Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial ; adverse effects ; methods ; Humans

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Female ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo examine the protective effect of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GbE) on learning and memory deficit induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl(3)), and explore its mechanisms.

METHODSThe rat models with learning and memory deficit were induced by administering via gastrogavage and drinking of AlCl(3) solution. And the model rats were treated with GbE at the dose of 50, 100, 200 mg/kg every day for 2 months accompanied with drinking of AlCl(3) solution, respectively. Their abilities of spatial learning and memory were tested by Morris water maze, and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in serum was assayed with chemical method, the AChE expression in hippocampus was observed by immunohistochemistry assay, and then quantitative analysis was done by BI 2000 image analysis system.

RESULTSLearning and memory deficit of rats could be induced by AlCl(3) solution (P < 0.01), and AChE expressions in rats hippocampus were increased (P < 0.01); GbE ameliorated learning and memory deficit and reduced AChE expression in rats hippocampus in a dose-dependent manner, while GbE significantly increased serum AChE activity at the dose of 200 mg/kg each day (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGbE can ameliorate learning and memory deficit induced by AlCl(3), which may be due to its inhibition of the AChE expression in hippocampus.

Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Aluminum Compounds ; toxicity ; Animals ; Chlorides ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Ginkgo biloba ; Hippocampus ; enzymology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory Disorders ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Plant Leaves ; Plant Structures ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reaction Time

Objective To investigate the clinical manifestations and treatment regiment of children with juvenile dermatomyositis(JDM).Methods The clinical manifestation,changes of serum muscale enzyme,myopathic laboratory examination,treatment and prognosis of 15 children with JDM retrospectively admitted from Jan.1990 to Jan.2004 were analyzed.Results All of the children had symmetrical weakness of the proximal muscles.The most frequent features were heliotrope and Gottron's papules.Elevated muscle enzymes were noted in all cases.Electromyography revealed typical change of myopathic type and muscle biopsy was compalible with myositis in all cases.Most of patients achieved normal muscle enzymes within 1 month and had improved muscle strength with 2.5 monthes of the initiation of corticosteroid therapy.Conclusion It is very important to know the clinical features of JDM,and prompt diagnosis and treatment will result in an improved prognosis.

Objective: To describe the theory, scientific significance, distinguishing features and authentication feasibility of TCHMs by spectral fingerprints of characteristic general constituents. Method: Previous relevant investigations and literatures were summed up in the field, and the present situation on the authentication of TCHMs at home and abroad was analysed. Result: The characteristic general constituents of TCHMs can be obtained by an appropriate procedure. Their compositions and structures can be determined by spectral fingerprints, especially the 1 HNMR fingerprint. The species of TCHMs can be identified accurately by these fingerprints. Besides, the quality of TCHMs can be evaluated by the contents of their GCEs. Conclusion: Fingerprint authentication of characteristic general constituents of TCHMs has profound significance for the species identification and quality evaluation of TCHMs.

Opioid receptor, is classified into three subtypes, mu, kappa and delta, with the mu-type receptor plays important roles in opioid analgesia and opioid addiction. The cDNA encoding mu-type receptor was obtained by RT-PCR from human brain RNA and was cloned into pcDNA3.1(+). The resultant recombinant plasmid pcDNAMORs were transfected into CHO cells by liposome. After PCR identification, the positive clone were treated with agonist and antiagonist were tested for their competence of signal transduction. CHO cells that contained mu-opioid receptor in the expression vector pcDNA3.1(+) acquired naloxone-blockable high-affinity specific binding of morphine and DAMGO. The concentration of cAMP in CHO cells transfected with pcDNAMOR was reduced after binding to morphine and DAMGO, and increased after binding naloxone. These results indicate that the mu-type receptor expreesd on the CHO cell has similar biological property as the nature receptor. The availability of these specific cell lines will facilitate the drug development and promote our understanding the mechanism underlying opiate addiction.
Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; DNA, Complementary ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Receptors, Opioid, mu ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

