Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH)is a common clinical syndrome.The over-proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs)is a hallmark of pulmonary vascular remodeling which is a critical and fundamental pathogenesis in the development of a variety of pulmonary artery hypertension.Here,we review the advances in studies on signaling transduction pathways mediating the proliferation of PASMCs and also introduce the existing approaches in inhibiting their proliferation and relevant research advances.

Objective This study investigates the protective effect of bicyclol on liver function in patients after liver resection.Methods One hundred and twenty patients undergoing liver resection with Pringle's maneuver were randomly divided into groups A,B,and C,and given bicyclol (50 mg),diammonium glycyrrhizinate (150 mg),and silybum marianum (77 mg),respectively.The medication was orally given preoperatively for 5 days and postoperatively for days 3 to 7.The fasting serum ALT,AST,TB,ALP,and PAB levels were determined before operation and on days 1,3,5,and 7 after operation.Results ALT levels in the A group were significantly lower than those in the B and C group on post operative days 1,3,5,and 7 (P＜0.01).On postoperative day 7,the ratio of serum ALT returned to normal was significantly higher than the B and C group ratios (P＜0.05).Conclusion Therefore,oral bicyclol given before and after liver resection can significantly inhibit the rapid increase and promote the normalization of serum ALT levels.

OBJECTIVE:To establish the quality standard for Xianrengu oral liquid. METHODS:Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used for qualitative identification of Epimedii Folium,Astragali Radix,lycium barbarum,Atractylodes macrocephala and Panax ginseng in Xianrengu oral liquid;RP-HPLC was preformed on the column of Dikma Diamonsil C18 with the mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid (30∶70,V/V)at the flow rate of 1.0 ml/min,the detection wavelength was 270 nm,the temperature was 30℃and the volume was 10μl. RESULTS:TLC identification had good separation,clear spots and high specifica-tion. The linear range of icariin was 7.97-510.00 μg/ml(r=0.999 3);RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were no more than 0.83%;and the average recovery was 97.69%(RSD=1.30%,n=6). CONCLUSIONS:This method is simple,accu-rate and simple,which can be used for the quality control of Xianrengu oral liquid.

Objective To investigate the probabilities of brain-derived stem cells from fetal rats differentiating into neurons and astrocytes by velvet antler polypeptide(VAP) in vitro. Methods Neural stem cells from E12-14d rats were cultured for 7 days until neural stem cells (NSCs) aggregations were formed into neurospheres. The neurospheres were cultured at different concentrations of VAP, and immunocytochemistry was used to detect the differentiation of neural stem cells. Results The differentiated cells in 50?g/L VAP group are more than that in control group; the number of NSE positive cells in 50?g/L,100?g/L and 200?g/L groups is more than that in control group.Conclusion Neural stem cells can be successfully induced into neurons by VAP in vitro, which could provide a basis for regeneration of nerve system.;

Objective To develop a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation by using crude Humulus pollen extract.Methods A total of 24 Balb/c mice were divided randomly into two groups: control group and asthma model group with 12 in each.After sensitization by intraperitoneal injection,the mice were challenged by intranasal instillation of crude Humulus pollen extract.The total cell number and eosinophile percentage of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) samples were determined.The lungs of mice were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to evaluate the degree of allergic inflammation.The cytokines in BALF and spleen homogenate were assayed by enzyme-linked immunoassay(ELISA).The total IgE in the serum was also measured by ELISA.Results Compared with the mice in normal control group,those in asthma group developed obvious allergic inflammation in the airways.Histological scoring for pulmonary inflammation significantly differed between normal group and asthma group(P

OBJECTIVETo examine whether calcineurin/NFAT signaling pathway mediates endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) by regulating phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) and the effect of the selective calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine A and PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil on ET-1-induced PASMC proliferation.

METHODSPASMCs were treated with ET-1 to stimulate their proliferation with or without prior treatment of the cells with CsA or sildenafil. Calcineurin activity in the cells was measured using a calcineurin activity assay kit, PDE5 expression examined using immunoblotting, and cGMP level detected using a cGMP direct immunoassay kit. PASMC proliferation following the treatments was determined using [(3)H]thymidine incorporation assay.

RESULTSET-1 caused a 2.05-fold increase in the cellular calcineurin activity, a 1.80-fold increase in PDE5 expression, and a 3.20-fold increase in the DNA synthesis rate, and reduced the cGMP level by 67%. Pretreatment of the cells with Cyclosporine blocked the effects of ET-1, and PDE5 inhibition by sildenafil pretreatment also abolished ET-1-induced reduction of cGMP level in the cells. Both Cyclosporine and sildenafil suppressed ET-1-stimulated PASMC proliferation.

CONCLUSIONActivation of calcineurin/NFAT signaling pathway mediates ET-1-induced PASMC proliferation by stimulating PDE5 expression, which further degrades cGMP. Both Cyclosporine and sildenafil can suppress ET-1-stimulated PASMC proliferation in vitro.

Animals ; Calcineurin ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5 ; metabolism ; Cyclosporine ; DNA ; biosynthesis ; Endothelin-1 ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; enzymology ; NFATC Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Piperazines ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; Purines ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Sildenafil Citrate ; Sulfones

OBJECTIVETo identify the immunological characteristics of the recombinant major pollen allergen pTSX2 of Humulus scandens and evaluate its safety in immunotherapy of allergic asthma in mice.

