Aim To observe changes of gene expression profile in rat heart , liver and brain treated with iptakalim using cDNA microarray and analyze its molecule mechanism about pharmacology and treatment. Methods ①Rats were treated with iptakalim for 14 days at a dose of 3 mg?kg-1 by gavage. Total RNA was extracted from heart, liver and brain tissues and reversely transcribed to cDNA, which were labeled with Cy3 and Cy5 fluorescent as probes and hybridized to Gene Chip (BiostarR-40s). Scan array 3 000 was used for scanning the hybridizing signals and ImageGENE 3.0 for data analysis. Data were confirmed using RT-PCR. ②Rats were randomly divided into normal control group and 4 iptakalim groups. Iptakalim was administered orally at doses of 1, 3, 9 mg?kg-1 body weight per day for 2 weeks. The last group was orally administered at a dose of 9 mg?kg-1 body weight per day for 2 weeks, and iptakalim was withdrawn for 10 days. We observe effects of iptakalim on hemodynamics parameters in anesthetized rats and changes of myocardial structure, myofilament ultra-structure after 24h at the end of the last administration. Results ① The new chemical entity iptakalim had selectivity on changes of gene expression in rat heart, liver and brain. Compared with control group, 236 genes are changed (100 increased and 136 decreased) in rat hearts and 6 transcripts (6 increased) in rat livers, there are no changes on gene expression in rat brains. ② In anesthetized rats, iptakalim at doses of 1, 3, 9 mg?kg-1 neither affected pharmacological effects on cardiovascular hemodynamics parameters nor had pathological changes on myocardial morphological and ultrastructure. Conclusion Under the same experimental conditions, the new chemical entity iptakalim has selectivity on changes of gene expression in vital organs. Iptakalim shows no side-effects on cardiac function and tissue structure.

Objective To establish a capillary gas chromatography method for the determination of trinitrotoluene (TNT) in workplace air.Methods Using dichloromethane as the eluent,the air was drawn through a glass fiber filter to collect TNT,TNT was extracted from the filter with dichloromethane by an ultrasonic shaker,and the sample was analyzed by OV-17 elastic quartz electron capture detector capillary gas chromatography.Results Under the optimal condition,the lowest detection limit was 0.006 ?g/ml,the lowest detection concentration was 0.001 3 mg/m~3 (based on 45 L air sample).When the concentration of standard solution was 0.040-2.0 ?g/ml,the linear equation was good,r=0.999 8,RSDs were between 0.66%-3.62%,the recovery rates were 90.4%-95.5%.When sample was collected by fiberglass filter paper,the efficiency of desorption was more than 90%,and was stable for at least 7 days at 2℃-8℃.Conclusion This method is applicable to the determination of trinitrotoluene in workplace air.

Abstract: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health problem due to its highly contagious nature. This article aims to discuss the current situation of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for traditional Chinese medicine research and scientific and standardized treatment of COVID-19.In this article, the etiology, pathogenesis, treatment plan and research progress were summarized, analyzed and concluded by retrieving and reviewing the literature and clinical reports related to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine has obvious effects in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression, which had the unique advantages of mild curative efficacy and safety. It has important practical significance in relieving patients' early symptoms and reducing the incidence of progression from mild to severe, and had great potential for development in the treatment of COVID-19. The traditional Chinese medicine intervention and the formulation of diagnosis and treatment plans for the COVID-19 need to be continuously optimized and improved. Scientific and rational application of traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and treat COVID-19, optimization diagnosis and treatment programs, and in-depth exploration of pharmacological mechanisms, especially the provide reference for early intervention of new coronavirus pneumonia by traditional Chinese medicine, the control of disease progression in the middle stage, and improve prognosis in the late stage with Western medicine.

0.05).Conclusions The serum concentrations of cortisol,GH,IGF-Ⅰ and IGFBP3 in children suffered from asthma have no obvious change before and after 24 months long-term inhaled corticosteroids.The height changes before and after therapy have no significant difference between observation group and control group with same age and gender.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the placement of a long tube into the small intestine under fluoroscopic guidance and to evaluate its decompression effect on early postoperative small bowel obstruction (EPSBO).

METHODSFifty-four patients with EPSBO requiring decompression between April 2010 and July 2014 were enrolled in the study. Insertion of a long tube was guided by fluoroscopy. We first used the guide wire to pass the pylorus and then used the 10 Fr feeding tube as an exchangeable tube to put the superstiff wire into the duodenum. Finally the long tube could be passed over the guide wire through the pylorus into the intestine. The total procedure time, the radiation exposure time, and the incidence of complications were evaluated.

RESULTSThe long tubes passed into the jejunum on initial insertion for all patients, so the success rate of this technique was 100%. The long tube was inserted into ileum in 18 patients. The mean total procedure time was 34.4 ± 8.6 minutes, and the mean radiation exposure time 18.9 ± 6.8 minutes. A total of 47 patients (87%) experienced full recovery following long-tube decompression and without the need for surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONSUsing the wire-exchange technique, it is easy to place a long tube into the small bowel under fluoroscopic guidance. This decompression method is safe and effective for management of EPSBO.

Adult ; Aged ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To study interleukin-1 receptor(IL-1R) and connexin(Cx36) gene expression following Mg 2+-free-induced seizures in cultured developing neuron. Methods Rat embryo cortical neurons cultured for 6 and 17 days were exposed to Mg 2+-free media to induce seizure. At different time after Mg 2+-free treatment, real-time RT-PCR was used to detect IL-1R and Cx36 mRNA expression. Results 1. IL-1R mRNA expression transiently decreased after Mg 2+-free treatment in neurons cultured for 6 and 17 days in vitro. Then the levels of IL-1R mRNA expression recovered in neurons cultured for 6 days, but IL-1R mRNA expression were increased in neurons cultured for 17 days compared with control group and the peak was at 24 hours. 2. In neurons cultured for 6 days in vitro, Cx36 mRNA expression increased after Mg 2+-free treatment compared with control group, the peak was at 24 hours. But in neurons cultured for 17 days in vitro, Cx36 mRNA expression decreased at 6 hours after Mg 2+-free treatment compared with control group, the peak was at 24 hours. Conclusions IL-1R mRNA and Cx36 mRNA expression following Mg 2+-free-induced seizures are different between the neurons cultured for 6 and 17 days in vitro. This is possibly related to the different neuron injury between 6 and 17 days in vitro following seizures.

Objective To evaluate the role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in sevoflurane postconditioning-induced reduction of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice.Methods Forty pathogen-free healthy male C57 mice,aged 8 weeks,weighing 20-30 g,were assigned into 4 groups (n=10 each) using a random number table:sham operation group (group Sham),myocardial I/R group (group I/R),sevoflurane postconditioning group (group SPC) and HIF-1α inhibitor 2Me2 group (group 2Me2).Myocardial I/R was induced by occlusion of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery for 30 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized mice.In group SPC,3％ sevofiurane was inhaled for 15 min starting from the onset of reperfusion.In group 2Me2,30％ 2Me2 (30 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected at 30 min before ischemia.The mice were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion,and the hearts were removed for determination of the myocardial infarct size (using the Image J software) and expression of HIF-1α in thc nucleus of cardiomyocytes (by Western blot).Results Compared with group Sham,the myocardial infarct size was significantly increased in I/R,SPC and 2Me2 groups,the expression of HIF-1α was significantly up-regulated in I/R and SPC groups,and the expression of HIF-1α was significantly down-regulated in group 2Me2 (P＜ 0.05).Compared with group I/R,the myocardial infarct size was significantly decreased,and the expression of HIF-1α was up-regulated in group SPC,and the myocardial infarct size was significantly increased,and the expression of HIF-1α was down-regulated in group 2Me2 (P＜0.05).Compared with group SPC,the myocardial infarct size was significantly increased,and the expression of HIF-1α was down-regulated in group 2Me2 (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which sevoflurane postconditioning reduces myocardial I/R injury is related to up-regulation of HIF-1α expression in mice.

Objective To construct PPAR?and PPAR?response element (PPRE)-controlled luciferase expression vectors,and to determine whether the traditional Chinese medicine emodin activates PPAR?and improves the glucose uptake by HepG2 hepatocytes.Methods (1) PPAR?and PPRE luciferase expression vectors were constructed and were applied to screen more than 20 ingredients of the traditional Chinese medicine. (2) HepG2 cells were incubated with emodin which can activate PPAR?and PPRE luciferase activity,and the PPAR?mRNA expression level was evaluated by RT-PCR/Southern blot.(3) PPAR?and glucose transporter 2 (Glut2) proteins were determined by Western blot analysis in HepG2 cells treated with emodin.(4) The glucose uptake rate was measured using 2-deoxy-[~3H]-D-glucose in HepG2 cells after treatment with emodin.Results (1) Emodin stimulated luciferase activity controlled by PPRE in dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 0.04 to 180?mol/L in COS-7 cells.The highest value was about 4 folds of control in the cells treated with 90?mol/L emodin (P

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of berberine on lipid metabolism disorder and lipid deposition in liver cells of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats induced by high fat diet.

METHODSAfter one week adaptable feeding, 45 SPF level male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the normal control group, the model group, and the berberine group, 15 in each group. Except those in the normal control group, all rats were fed with high fat diet to prepare NAFLD model. As for rats in the berberine group, Berberine Hydrochloride was administered by gastrogavage. HE staining and oil red O staining were performed to identify the model after 8 weeks. Hepatocytes were isolated, and their activities and purities were tested by Typan blue staining and flow cytometry (FCM). Serum levels of TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C were detected using automatic biochemical analyzer. mRNA expression levels of LXRα and FAS in liver cells were analyzed by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Protein levels of LXRα and FAS in liver cells were examined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe NAFLD rat model was successfully established by high fat diet. The yields of purified liver cells in each rat were (6.0-7.5) x 10(8). The viability of isolated liver cells with purity over 90% (tested by FCM analysis) was higher than 95%. Compared with the normal control group,the expression of LXRα and FAS at mRNA and protein levels was higher in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of LXRα and FAS at mRNA and protein levels was obviously down-regulated in the berberine group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSLXRα/FAS signaling pathway was one of important signaling pathways of NAFLD lipid metabolism disorders. Berberine could recover hepatocyte fatty deposits in NAFLD rats by adjusting the LXR/FAS signaling pathway of hepatocytes, which might be one of important mechanisms for fighting against NAFLD.

Animals ; Berberine ; therapeutic use ; Diet, High-Fat ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; Hepatocytes ; Lipids ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; drug therapy ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of non-neuronal muscarinic receptors (NNMR) stimulation on atherosclerosis and endothelial cells activation.

METHODSAtherosclerosis model was established in ApoE-/- mice by a high fat diet for 7 weeks. During the experimental periods, animals were received a low (7 mg/kg/d) or a high (21 mg/kg/d) dose of arecoline by gavage. At the termination of the treatments, serum total cholesterol and NO levels were measured, and the aorta morphology was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The gene expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and adhesion molecules in the thoracic aortas was determined by RT-PCR, and the MCP-1 protein expression and NF-κB activity were detected by Western blot analysis. NO production, MCP-1 secretion in cultured rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs), and monocyte-endothelium adhesion assay were also performed after arecoline treatments.

RESULTSArecoline efficiently decreased atherosclerotic plaque areas, increased serum nitric oxide (NO) content, suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of MCP-1, and modulated the IκB-α degradation and P65 phosphorylation in the aortae of ApoE-/- mice. Furthermore, arecoline promoted NO production and suppressed MCP-1 secretion in cultured RAECs after ox-LDL exposure, and either atropine or NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester could abrogate these effects. Arecoline also significantly inhibited the adherence of U937 monocytes to the ox-LDL injured human umbilical vein endothelial cells, which could be abolished by atropine.

CONCLUSIONOur results indicate that arecoline attenuates the progression of atherosclerosis and inhibits endothelial cells activation and adherence by stimulating endothelial NNMR. These effects, at least in part, are due to its modulation on NF-κB activity.

Animals ; Aorta ; cytology ; Apolipoproteins E ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Atherosclerosis ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Disease Progression ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Monocytes ; cytology ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Nitroarginine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; physiology ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism