OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of Ginkgo biloba Tablet (GbT) on scavenger receptor A (SRA) of the aortic wall and changes of serum inflammatory factors in atherosclerotic rats, and to explore its new mechanism for fighting against atherosclerosis (AS).

METHODSTotally 45 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the GbT group, 15 rats in each group. Levels of blood glucose, blood lipids, blood calcium, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (slCAM-1), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were measured in all rats. The expression of SRA in the aortic wall of atherosclerotic rats was observed by immunohistochemical assay. The correlation between the expression of SRA and levels of in-flammatory factors was also observed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, blood glucose and blood calcium obviously increased (P < 0.05); levels of TG, TC, and LDL-C were significantly elevated (P < 0.01); neointimal areas were significantly thickened, increased intima percentage was significantly enlarged, narrowed lumen index was significantly reduced; levels of CRP, sICAM-1, and sVCAM-1 were significantly elevated in the model group (all P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, blood glucose and blood calcium obviously decreased (P < 0.05); levels of TG, TC, and LDL-C significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in the GbT group. Aortic lumens were obviously narrower in the model group than in the GbT group (P < 0.05). SRA expressed at the aortic wall. The aforesaid 3 indices were significantly improved in the GbT group than in the model group (P < 0.01). Serum levels of CRP, sICAM-1, and sVCAM-1 were significantly decreased in the GbT group than in the model group (P < 0.01). Serum levels of CRP, sICAM-1, and sVCAM-1 were positively correlated with the percentage of SRA positive expression area (r = 0.701, 0.604, 0.581, all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSerum levels of inflammatory factors in atherosclerotic rats were elevated, and the expression of SRA in the aortic wall was enhanced. The expression of SRA was closely correlated with serum levels of inflammatory factors. GbT could decrease serum levels of inflammatory factors and inhibit the expression of SRA.

Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcium ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Scavenger Receptors, Class A ; metabolism ; Tablets ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of acupuncture on the treatment of glaucoma so as to find out a kind of simple and effect approach to control and stabilize intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients with glaucoma.

METHODSThirty-nine cases (75 eyes) of glaucoma (unstable control of IOP) were treated with acupuncture at Sibai (ST 2), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Jingming (BL 1), Qiuhou (EX-HN 7), etc. IOP before and after acupuncture, at 10 a.m, 2 p.m, 6 p.m, 10 p.m., at 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. on the second day as well as diurnal IOP variation in 24 h were observed separately.

RESULTSAfter acupuncture, IOP at each time point reduced as compared with that before acupuncture. IOP at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. after acupuncture was different significantly in statistics as compared with that before acupuncture correspondingly (all P<0.05). After acupuncture, 24 h diurnal IOP variation was (5.31 +/- 2.84) mmHg, which was lower significantly than (7.06 +/- 3.86) mmHg before acupuncture (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONFor the patients with unstable control of IOP, acupuncture can not only reduce IOP, but also stabilize 24 h diurnal IOP variation and benefit the visual function of patients with glaucoma.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Glaucoma ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Middle Aged

As a member of orphan G protein-coupled receptors (oGPCRs), hGPCRc was cloned from human colon tissue and analyzed by bioinformatic softwares. It was showed that the corresponding amino acids of hGPCRc formed seven-transmembrane domains as the key characteristic of GPCRs. Then, the recombinant GFP-hGPCRc was constructed by fussing hGPCRc into pEGFP-N1 carrying green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, and CHO-K1 cells were subsequently transfected with the GFP-hGPCRc or pEGFP-N1. The green fluorescence protein expression in the two different transfected cells was observed under the laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). It was showed that green fluorescence protein was distributed in the whole bodies of the cells transfected with pEGFP-N1, but mainly distributed on the plasma membrane and cytoplasm membrane transfected with GFP-hGPCRc. Thus, the localization on the membrane of hGPCRc was accorded with the predication by bioinformatic analysis. The expression analysis of hGPCRc by RT-PCR indicated that hGPCRc was abundantly expressed in heart, kidney, cerebel and colon etc., but absent in liver, cerebra, small intestine and muscle etc. The expressing profile of hGPCRc could provide some useful clues to understanding its effects on embryonic development and physiological functions.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical and pathological features of drug-induced liver injury (DILI).

METHODSLiver specimens were obtained through needle biopsies from 100 patients with DILI. The histological preparations of the specimens were stained with haematoxylin eosin, several histochemistry methods, and immunohistochemistry stains. The pathological changes of the livers were analyzed together with the patients's clinical data. The patients were divided into two groups, an acute DILI group (n=39) and a chronic DILI group (n=61), based on their clinical courses and histological changes in their livers. In the chronic DILI group, the clinical courses were longer than 6 months and/or fibrosis or cirrhosis occurred in their liver tissues.

RESULTSAmong our cases the leading cause of DILI was Chinese herb medicine, accounting for 21% of the 100 cases; steroids induced cases were 11% of the total. 78% of the patients presented elevated serum transaminases and/or jaundice. The degree of transaminases elevation and the frequency of jaundice happening in the acute group were significantly higher than those in the chronic group (P less than 0.05). The histopathological liver changes in these DILI cases included: (1) necrosis commonly occurred in acinar zone 3, (2) abundant neutrophil and/or eosinophil infiltrations, (3) hepatocytic and/or canalicular cholestasis with little or no inflammation, (4) microvesicular steatosis mixed with macrovesicular steatosis, and (5) presentation of epitheloid cell granuloma. There were no significant differences in liver histopathology between the acute and the chronic DILI groups, except that the fibrosis and the ductular proliferation were different.

