Objective To investigate the protective effects of left ventricular myocardial perfusion after delivery of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) in rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) by using ultrasound‐targeted microbubble destruction ( UTMD ) with real‐time myocardial contrast echocardiography( RT‐MCE) . Methods Among 64 male SD rats ,52 rats were randomly selected and were induced DCM by streptozotocin through intraperitoneal injecting ,the other rats as normal control group . DCM rats were randomly divided into the DCM model group ,aFGF only group ,SonoVue‐aFGF group and the SonoVue‐aFGF+ UTMD group in this study . The aFGF only group rats were injected with aFGF solution through tail vein ,the SonoVue‐aFGF group were injected with SonoVue‐aFGF solution through tail vein and SonoVue‐aFGF+ UTMD group rats were injected with SonoVue‐aFGF solution through tail vein and using UTMD simultaneously . All rats underwent conventional echocardiography and RT‐MCE exams before and 4 weeks after intervention . Left ventricular ejection fraction ( LVEF) and left ventricular fraction shortening( LVFS ) were measured by conventional echocardiography . The plateau intensity ( A ) ,initial slope of the curve (β) and myocardial blood flow ( A ×β) of left ventricular anterior wall at the papillary muscle level were measured in left ventricular short‐axis view by RT‐MCE . Results Before intervention , LVEF and LVFS in the DCM model group ,aFGF only group ,SonoVue‐aFGF group and the SonoVue‐aFGF+UTMD group were significantly lower than in the normal control group ( P <0 .01) .During 4 weeks after intervention ,LVEF and LVFS in the aFGF only group ,SonoVue‐aFGF group and the SonoVue‐aFGF+UTMD group were slightly increased than those in the DCM model group ,but no statistically significant differences were found ( P > 0 .05) ,however A and A × β in the SonoVue‐aFGF+ UTMD group were significantly increased than those in the DCM model group( P < 0 .01) . Compared with the same group before intervention ,A and A ×βin the SonoVue‐aFGF+UTMD group were higher ( P <0 .05) and these in the DCM model group were lower during four weeks after intervention ( P < 0 .05) . Conclusions Acidic fibroblast growth factor delivered by using UTMD can improve the left ventricular myocardial perfusion in diabetic cardiomyopathy rats .

Objective To find out the importance of human bocavirus (HBoV) as an infectious agent for population in Beijing, China. Seroprevalence study was conducted by using expressed recombinant major capsid VP2 protein as an antigen.Methods Serum specimens collected from infants and children who visited the Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics for health check-up and adults visiting the Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing for diseases other than respiratory infections from April 1996 to March 1997 were used for the investigation. The major capsid protein VP2 from HBoV was expressed in E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) with the transformed PET30b vector inserted with full-length VP2 gene of HBoV and the specific antigenicity of this expressed protein was validated by previous study. Western blotting was used to detect specific IgG antibody against HBoV in collected serum specimens diluted to 1:200. Mock expressed protein was E. coli cells strain BL21 (DE3) with the transformed PET30b vector without insert. Anti-His monoclonal antibody and rabbit anti-HBoV VP2 polypeptides hyper-immune serum were used as positive control for antibody detection.Results Out of 677 serum specimens tested, 400 (59.1% ) were positive for HBoV by Western blotting. About 45.3% (34/75) of the newborns under 1 month of age had anti-HBoV antibodies, and antibody positive rates were decreased in age groups of 1 and 2 months (41.4% and 31.3%, respectively) then increased in the following ages from 6 months to 7 years old ( from 45.6% to 69.7% ). The antibody positive rates were maintained at a relatively constant level ( about 70% ) in the age groups from 7 years to 40 years of age and became lower ( 61.8% - 62. 8% ) in those over 50 years.Conclusions The high seroprevalence of antibody against recombinant HBoV VP2 protein and early age antibody acquisition indicate that HBoV has been circulating in population of Beijing, China as early as in 1996 and most of children had been exposed to HBoV by the age of 7 years. Infants under the age of 6 months were susceptible to this virus.

