Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; POEMS Syndrome ; complications

Objective To investigate the curative effect of Candesartan on chronic systolic heart failure in Tibetan pla?teau. Methods A total of 526 patients with chronic systolic heart failure were divided into two groups randomly (Treatment group N=252;Control group N=274). Regular medicines, such as cardiac, diuretic and vasodilator drugs , are given to pa?tients in both groups according to their primary underlined diseases. Additionally, enalapril is added in control group, while candesartan is added in treatment group. Improvement of cardiac function, LVEF, LVEDD and blood pressure were compared between these two groups after 8 weeks. Results There was no significant difference in effective rate (i.e., 45.2%in treat?ment group and 44.9% in control group, respectively), efficiency rate (i.e. 54.8% in treatment group and 55.1% in control group, respectively) and inefficiency rate (i.e. 2.0%in treatment group and 2.2%in control group, respectively) between treat?ment and control groups . After treatment, LVEF in the two groups are all improved, while LVEDD and blood pressure both de?creased with statistical significance. However, the difference between the two groups is not significant. Conclusion No sta?tistical difference was found in curative effect on chronic systolic heart failure in Tibetan Plateau between two groups.

Visfatin was recently reported as an adipokine and was found to exert insulin-mimicking effects.The results showed that the expression of visfatin parallelled with obesity and insulin resistance in long term high fat chow-fed rats.The expression of visfatin mRNA was decreased and the insulin resistance improved after rennin-angiotensin system was blocked.Visfatin may play an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance.

Neurotensin receptor-1 (NTR1), which can stimulate the intracellular cascade signal pathway, belongs to the large superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors. NTR1 is related to the occurrence and development of several kinds of diseases. In order to screen the inhibitors for the cancers associated with NTR1 protein, we established a CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cell line in which human neurotensin receptor-1 was highly expressed. The method is to construct the recombinant plasmid which was lysed with the hNTR1 gene and transfect it into CHO cells. After selected with G418, the cell line was evaluated by Western blotting analysis and calcium flux assays. Through the calcium flux assays on FlexStation 3, we got the EC50 value of neurotensin peptide which is the natural NTR1 agonist, and the IC 50 value of SR48692 which is the known NTR1 antagonist. The established human CHO/NTR1 cell line can be used to study the profile of NTR1 biological activity and further screen of NTR1 antagonists and agonists.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Calcium Signaling ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Humans ; Pyrazoles ; pharmacology ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Receptors, Neurotensin ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

A research combined trickling filter system and active sludge aeration system was applied in the treatment of industrial wastewater from gas-generating with heavy oil. The wastewater contained both high contents of NH+4-N and mixed hydrocarbons including various PAHs. Its BOD5/COD ratio was less than 0.3 and belongs to recalcitrant, toxic wastewater. The results showed a touch-growth biofilms system was formed on the porous packing material and it played a key role in the decrease of toxicity of the influent. It could also improve the biodegradability of the wastewater.

OBJECTIVETo observe morphological changes of enteric nervous system (ENS)-interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC)-smooth muscle cell (SMC) structure injury in deep muscle nerve plexus offunctional dyspepsia (FD) rats, and the repair of Shuwei Decoction (SD) on it, and to explore its effecton FD.

METHODSTotally 72 rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the lowdose SD group, the medium dose SD group, and the high dose SD group, the Mosapride group, 12 ineach group. Rats in the low dose SD group, the medium dose SD group, and the high dose SD group were intragastrically fed with SD at 0.767, 1.534, 3.068 g/mL, respectively. Rats in the Mosapride group were intragastrically fed with Mosapride (1.37 mg/kg). FD rat model with Gan depression Pi deficiency syndrome (GDPDS) was established using complex pathogenic factors. Corresponding liquors were respectively administered to rats in corresponding groups from the 3rd day after modeling. Distilled water(10 mL/kg) was administered to rats in the control group and the model group, once per day for 14 successive days. Rats were sacrificed and small intestine tissues collected for observing ENS-ICC-SMC structure injury using immunofluorescence double labeling, laser scanning confocal microscope, and transmission electron microscope at day 15. Repair of SD on it was also observed.

RESULTSENS-ICC SMC structure was incomplete, with obvious injury in mutual link of ICC, ICC, SMC, and connecting structure. ENS-ICC-SMC structure was more complete in high, medium, and low dose SD groups, with close link of ICC and SMO. Their connecting structures were in good conditions.

CONCLUSIONSD could keep the integrity of ENS-ICC-SMC structure by promoting regeneration and morphology of ICC, thereby, improving gastrointestinal movement disorder and showing therapeutic effect on FD.

Animals ; Benzamides ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Dyspepsia ; drug therapy ; Enteric Nervous System ; drug effects ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; drug effects ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats

Adenocarcinoma ; blood supply ; metabolism ; mortality ; secondary ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator ; Stomach Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; mortality ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

Objective To prepare a conjugate vaccine by linking Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)polysaccharide to PsaA protein carrier and evaluate the immunogenicity and efficacy of the conjugate vaccine. Methods A recombinant protein rPsaA,expressed by using the genetic engineering technology, was used as a protein carrier to prepare conjugate vaccine together with Hib polysaccharide. Ten mice at age of 3 weeks were immunized with the conjugate vaccine,while another 10 age-matched mice were immunized with Hib-tetanus toxoid(Hib-TT)vaccine which was produced formerly as a control. The mice treated with equal volume of PBS were set up as the negative control. The IgG antibodies in serum samples against PsaA and Hib polysaccharide were detected in two weeks after the final immunization. A suspension of Pneumococ-cus was injected into the middle ears of mice from experiment and control group. Histopathological analysis was performed to measure the clearance of bacteria in the middle ears and the severity of infection on days 3 and 7 after bacterial challenge. Results The rPsaA protein was prepared by the genetic engineering tech-nology and purified successfully with anion-exchange column. The Hib polysaccharide-PsaA protein conju-gate vaccine was prepared through a series of amide condensation reactions. The detection of IgG antibodies against PsaA protein and Hib polysaccharide in the immunized mice demonstrated that there was no signifi-cant difference with the titer of IgG against Hib polysaccharide between the mice immunized with the Hib-PsaA conjugate vaccine and those immunized with the Hib-TT vaccine. Less Pneumococcus strains were de-tected in the middle ears of mice immunized with the conjugate vaccine than those mice immunized with the Hib-TT vaccine three days after challenge. The mice from control group showed severe inflammation in the middle ears than those from experiment group. The Hib polysaccharide-PsaA protein conjugate vaccine im-proved protection against Pneumococcus infections as compared with the Hib-TT vaccine. Conclusion The rPsaA protein could be produced by genetic engineering technology and purified by anion-exchange column. The Hib polysaccharide was successfully conjugated with the rPsaA protein through amide condensation reac-tion. Both anti-PsaA and anti-Hib immune responses were induced in young mice by the injection of Hib pol-ysaccharide-PsaA protein conjugate vaccine. Apart from providing protection against Hib infection,the con-jugate vaccine might also be used for the prevention of acute otitis media caused by Pneumococcus infection.

Objective To explore the influence of erythropoietin (EPO) on infection induced neonatal rat brain injury at different starting time and its related mechanism.Methods Postnatal day 2 (P2) newborn SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group (group A),lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group (group B),the early EPO group(group C)and the later EPO group(group D).Pups in group A,B and C were injected different drugs intraperitoneally(group A for saline,group B for 0.6 mg/kg of LPS,and group C for 0.6 mg/kg of LPS and 5 000 U/kg of EPO) once a day for consecutive 5 days(P2-P6).LPS in group D were injected 0.6 mg/kg of LPS intraperitoneally once a day for consecutive 5 days(P2 P6),and with 5 000 U/kg of EPO once a day for consecutive 5 days(P7-P1 1).Rats in each group were given different drugs starting at corresponding time by intraperitoneal injection for 5 consecutive days.Every 10 newborn rats in group A and B were selected randomly on P2(6 h after intraperitoneal injection of drugs for the first time),P7 and P12,the brains were divided into the left and the right hemispheres marked by sagittal suture,using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method to evaluate the erythropoietin receptor(EPOR) protein level with the right cerebral hemisphere and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was used to investigate EPOR mRNA level of the left cerebral hemisphere.Immunohistochemical method was adopted to evaluate the expression of myelin basic protein(MBP),glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and EPOR at specified time point,and HE dyeing for the pathological changes of brain damage in different groups.Results HE staining of the group A presented the normal structure in the neonatal rat brain.Reduced numbers of hippocampal pyramidal cells,expansion of the lateral ventricles and periventricular leukomalacia were found in group B.No leukomalacia or lateral ventricles's expansion in EPO administrated groups and it was more obvious in group C.The EPOR protein and mRNA of group B was increased compared with the group A.The EPOR protein and mRNA levels had a tendency to decline with the increase of age.The MBP expression of group B(107.46 ±3.65)was significantly reduced compared with the group A(146.78 ± 3.13) (P ＜ 0.05),and the expression of EPO groups increased in contrast to the group B,moreover,the group C (126.25 ± 4.42) increased more obviously than that of group D(117.35 ± 3.42) (P ＜ 0.05).The GFAP expression of group B(141.46 ± 11.92 at P7 and 149.48 ± 13.59 at P12) increased significantly than group A(120.63 ± 13.32 at P7 and 119.74 ± 12.48 at P12) (P ＜0.05),the EPO group expressed lower than group B at the P12,and the group C (134.59 ± 12.19) decreased than the group D(137.27 ± 13.87) (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions EPO shows a protective effect on the cerebral white matter injury caused by postpartum infection,it is superior to administer EPO at early time than later time.The mechanism of the protective effect may be connected with the fact that the infection can induce the expression of brain EPOR and the EPOR expression level has a tendency to decline with the increase of age.

A sesquiterpene synthase (AsSS4) full-length open reading frame (ORF) cDNA was cloned from wounded stems of Aquilaria sinensis by RT-PCR method. The result showed that the ORF of AsSS4 was 1,698 bp encoding 565 amino acids. Prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-AsSS4 was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS. Recombinant AsSS4 protein was obtained after induction by IPTG and SDS-PAGE analysis with a MW of 64 kD. Enzymatic reactions using farnesyl pyrophosphate showed that recombinant AsSS4 protein purified by Ni-agarose gel yielded five sesquiterpene compounds, cyclohexane, 1-ethenyl-1-methyl-2, 4-bis(1-methylethenyl)-, β-elemene, α-guaiene, α-caryophyllene and δ-guaiene. This paper reported the first cloning and functional characterization of AsSS4 gene from A. sinensis, which will establish a foundation for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of wound-induce agarwood formation in A. sinensis