AIM: To explore the effect of lysophosphatidylcholine(LPC) on cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells, and to offer experimental evidence for research on prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.METHODS: Peritoneal macrophages and LDL were seperated from mice and serum of healthy volunteers, respectively. The foam cells were derived from macrophages in the presence of Acylated LDL (AcLDL). Cholesterol efflux from cells and LDH activity were measured by enzymetic fluorometry and LDH kit, respectively.RESULTS: After incubated with LPC for 24 hours, cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells increased significantly compared to control, and cellular cholesterol was lower than that in control group. At the same time, medium LDH activity of LPC group was not increased obviously. CONCLUSION: Within the dosage of 10-80 ?mol/L, LPC can promote cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect has nothing to do with cytotoxity of LPC.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the characters of urinary noscomial infection in intensive care unit(ICU)of our hospital in order to reduce its incidence. METHODS The 661 patients in ICU of our hospital from Jan 2005 to Jun 2006 were analyzed,and in which 63 nosocomial urinary infection patients(9.53%) were found.We analyzed the 63 patients retrospectively. RESULTS Nosocomial urinary infection occurred in 9.53% patients admitted to the ICU.Nosocomial urinary infection in ICU was correlated with ages,using of antibiotics and hormones,duration of catheterization and APACHEⅡ score,but not with gender.The most prevalent pathogens of nosocomial urinary infection in ICU were fungi(40.66%),gram-negative bacteria(31.87%) and Gram-positive bacteria(27.46%).The clinical manifestation of nosocomial urinary infection in ICU was atypical. CONCLUSIONS Nosocomial urinary infection in ICU has its own characters which clinicians should pay more attention to.To reduce its incidence,we should avoid abusing of antibiotics and hormones,and make the duration of catheterization as short as possible.

Objective To study the expression of the fused proteasome activator REGγ(11S regulator complex gamma subunit) using gene recombination technology and to further study the interaction between REGγ and casein kinase-2 interacting protein-1(CKIP-1)in vitro.Methods Firstly, the full length cDNA fragment of REGγ was amplified through PCR using the plasmid pCMV-Myc-REGγ as template and subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-2 before being transformed into E.coli BL21 cells. The protein expression was induced by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside(IPTG) .Secondly, the protein expression was monitored by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting after ultrasonication. Finally, the GST Pull-down assay was performed to investigate the interaction between REGγ and CKIP-1 in vitro.Results The prokaryotic expression construct pGEX-4T-2-REGγ was generated successfully and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Expression analysis showed that the GST-REGγ protein was easily expressed and isolated mainly in the lysate supernatant after sonication and centrifugation. The GST Pull-down assay revealed the strong mutual interaction between REGγ and CKIP-1 in vitro.Conclusion The proteasome activator REGγ could interact with the negative regulator of osteoblastogenesis CKIP-1 in vitro and the current study has shed light on further investigations of their physiological relevance.

Objective To study the short-term clinical efficacy of treating patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with lentinan injection and javanica oil emulsion injection.Methods Clinical information of 42 patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer were retrospectively collected.The 42 patients were divided into two groups according to treatments,with 21 case in the control group who were treated with javanica oil emulsion injection,as well as 21 case in the treatment group treated with lentinan injection and javanica oil emulsion injection.The efficacy,quality of life (QOL) and adverse effects were observed after treatment for 3 weeks.Results 81.0％ (17/21)of patients in the treatment group improved in QOL,which was much higher than that in the control group 47.6％ ( 10/21 ) ( x2 =5.081,P =0.024 ).The objective remission rate was 19.0％ (4/21)and 14.3％ (3/21)in the treatment group and the control group respectively,with no significant differece bwtween the two groups( x2 =0.171,P =0.679 ).the disease control rate was 85.7％ (18/21)in the treatment group,which was significantly higher than that of 61.9％ (12/21)in the control group( x2 =4.200,P =0.040 ).The incidence of adverse effect related to hematological toxicity,liver and kidney function,the digestive tract and itching of skin were similar between the two groups (Ps ＞ 0.05 ).Phlebitis in the treatment group was not as frequent as that in the control group(P ＜0.05).Conclusion Treating patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with lentinan injection and javanica oil emulsion injection had high efficacy than treating only with javanica oil emulsion injection,and it improved QOL signifiantly with safety.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of treating pains suffered from metastatic bone cancer with composite kushen injection and pamidronate disodium injection.Methods The clinical information of 60 cases of metastatic bone cancer patients suffered with pains was collected retrospectively.Thirty patients were assigned to the treatment group and 30 to the control group according to the treatment they underwent.The control group were treated with pamidronate disodium injection for 3 cycle,the treatment group were additionaly treated with composite kushen injection.The differences of two groups cases were compared in respect of the relief of pains and the changes of performance status (PS) and the incidence of adverse effects after treatment for 3 cycles.Results The objective remission rate of bone pain was 60.0％ (18/30) in the treatment group,which was significantly higher than that of 30.0％ (9/30) in the control group was higher( x2 =5.455,P=0.020 ).The incidence of adverse effect was 40.0％ (12/30) in the treatment group and 46.6％ (14/30) in the control group,with no significant difference between the two groups( x2 =0.271,P =0.602).In the treatment group the performance status of patients was( 2.30 ± 0.70 ) after treatment,which was better than that of( 1.80 ± 0.80 )before treatment(t =15.000,P =0.042),wheras there was no significant difference on performance status in the control group.Conclusion Kushen injection has synergistic effect with pamidronate disodium injection in treating pains with matstatic bone cancer.It could improve the short term efficacy,and significantly relief the pain and improve the quality of life.

Objective To detect the levels of IL-9,IL-17,and IFN-γ in CD4+T cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with RA and healthy controls were obtained,then the CD4+ T lymphocytes were tested by immunomagnetic beads.The protein levels of IL-9,IFN-γ and IL-17 were measured by flow cytometry (FCM).The mRNA levels of IL-9,IL-17,RORγt and IFN-γwere also detected by qRT-PCR.Data were analyzed by comparison between groups using variance analysis,and Pearson's correlation analysis was used for linear correlation analysis.Results The isolation of untouched human CD4+ T cells from PBMC was effective and its purity was over 90％.The protein levels of IL-9,IL-17,IFN-γwere higher in patients with active RA as compared with patients with inactive RA (P＜0.01) which were (1.62±0.23)％ vs (1.15±0.24)％(P＜0.01),(1.47±0.20)％ vs (1.04±0.26)％(P＜0.01) and (8.1±0.6)％ vs (6.9±1.0)％(P＜0.01) respectively,so did the patients with RA when compared with healthy controls (P＜0.01).The mRNA levels of IL-9,IL-17,RORγt and IFN-γ were higher in patients with active RA as compared with inactive RA patients (P＜0.01),which were (3.0±0.6) vs (1.8±0.4) (p＜0.01) (4.2±0.9)vs (2.3±0.7) (P＜0.01),(4.1±0.7)vs (2.9±0.3) (P＜0.01)and (4.0±0.8)vs (2.3±0.6) (P＜0.01) respectively,so did the patients with RA when compared with healthy controls (P＜0.01).Intracelluar IL-9 levels were positively correlated with IL-17 (r=0.632,P=0.001),IFN-γ (r=0.515,P=0.008),DAS28 (r=0.519,P=0.009) and ESR (r=0.857,P=0.038) but had no correlation with CRP (r=0.38,P=0.61).Conclusion The levels of IL-17,IL-9,IFN-γare higher in the PBMCs of RA patients,and these cytokines may participate in the pathogenesis of RA.

Animals ; Cognition ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Phytotherapy ; methods

Objective To investigate the effect of an anti-HER-2 engineered antibody,chA21,on the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells that highly express HER-2.Methods After exposure to chA21 at concentrations of 6 mg/L and 12 mg/L for 36 hours,respectively,the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 proteins was detected by immunocyctochemistry.SKOV3 cells were inoculated into nude mice to establish animal models.The mice were respectively administered with normal saline and chA21(30 mg/kg) via injection twice a week for 6 consecutive weeks,and then were killed after 44 days' administration of the drugs.Immnohistochemical staining of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was observed on tissue microarray sections.Results After exposed to chA21,TIMP-2 protein was increased(P

Objective To investigate the anticancer effects and molecular mechanism of betulinic acid (BA)on Raji cells in vitro.Methods The effects of BA on the growth of Raji cells were studied by MTT assay.Apoptosis was assessed by Annexin-V/PI double-labeled cytometry.The influence on cell cycle was studied by flow cytometer.The cyclin D3 mRNA expression was checked by Western blotting and RT-PCR techniques.Results BA showed obvious inhibition on proliferation,as well as induction potency of apoptosis on Raji cells in vitro in a time-and dose-dependent manner by Annexin-V/PI double-labeled method.With the IC_(50)value for 24 h being(39.44?0.65)?g/mL,Raji cells treated with BA showed ac- cumulation in G_0/G_1 phase and reduction in the percentage of cells in S phase.The cyclin D3 mRNA ex- pression and protein were sharply decreased in Raji cells treated with BA.Conclusion BA could inhibit the proliferation of Raji cells by regulating the cell cycle that arrests cells at G_0/G_1 phase and induces apop- tosis of Raji cells.The antitumor effects of BA may be related to down-regulation of the expression of cy- clin D3.

Objective To investigate the risk factors of acute kidney injury following coronary artery bypass graft(CABG).Methods Twenty-six patients suffering from acute kidney injury following CABG as the patient group and 59 individuals without impairment of renal function as the control from January 2008 to September 2012 in the First People's Hospital of Yichang according to a retrospective case-control study and nonconditional multivariable Logistic regression analysis method..Results Among the 85 patients undergoing CABG,26 suffered acute kidney injury following CABG with a morbidity rate of 30.59％.Identified risk factors for acute kidney injury following CABG included pre-operative mederale-sever cardiac insufficiency,prolonged mechanical ventilation,prolonged stay in ICU and anemia before surgery.The identified independent risk factor of acute kidney injury following CABG was pre-operative mederale-sever cardiac insufficiency (OR =3.206,95％ CI:1.067-9.631).Condusion Pre-operative mederale-sever cardiac insufficiency was an independent risk factor of acute kidney injury following CABG.