To investigate the chemical constituents of the whole plants of Bidens bipinnata, the separation and purification of constituents were performed by chromatography on macroporous resin, silica gel, MCI and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data as quercetin (1), quercetin-3-0-alpha-L-rhamnoside (2), keampferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), keampferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (4), 3', 5-dyhydroxy-3, 6, 4'-trimethoxyl -7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside flavonoid (5), 7, 8, 3', 4'-tetraflavanone(6), (2S)- and (2R)-isookanin-7-O-beta-D- glucopyranoside (7a/7b), (2S)- and (2R)-3'-methoxy-isookanin-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8a/8b), 6, 7, 3', 4'-tetrahydroxyaurone(9), maritimetin (10), esculetin (11), 3-O-caffeoyl-2-methyl-d-erythrono-1, 4-lactone (12), (7S, 8R) balanophonin-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (13), eugenyl-O-beta-apiofuranosyl-( 1"-6') -O-beta-glucopyranoside (14), and (+)-syringaresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (15). Compounds 8, 13, 14, and 15 were isolated from this genus for the first time. Compounds 1 and 6 were potent inhibitors against HSC-T6 cells in vitro and compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 were capable of decreasing the inflammatory cytokine production of macrophage cells in vitro.
Bidens ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Adult ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Chronic Disease ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Adolescent ; Adolescent Development ; Child ; Child Development ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Prevalence

BACKGROUNDHuman bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly identified human parvovirus that was originally detected in the respiratory secretions of children with respiratory infections. This study aimed to learn about the importance of HBoV infections by revealing the prevalence of serum antibodies against HBoV in Beijing population.

METHODSTwo batches of serum specimens collected in different periods were tested by Western blotting for specific IgG against HBoV using recombinant VP2 as antigen.

RESULTSOut of 677 serum specimens collected during April 1996 to March 1997, 400 (59.1%) were positive and antibody positive rate for another batch of 141 serum specimens collected in August, 2005 from adults aged from 20 years to over 60 years was 78.7% (111/141). Comparison of the sero-prevalence profiles for serum specimens collected during 1996 - 1997 to those collected in 2005 indicated that the antibody positive rate for specimens collected in 2005 was higher than that of the corresponding age groups collected during 1996 - 1997.

CONCLUSIONSThe data suggest that HBoV has been circulating in Beijing population for at least over 10 years, and most of children had been exposed to HBoV by age of 7 years. Higher HBoV antibody positive rate shown in the serum specimens collected in 2005 suggested that infections by HBoV have been increased in Beijing population in recent years.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Blotting, Western ; Bocavirus ; pathogenicity ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Parvoviridae Infections ; blood ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Viral Proteins ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo determine whether the GABA-containing neurons in rat central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) can be activated by acute sodium deprivation.

METHODSAcute sodium depletion was induced by subcutaneous injection of furosemide in rats followed by 24 h of dietary sodium deprivation. The rats underwent 0.3 mol/L NaCl/distilled water two bottle choice test, and the activated neurons were labeled and identified with GABA/Fos-double labeling immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe rats with acute sodium depletion exhibited significantly more numerous c-fos-positive neurons and GABA/Fos double-labeled neurons in the CeA than the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Consumption of 0.3 mol/L NaCl significantly increased the number of c-fos and GABA/Fos double labeled neurons compared to the distilled water group (P<0.001, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONGABAergic neurons in the CeA may play an inhibitory role in the regulation of sodium intake in rats with acute sodium depletion.

Amygdala ; cytology ; metabolism ; Animals ; GABAergic Neurons ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary ; metabolism ; Sodium, Dietary

OBJECTIVETo establish a method of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) to measure DNA (mDNA)-associated autoantibodies to cell membrane, and to evaluate diagnostic value of the anti-mDNA antibodies in patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in comparison with anti-dsDNA antibody.

