Objective To characterize the expression of surfactant protein A (SP-A) in normal and acute pyelonephritic rat kidneys and to study the correlation of infection and inflammation with SP-A expression. Methods Twenty-one rats were randomly assigned into three groups: control, sham operation and pyelonephritic group. HE staining was used to determine tubulointerstitial inflammation. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to determine the mRNA expression and protein level of SP-A. Immunohistochemical staining was used to label the localization and intensity of SP-A expression in kidney tissue. The correlation between intensity of SP-A expression and interstitial inflammation was also evaluated. Results In pyelonephritic group, tubulointerstitial inflammation was more prominent than that in control and sham groups (54.3?11.5,6.4?1.4, 8.6?1.9,respectively). RT-PCR and Western blotting revealed that SP-A expression was up-regulated in pyelonephritic group (in mRNA level: 2.2+0.58, 0.9?0.25, 1.1? 0.30; in protein level: 0.45?0.09, 0.24?0.05, 0.26?0.05, respectively). Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that SP-A expression was mainly localized on epithelial cells in outer medullary and collecting tubules in normal group and sham group, but strong staining extended to collecting tubules in pyelonephritic group. The tubulointerstitial inflammation score was positively correlated with the intensity of SP-A expression (r=0.67,P

Animals ; Arsenic ; toxicity ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects

The Rhei Radix et Rhizoma was one of the most widely used traditional Chinese medicine for its special biological activities. The content of rhein, one of its major compounds, was an important standard for the quantity control of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma. The major method used for the detection of rhein was instrumental analysis like HPLC, but it was complex, time-consuming and cannot detect large samples at the same time. The enzyme-linked imunmosorbent assay (ELISA) was accurate, reliable, simple, low costs, and of a high-throughout. Recently, it was widely used for the determination of those small molecule compounds in some traditional Chinese medicinal plants. In this study, an artificial antigen were synthesized by the carbodiimide (CDI) method. Rhein-bovine (rhein-BSA) conju gate and rhein-ovalbumin (rhein-OVA) conjugate, were produced as the immunogen and coating antigen, respectively. The conjugate and the hapten number in the conjugate were determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry (UV). The conjugation ratio of Rhein and BSA was about 4.0:1, rhein acid and OVA was 2.6 : 1, respectively. Rhein-BSA conjugate was used to immunize Bal b/c mice to produce antiserum. The antiserum titer of the Rhein were higher than 8000 detected by ELISA. The successfully synthesized conjugate antigen rhein-BSA implies its feasibility in the establishment of fast immunoassay for the rhein content determination.
Animals ; Anthraquinones ; analysis ; immunology ; Antibodies ; analysis ; immunology ; Antigens, Plant ; analysis ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; instrumentation ; methods ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Rheum ; chemistry ; immunology ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; immunology

Objective To investigate the significance of the expression of serum LDH and β2-MG in predicting survival of NHL patients and there correlations with clinical parameters. Methods The serum levels of LDH and β2-MG of 429 patients with NHL were measured by rate method and immunoturbidimetry.Besides,the clinical reference of the patients such as gender,age,B symptoms,clinical stages,extranodal sites and Karnofsky evaluation were summarized and grouped.All patients' survival status were achieved via phone and letter. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS program for Windows (version 16.0).Results The levels of LDH and β2-MG in age,B symptom,the advanced stage,extranodal sites≥2,Karnofsky evaluation were obviously higher than their counterpart and the difference was significant (P＜0.001). The median of LDH and β2-MG lever in age group was 229 U/L,190 U/L, 2.4 mg/L,1.7 mg/L. In B symptom was 260 U/L,192 U/L,2.3 mg/L, 1.7 mg/L. In clinical stage was 252 U/L, 175 U/L, 2.5 mg/L, 1.6 mg/L. In extranodal sites group was 278 U/L,195 U/L,2.4 mg/L,1.8 mg/L.In Karnofsky evaluation group was 250 mg/L,195 mg/L,2.2 mg/L,1.8 mg/L.LDH level of invasive lymphoma was significantly higher than that of indolent ones (median 211U/L,175 U/L,P=0.002),but there were no difference in the 32-MG level (P=0.937). There were no statistical significance about LDH and β2-MG levels in gender and cell type (P＞0.05).Overall survival rates were different between the abnormal LDH group and the normal LDH group (χ2=119.029, P＜0.001).Overall survival rates were different between the elevated β2-MG group and the normal β2-MG group (χ2 =104.733,P＜0.001).Overall survival rates of the abnormal LDH/β2-MG group was significantly lower than that of normal group (x2=192.326,P＜0.001).Multivariate analysis in Cox regression showed that LDH,β2-MG,age,clinical stages, extranodal sites, Karnmofsky evaluation and aggressive were independent prognostic factors.Conclusion The level of serum LDH and β2-MG can be taken as an auxiliary clinical index to evaluate the prognosis of the NHL patients.