Red in vivo recombination is a new kind of genetic engineering technique based on homologous recombination. In this work, plasmid pKD46 which expresses Red recombination proteins is transferred into Escherichia coli strain DH5?.The kanamycine resistant gene is generated by PCR by using primers with homology to hisDCB gene of E.coli chromosome. Thus, the hisDCB gene was replaced with kanamycine resistant gene by the plasmid recombination system, then the resistant gene was eliminated by a helper plasmid encoding the FLP recombinase. At last, a E.coli histidine auxotroph which is sensitive to kanamycine was got. The results indicate that Red in vivo recombination is a convenient method to construct auxotrophs.

In order to study the contraindications of the compatibility of Flos Genkwa-Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae, in this study, the solubilizing and poisoning essence were explored. In this experiment, chromatographic assay, field emission scanning electron microscopy, MTT cytotoxicity evaluation, and other methods were used to study the main chemical components, morphology and toxicity of the ethyl acetate part of Flos Genkwa and its co-decoction with glycyrrhizic acid, in order to clarify Flos Genkwa-Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae incompatibility provides a new idea for the research on incompatibility of Flos Genkwa-Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae. The results showed that after co-decoction of the ethyl acetate part of Flos Genkwa with glycyrrhizic acid, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detected the dissolution of the toxic component yuanhuacine of 54.8%, while yuanhuacine chromatographic peak was not detected in the Flos Genkwa ethyl acetate part of the single decoction. The increase of co-decoction dissolution rate was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and it was found that glycyrrhizic acid uniformly dispersed the fat-soluble components of Flos Genkwa into nano-scale particles, which improved the solubility and stability in the solution. Furthermore, the results of cytotoxicity evaluation showed that the survival rate of cells decreased after co-decoction, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining also gave the same results. In summary, the co-decoction of the ethyl acetate part of Flos Genkwa with glycyrrhizic acid promotes the dissolution of the toxic component yuanhuacine, and makes the part form uniformly distributed nanoparticles, which is conducive to the absorption of the ingredient and increases the toxicity.

OBJECTIVETo examine the protective effect of ecdysterone (ECR) against beta-amyloid peptide fragment(25-35) (Abeta(25-35))-induced PC12 cells cytotoxicity, and to further explore its mechanism.

METHODSExperimental PC12 cells were divided into the Abeta group (treated by Abeta(25-35) 100 micromol/L), the blank group (untreated), the positive control group (treated by Vit E 100 micromol/L after induction) and the ECR treated groups (treated by ECR with different concentrations of 1, 50 and 100 micromol/L). The damaged and survival condition of PC12 cells in various groups was monitored by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and MTT assay. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured by fluorometric assay to indicate the lipid peroxidation. And the antioxidant enzymes activities in PC12 cells, including superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), were detected respectively.

RESULTSAfter PC12 cells were treated with Abeta(25-35) (100 micromol/L) for 24 hrs, they revealed a great decrease in MTT absorbance and activity of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, CAT and GSH-Px as well as a significant increase of LDH activity and MDA content in PC12 cells (P < 0.01). When the cells was pretreated with 1-100 micromol/L ECR for 24 hrs before Abeta(25-35) treatment, the above-mentioned cytotoxic effect of Abeta(25-35) could be significantly attenuated dose-dependently, for ECR 50 micromol/L, P < 0.05 and for ECR 100 micromol/L, P < 0.01. Moreover, ECR also showed significant inhibition on the Abeta(25-35) induced decrease of SOD and GSH-Px activity, but not on that of CAT.

CONCLUSIONECR could protect PC12 cells from cytotoxicity of Abeta(25-35), and the protective mechanism might be related to the increase of SOD and GSH-Px activities and the decrease of MDA resulting from the ECR-pretreatment.

Amyloid beta-Peptides ; toxicity ; Animals ; Catalase ; analysis ; Ecdysterone ; pharmacology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; analysis ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; analysis ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; PC12 Cells ; Peptide Fragments ; toxicity ; Rats

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1 ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism