AIM: To investigate the effects of pretreatment of captopril on the infarct size and myocardial cell apoptosis in rabbits. METHODS: Rabbits were randomly divided into sham-operated control group (SO), acute infarct group (AI) and captopril pretreatment group (CP). The rabbits of CP group were treated with captopril (25 mg?kg -1 .d -1 ) for 1 week before harvest. The left circumflex branch of coronary (LCX) was ligated to develop acute ischemic model. The systolic and diastolic function of left ventricle(LV) was measured before and at 15, 30, 60 min after ligating LCX, and the blood viscosity and hematocrit before and at 60 min after ligating LCX were measured also. 6 hours later LCX ligation, the hearts were harvested for determining the infarction size, which was expressed as the ratio of infarct area to the total ischemic area, and evaluating apoptosis index expressed as the percentage of myocardial cells with TUNEL positive staining. RESULTS: 1.Compared with AI group, captopril pretreatment significantly reduced the infarction size (16 60%?0.94% vs 36.24%?1.94%, P

BACKGROUND: The effect of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) during traumatic brain injury (TBI) and whether it can modulate secondary injury has not been reported previously. The present study evaluated the potential protective effects of ventricular infusion of PACAP in a rat model of TBI. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups (n=6, each): sham-operated, vehicle (normal saline)+TBI, and PACAP+TBI. Normal saline or PACAP (1g/5L) was administered intracerebroventricularly 20 minutes before TBI. Right parietal cortical contusion was produced via a weight-dropping method. Brains were extracted 24 hours after trauma. Histological changes in brains were examined by HE staining. The numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood and the spleen were detected via flow cytometry. RESULTS: In injured brain regions, edema, hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and swollen and degenerated neurons were observed under a light microscope, and the neurons were disorderly arrayed in the hippocampi. Compared to the sham group, average CD4+ CD8– lymphocyte counts in blood and the spleen were significantly decreased in rats that received TBI+vehicle, and CD4– CD8+ were increased. In rats administered PACAP prior to TBI, damage was attenuated as evidenced by significantly increased CD4+, and decreased CD8+, T lymphocytes in blood and the spleen. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with PACAP may protect against TBI by influencing periphery T cellular immune function.

AIM: To investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), fosinopril, captopril and angiotensin II AT 1 antagonists, valsartan on tissue factor (TF) expression on monocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: Mononuclear leukocytes from normal delivered female umbilical veins were incubated with bacterial LPS in presence or absence of different ACE inhibitors .At the end of incubation, the cells were disrupted by 3 freeze-thaw cycles. TF procoagulant activity was assessed by a one-stage clotting assay. RT-PCR was used to check TF mRNA expression, and GAPDH mRNA was used for parallel assay. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: The results showed that increased expression of TF mRNA induced by LPS was inhibited by fosinopril, captopril and valsartan, respectively, and the procoagualant activity of monocytes was also reduced. [

In the study, the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on alveolar epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and extracellular matrix degradation were observed in a type of human alveolar epithelial cell, A549 cells, stimulated by TGF-beta1. Firstly, MTT method was applied to evaluation of cellular proliferation and found that PNS from 12.5 mg x L(-1) to 200 mg x L(-1) dosage could not inhibit significantly cellular proliferation. Then, cells were divided into five groups, normal group, TGF-beta1 group, TGF-beta1 + 50 mg x L(-1) PNS group, TGF-beta1 + 100 mg x L(-1) PNS group and TGF-beta1 + 200 mg x L(-1) PNS group. Normal cells were not stimulatec by TGF-beta1; TGF-beta1 cells were only stimulated by TGF-beta1 and the other cells were stimulated by TGF-beta1 with different doses of PNS, respectively. After stimulation, cells and supernatants were collected for assays. Cellular roundness was applied to quantitative evaluation of morphological change. Immunocytochemistry was applied to examine E-cadherion, a-SMA and FN proteins expression in the cells. Enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay was applied to MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels. The results showed that EMT of A549 cells was induced by TGF-beta1, showing significant change of roundness, E-cadherion, alpha-SMA and FN (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared to TGF-beta1, PNS significantly inhibited the changes of roundness (P < 0.05), FN and alpha-SMA (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and not significantly inhibited the change of E-cadherion. Furthermore, MMP-9 levels were significantly increased by TGFbeta1 stimulation (P < 0.05), without significant change of TIMP-1. Compared with TGF-beta1, PNS could significantly increase MMP-9 level (P < 0.05) and decrease TIMP-1 levels (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In conclusion, PNS could inhibit alveolar epithelial cell EMT induced by TGF-beta1, with increase of extracellular matrix degradation ability, which showed anti-fibrosis of lung ability.
Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; drug effects ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the midterm follow-up results of extended release of posterior clearance in total knee arthroplasty.

METHODSA total of 120 patients with knee osteoarthritis were equally randomly assigned to the experimental group and control group, and underwent unilateral TKA from March 2010 to March 2012. In experimental group, there were 21 males and 39 females with an average age of (62.2±10.9) years old. In the control group, there were 25 males and 35 females with an average age of (64.9±11.4) years old. All the patients were performed using the anterior knee approach. During operation, after osteotomy of the tibia and the femoral condyle, extended release of the posterior knee clearance were taken in experimental group, while only the clearance of osteophyte in the posterior condyle were performed in the control group. The KSS scores including knee functional score and knee clinical score,as well as the range of motion (ROM) of patients, were compared between the two groups at midterm follow-up.

RESULTSTotally 49 patients in the experimental group and 54 patients in the control group were followed up, and the median follow-up time was 46 months. The knee functional score of patients in the experimental group was 91.3±3.4, which was better than 86.4±3.9 of patients in the control group; initiative ROM of flexion of patients in the experimental group was (133.2±5.9)°, which was better than (126.9±7.4)° of patients in the control group. There were no significant difference of knee clinical score between 86.9±4.6 of patients in the experimental group and 85.7±5.1 of patients in the control group, and the initiative ROM of extension between (0.5±1.1)° and (0.3±1.2)°.

CONCLUSIONExtended release of the posterior knee clearance contributes to the knee function and initiative flexion ROM during a midterm follow-up and patients benefit.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; methods ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Range of Motion, Articular

OBJECTIVETo explore a new procedure for aesthetic correction of the medial epicanthal fold aim at the etiopathogenesis.

METHODSThe new Z-epicanthoplasty devise the upper and inferior margin of angle of eye medial as one angle of the Z.

RESULTSFrom 2004 to 2006, 129 patients were treated by using the method. Follow-up 6 to 24 months, all patients were satisfied by eliminating the medial epicanthal fold without obvious scar.

CONCLUSIONSThe method is more effect than traditionally Z-plasty. Our technique is a simple, advanced procedure that can be performed widely.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blepharoplasty ; methods ; Eyelids ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

Aim To study the effect of Tryptanthrin(Try) on proliferation and apoptosis of erythroleukemia K562 cells.Methods The cell proliferation effect of Try(1.56～50 mg?L-1) on K562 cells was assessed by MTT assay.The morphologic change was observed by Hoechst 33258 fluore-scent stain.The flow cytometer was used to detect cell apoptosis and cell cycle.Results MTT showed that in the range of 3.12～50 mg?L-1 Try obviously inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner.Typical apoptosis changes were observed in K562 cells treated with Try for 48 h by flourescence inverted microscope.With Annexin V-FITC and PI double staining,folw cytometer result showed that the apoptosis state was obvious in K562 cells treated with 25,50 mg?L-1 Try for 48 h.The cell cycle distribution of K562 was changed.The G0/G1 phase was blocked and the DNA synthesis was inhibited,accompanied with subdiploid apoptotic peak.Conclusion Try has an effect on inhibiting the cell proliferation and inducing the apoptosis of K562.

Objective: To synthesize the collagen-GAG template and to evaluate its feasibility to be used as the MSCs vehicle for meniscal tissue engineering. Methods: The collagen-GAG template was synthesized from rat tail type Ⅰ collagen and GAG using Yannas method. Then the post-stimulated MSCs by bFGF and TGF-β1 were added in. The MSCs-enriched collagen sponges were cultured in vitro， two weeks later the histological and ultrastructure detection was performed. Results: The histological and ultrastructure of the collagen-GAG template remained intact after 2 weeks' culture, and the MSCs in it remained viable. Conclusion: The collagen-GAG template synthesized in this experiment is suitable for the meniscal tissue engineering reconstruction as the vehicle for MSCs seed cells.

Objective To purify native and recombinant heparin-binding hemagglutinin(HBHA)protein,and investigate the activity of HBHA polyclonal antibody against aggregation of Bacillus CalmetteGuerin(BCG)induced by HBHA.Methods After growing BCG to the stationary phase in the 7H9 liquid medium,the native HBHA protein(nHBHA)was obtained by CL-6B column chromatography.At the same time,the HBHA gene fragment was cloned and expressed by transforming Escherichia coli BL-21.Then the polyclonal antibody against rHBHA was prepared by immunizing rabbit.Different comcentration of the HBHA protein was added to the BCG liquid medium,and the aggregation of the BCG was observed.Then,add the HBHA protein that incubated with anti-HBHA antibodies to the BCG culture medium and observe the aggregation of BCG.Results The purity of native HBHA was 99% and the concentration was 1.016 mg/ml.The expressed product contained 36% of total somtic protein.After purified,the purity of the recombinant HBHA protein was 97.1% and the concentration was 10.98 mg/ml.Both the rHBHA and nHBHA could induce the aggregation of BCG.When then concentration of nHBHA is 0.2μg/ml,BCG could be induced to aggregate,while the rHBHA concentration is 2μg/ml could induce the aggregation.Both aggregations could be suppressed by the polyclonal antibody against rHBHA.Conclusions The native and recombinant HBHA are successfully obtained.It is proved that the rHBHA could induce the aggregation of BCG similar as nHBHA,and polyclonal antibody against rHBHA could also suppress the activity of nHBHA.It suggested that rHBHA could be further used in clinical diagnosis and vaccination.

Objective To investigate the traumatic characters, the causative factors and the outcomes of surgical treatments of cervical spinal cord injuries without radiographic abnormality(SCIWORA).Methods From March 2000 to July 2004, 81 patients of cervical SCIWORA undergone surgery were evaluated retrospectively. There were 55 males and 26 females, with a mean age of 57.3 years. According to the mechanisms of injuries and pathological changes of the cervical spine, the causative factors were divided into 3 groups: hyper-flexion type of injury (1 or 2 segments) with protrusion or prolapse of the cervical intervertebral discs (19 cases), hyper-extension type injury with multiple (≥3 segments) cervical spinal stenosis (41cases), and whiplash injury with multiple cervical spinal stenosis and segmental intervertebral instability or anterior protrusion of the cervical intervertebral discs (21 cases). A variety of surgeries as anterior discectomy with interbody fusion, multiple posterior decompressions with cervical laminoplasty, and multiple posterior decompressions with internal fixation at the facet joints were performed based the classification. Results The average follow-up period was 78.5 month (54-118 months). During the follow-up of 1 month, 3 months,1 year and last visit post-operatively, the rate of JOA improvement were 25.1%, 41.3%, 63.6% and 60.9%respectively. In the long-term follow-up, the good ratio of neurological function was obtained with 80.2%.Conclusion SCIWORA is considered as a course of acute, dynamic and limited injury. In spite of common clinical manifestation, its traumatic characters and causative factors are different indeed. The distinct improvement of neurological function can also be achieved with proper classification and surgery.