Objective To evaluate effects of chronic arsenic exposure and arsenic exposure time on oxidative DNA lesions in humans. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 108 subjects exposed to high concentrations of arsenic in drinking water and 75 control subjects. A cohort study was conducted in 64 subjects exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water for 7 or 9 years. Urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydredeoxygnanine(8-OHdG) levels were analyzed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit(ELISA). Urinary arsenic concentration was detected with hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results In the cross-sectional study, the median of urinary arsenic concentration was 484.17 mg/kg Cr for the arsenic-exposed group, and 13.80 mg/kg Cr for the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (t=32.57, P<0.01). The median of urinary 8-OHdG levels was 16.60 and 21.88 mg/kg Cr for arsenic-exposed children and adults respectively, much higher than control children(10.50 mg/kg Cr) and adults (9.11 mg/kg Cr), and the difference was statistically significant (t=5.049, 6913, all P<0.01). Urinary 8-OHdG levels were signifieandy lower for children than adults in the exposed group(t=-1.997, P<0.05). In the cohort study, the median of urinary arsenic concentration was 461.3 mg/kg Cr for the 7-year-exposed subjects and 422.90 mg/kg Cr for the 9-year-expesed subjects, and no significant difference was observed(t=-0.250, P 0.05). The median of urinary 8- OHdG levels for 9-year-exposed children and adults were 23.46 and 24.30 mg/kg Cr respectively, significantly increased compared with those of 7-year-exposed(14.29 and 18.38 mg/kg Cr), and the difference had statical signhqcanees (t= -2.949,-3.055, all P<0.01). Conclusions Chronic arsenic exposure can lead to oxidative DNA lesions in humans. The arsenic-induced DNA lesions may aggravate with the exposure time in a certain period.

The aim of this study was to develop the data element standard directory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical pharmacy information, to provide application standards and models of TCM clinical pharmacy for the electronic medical record (EMR). The developed line of work is as follows: initially establish research through four forms: literature analysis, questionnaires, discussion groups, expert advice. The research range from the Chinese herbal medicine research, herbal origin, harvesting, processing, identification of traits, physical and chemical identification, modern research, character, taste, Indications, clinical application, processing, dispensing medicine, Chinese medicine specifications, usage, dosage, caution, efficacy indications to small packaging applications, drug research, management and other related issues, including traditional Chinese medicine theory, application and hospital management information; according to the general and part 16 content of the national "Health Information Data Element Standards", and the basic method of extracting data element to study and develop the data element of TCM clinical pharmacy information from the defining content. Correspondingly propose the ideas and methods of construction of the "Data Element Standard Directory of TCM Clinical Pharmacy Information", sort out medicine clinical information data element standard catalog, divided into basic categories, clinical application class, management class three parts, and set norms and standards of identifying data elements, definitions, allowable value of traditional Chinese medicine clinical information, and discuss the sources and standards of information collection, leaving the interface, standardized and scientific terminology, docking with the existing standards, maintenance and management program and oter issues.
China ; Data Mining ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Database Management Systems ; standards ; statistics & numerical data ; Electronic Health Records ; standards ; statistics & numerical data ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Information Dissemination ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Phytotherapy ; methods ; statistics & numerical data

A study on the microbial transformation of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) was conducted by a fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 systematically. After incubation with the cell cultures of C. blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 at 25 degrees C for 7 days on a rotary shaker operating at 135 r x min(-1), GA was converted into one major product and five minor products. The products were extracted and purified by solvent extraction, macroporous adsorbent resin, silica gel column chromatography, and semi-preparative RP-HPLC chromatography. Their structures were identified as 3-oxo-15α-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(1), 3-oxo-15β-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (2), 7β,15α-dihydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (3), 3-oxo-7β, 15α-dihydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (4), 7β-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(5) and 15α-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(6) by the analyses of MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic data respectively. Among them, 2 was a new compound. These results suggest that C. blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 has the capability of selective ketonization and hydroxylation for GA. [Key words] glycyrrhetinic acid; Cunninghamella blakesleeana CGMCC 3. 970; microbial transformation
Biotransformation ; Cunninghamella ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhetinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Objective To investigate the effect of apolipoprotein E gene knock-out(ApoE KO) and high-fat diet on morphology and the expression of mortalin in hippocampal CA_3 neurons of mice, and to explore the impact of these factors on memory and Alzheimer's disease.Methods Ten wild-type and 10 ApoE KO mice were fed with common chow as the control group and the KO group respectively while 10 ApoE KO mice were fed with high fat diet.Twelve weeks later, the weight and the lid of these mice were measured.The brain tissues were observed using HE staining, nissl staining, protargol staining,immunohistochemistry staining and image analysis by computer.Results In the ApoE KO group, weight,total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher than those in the control group,and these changes were more significant in ApoE KO high-fat diet group.The nissl was higher in the ApoE KO group (0.301±0.031) and in ApoE KO high-fat diet group (0.261±0.020) than those in the control group (0.341±0.035, F=18.068, P<0.05).The mortalin in the ApoE KO group (0.322±0.060) and in ApoE KO high-fat diet group (0.391±0.041) were higher than the control group (0.256±0.061, F=15.230, P < 0.05).Conclusions ApoE KO and high-fat diet can reduce nissl, and improve the expression of mortalin.This protein may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

Whether or not an abormal expression of IL-6 mRNA in PBMNCs from IDDM patientswas examined using a hihgly sensitive,specific and semiquantitative protocal,i.e.reverse tran-scription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).The relative levels of IL-6mRNA in PBM-NCs from 12 early IDDMpatients (8.20?3.85yr),29 newly diagnosed NIDDM patients(54.85?9.12yr)23 normal childrens (8.20?3.26yr) and 12 normal adults (31.92?11.22yr)weredetermined.Significantly high expresion levels of IL-6 mRNA were found in PBMNCs from pa-tients with IDDM (P

Objective To study the expression of p53,p16,PCNA protein in esophageal carcinoma and its relationship to sexual distinction,the location of disease,the biological level,the depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis.Methods 118 patients with esophageal carcinoma were included in the study,all of them were treated for the first time.p53,p16 and PCNA protein in the 118 cases of esophageal carcinoma were detected by immunohistochemical assay(SP technique). Results The positive expression of p53, p16, PCNA protein in 118 patients was 80 %(92/118),42%(50/118)and 97%(115/118),respectively.The positive expression of p53,PCNA protein were irrelated to the sexual distinction,the location of disease,the biological level,the depth of invasion and the lymph node metastasis.The loss of p16 was significantly related to the depth of invasion and the lymph node metastasis(P