CONCLUSIONDILI has become a notable liver disease in mainland China, and the use of Chinese herbal medicine must be improved, standardized and regulated more closely.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the independent predictors of postoperative mortality, morbidity, and long-term survival in patients with stage IV ( colorectal cancer.

METHODSClinical data of 189 patients with stage IV( colorectal cancer undergoing palliative resection of primary tumor in the presence of unresectable synchronous metastases were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSEighty-six (45.5%)patients developed postoperative complications. Preoperative predictors of medical complications included age(≥65, P=0.039) and emergency operations (P=0.001). Preoperative predictors of surgical complications included advanced local disease (T4, P=0.022) and lymph node spread (N2, P=0.009). Seventeen (9.0%) patients died in the postoperative period. Mortality was independently associated with age(P=0.013), peritoneal dissemination(P=0.010), emergency operations(P=0.001) and medical complications(P=0.008). The survival rates at 1-, 2-, and 3- year of 172 patients admitted in survival analysis were 41.2%, 22.7% and 7.7% respectively. Independent factors associated with poor overall survival included lymph node spread(N2, P=0.015) and poor tumor differentiation(P=0.038).

CONCLUSIONSEmergency operations should be avoid when palliative resection of primary tumor is considered for stage IV( colorectal cancer patients, especially for elderly patients and those with peritoneal dissemination. The significance of palliative resection is limited for stage IV ( colorectal cancer patients with lymph node spread and poor tumor differentiation.

Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Staging ; Palliative Care ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis

A fetal/maternal multi-parameter monitor is introduced here in the paper. It can monitor the vital signs of a fetus and his/her mother in a same screen synchronously. It is more useful in obstetric clinics. Its other functions include management of patient file, computer-assistant analyses.
Adult ; Automatic Data Processing ; instrumentation ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Female ; Fetal Monitoring ; instrumentation ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Pregnancy ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Software

This study was aimed to construct the targeting AATF shRNA eukaryotic expression vector and establish the stably transfected U937 cell lines. The sequence of AATF mRNA was obtained from GenBank. After excluding homology, three plasmid expression vectors coding shRNA targeting 228 ∼ 249, 303 ∼ 324 and 443 ∼ 464 of AATF gene sequence were synthesized. Two terminals of shRNA carried BamHI and HindIII restriction sites. The selected nucleotides were cloned into the plasmid pSilencer 3.1-H1 neo respectively, and the resultant recombinant plasmids were named as pSA-1, pSA-2, pSA-3. The sequences of the recombinant plasmids were identified by DNA sequencing. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into the cell line U937 by electroporation with Neon(TM) Transfection System. The transfected cells were persistently screened under G418 (500 mg/L), and isolated with a limited dilution for 8 weeks. The inhibition of AATF mRNA and protein expression was respectively detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The results indicated that RNAi eukaryotic expression vectors targeting AATF had correct reading frame and nucleotide sequence. Real-time PCR revealed that AATF shRNA effectively silenced mRNA expression of AATF. Western blot analysis found that AATF shRNA obviously suppressed protein expression of AATF (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the shRNA eukaryotic expression vector has been successfully constructed which can inhibit the expression of AATF, and the establishment of stably transfected U937 cell lines provide a original route for exploring the mechanism of AATF in human Leukemia further.
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Plasmids ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; Transfection ; U937 Cells

Objective:To detect the changes of functional expression profile of energy metabolism related differential genes in sleep deprived rats before and after intervention by Tianwang Buxindan by microarray sequencing technology， so as to provide possible ideas and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of sleep deprivation. Method:The rats were randomLy divided into two groups： the Tianwang Buxindan group and the model group. The Tianwang Buxindan group was given the decoction of Tianwang Buxindan at the dose of 20 g·kg^-1， and the model group was given the pure water of equal volume for 14 days. Taking liver， heart and hypothalamus as samples， high-throughput sequencing was used to obtain differential genes. Gene Ontology（Go）classification and kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG）pathway enrichment analysis were used to construct a co expression network with lncrna. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of neuropeptide Y（NPY）， bispecific phosphatase 1/mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1（DUSP1/MKP-1）and alpha-L-iduronidase（IDUA）， three key genes with significant differences in energy metabolism. Result:The 321 differentially expressed genes were obtained， 231 of which were up-regulated and 90 down regulated， which mainly promoted the process of lipid metabolism， glucose metabolism and protein metabolism， participated in the synthesis and expression of fibrinogen， vitamin B6 and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor（MANF）， and involved mitogen activated protein kinases（MAPK）， p53 gene（p53）， cyclic adenosine monophosphate（cAMP） and other signal pathways. Compared with the model group， the expression of IDUA significantly increased in the Tianwang Buxindan group （P<0.05）， but decreased significantly in NPY and DUSP1（P<0.01）. Conclusion:Tianwang Buxindan can interfere with the energy metabolism mechanism of sleep deprived rats in many ways. By down regulating the mRNA expression level of NPY and DUSP1 genes， it may activate the p38 MAPK signal pathway and affect the lipid metabolism.