Acute Disease ; Adult ; Animals ; Brucellosis ; transmission ; Cattle ; blood ; Female ; Food Handling ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; etiology ; Sheep ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore effects and action mechanism of warm moxibustion on regulation of blood lipids and anti-atherosclerosis.

METHODSForty-one male Japanese big-ear white rabbits were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rabbits), a model group (10 rabbits), a moxibustion group (10 rabbits) and a medication group (11 rabbits). Normal diet was applied in the blank group while high-cholesterol diet combined with injection of bovine serum albumin were applied in the rest groups to establish rabbit model of atherosclerosis. After establishment, the model group was not intervened and warm moxibustion was applied in the moxibustion group at "Zusan-li" (ST 36) and "Shenque" (CV 8), 10 min per acupoint per day for continuous 4 weeks. The medication group was treated with intragastric administration of lovastatin capsule (3.6 mg/kg) for continuous 4 weeks. The level of blood lipids, such as total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and content of CD40 ligand (CD40L), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and expression of nuclear factor NF-kappaB were tested after 4 weeks.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the moxibustion group and medication group could effectively reduce the contents of TC and low density lipoprotein (all P < 0.05), lower the level of sCD40L [(8.310 +/- 1.221) ng/mL in the model group, (7.097 +/- 0.846) ng/mL in the moxibustion group and (7.354 +/- 0.631) ng/mL in the medication group], reduce expression of CD40L [(0.235 +/- 0.179) mm2 in the model group, (0.072 +/- 0.079) mm2 in the moxibustion group and (0.039 +/- 0.015) mm2 in the medication group] and NF-kappaB [(0.145 +/- 0.052)mm2 in the model group, (0.052 +/- 0.012) mm2 in the moxibustion group and (0.036 +/- 0.013) mm2 in the medication group], indicating the significant difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the moxibustion group and medication group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe warm moxibustion has great effect on regulation of blood lipids and anti-atherosclerosis, in which lowering expression of CD40-CD40L could be one of possible mechanisms to take effect of anti-atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; therapy ; CD40 Antigens ; blood ; CD40 Ligand ; blood ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Moxibustion ; methods ; Rabbits

Objective：This study was designed to investigate the apoptosis of HL 60 cells induced by the peptide from hemocyte of horseshoe crab (horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide). Methods： Cytotoxicity and cell viability were assayed by MTT method. Morphologic assessment of apoptosis was performed with fluorescence microscope; the apoptosis of the cells was confirmed by flow cytometry; cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, changes of cell membrane were observed by scanning electron microscope. Results： HL 60 cells treated with horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide were showed apparently cytotoxicity with IC50 24 μ g/ml. The morphologic changes including reduction in volume, nuclear chromatin condensation, fluorescence strength were observed with fluorescence microscope. Treated with horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide 50- 100 μ g/ml for 6 h, apoptostic HL 60 cells were predominant. However the HL 60 cells were shown necrotic and apoptostic cells were reduced when treatment with horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide of 200 μ g/ml. SubG1 peak was detected by flow cytometry. Cell cycle analysis showed Phase G1 cells decreased and Phase G2 cells increased with horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide 50 μ g/ml treating for 0- 12 h. Ratio of apoptosis increase depended on concentrations of horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide in 25- 100 μ g/ml but it reduced in 200 μ g/ml, the HL 60 cells were shown necrotic mainly. Scanning electron microscope showed membrane of HL 60 cells was damaged by horseshoe crab hemocyte peptide treatment,cell membrane showed some holes. Conclusion： Peptide from hemocytes of horseshoe crab can induce apoptosis in HL 60 cell,it was early event,and may correlate with membrane damage. The HL 60 cell in Phase G1 seemed to be sensitive to the peptide.

Drug Design ; Genomics ; methods ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Protein Array Analysis ; Proteomics ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

Background Following the accelerated speed of population aging in China,the incidence of cataract is rising gradually.Researches indicated that senescenee marker protein-30 ( SMP-30 ) is closely associated with the occurring and developing of cataract. Objective This study was to investigate the expression of SMP-30 in human lens epithelial cells(LECs) of age-related cataract and study the relationship between SMP-30 and apoptosis.Methods Capsulotomy was performed on 80 eyes of 59 patients with simple cortex age-related cataract and 70 eyes of 53 age-matched patients with nucleus age-related cataract.The anterior capsular specimens were obtained by circularly capsulorhexis during the operation.Expressions of the SMP-30 protein and mRNA in the LECs of two types of cataract were detected using immunochemistry and real-time PCR respectively.Apoptosis of the LECs was assayed by TUNEL.The differences of expression of SMP-30 and apoptosis were compared between the two types of cataract.Results Immunochemistry showed that SMP-30 was expressed in cytoplasm of LECs.The expression intensity of SMP-30 was higher in the center zone compared with periphery zone.The apoptosis rate of LECs was significantly higher in the center of the anterior capsule than the periphery in both two types of cataract ( nucleus cataract:19.34％±0.11％ vs 8.32 ％ ± 0.57 ％,P =0.025 ; cortex cataract:42.07 ％ ± 0.86 ％ vs 13.55 ％ ± 0.64 ％,P =0.010 ).The expression amount of SMP-30 mRNA was lower at the periphery than the center of lens in both two types of cataract (nucleus cataract:45.21±2.79 vs 76.42±11.21,P=0.042 ;cortex cataract:108.32±4.32 vs 206.34±15.67,P=0.037 ),and that of nucleus cataract was significantly lower than cortex cataract (60.02±9.08 vs 157.33 ± 13.01,P =0.034),and the apoptosis rate of LECs was declined in the nucleus cataract group compared with the cortex cataract group ( 14.05％ ±0.22％ vs 27.70％ ±0.81％,P =0.007 ). Conclusions LECs apoptosis exists in age-related cataract.SMP-30 probably plays an important role in the formation of cataract.

AIMTo prepare liposomes of nosiheptide and study its ability to inhibit hepatitis B virus HBsAg and HBeAg secreted.

METHODSLiposomes of nosiheptide was prepared by sodium deoxycholate dialysis and sonication. Nosheptide was determined by HPLC and partical size was determined by using laser light scattering instrument. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the morphology of liposomes. Its actions to inhibit hepatitis B virus HBsAg and HBeAg secreted was studied by a HBV-transfectted cell line (HepG2 2. 2. 15 ).

RESULTSEncapsulation efficiency of liposomes by chloroform:methanol (2:1, v/v) was higher than that by dioxane. With the increase of the ratio of nosiheptide: PC (W/W), the encapsulation efficiency of liposomes decreased with the increase of ratio of sodium deoxycholate: PC, the liposomes partical size decreased. The liposomes kept stable at -20 degrees C after 2 years. The drug concentrations of liposomes that inhibit HBsAg secreted by (46.9 +/- 2. 6) %, (55.4 +/- 1.2) %, (65 +/- 3) % and HBeAg secreted by (15.1 +/- 2.3) %, (36.2 +/- 1.7) %, (36.8 +/- 2.5) % were 1.25, 2.5, 5.0 microg x mL(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONLiposomes of nosheptide can be prepared by sodium deoxycholate dialysis and sonication, which ability to inhibit hepatitis B virus HBsAg and HBeAg secreted is better than nosheptide.

Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Compounding ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Stability ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; drug effects ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; drug effects ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Hepatoblastoma ; virology ; Humans ; Liposomes ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology ; Particle Size ; Thiazoles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

We predicted the anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) active components and mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza based on network pharmacology. The active components of S. miltiorrhiza were obtained through TCMSP, PubChem database and literature research. The potential targets of the active components and HBV infection were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction and GeneCards databases, respectively. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by String database. Cytoscape software was adopted to construct a visual network of active component-disease target and perform topological analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using DAVID platform. The molecular docking of key components and core targets was carried out by AutoDock Vina software. We screened out a total of 38 active components and 178 disease-component overlapping targets. Enrichment analyses obtained 405 related GO items and 68 signaling pathways, such as T/B cell receptor signaling pathways, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and mTOR signaling pathway. According to the results of molecular docking, most characteristic components of S. miltiorrhiza (miltionone Ⅱ, miltirone, protocatechuic acid, lithospermic acid, protocatechualdehyde) showed good affinity with the key targets (PIK3CA, APP, STAT3,AKT1 and mTOR). Furthermore, the anti-HBV activity of lithospermic acid, the representative active component of S. miltiorrhiza, and its regulation on PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways were investigated in an HBV replicating mouse model. Animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the regulations of the Animal Ethics and Welfare Committee of Hubei University. The results showed that lithospermic acid significantly inhibited HBV DNA replication, reduced serum HBsAg and HBeAg levels, and decreased the phosphorylation protein expression levels of AKT and mTOR in liver, indicating that lithospermic acid might exert the anti-HBV activity by regulating PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways.

Objective To investigate the reduction in residual ridges of maxillary edentulous models duplicated from old and new complete dentures using the 3-D data analysis. Methods Twenty-six pairs of maxillary edentulous models copied from the fitting surfaces of new and old upper complete dentures were selected for this study. The 3-D data were collected with a laser scanning system. The data were matched using Geomagic Studio 8 and Rapidform2006 software and then the fitting surfaces of new complete dentures were analyzed in comparison with old ones. Results The total amount of morphologic change of fitting surface [(39.8±14.2)%] was greater than the change of width [(28.2±16.0)%] ;the area reduction of the residual ridge in anterior region [(43.0±15.2)%] was larger than that in posterior region [(36.1±14.1)%] ;and the area reduction of residual ridge in buecal aspect [(42.9±13.8)%] was larger than that in lingual aspect [(35.5±15.2)%]. All the differences were statistically significant ( P <0. 05). Conclusions The results of this study reveal that 3-D analysis of the whole change of the residual ridge is significant and verify that the residual ridge resorption of edentulous maxilla in three dimensions is greater in buccal aspect than in lingual aspect and greater in anterior region than in posterior region.

Objective To explore the effect and the nursing interventions of Chinese Medicine,namely Xiaokuiping decoction,on patients with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.Methods 85 patients with Peptic Ulcer were divided into treatment group (53 patients) and the control group (32 patients) at random.The patients of these two groups both took Omeprazole,Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin.The treatment group patients add to Xiaokuiping decoction.The treatment lasted 4 weeks.After the treatment,the difference in therapeutic efficacy. Recurrence rate and the eradication rate were observed between groups.Results The therapeutic efficacy,the recurrence rate and the eradication rate in the above two groups showed statistical significance(P<0.05).Conclusions The therapeutic efficacy of Chinese medicine Xiaokuiping decoction together with Western medicine in healing gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer is better than that of only using Western medicine.For the treatment group patients,the Hp eradication rate is higher and the recurrence rate is lower than that of the control group tients.Moreover,guiding the patients to take the decoction properly results in better effect.

Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas are the most common types among pituitary adenomas. These tumors are usually diagnosed in their later stages due to the absence of clinical symptoms and detectable hormonal hypersecretion. Although these tumors are benign, they are hard to be completely removed during neurosurgery due to the massive invasion into the surrounding tissues at diagnosis. Furthermore, relapse is common. In recent years, medical treatment of pituitary adenomas has witnessed a rapid development. New medications have shown certain effectiveness in reducing the tumor size and improving the clinical symptoms.
Adenoma ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; drug therapy