosa ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred DBA ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation

Objective To understand the current situation of iodine deficiency diserders(IDD) in Longyan City and to evaluate the effect of prevention and control measures of IDD in order to provide evidence for formulating prevention and control tactics. Methods During the year of 2006 and 2007, the 30 primary schools were screened by population proportion survey(PPS) from the 7 counties of Longyan City. Forty children aged 8-10 years in each school were randomly selected as a group to examine thyroid, and 7 children in each group were selected to measure the urine iodine and the salt iodine at the same time. The goiter rote, the median urinary iodine, the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt, the iodine salt coverage rate, the rate of qualified iodized salt and the non-iodized rate were detected. Results The goiter rate of children aged 8-10 years old in Longyan City was 0.94%(79/8438). The median urinary iodine was 259.12 μg/L. The consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 97.86% (1462/1494). The iodine salt coverage rate was 99.46%(1486/1494). The rate of qualified iodized salt was 98.38 (1462/1486), and the non-iodized rate was 0.54% (8/1494). Conclusions All indicators have reached the national standard of eliminating IDD in Longyan City.

To study the effect of pulchinenoside (PULC) on the Frizzled (FZD) expression of adjuvant arthritis ( AA) rats. AA rats were prepared through the toe injection with complete Freund's adjuvant to culture fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The effect of the oral administration with PULC on the FZD8 expression was detected by the real time qPCR. The effect of FZD8 knockout on the expressions of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 were detected by MTT and ELISA. The role of miR-375 in the abnomal expression of FZD8 was detected by the real time qPCR. The results showed signfiicant decrease in the FZD8 expression among AA rats, FLS proliferation ater FZD8 knockout and IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 expressions and notable increase in miR-375 expression after the oral administration with PULC. The up-regulated miR-375 expression can inhibit the FZD8 expression. PULC may inhibit the FZD8 expression by up-regulating the miR-375 expression.
Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; administration & dosage

Objective:Primary gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PGLBCL) is a highly common subtype of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We analyzed the disease's clinical features and prognosis to guide better treatment. Methods:We retrospectively collect-ed data from PGLBCL cases seen from January 1999 to March 2012 in one cancer center. We then analyzed the demographic character-istics, clinical stage, histological diagnosis, complications, treatment, and prognostic characteristics of such patients. Results:A total of 126 patients with median age of 49 years old (range:16-81 years) were included in the study. The male-to-female ratio was 68:58. A to-tal of 96 patients were pathologically diagnosed with pure diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 27 with mucosa-assouated lymphoid (MALT) component, and 3 with plasmacytoid differentiation. Meanwhile, 90%of the patients were in the early stage of the disease. For the early-stage patients, treatment strategy included surgery+chemotherapy ± radiotherapy for 38 cases, chemoradiotherapy for 39 cases, chemotherapy alone for 37 cases, and surgery alone for 1 case. Under a median follow up of 48 months, the 4-year progres-sion free survival (PFS) and overall ourvival (OS) rate of the whole group were 75.6%and 82.7%, respectively. PFS rates for early and advanced stage patients were 77%and 41.7%(P=0.005), respectively. For the early-stage patients treated with chemotherapy alone, chemoradiotherapy, and surgery with therapy, the PFS rates were 67.3%, 77.8%, and 77.8%(P=0.588), respectively. The patients with international prognostic index (IPI) score of 0, 1, and>1 achieved PFS of 85.4%, 74.4%, and 55.6%(P=0.011), respectively. The PFS rates were 81.2%and 66.1%(P=0.018) for stagesⅠandⅡ, respectively, and 86.6%and 63.3%(P=0.006) for the normal and elevated LDH levels, respectively. The pathological type of pure DLBCL or a MALT component, GCB or non-GCB origin, and age more than 60 years old were not associated with prognosis. Conclusion:The majority of the PGLBCL patients were in the early stage of disease, but the outcome of early-stage disease was favorable. Surgery did not improve outcomes. Univariate analysis demonstrated that IPI score>1, stageⅡdisease, and elevated LDH levels were associated with poor prognosis in the early-stage patient.

The role of pulchinenoside (PULC) in the regulation of MeCP2 expression was investigated in RA model rats. Adjuvant arthritis rats were used as RA model rats, and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from the RA model rats were cultured. The effect of 100 mg x kg(-1) PULC gavage treatment on the MeCP2 expression and the effect of MeCP2 siRNA on the expression of SFRP2 and β-catenin were detected by real time qPCR and Western blotting. The role of PULC in the FLS proliferation was detected by MTT. The results showed that the MeCP2 expression was down-regulated, the SFRP2 expression was up-regulated and the FLS proliferation was inhibited in FLS after therapy. MeCP2 siRNA significantly inhibited the MeCP2 expression, up-regulated the SFRP2 expression and inhibited the β-catenin expression in FLS from RA model rats. PULC may increase the SFRP2 expression, inhibit the Wnt signaling and inhibit the FLS proliferation in FLS from the RA model rats by inhibiting the MeCP2 expression.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Synovial Membrane ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; drug effects ; beta Catenin ; genetics ; metabolism