METHODSForty-four children with SLE were enrolled in this study. As a control group, 30 children with other rheumatic diseases were also enrolled. Anti-mDNA and anti-dsDNA antibodies were measured by IIF. Anti-smooth muscle (Sm) antibodies were measured by immuno-double diffusion (ID) and IIF.

RESULTSOut of 44 juvenile SLE patients, 34 (77.27%) were seropositive for anti-mDNA, which was significantly higher than that of patients with other rheumatic diseases (20.00%, P<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of anti-mDNA for juvenile SLE diagnosis were 77.27% and 80.00%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 85.00% and 70.59%, respectively. The positive rate of anti-mDNA in SLE lacking of anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies were 68.00% (17/25) and 79.49% (31/39), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe detection of anti-mDNA antibodies is useful for diagnosis of juvenile SLE, especially in patients who are negative for anti-dsDNA antibodies and anti-Sm antibodies.

Adolescent ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Cell Membrane ; immunology ; Child ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; methods ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; immunology ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo find out the importance of human bocavirus (HBoV) as an infectious agent for population in Beijing, China, seroprevalence study was conducted by using expressed recombinant major capsid VP2 protein as an antigen.

METHODSSerum specimens collected from infants and children who visited the Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics for health check up and adults visited the Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing for diseases other than respiratory infections from April 1996 to March 1997 were used for investigation. The major capsid protein VP2 from HBoV was expressed in E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) with the transformed PET30b vector inserted with full-length VP2 gene of HBoV and the specific antigenicity of this expressed protein was validated by previous study. Western blot was used to detect specific IgG antibody against HBoV in collected serum specimens diluted to 1:200. Mock expressed protein was E. coli cells strain BL21 (DE3) with the transformed PET30b vector without insert. Anti-His monoclonal antibody and rabbit anti-HBoV VP2 polypeptides hyper-immune serum were used as positive control for antibody detection.

RESULTSOut of 677 serum specimens tested, 400 (59.1%) were positive by Western blot. About 45.3% (34/75) of the newborns under 1 month of age had anti-HBoV antibodies, and antibody positive rates were lower in the age groups of 1 and 2 months (41.4% and 31.3%, respectively) and were higher in the following ages from 6 months to 7 years (from 45.6% to 69.7%). The antibody positive rates were at a relatively constant level (about 70%) in the age groups from 7 years to 40 years and became lower (61.8% - 62.8%) in groups of age over 50 years.

CONCLUSIONThe high seroprevalence against recombinant HBoV VP2 protein and early age antibody acquisition indicate that HBoV has been circulating in Beijing, China as early as in 1996 and most of children had been exposed to HBoV by the age of 7 years. Infants under the age of 6 months were susceptible to infection with this virus.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Blotting, Western ; Bocavirus ; immunology ; Capsid Proteins ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parvoviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Prevalence ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEAn outbreak of acute respiratory infections in children occurred in Beijing from November to December, 2002. To investigate the etiological agents of affected children who were in day care centers and primary schools.

METHODSThroat swab specimens were collected from one primary school children with acute respiratory infections visiting one outpatient department. After centrifuging, supernatant from the specimens were inoculated into MDCK and Hep-2 cells for virus isolation and pallets for viral antigen detection and using indirect immunofluorescent assay on common respiratory viruses. Nested polymerase chain reaction was used at the same time for detection of respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp).

RESULTSA total number of 80 specimens were collected during the outbreak. Among them influenza B virus were detected from 18 specimens, with a positive rate of 22.5% (18/80) while Mp were detected from 13 specimens, with a positive rate of 16.3% (13/80). Influenza A3 were also detected from 2 patients (2.5%, 2/80). However, influenza A1, RSV, adenovirus and parainfluenza viruses were not found from these specimens. Influenza B virus and Mp were detected simultaneity in two specimens and influenza A3 virus and Mp were detected in one specimen.

CONCLUSIONThe outbreak of acute respiratory infection in children during the period of investigation was caused by both influenza B virus and Mp.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza B virus ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; Male ; Mycoplasma Infections ; epidemiology ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; isolation & purification ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology