Objective To investigate the difference and the correlation of the vowel's phonation threshold pressure and nasalance in normal subjects .Methods The Aeroview (GLOTTAL Enterprises)with the materials /pa/,/pi/,/pu/ was used to obtain phonation threshold pressure values and The NasalviewTM (Tiger Electronics Inc .,Seattle ,Shanghai) with the materials /a/,/i/,/u/was used to obtain nasalance values .A total of 30 subjects (15 males ,15 females ,and aged 19~30) years old received the tests .The results of the vowel's phonation threshold pressure and nasalance gender score difference were compared .Results The PTP gender scores of /a/,/i/,/u/in maleswere4.53±0.70cm,5.21±0.80cm,5.87±1.45cm,andinfemaleswere4.09±0.30cm,4.47±0.30cm, and 4 .77 ± 0 .32 cm ,respectively .There were significant differences between males and females in PTP values (P<0 .05) .The PTP gender score differences showed that males were greater than that of females .There were signifi‐cant differences in different vowels (P<0 .05) .The nasalance gender scores of /a/,/i/,/u/in males were 30 .2 ± 5 . 75% ,38 .8 ± 8 .54% ,26 .5 ± 6 .03% ,and in females w ere32 .4 ± 7 .14% ,40 .5 ± 11 .8% ,and 30 .1 ± 4 .83% ,respec‐tively .There were no significant differences between males and females in nasalance values (P> 0 .05) .The na‐salance gender score differences showed that females were greater than males .There were significant differences in different vowels(P<0 .05) .This study found a weak correlation between PTP and nasalance .Conclusion The relationship between oral pressure and nasal flow cannot be accurately measured by measuring PTP ,and /pa/is a relatively suit‐able material for testing oral pressure .

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of berberine on the release of nitric oxide (NO) by rat intestinal mucous microvascular endothelial cells (RIMECs) cultured in vitro for exploring the pharmacological mechanism of berberine in treating intestinal disease.

METHODSCultured RIMECs in vitro were identified adopting immunofluorescent stain with factor VIII-related antigen. NO level in the supernatant of normal cell culture or cell culture treated with different concentrations of berberine was detected with colorimetry at the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th h and compared.

RESULTSCompared with that in the normal control group, NO level increased more obviously in the berberine treated groups, and the best effect was shown in the 5 microg/mL berberine treated group.

CONCLUSIONOne of the important pharmacological mechanisms of berberine might be through promoting the endogenous NO release to induce endothelium-dependent dilatation of microvascular in intestinal mucosa, thus to improve the local microcirculation of intestine.

Animals ; Berberine ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Colorimetry ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; blood supply ; cytology ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Rats ; Time Factors

The purpose of this study is to prepare T7 and TAT dual modified liposomes (T7-TAT-LIP) to penetrate through blood brain barrier and target to brain tumor cells. The liposomes were prepared with CFPE, T7 modified PEG-DSPE, TAT modified PEG-DSPE, soybean phospholipid, PEG-DSPE and cholesterol. The CFPE was used to track the cellular uptake efficiency. The density of T7 and TAT and the length of PEG were optimized, and then the liposomes were characterized by particle size, zeta potential, morphology and stability. Afterwards, the cellular uptake by bEnd.3 and C6 cells were evaluated. The results showed that the optimized parameters were 6% of T7, 0.5% of TAT, the molecular weight of PEG for T7 was 2000 and the molecular weight of PEG for TAT was 1000. After optimization, the particle size of T7-TAT-LIP was 118 nm, the zeta potential was -6.32 mV and the particles were spherical. The turbidity and particle size of liposomes were not obviously changed after 24 h incubation in PBS at 37 °C. The particle size and polydispersity index were also stable during 1 month incubation at 4-8 °C. The cellular uptake by both bEnd.3 and C6 cells of T7-TAT-LIP was higher than that of T7 or TAT modified liposomes, suggesting dual modified liposomes possessed better blood brain barrier targeting ability and brain tumor targeting ability than the single ligand modified liposomes.
Biological Transport ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol ; Liposomes ; Particle Size ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; Polyethylene Glycols

Objective To explore the correlation between plasma asymmetric dimethylarginin(ADMA) and essential hyper‐tention(EH) by comparing the difference of plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine levels between Kazak and Han patients with EH in Xinjiang .Methods 91 Kazak and 112 Han patients with EH were selected .81 Kazak and 110 Han healthy people were selected as healthy control groups .The plasma ADMA levels in EH groups and the control groups were measured by using the reverse phase‐high performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) .Meanwhile the liver function ,renal function ,blood lipids ,blood glucose and fructosamine were measured .Results Kazak and Han patients with EH had higher levels of plasma ADMA than the control groups (P<0 .01);there was a positive correlation between the plasma ADMA and blood pressure levels of EH patients in two na‐tionalities(r=0 .715 ,P<0 .01 for Kazak ;r=0 .645 ,P<0 .01 for Han) .Conclusion Both Kazak and Han patients with EH have higher levels of ADMA than the respective healthy control group in Xinjiang .The correlation between the plasma levels of ADMA and EH existed ,which indicate that ADMA might be involved in the occurrence and development of EH .

t=2.331,P=0.022) T cell levels and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (1.1 ± 0.2vs. 0.9 ± 0.2;t=4.488,P<0.001) showed significant difference between post-treatment and pretreatment. CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cell levels and CD4+/CD8+ ratio after treatment showed significant different between the two groups (t values were 3.920, 11.966, 5.573, 10.700,P<0.01). After the treatment, the cure rate in treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (80%vs. 56%;χ2=5.561,P=0.018). The rates of sputum conversion from positive to negative (72.0%vs. 50.0%;χ2=5.086,P=0.024)and cavity closure (36.0%vs. 16.0%;χ2=5.198,P=0.023) 6 months after treatment in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group.ConclusionFeitai capsule combined with mycobacterium vaccae can significantly improve the immune function in elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

San'ao Decoction (SD) and its analogous formulas derived in the following generations are common used prescriptions for treating pulmonary diseases with principal symptoms such as cough and asthma. They are usually compatible with Chinese herbs for facilitating Fei, dispelling wind, resolving phlegm and fluid retention. Material bases in these formulas are mainly derived from Chinese drugs, but dissolution contents of active components are changed and new components are produced after compatibility. By multilevel effect evaluation, these analogous formulas all have commonness in ventilating Fei and superiorities of evidence-based derivation. The effect pathway of commonness was involved in cell structure protection, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and immunoregulation.
Asthma ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Death domain-associated protein (DAXX) as a multifunctional nuclear protein widely resides in nucleolus, nucleoplasm, chromatin, promyelocytic leukaemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) and cytoplasm. It plays significant roles in transcriptional regulation, apoptosis, cell cycle and other biological activities. Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is required for SUMOylation which is a highly conserved post-translational modification in a wide variety of cellular processes. Numerous studies demonstrated that SUMOylation has a great effect on the subcellular localization and functional regulation of DAXX. This review will provide a summary for SUMOylation of DAXX.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; physiology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Nuclear Proteins ; physiology ; Sumoylation

Objective To investigate the feature of regional grey matter volume changes in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients by voxel-based morphometry ( VBM) and presume the possible pathophysiological basis.Methods Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and T1-weighted three-dimensional MRI were obtained from 32 RRMS and 32 sex- and age-matched normal controls.The comparison of grey matter volume between the two groups was analyzed by statistical analysis software SPM5 and VBM.A Pearson correlational analysis was used to assess correlation between gre matter loss and disease duration,expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and visible brain lesion volume.Results Compared with normal controls,RRMS patients had extensive bilateral grey matter atrophy in thalami (left 2031 and right 1711),caudate (left 815 and right 1031) and parahippocampal gyrus (left 313 and right 467),as well as several cortical regions in frontal,temporal,parietal,and occipital lobes (t value were between 8.853 and 11.163,all P ＜ 0.01).Regional grey matter loss in bilateral thalami ( r value were - 0.596 on left and were - 0.694 on right) and right caudate ( r = - 0.409 ) were strongly negatively correlated with visible brain lesion volume in RRMS (all P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions By means of VBM,extensive grey matter atrophy are found in RRMS patients,especially in deep grey matter.Axonal degeneration secondary to visible brain lesions may be a key pathogenesis of grey matter atrophy in RRMS.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of polyethylene oxide (PEO) on renal blood flow and its renoprotective effect in rabbits with endotoxin sepsis.

METHODSTwenty normal New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into normal saline (NS) group and PEO group (n=10), and endotoxin shock was induced by an intravenous injection of 0.6 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide. Resuscitation was performed when the blood pressure of the rabbits showed a 30% decline, using NS (in NS group) or the mixture of equal volumes of NS and 20 ng/g PEO (in PEO group) perfused at the rate of 5 ml/kg per hour. Before and during shock and at 1 h after resuscitation, the renal hemodynamics was monitored by ultrasound and the venous blood was extracted to examine the renal functions. The heart rate and arterial blood pressure were monitored throughout the experiment.

RESULTSThe rabbits in both groups showed a significantly lower renal artery blood flow velocity during the shock (P<0.05) with significantly increased pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) compared with those before the shock. One hour after resuscitation, the blood flow velocity in the renal arteries at all levels and the tertiary veins were reduced in NS group without obvious reduction of the PI and RI; in PEO group, the blood flow velocities in the renal arteries increased significantly compared to those before shock (P<0.05), and the PI and RI of the tertiary arteries were significantly lower than those in NS group (P<0.05). In both groups, BUN and Cr increased during endotoxin shock stage, and 1 h after resuscitation, PEO group showed significantly lower BUN and Cr levels than NS group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONA small dose of PEO can significantly promote renal perfusion in rabbits with septic shock, thus offering renoprotective effect against early damage in septicopyemia and septic shock.

Animals ; Hemodynamics ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rabbits ; Renal Circulation ; Shock, Septic ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-like immunoreactive substance in spinal cord of the rat and to probe the mechanism.

METHODSThe IFN-gamma-like immunoreactive positive cell number in spinal cord of the rat was investigated with immunohistochemical SP method and microscopy.

RESULTSAfter electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36), IFN-gamma-like immunoreactive positive cell number in the spinal cord of the rat with electroacupuncture plus immunosuppression did not significantly change (P > 0.05). The number of positive cells in the dorsal horn in the rats with immunosuppression was significantly less than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05) with no significant change in other parts and with no significant difference between the electroacupuncture group and the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) can increase expression of IFN-gamma-like immunoreactive substance in spinal cord of the rat, and acupuncture activates the nerve-immunoregulative network possibly by IFN-gamma as medium.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Interferon-gamma ; Rats ; Spinal Cord