Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hydroxylamine ; toxicity ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Testis ; cytology ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study and evaluate the curative effect and mechanism of Qiangxin Granule (QXG) in intervening chronic heart failure (CHF) rats with Xin-qi deficiency complicated blood stasis and edema syndrome (XQD-BS-ES).

METHODSTotally 72 SD rats of clean grade were randomly divided to the normal control group (n =10) and the model group (n = 62). The XQD-BS-ES rat model was established by adriamycin plus propylthiouracil method. Survived modeled rats were then randomly divided to 5 groups i.e., the model group (n = 11, administered with normal saline by gastrogavage), the Western medicine (WM) group (n =11 , administered with perindopril and hydrochlorothiazide by gastrogavage), the low dose QXG (QXG(L)) group (n = 11, administered with 9.26 g/kg QXG by gastrogavage), the middle dose QXG (QXG(M)) group (n = 11, administered with 18.52 g/kg QXG by gastrogavage), the high dose QXG (QXG(H)) group (n = 11, administered with 37.04 g/kg QXG by gastrogavage). After 4 weeks of treatment, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), urine output, ear temperature, exhaustive swimming test (EST), tri-iodothyronine (T3), tetra-iodothyronine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as heart, lung, liver weight index and their pathological sections, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), angiotensin II (Ang II), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) were detected and compared.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, HR, RR, urine output, ear temperature, EST, T3, T4, TSH, HS-CRP, Ang II, and CA125 changed significantly in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group after treatment, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, urine output, EST, T4, heart and liver weight index, HS-CRP, Ang II, CA125 were significantly improved in each QXG group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Moreover, TSH was improved in the QXGL and QXG(M) groups (P < 0.05); ear temperature and T3 in the QXG(M) were also improved (P < 0.05); the lung weight index decreased in the QXG(M) and QXG(H) groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the WM group, T4 and CA125 were obviously improved in all QXG groups (P < 0.01); BNP and ear temperature were obviously improved in QXG(L) and QXG(M) groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); LVEF, LVFS and TSH were obviously improved in the QXG(M) group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). And as far as each treatment group, LVEF, LVFS, urine output increased significantly after treatment (P < 0.01); EST obviously increased in QXG(M) and QXG(H) groups (P < 0.01); ear temperature increased in all QXG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Moreover, compared with the model group, pathological changes of heart, lung, and liver were improved to some degree in each treatment group, especially in the QXG(M) group.

CONCLUSIONSGood curative effect was shown in each QXG group. QXG could improve LVEF, LVFS and BNP of CHF rats of XQD-BS-ES, as well as T3, T4, TSH, EST, urine output, and ear temperature. Moreover, QXG showed superiority than WM group in this respect.

Angiotensin II ; Animals ; C-Reactive Protein ; Chronic Disease ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Edema ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Heart Ventricles ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Qi ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Syndrome ; Thyrotropin ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo establish and evaluate chronic heart failure (CHF) rat model of Xin-qi deficiency complicated blood stasis and edema syndrome (XQD-BSES).

METHODSTotally 40 SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (Control), the propylthiouracil (PTU) group, the adriamycin (ADR), and the ADR + PTU group. Normal saline was used as equivalent solvent of each group. Rats in the Control group were intragastrically and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. Rats in the PTU group were intragastrically injected with PTU suspension and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. Rats in the ADR group were intragastrically injected with ADR solution and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. And rats in the ADR + PTU group were intragastrically injected with PTU suspension and intraperitoneally injected with ADR solution. The dose of PTU was 0.2% of daily forage weight, once daily. The dose of ADR was 3.5 mg/kg, once per week. The modeling lasted for 6 weeks. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), urine output, ear temperature, exhaustive swimming test (EST), Tri-iodothyronine (T3), tetra-iodothyronine(T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) as well as heart, lung, liver weight indices and their pathological sections were integrated and compared.

RESULTSCompared with the Control group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, HR, RR, heart, lung, liver weight indices, urine output, ear temperature, EST, and T3, T4, and TSH changed significantly in the ADR group, the PTU group, and the ADR + PTU group with statistical significance (P < 0.05), and pathological changes of heart failure occurred in pathological sections of heart, lung, and liver. Compared with the ADR group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, and lung, liver weight indices, urine output, ear temperature, T3, T4, and TSH changed significantly in the ADR + PTU group with statistical significance (P < 0.05), and pathological changes of heart failure were more serious in pathological sections of heart, lung, and liver. Compared with the PTU group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, HR, RR, urine output, EST, T4, heart and lung weight indices changed significantly in the ADR + PTU group with statistical significance (P < 0.05), and pathological changes of heart failure were quite serious in pathological sections of heart, lung, and liver.

CONCLUSIONADR + PTU was an appropriate method to establish CHF rat model of XQD-BSES.

Animals ; Edema ; Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Judgment ; Models, Animal ; Qi ; Rats ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective To evaluate the effect of early and short-term use of high-potency antibiotics following extensive severe burn injury. Methods Seventeen severely burned patients hospitalized in the same period (Nov, 1998 to Oct, 2000) were randomly divided into 2 groups. Patients in group 1 received early treatment with imipenum and amikacin for 5 d, and the same treatment in group 2 was discontinued on day 15 postburn. The survival rate, blood bacterial culture, body temperature and white blood cell and platelet counts were compared between the 2 groups. Results All the 17 patients survived and all blood bacterial cultures were negative. No significant difference in the body temperature or white blood cell and platelet counts between the 2 groups was observed (P>0.05). Conclusion Early use of high-potency antibiotics at a short treatment course after extensive severe burn is effective to prevent infection and reduce the cost.

Objective To evaluate the effect of early and short-term use of high-potency antibiotics following extensive severe burn injury. Methods Seventeen severely burned patients hospitalized in the same period (Nov, 1998 to Oct, 2000) were randomly divided into 2 groups. Patients in group 1 received early treatment with imipenum and amikacin for 5 d, and the same treatment in group 2 was discontinued on day 15 postburn. The survival rate, blood bacterial culture, body temperature and white blood cell and platelet counts were compared between the 2 groups. Results All the 17 patients survived and all blood bacterial cultures were negative. No significant difference in the body temperature or white blood cell and platelet counts between the 2 groups was observed (P>0.05). Conclusion Early use of high-potency antibiotics at a short treatment course after extensive severe burn is effective to prevent infection and reduce the cost.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of compound Kushen Tang and its relevant mechanism in TNBS-in-duced ulcerative colitis ( UC) rats. Methods:UC was induced by TNBS in rats. After compound Kushen Tang was given orally, the levels of MDA, iNOS, and NO and the activity of MPO, SOD, and GSH-Px were measured. The general condition of rats and colon tissue morphology were observed. Results:The levels of MDA (P<0. 05), iNOS (P<0. 01) and NO (P<0. 01) and the activity of MPO (P<0. 01) in tissues of UC rats were significantly higher than the control group. The activity of SOD (P<0. 01) and GSH-Px (P<0. 05) were significantly lower than those in the control group. After the treatment with high doses of compound Kushen Tang, the levels of MPO (P<0. 01), MDA (P<0. 05), iNOS (P<0. 05) and NO (P<0. 01) were significantly decreased, and the activity of SOD (P<0. 01) and GSH-Px (P<0. 05) significantly increased. The therapeutic effect was dose-dependent and the general con-dition of rats and colon tissue morphology were also significantly improved. Conclusion:Compound Kushen Tang is considered as a no-vel therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of UC, which can reduce coloni inflammatory injury and ameliorate the colitis.

OBJECTIVETo preliminarily investigate the relationship between the Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and dental caries initiation.

METHODS100 S. mutans strains derived from caries-active and caries-free individuals were cultured in BHI medium supplemented with glucose. Cells were extracted and ruptured, and the extracted liquid protein was quantified with Coomassie brilliant blue G250 staining methods. LDH activity was assayed using the pyruvate-dependent oxidation of NADH-with and without FDP.

RESULTSLDH activity of the two groups strains had no difference (P > 0.05), but the distribution of differ class enzyme activity strains in the two groups was different (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLDH activity of S. mutans is correlated to the initiation of dental caries to some extent. The measurement methods in this study can be applied in preliminary quantitation of LDH activity and the screening of S. mutans strains.

Case-Control Studies ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Humans ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Streptococcus mutans ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the urinary iodine level and thyroid function during different trimesters of pregnancy in Hangzhou residents and to provide evidence for monitoring iodine nutrition or screening thyroid function. Methods The urinary iodine level and thyroid function of 395 subjects from 5 hospitals in Hanzhou were investigated. The urinary iodine level was measured by arsenic-cerium contact process method. The serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 were measured by chemiluminescence method. Results (1) The urinary iodine median concentration during pregnancy in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters were 170.3, 170.2, 162.4 μ/L respectively, all significantly lower than that of non-pregnant women (251.9 μg/L, all P < 0.05); (2) The mean value of TSH during the 1st trimester of pregnancy was significantly lower than that of non-preguant women (P < 0.05). The mean values of FT4 and FT3 in the 2nd and the 3rd trimesters of pregnancy were significantly lower than those of the control (P < 0.05); (3) During 2nd trimester, there were 8.7% (9/104, in FT4) and 9.6% (10/104, in FT3) pregnant women below normal lower range while during 3rd trimester, these figures reached 22.7% (22/97) and 17.5% (17/97) resfectively. Conclusions More than half of the pregnant women in Hangzhou have good nutritional status of iodine. There are significant differences in thyroid hormone levels between the non-pregnant and pregnant women as well as between gestation periods. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a trimester-specific reference range of thyroid hormones for normal pregnancy. The screening for thyroid function is recommended for pregnant women besides monitoring routine urinary iodine.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in the redox domain of aprimidinic/apurinic endonuclease/redox factor-1(APEX) gene and the development of sporadic colorectal cancer.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty cases of sporadic colorectal cancers and 143 peripheral blood samples from healthy population were screened for genetic polymorphisms or mutations in the redox domain by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis followed by DNA sequencing.

RESULTSThere were two SNPs identified in the redox domain of APEX gene, namely, 453G to T and 1247A to G. The gene frequencies of 453T and 1247G were 1.3% and 5.7%, respectively, in patient group, while 1.05% and 4.55%, respectively, in healthy population. The genotype distribution at the two sites in healthy population was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There was no difference in gene frequencies at the two sites between cancer patients and healthy population.

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphisms in the redox domain of APEX gene are irrelevant to the development of sporadic colorectal cancer, but their distribution may vary greatly among tribes.

Aged ; Alleles ; Base Sequence ; Binding Sites ; genetics ; China ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Neoplasm ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To detect the expression levels of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) and Th17 cells transcription factors, related cytokines in peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and analyze the relations between HMGB1 and CRP, ESR, RF in RA patients. The other aim of this study is to identify the expression level of HMGBI and the relationship between HMGB1 and Th17 in RA patients. Methods The mRNA levels of HMGB1, RORyt, interleukin (IL)-17 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) from 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis,including 32 RA patients in stable phase and 48 patients in active phase, and 50 healthy volunteers. The concentration of HMGB1, IL-23, IL-17 in plasma were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), one-way ANOVA and Spearman's correleation were adopted for statistical analysis.Results The mRNAs of HMGBI, RORyt and IL-17 in RA patients were higher than that in healthy control group (P<0.05), especially in active RA patients [ HMGB 1 (0.424±0.262) pg/ml, RORγt (0.34±0.25) pg/ml,IL-17 (1.42±0.38) pg/ml,P<0.01 ] when compared with patients with stable disease. The concentration of HMGB1, IL-23 and IL-17 in the plasma of RA patients was higher than that of the healthy control group (P< 0.05), and was positively correlated with the expression levels of HMGB1, Th 17-associated factors and the level of CRP, ESR, RF in RA patients' plasma(P<0.05). Conclusion The HMGB1 and Thl7 cells levels are higher in active RA patients than those in patients with stable disease, arid there is significant positive correlation between them. Detection of peripheral HMGB1 and Thl7 cell-specific transcription factors or related cytokines can help to understand the development and progress of rheumatoid arthritis and provide clues for new treatment targets for RA.