METHODSWestern blotting was used to characterize the immunological properties of pTSX2, and its immunogenicity in normal mice was evaluated by detecting sIgG and sIgE levels. The mouse models of allergic asthma were immunized with pTSX2 and examined for sIgE and sIgG levels, total cells and eosinophils percentage in BALF, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels in BALF and spleen homogenate, and changes in lung pathologies.

RESULTSWestern blotting showed that pTSX2 reacted with the majority (about 70%) of sera from patients allergic to Humulus pollen. In normal mice, pTSX2 mainly induced the production of sIgG. In mouse models of allergic asthma, intervention with pTSX2 caused a significant reduction of sIgE and an increase of sIgG (P<0.05), significantly decreased the total cells and eosinophils in BALF (P<0.05), obviously lowered IL-4 but increased IFN-γ in BALF and spleen homogenate (P<0.05), and diminished inflammatory cell infiltration and percentage of eosinophils in the lung tissues.

CONCLUSIONSpTSX2 shows a definite therapeutic effect and safety in the treatment of allergic asthma in mice possibly by inhibiting sIgE and inducing sIgG production, suppressing airway allergic inflammation and regulating the balance between Thl and Th2.

Allergens ; immunology ; Animals ; Asthma ; immunology ; therapy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Humans ; Humulus ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunotherapy ; Interferon-gamma ; analysis ; Interleukin-4 ; analysis ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pollen ; immunology ; Th1 Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; cytology ; immunology

Objective To establish the quality standard for Quban oral liquid .Method Thin layer chromatography (TLC)was used for quality identification of Codonopsis pilosula ,Astragalus membranaceus ,Paeonia veitchii ,Paeonia lacti‐flora,AtractylodesmacrocephalaandAngelicasinensis.ThepaeoniflorinwasdeterminedbyRP‐HPLC.Result Clearspots were obtained with good separation in TLC identification which was highly specific .The paeoniflorin area and content showed a good linear relationship at the range of 18 .20‐2 330 .00 μg/ml (r= 0 .999 9) .The average recovery was 99.72% (RSD=1.25% ) .Conclusion This method is simple ,rapid ,accurate ,and which can be used for the quality control of Quban oral liquid .

Objective To explore the intervention effect of the combination of medicine and education on teachers and parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Methods The students in Grade 1 to 3 of 6 public primary school (6～11 years old) were enrolled by stratified sampling method and randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group.All the students were screened for ADHD,and the children diagnosed with ADHD and their parents and teachers were enrolled into study as the research object.The children in the control group were given oral short-effect methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets and their parents underwent routine health education,while the parents and teachers in the experimental group were given both the routine health education and systematic training.Before and after training,the awareness rates of ADHD knowledge among parents and teachers were observed,and the clinical effects of two groups were compared.Results The control group included 71 children with ADHD,71 pairs of parents and 31 teachers,while the experimental group included 68 children with ADHD,68 pairs of parents and 34 teachers.The difference of general data between the two groups has no statistical significance (P＞0.05).Before intervention,there was no significant difference in awareness rate of ADHD knowledge among teachers and parents in the two groups (P＞0.05).After the intervention,the awareness rate of ADHD knowledge in teachers of the control group did not change obviously,while which in parents of the control group and the parents and teachers in the experimental group were significantly improved,and the improvement effect in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group (P＜0.05).The scores of the SNAP-Ⅳ scale in both groups were significantly decreased,and the scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group.The significant rate and total effective rates of the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion The intervention effect of combination of medicine and education on teachers and parents of children with ADHD is definite,which is worthy of further research.

Objective To analyze magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas and to summarize MRI signs with diagnostic value.Methods From August 2010 to June 2017,at Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University,the MRI data of 20 patients with pathologically diagnosed adenosquamous carcinoma of pancreas were retrospectively analyzed.The image analysis included tumor location,size,morphology,lesion borders,signal intensity,enhancement pattern,bile duct and main pancreatic duct dilatation,pancreatic atrophy,extrapancreatic invasion,lymph node metastasis and liver metastasis.Results The lesions of all the 20 patients with pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma were single,and the diameter was (3.39 ± 1.17) cm (1.37 to 5.87 cm).The lesions of 12 patients were located in the head of pancreas,and eight cases were located in body and (or)tail.Eleven lesions were round and nine lesions were irregular.Eight lesions had clear lesion boundaries,and 12 lesions had blurred lesion boundaries.The imagines of 20 lesions showed slightly lower or hypointensity signal on T1 weighted imaging (T1WI),and equal or slightly higher signal on T2 weighted imaging (T2WI).There were different sizes of necrosis or cystic areas in 18 lesions,and two lesions were complete solid masses.The imagines of 19 lesions showed uneven enhancement during dynamic enhanced scan,which were ring-shaped or separated.The enhancement started from the periphery of tumors,and the signal intensity of the enhanced areas within the lesions approached or exceeded the signal intensity of the normal pancreatic tissue.Conclusion Pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma is prone to cystic necrosis,and its enhanced MRI imaging has certain characteristics.