Objective:To investigate extraocular muscles(EOM) susceptibility to myasthenia gravis(MG).Methods:Acetylcholine receptor(AChR) ?, ?, ?, ? and ? subunits from human EOM and other different muscle groups from 8 health controls and intercostal muscles from 10 MG patients were studied by RT-PCR System. Serum AChR antibodies from 83 patients with MG were assayed by ELISA.Results:①AChR?, ?, ?, ? and ? subunit mRNA could be amplified from normal human EOM and all muscle groups studied. ②AChR? P3A+/?-actin mRNA was expressed at higher level in general MG than in health controls(P=0.028). ③Ocular and general MG patients had higher AChR antibodies against AChR from adult gastrocnemius muscle than that from fetus(P=0.001,0.016).Conclusion:Susceptibility of EOM to MG is likely associated with muscle AChR subunit mRNA expression and intrinsic susceptivity of EOM.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between damages of visual field and retinal nerve fibre layer(RNFL)thickness in primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)with high myopia.Design Retrospective,case-controlled study.Participants POAG group with high myopia(21 eyes of 17 cases),POAG group with non-high myopia(17 eyes of 16 cases),high myopia group without POAG(25 eyes of 20 cases)and normal control group(19 eyes of 17 cases).Methods The static central visual fields were tested with Humphrey 750 automated perimetry and thickness of RNFL was measured with optical coherent tomography(OCT).Main Outcome Measures Mean deviation(MD),pattern standard deviation(PSD)and mean sensitivity at upper,lower,nasal and temporal quadrants in total deviation probability plots.Thickness of RNFL at upper,lower,nasal and temporal quadrants.Results There were more obvious general depression of sensitivity in total deviation probability plots of the early POAG with high myopia than those of POAG without high myopia,and the early visual field defects of glaucoma in pattern deviation probability plots of this group.MD of POAG with high myopia was more than those of others(P＜0.05).The differences of MD,PSD and mean sensitivity between POAG with high myopia and others were significant(P＜0.05).Mean sensitivities in each quadrant of POAG without high myopia were similar to those of high myopia(P＞0.05).The thickness of RNFL of POAG with high myopia was thinner than those of others and the thickness of RNFL of normality was thicker than that of others.The correlationship between mean sensitivity and the thickness of RNFL in each quadrant was significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Pattern deviation probability plots is an important favor for judgement of the visual field changes in POAG with high myopia.The relationship between RNFL thickness with OCT and visual field damage may provide clinically relevant information in diagnosis of POAG with high myopia

Biofilms are microbial communities which are enclosed within a matrix of exopolysaccharides produced by the bacteria,fungi and protozoa growing intimately on a living or inert surfaces.Further researches on bcterial biofilms formation and molecular machines,pathogenic mechanisms (especially drug resistance),detection and treatment maybe provide novel pathways to refractory infections caused by bcterial biofilms.

Objective To study the effect of simvastatin on the radiosensitivity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma .Methods Interrupted radiation was used to induce the radioresistance EC 9706 ,named R‐resistant cell . The effect of simvastatin on the proliferation and radiosensitivity of EC 9706 and R‐resistant cells were examined by Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay and colony formation assay ,respectively .Results The radioresistance EC9706 ,named R‐resistant ,was induced successfully .The results of Counting Kit‐8 assay and colony formation assay indicated that simvastatin could sensitize EC9706 and the radioresistance of R‐resistant to irradiation .Conclusion Simvastatin can sensitize esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to irradiation .

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chinese herbs for stasis removing and collaterals dredging (CHSRCD) upon angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis in the renal cortex of diabetic nephropathy rats.

METHODSTotally 89 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (C group, n=22), the high-glucose high-fat control group (H group, n=10), and the streptozotocin (STZ)-injecting group (n=57). The diabetes rat model (n=50) was induced by feeding high-glucose high-fat diet in combination with intraperitoneal injection of STZ, which were further divided into the model group (M group, n=24), the irbesartan group (I group, n=13), and the CHSRCD (Z group, n=13). Rats in I and Z groups were intragastrically fed with suspension of irbesartan and CHSRCD, once daily for 16 weeks. Equal volume of drinking water was administrated to rats in the rest groups. Blood glucose and 24 h urine protein quantitation were tested at four time points. And the mRNA expression of ACE2 and Mas at various time points was detected by Real-time PCR, immunohistochemical assay, and Western blot. Quantitative analyses of ACE2 and Mas protein expression were performed at the end of week 16.

RESULTSCompared with the C group, blood glucose increased in the H and M groups (P < 0.01). It was higher in the H group (P < 0. 01). 24 h urine protein quantitation at different time points increased in the M group, and it was higher than that in the H group (P < 0.05). Compared with the M group, 24 h urine protein quantitation decreased at the end of week 8 in the I group, and at the end of week 8 and 16 in the Z group (P < 0.05). It was lower in the Z group than in the I group at the end of week 16 (P < 0.05). Compared with the C and H groups, the expression of ACE2 mRNA in the renal cortex was lower in the M group at the end of week 16 (P < 0.01). Compared with the M group, it was higher in the Z group (P < 0. 01). There was no statistical difference in the expressions of Mas mRNA at the end of week 16 between the C group and the M group (P > 0.05). It was lower in the M group than in the H group (P < 0.05). It was higher in the Z group than in the M group (P < 0.05), and higher than in the I group (P < 0.05). The expression of ACE2 and Mas protein in the M group decreased as time went by. The expression quantitation of ACE2 and Mas protein at the end of week 16 was lower in the M group than in the C group (P < 0.05). Compared with the M group, ACE2 expression of the Z group and Mas of the I and Z groups increased more significantly (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONCHSRCD could play a role in renal protection for diabetic nephropathy rats by up-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of ACE2 and Mas, promoting the ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis, and lowering urinary protein.

Angiotensin I ; metabolism ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney Cortex ; metabolism ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism

BACKGROUND:The formation of atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E knockout mice is similar to that of human systemic atherosclerosis, and apolipoprotein E knockout mice are ideal animals for current establishment of atherosclerosis models.
OBJECTIVE:To research the pathological process of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knockout mice aged different weeks, and to explore the effect of different diets on the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knockout mice.
METHODS:Male apolipoprotein E knockout mice aged 8 weeks old were randomly divided into two groups, and fed with high fat diet and normal diet, respectively, for 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Serological detection revealed that serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein levels were significantly higher in different weeks of mice of high fat diet group than in the normal diet group (P<0.05), in a time-dependent manner. Gross and frozen oil red O staining showed that atherosclerotic plaque area of lumen was significantly larger in the high fat diet group than in the normal diet group (P<0.05), in a time-dependent manner. At this time, significant differences in plaque area of lumen at each week were detected between both groups (P<0.05). Apparent lipid plaque was visible in aorta at 16 weeks of high fat diet in mice. Results demonstrated that apolipoprotein E knockout mice of atherosclerosis were successful y established. The formation of lipid streaks and fiber hyperplasia was faster in high fat diet group than in the normal diet group.

Fifteen known compounds were isolated from Swertia delavayi by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and Rp-18 column chromatographies. Based on extensive spectroscopic analysis (MS, 1H, 13C-NMR), their structures were identified aserythrocentaurin (1), erythrocentaurindimethylacetal (2), sweroside (3), swertiamarin (4), gentiopicroside (5), swertiakoside A (6), 2'-O-acetylswertiamarin (7), 4'-O-[(Z) -coumaroyl] swertiamarin (8), 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (9), 8-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-1-hydroxy-2,3, 5-trimethoxyxanthone (10), 8-O-[β-D-xyl- opyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-7,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (11), isovitexin (12), β-sitosterol (13), daucosterol (14), and oleanolic acid (15). Among them, ten ones (14, 7-11, 13) were obtained from S. delavayi for the first time. The isolates were evaluated for their anti-HBV activities in HepG 2. 2. 15 cell line in vitro. The results showed that compound 1, 2, 6, 7, 9 and 12 exhibited significant inhibitory activity on HBV DNA replication with IC50 values from 0.05 to 1.46 mmol x L(-1).
Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Swertia ; chemistry

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Ankle Injuries ; surgery ; Child ; Female ; Foot Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Sural Nerve ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

The dosage-efficacy/toxicity relationship of the 50% alcohol extracts of Polygonum multiflorum was comparatively investigated on either normal or CCl4-induced chronic liver injury rats, by determining the general condition, serum biochemical indices and liver histopathology, coupled with the factor analysis. The dosages were 10 and 20 g raw materials per kg body weight. Compared with the normal control group, the normal high dose group showed significant increases of the serum alanine transaminase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), as well the frequent incidences of inflammatory cell infiltration, hepatic sinus enlargement and fiber stripes formation in histopathological sections. Compared with the model control group, the model low dose group showed significant declines of serum ALT, aspartate transaminase (AST) and total bile acid (TBA) (P < 0.05), as well the alleviation of vacuoles of hepatocytes, but no amelioration of the inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous tissue hyperplasia; moreover, the model high dose group showed significant degeneration declines of serum HMGB-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-1β (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), as well the evident alleviation of vacuoles degeneration of hepatocytes, inflammatory cells infiltration and fibrosis degree. The factor analysis showed that the low dosage treatment had almost neither injuring effect on the normal rats nor protective effect on the model rats; while the high dosage treatment showed observable injuring effect on the normal rats, expressed by the significant increases of the factor-1 (HMGB-1, TNF-α and IL-1β as the main contributors) and factor-2 (TBIL, ALT and TBA as the main contributors) relative to the normal control group. The liver protective effect of the high dosage treatment could be observed with the significant reduction of the factor-1, indicating the effective alleviation of the expression of inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, it could illustrated the phenomenon of symptom-based prescription theory of Polygonum multiflorum on rat livers: the high dosage of the herb had either an injuring effect on normal rats, or a therapeutic effect on the rats with chronic liver injury.
Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bile Acids and Salts ; metabolism ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fallopia multiflora ; chemistry ; HMGB1 Protein ; metabolism ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

PURPOSE: Insulin resistance plays a role in the development of dementia and hypertension. We investigated a possible relationship between cognitive impairment and insulin resistance in elderly Chinese patients with primary hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-two hypertensive elderly patients (>60 years) were enrolled in this study, and assigned into either the cognitive impairment group (n=61) or the normal cognitive group (n=71). Gender, age, education, body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), C-reactive protein (CRP), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), creatinine (Cr), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, smoking history, atherosclerosis and the proportion of uncontrolled hypertension were compared between the two groups. Multi-factorial logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in gender, age, TC, CRP, HDL-C, LDL-C, Cr, BP, smoking history, atherosclerosis and the proportion of uncontrolled hypertension between the two groups. The cognitive impairment group had lower education levels, and higher BMI, WHR, TG, FPG, FINS, and HOMA-IR levels than the control group. Logistic regression analysis revealed the levels of education, BMI, WHR, and HOMA-IR as independent factors that predict cognitive impairment in patients. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that poor education and increased BMI, WHR, and HOMA-IR are independent risk factors for cognitive impairment in elderly patients with hypertension. Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of cognitive impairment in primary elderly hypertensive patients.
Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Cognition Disorders/*etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/*complications ; *Insulin Resistance ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Risk Factors