Brain ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; Neuropeptides ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVEEndothelial apoptosis plays an important role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. It would be useful to clarify whether activation of non-neuronal muscarinic receptor (NNMR) could prevent endothelial apoptosis and atherosclerosis. We investigated the effects of NNMR activation on regulating rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) apoptosis induced by homocysteine, an independent risk factor of atherosclerosis, and further studied its molecular mechanism.

METHODSRAECs were incubated using homocysteine at the concentration of 2.7 mmol/L for 36 h. RAECs were also pre-treated with carbachol or arecoline to examine their effects. RT-PCR was used to assess changes in the gene expression related to cell apoptosis.

RESULTSIncubation of RAECs with homocysteine at the concentration of 2.7 mmol/L resulted in morphologic changes, such as cellular shrinkage, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and margination. These could be attenuated by pretreatment with carbachol and arecoline at the concentration of 10 micromol/L for 12 h. Homocysteine induced apoptosis in RAECs and the molecular mechanisms were associated with the regulation of fas, fas-L and caspase-8 in the death receptor pathway, bcl-2, bcl-xL and bax in the mitochondrial pathway, caspase-12 in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway and caspase-3, caspase-6 and p53 as downstream effectors. Carbachol and arecoline attenuated the effects of homocysteine on genes in the death receptor pathway, in the mitochondrial pathway and in the downstream pathway. Atropine could reverse all of the effects of arecoline.

CONCLUSIONActivation of NNMR by carbacol and arecoline inhibits homocysteine-induced endothelial cell apoptosis mainly through regulation of death receptor pathway, mitochondrial pathway and downstream effectors.

Animals ; Aorta ; cytology ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Arecoline ; Carbachol ; Cell Cycle ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Homocysteine ; adverse effects ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; metabolism

Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Northern ; Cells, Cultured ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glucocorticoids ; pharmacology ; Kidney Glomerulus ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Mastitis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the application value of DOSE index score in the peitients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Methods 122 cases of plateau COPD patients were followed up for 12 months,and we recorded and analyzed the patient's health and life.We also recorde FEV 1 and DOSE scores of the patients with COPD,and record the COPD risk events,including the number of respiratory failure and death,and the times of hospitalization,total such confinement,outpatient expenses,hospitalization expenses,mMRC,and scored in the number of exacerbations,etc.Results The DOSE index score was negatively correlated with FEV1％ pred (r=0.73,P ＜ 0.05) for 122 COPD patients,and were positively correlated with mMRC (r=085,P ＜ 0.01),the annual number of exacerbations (r=0.71,P ＜ 0.01),respiratory failure (r=0.65,P ＜ 0.01),heart failure (r=0.50,P ＜ 0.01),number of outpatient service (r=0.12,P＜0.01),hospitalization time (r=0.70,P＜0.01),the totalsuchconfinement (r=0.66,P＜0.01),outpatient expenses (r=0.13,P＞ 0.13),hospitalization expenses (r=0.65,P＜0.01).ROC curve was used to analyzed the cut-off point and curve area of COPD DOSE index.Conclusion The DOSE index is a simple COPD assessment tools,and is closely related to the prognosis of patients and health.

AIM:To observe the expression and tissue localization of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and transforming growth factor beta 1 ( TGF-β1 ) in the rat acute cerebral ischemia model.METHODS:Male Wistar rats were used to establish acute cerebral ischemia model by a suturing method.The rats were divided into normal control group, sham group and ischemia 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 2 d, 6 d and 14 d groups.The rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the brain were collected at different time points.The mRNA and protein levels of MMP-9 and TGF-β1 in the brain tissues were detec-ted by real-time PCR and in situ histochemistry staining, respectively.The levels of MMP-9 and TGF-β1 in the plasma were also measured by ELISA.RESULTS:The results of real-time PCR showed that the mRNA levels of MMP-9 began to in-crease 6 h after acute ischemia and reached to a peak 2 d after acute ischemia.Similarly, the mRNA level of TGF-β1 began to rise 12 h after acute ischemia and reached to the highest level 6 d after acute ischemia.Compared with the sham rats, the mRNA levels of MMP-9 and TGF-β1 in the rat brains that collected at ischemic time of 12 h, 1 d, 2 d, 6 d and 14 d were significantly increased.Moreover, results of in situ histochemical staining showed that the expression of MMP-9 was detected at cerebral cortex and hippocampus 1 d after acute cerebral ischemia.Further studies showed that MMP-9 dyeing of the rat cerebral cortex was most obvious 2 d after the acute cerebral ischemia.Similarly, the rat cortex and hippocampus began to express TGF-β1 2 d after acute ischemia and TGF-β1 staining at rat cerebral cortex was most obvious 6 d after the acute cerebral ischemia.In addition, ELISA showed that the increase in MMP-9 and TGF-β1 was detected in the plasma 12 h after ischemia.Compared with the sham rats, the level of these 2 factors significantly upregulated since 1 d after ischemia. CONCLUSION:The brain tissue itself contributes to the upregulation of MMP-9 and TGF-β1 post acute cerebral ischemia, which shed light on the related research in the field.

A combination product is a new model of the medical product that incorporates at least two of the regulated component categories of device, drug, or biological product into one product. It has become a new hot point within the development of devices and drugs, and has brought about a new opportunity for device and drug industries and a new challenge for administration too. In the paper, the properties of combination products are summed up and the impact on device and drug industries are discussed.
Biological Products ; Device Approval ; Drug Industry ; instrumentation ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Equipment and Supplies

A pathogenic bacterial strain X1 was isolated from Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) suffering with bacterial septicemia. The 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of strain X1 was 5.62?105 CFU/mL, which showed that strain X1 was rather strong virulent to Acipenser baerii. Strain X1 was gram negative and 1.0 ?m～1.2 ?m ? 2.1 ?m～2.4 ?m in size with peritrichous flagella, and had ?-hemolytic activity on rabbit blood agar. By means of ATB expression identification and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, strain X1 was identified as Aeromonas hydrophila (locus number: EU669667), which was the closest relative to Aeromo-nas hydrophila strain ATCC35654 (locus number: X74676.1) with 99% homology. In addition, strain X1 was highly sensitive to cefoperazone and cravit, and intermediately sensitive to ten kinds of antibiotics in-cluding tobramycin, norfloxacin, sulperazone, kanamycin, gentamycin, fortum, vancomycin, neomycina, polymyxin B and lomefloxacin.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we attempted to find the relations between blood pressure (BP) measured on the brachial artery (bBP) and BP assessed on the radial artery (rBP) in the right arm. METHODS: Three hundred and fifteen patients were enrolled in this study. Those who had peripheral vascular disease, wounds of arm skin or subcutaneous tissue infection were excluded. After a 15-minute equilibration and stabilization period after inducation of anesthesia, three bBP and rBP records were obtained sequentially using an oscillometric device with an adult cuff and infant cuff, respectively. Order for each BP was randomized. RESULTS: The bBP was significantly lower than the rBP (P<0.05). The difference between the two values varied from 13 to 18 mmHg in systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MAP) respectively. And the rBP was positively correlated with the bBP (r=0.872, 0.754, 0.765; P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001; SBP, DBP, MAP, respectively). CONCLUSION: The bBP value can be evaluated by the noninvasive measurements of rBP using an appropriate cuff in clinical practice.

Lagerstroemia speciosa Pers,also known as banaba,belongs to Lythraceae and contains ursolic acid,corosolic ac?id,asiatic acid and 30 other kinds of effective components.It has multiple pharmacological activities,including hypoglycemic,hypo?lipidemic,anti-oxidant and anti-viral activities,and is mainly used for the treatment of obesity and diabetes in folk medcine.This re?view summarizes the recent advances in chemical composition and pharmacological effects of L.speciosa Pers,so as to provide the theo?retical basis and reference for its further research and application.