OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of low-dose methylprednisolone on serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) level in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).

METHODSA case-control study was conducted among 38 children with MPP who received treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Yan'an University between January and December 2012, and who had not received glucocorticoids before hospitalization. They were randomly divided into methylprednisolone treatment (n=20) and conventional treatment groups (n=18). The methylprednisolone treatment group was administered with methylprednisolone (1 mg/kg·d) by intravenous drip for three days in addition to conventional treatment. Serum samples were collected from both groups before treatment and on days 4 and 7 of treatment. Twenty-five children who underwent physical examination in the healthcare clinic during the same period were randomly selected as a normal control group, and serum samples were collected on the same day that the physical examination was performed. Serum TNF-α levels in the three groups were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSOn admission, the methylprednisolone treatment and conventional treatment groups had significantly higher serum TNF-α levels than the normal control group (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference between the methylprednisolone treatment and conventional treatment groups. On days 4 and 7 of treatment, the methylprednisolone treatment group had significantly lower serum TNF-α levels than the conventional treatment group (P<0.05; P<0.01). On day 7 of treatment, there was no significant difference in serum TNF-α level between the methylprednisolone treatment and normal control groups, but the conventional treatment group still had a significantly higher serum TNF-α level than the normal control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSLow-dose methylprednisolone can significantly decrease serum TNF-α level and inhibit inflammatory response in children with MPP, and may reduce damage caused by inflammatory response.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of p38 MAPK on ischemic postconditioning (IPO) attenuating pneumocyte apoptosis after lung ischemia/reperfusion injury (LIRI).

METHODSForty adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups based upon the intervention (n = 8): control group (C), LIR group (I/R), LIR + IPO group (IPO), IPO + solution control group (D), IPO + SB203580 group (SB). Left lung tissue was isolated after the 2 hours of reperfusion, the ratio of wet lung weight to dry lung weight (W/D), and total lung water content (TLW) were measured. The histological structure of the left lung was observed under light and electron transmission microscopes, and scored by alveolar damage index of quantitative assessment (IQA). Apoptosis index (AI) of lung tissue was determined by terminal deoxynuleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end and labeling (TUNEL) method. The mRNA expression and protein levels of and Bax were measured by RT-PCR and quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTSCompared with C group, W/D, TLW, IQA, AI and the expression of Bax of I/R were significantly increased, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax were significantly decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and was obviously morphological abnormality in lung tissue. Compared with I/R group, all the indexes of IPO except for the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/ Bax were obviously reduced, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax were increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). All the indexes between D and IPO were little or not significant( P > 0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax of SB were significantly increased and other indexes were reduced than those of IPO (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIPO may attenuate pneumocyte apoptosis in LIRI by inactivation of p38 MAPK, up-regulating expression of Bcl-2/Bax ratio.

Alveolar Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; Lung ; blood supply ; enzymology ; pathology ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; enzymology ; pathology ; prevention & control ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role and significance of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in the pathological process of hypoxia hypercapnia-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction (HHPV) and the relationship with ERK1/2 signal pathway in rats.

METHODSWe made the third pulmonary artery rings of SD rats, used the model of pulmonary artery rings perfusion in vitro. Under acute hypoxia hypercapnia condition, and observed the effects of the three stages of HHPV incubated by glybenclamide(Gly) and the combined application of Gly and U0126. At the same time, the values of rings' tension changes were recorded via the method of hypoxia hypercapnia conditions reactivity.

RESULTSUnder the normoxia condition, the values of the third pulmonary artery rings tension were relatively stable, but under the hypoxia hypercapnia condition, we observed a biphasic pulmonary artery contractile response compared with N group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). When the third pulmonary artery rings incubated by Gly, it's phase II persistent vasoconstriction was enhanced compared with the H group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the phase I vasoconstriction was also heightened. Moreover, under the hypoxia hypercapnia condition, U0126 could significantly relieve the phase II persistent vasoconstriction compared with HD group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) induced by Gly, but the phase I acute vasoconstriction and the phase I vasodilation had no changes (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGly may mediate HHPV via activating ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway.

Animals ; Glyburide ; pharmacology ; Hypercapnia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; In Vitro Techniques ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of siRNA silencing the role of C-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) gene in excessive endoplasmic reticulum stress on lung ischemia/reperfusion injury.

METHODSMouse model of pulmonary ischemia reperfusion injury (PIRI) in situ was established with unilateral lung in vivo. Seventy experimental mice were randomly allocated into seven groups (n = 10): Sham group (Sham group), ischemia reperfusion group (I/R), PBS+ Lipofectamine2000TM transfection reagent group (I/R + PBS+ Lipo group), negative control group (I/R+ SCR group), JNK-siRNA group (I/R + siRNA(JNK1), siRNA(JNK2), siRNA(JNK3)). Mice were euthanized after experimental time out, and left lung tissue was extracted. Wet/dry lung weight ratio (W/D) and total lung water content (TLW) were tested. Light microscope, alveolar damage quantitative evaluation index (IQA) and electron microscope were observed. The expression levels of JNK and glucose regulatex protein(GRP78) were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Apoptosis of lung tissue was determined by TUNEL.

RESULTSCompared with Sham group, all indicators above of I/R + PBS + Lipo group and I/R + SCR group were significantly increased (P < 0.01), and compared with I/R group, those indicators of the three groups all had no notable difference; those indicators were not statistically different between I/R + PBS + Lipo group and I/R + SCR group, and compared to the three groups, the above indicators in JNK-siRNA group were lower (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) except that the expression levels of GRP78 was not statistically different.

CONCLUSIONI/R induces excessive ERS in lung tissue, in which JNK pathway participates in apoptosis, leading to lung tissue injury.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; genetics ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Lung Injury ; genetics ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Mice ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Reperfusion Injury ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cathepsin D in ovary of patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

METHODSWestern blot was performed to detect the expression of cathepsin D and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein distribution in ovarian tissue.

RESULTSemi-quantity values of cathepsin D expression in PCOS and control group were 2.06 +/- 0.39 and 4.76 +/- 1.43 (P<0.05), respectively. Immunostaining for cathepsin D was obvious in both follicles and stromal cells, and the strongest immunostaining was seen in granulosa cells of follicles. Immunochemical study showed the protein was mainly located on the cytoplasm and cell membrane.

CONCLUSIONCathepsin D expression is down-regulated in ovaries of PCOS patients, which may provide a clue for the abnormality of follicle development in PCOS.

Adult ; Blotting, Western ; Cathepsin D ; biosynthesis ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ovary ; enzymology ; pathology ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of Xuebijing Injection (XBJI) in inhibiting inflammatory factors associated with anoxia/reoxygenation myocardial inflammatory response of rats.

METHODSTotally 36 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, 280 ± 30 g were randomly divided into six groups, i.e., the normal control group (N group), the balanced perfusion group (BP group),the model group (M group),the low dose XBJI group (XBJI(L) group), the middle dose XBJI group (XBJI(M) group),and the high dose XBJI group (XBJI(H) group), 6 in each group. The myocardial anoxia/reoxygenation rat model was established by Langendorff isolated heart perfusion. The concentration of TNF-α in the myocardial tissue was detected by ELISA. The expression of nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) protein and Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) protein were detected using Western blot. The expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Ultrastructural changes of anoxia-reoxygenation rats' heart muscle were observed under transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSCompared with the M group,the TNF-α concentration, expression levels of NF-κB p65 protein and mRNA, TLR4 protein and mRNA decreased to various degrees in the XBJI(L) group, the XBJI(M) group, and the XBJI(H) group. The TNF-α expression level decreased most significantly in the XBJI(L), group (P < 0.01), while other indices decreased most obviously in the XBJI(M) group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Expression levels of NF-κB p65 and TLR4 protein were obviously lower in the XBJI(M) group than in the XBJI(L) group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in other indices among the three XBJI groups (P > 0.05). Myocardial fibers were loose and broken with disappearance of transverse striation, and mitochondrial cristae was dissolved and severely damaged in the M group. The aforesaid condition was improved after treated by XBJI, with the most obvious effect obtained in the XBJI(M) group.

CONCLUSIONSDifferent doses of XBJI could attenuate inflammatory reactions after myocardial anoxia/reoxygenation rats' heart muscle through inhibiting TLR4-NF-κB-TNF-α signal transduction pathway. The best effect could be obtained by 4 mL/100 mL XBJI.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hypoxia ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor RelA ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

To study the effects of supernatant derived from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines on proliferation and apoptosis of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell subsets and to investigate the mechanism by which AML escapes from immune recognition, lymphocytes were labeled with CFSE and were stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 in presence or absence of supernatants from three AML cell lines (HL-60, NB4, U937). After culture, cell suspensions were labeled with 7AAD and CD4 PE (or CD8 PE). Cells were then detected by flow cytometry and their proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed. The results showed that supernatants from two of three cell lines (HL-60 and NB4) inhibited the proliferation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, and the degree of inhibition showed a dose-dependent way. Similarly, the apoptosis of stimulated CD4(+) T cells was inhibited, but stimulated CD8(+) T cells remained unaffected by supernatant from HL-60 and NB4. In contrary, the apoptosis of proliferative CD8(+) T cells were increased significantly by HL-60 and NB4 supernatant. It is concluded that soluble factors derived from AML cell lines inhibit the proliferation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and induce the apoptosis of proliferative CD8(+) T cells, that may be one of the mechanisms by which the immunity was suppressed.
Apoptosis ; physiology ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; immunology ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; U937 Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the common TCM syndrome types of fatty liver by way of epidemic questionnaire, their occurrence ratio, and the correlation between various syndrome types and objective indexes.

METHODSA total of national wide 503 subjects with fatty liver were enrolled, the TCM syndromes, body mass index (BMI), abdominal perimeter/hip circumference, liver function, blood lipids, B ultrasonic examination and CT in them were observed and recorded.

RESULTSIn the 46 symptoms investigated in total, the first ten symptoms in order of appearing rate were lassitude, obese, oral dryness, vertigo, hypochondriac distending pain, soreness and pain in loin, spiritlessness, oral bitterness, aching and weakness in knee and abdominal distention. The mostly appeared tongue figures were pale and corpulent or pale dim tongue proper, white greasy or yellow greasy tongue coating, and the mostly appeared pulse figures were taut, taut-thin and taut slippery. Statistical cluster analysis showed that syndromes of fatty liver could be typed into 4 TCM types, the asthenia Pi-Shen with Gan-stagnation type, the asthenia Pi-Shen type, the asthenia Pi with phlegm-heat type and the unclassified type. Among them the asthenia Pi-Shen with Gan-stagnation type was the commonest one, which accounted to 62.32%.

CONCLUSIONThe mostly appeared syndrome type of fatty liver was asthenia Pi-Shen with Gan-stagnation type. The TCM pathogenesis of fatty liver was deficiency of origin, mainly deficiency of Shen, involving Pi, with excess superficiality, the turbid-phlegm and blood stasis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fatty Liver ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yang Deficiency ; epidemiology ; Yin Deficiency ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between the reference values of fibrinogen (FIB) in healthy Chinese adults and geographical factors to provide scientific evidences for establishing the uniform standard.

METHODSThe reference values of FIB of 10701 Chinese healthy adults from 103 cities were collected to investigate their relationship with 18 geographical factors including spatial index, terrain index, climate index, and soil index. Geographical factors that significantly correlated with the reference values were selected for constructing the BP neural network model. The spatial distribution map of the reference value of FIB of healthy Chinese adults was fitted by disjunctive kriging interpolation. We used the 5-layer neural network and selected 2000 times of training covering 11 hidden layers to build the simulation rule for simulating the relationship between FIB and geographical environmental factors using the MATLAB software.

RESULTSs The reference value of FIB in healthy Chinese adults was significantly correlated with the latitude, sunshine duration, annual average temperature, annual average relative humidity, annual precipitation, annual range of air temperature, average annual soil gravel content, and soil cation exchange capacity (silt). The artificial neural networks were created to analyze the simulation of the selected indicators of geographical factors. The spatial distribution map of the reference values of FIB in healthy Chinese adults showed a distribution pattern that FIB levels were higher in the South and lower in the North, and higher in the East and lower in the West.

CONCLUSIONWhen the geographical factors of a certain area are known, the reference values of FIB in healthy Chinese adults can be obtained by establishing the neural network mode or plotting the spatial distribution map.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Climate ; Environment ; Fibrinogen ; Geography ; Humans ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Reference Values ; Software ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of urgent colonoscopy in the diagnosis of severe acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding and the optimal bowel preparation before examination.

METHODSThe clinical data were collected from 188 patients undergoing wither urgent or elective colonoscopy for severe acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding in Nanfang Hospital. Univariate analysis was used to assess the effect of the timing of colonoscopy on the diagnostic rate of hemorrhage, and a multivariate model which stratified bowel cleanliness was used to analyze the impact of bowel cleanliness on the diagnostic rate of urgent colonoscopy.

RESULTSOf the 188 patients, 118 underwent urgent colonoscopy and 70 underwent elective colonoscopy examinations. The diagnostic rates were comparable between the two groups (44.1% vs 41.4%, P=0.724), but urgent colonoscopy resulted in a significantly higher diagnostic rate for identifying the bleeding source (32.2% vs 18.6%, P=0.041). The proportion of the patients taking oral laxatives was significantly lower in urgent colonoscopy group (P<0.001). Oral laxatives versus enema resulted in good, moderate, and poor bowel cleanliness in 63.6% vs 13.5%, 28.6% vs 24.3%, and 7.8% vs 62.2% of the patients (P<0.001). Univariate analysis indicated that good bowel cleanliness was associated with a significantly higher diagnostic rate of colonoscopy than poor bowel cleanliness (P=0.012). Multivariate analysis showed that with good bowel cleanliness, urgent colonoscopy yielded a significantly higher diagnostic rate than elective colonoscopy (P=0.030); subgroup analyses suggested that good bowel cleanliness improved the diagnostic rate of urgent colonoscopy as compared with poor bowel cleanliness (P=0.015).

CONCLUSIONIn patients with good bowel cleanliness, urgent colonoscopy yields a higher diagnostic rate than elective colonoscopy for severe acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Poor bowel cleanliness resulting from bowel preparation by enema significantly lowers the diagnostic performance of urgent colonoscopy. Oral laxatives are recommended over enemas for bowel preparation before urgent colonoscopy when the patients have stable hemodynamics.

Acute Disease ; Cathartics ; administration & dosage ; classification ; Colonoscopy ; standards ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Time Factors