Objective:(i)to compare plasma ghrelin levels between women with PCOS and women presented only with hyperandrogenaemia;(ii)to investigate the relationship between circulating ghrelin and BMI、insulin level,insulin resistance,and Androgen levels in PCOS.Methods:Blood samples from sixty women with PCOS,15 women with only hyperandrogenaemia and 40 controls were collected,the basal levels of gonadotrophin,androgens,prolactin,sex hormone-binding globulin,glucose,insulin and ghrelin were measured.Results:(1)Comparing with PCOS and Controls,women with only hyperandrogenaemia had the lowest ghrelin levels;women with PCOS had lower ghrelin levels comparing with controls,but they were not significant.(2)Ghrelin levels were negatively correlated with BMI、WHR、Insulin levels and Insulin Resistance,positively correlated with sex hormone-binding globulin levels.Conclusion:In PCOS,circulating ghrelin and BMI、Insulin Resistance、SHBG levels were inversely related,indicating that Ghrelin might be associated with energy balance,obesity,and Insulin Resistance.However,further investigation was needed to clarify whether low ghrelin was a cause or the consequence of obesity and Insulin Resistance awaits.

Objective To explore the role of Th17 cells in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)with cardiovascular disease (CVD).Methods 61 patients of SLE were collected from September 2011 to March 2013 in the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University by revised SLE classification standards of ACR in 1997.These patients were divided two groups:22patients of SLE with CVD and 39 patients of SLE without CVD;the control group include 20 healthy.Th17 cells were measured by flow cytometry,IL-1 7 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The correlation among them and the disease active index were analyzed.Results ①The percent of Th1 7 cells in the group of SLE with CVD,that in the group of SLE without CVD and that in control group were (2.09±0.98)%,(1.75±0.75)% and (0.89±0.44)%,respec-tively.The percent of Th1 7 cells in healthy group were lower than that in SLE with CVD and SLE without CVD group (t=4.717~5.030,P<0.001).The level of IL-17 in the group of SLE with CVD,that in the group of SLE without CVD and that in control group were 85.64±20.76 pg/ml,75.25±28.14 pg/ml and 35.06±6.58 pg/ml respectively,and the serum of IL-17 in healthy group were lower than in SLE with CVD and SLE without CVD group (t=6.275~9.954,P<0.001). There were no significant difference of Th1 7 cells and IL-1 7 between SLE with CVD and SLE without CVD groups (t=1.520,P>0.05;t=1.513,P>0.05).②The level of IL-17 were correlated positively with SLEDAI and the anti-double strand DNA (r=0.393,P=0.008;r=0.558,P<0.001),were correlated negatively with complement C3 (r=-0.423,P=0.005).The percent of Th17 cells in CD4+T cells were correlated positively with SLEDAIand the anti-double strand DNA (r=0.681,P<0.001;r=0.492,P=0.015)were correlated negatively with complement C3 (r=-0.534,P=0.027).Con-clusion The level of Th1 7 cells and IL-1 7 were high in SLE,and they were related with the disease activity.The cardiovas-cular factor had not affect the expression of Th1 7 cells and IL-1 7 in SLE.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of cytochrome c (Cyt-c), caspase-9, and caspase-3 in pentavalent vanadium-induced neuronal apoptosis and to provide a basis for mechanism research.

METHODSNeurons from rats aged 1-3 days were cultured and treated with vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) at 5, 10, or 20 mmol/L. Neuronal apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). The protein levels of Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were determined by Western blot.

RESULTSApoptosis bodies were detected in the nuclei of neurons by TUNEL. The number of neurons with apoptosis bodies increased with increasing dose of V2O5 The apoptosis index (AI) was significantly higher in the 10 and 20 mm/L exposure groups than in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of Cyt-c and caspase-3 significantly increased in the 5 mmol/L exposure group as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the 10 and 20 mmol/L exposure groups, the protein expression of Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 all increased as compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Neuronal AI was positively correlated with Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 (r = 0.954, P < 0.01; r = 0.938, P < 0.01; r = 0.943, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPentavalent vanadium may induce neuronal apoptosis. The protein expression of Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 may play an important role in neuronal apoptosis induced by pentavalent vanadium.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Vanadium ; toxicity ; Vanadium Compounds ; toxicity

This study was aimed to explore the efficacy of establishing and implementing individual healthy di-ets on patients with early diabetic nephropathy ( DN ) . A total of 120 patients with early DN of our hospital were randomly divided into two groups , which were the experimental group and the control group . There were 60 cases in each group . All patients received routine treatment . The fasting blood glucose and 24-hour uri-nary protein were measured pre-treatment , 2-week , 2-month , and 6-month after treatment . Patients in the experimental group were required to receive individual healthy diet therapy as well as routine treatment . The fasting blood glucose of both groups was compared in each stage . The fasting blood glucose of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group after 2-week treatment . After 6-month treatment , the fasting blood glucose of the experimental group was lower than that of pre-treatment . However , there was no obvious difference in the control group compared to that of pre-treatment . There were significant differences on the number of cases with fasting blood glucose below the level of 7.0 mmol/L in different stages of both groups. The 24-hour urinary protein of both groups was also compared in each stage . After 2-week treatment , there was no distinct difference on the 24-hour urinary protein in each stage of both groups . However , after 6-month treatment , the urinary protein of the experimental group , compared to pre-treatment , indicated striking difference , while the control group did not show any difference . It was concluded that individual healthy diet has a significant efficacy in the treatment of early DN , especially in reducing and controlling fasting blood glucose. After carrying out the treatment for 6 months, healthy diet also takes on distinct effects in cutting down 24-hour urinary protein and keeping the glycosylated hemoglobin below 6 . 5%.

BACKGROUND:Thrombospondin-1 is an important endogenous activator of transforming growth factor beta 1 in this experimental inflammatory kidney disease model. Transforming growth factor beta 1 is considered the major cytokine that causes tissue fibrosis in many different inflammatory disease processes, in particular in renal disease.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expression of thrombospondin-1 on renal fibrosis in rats.
METHODS:Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham surgery group and model group. In themodel group, right ureters of rats were ligated to construct models of renal fibrosis. 3 weeks after surgery, blood and urine were obtained weekly. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and Bradford method were used to detect the contents of serum creatinine,blood urea nitrogen and urinary protein. After rats were sacrificed, kidneys were fixed. Western blot assay was utilized to identify the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor beta 1 and thrombospondin-1 protein. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to detect the changes in pathological structure of the kidney after surgery.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) One week after model induction, urinary protein, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels were significantly higher in the model group than in the sham surgery group (P< 0.05). Three weeks later, the difference in each index was significant (P< 0.01), which showed that the injury of the kidney was aggravated. (2) Transforming growth factor beta 1 protein and thrombospondin-1 expression was significantly higher in the model group than in the sham surgery group, but vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression was significantly lower in the model group than in the sham surgery group. (3) Hematoxylin-eosin staining results demonstrated that severe pathological changes of renal tissue in rats were detected after ligation of renal tubule. (4) These results confirmed that thrombospondin-1 expression increased in renal tissue, and its expression was strongly associated with vascular endothelial growth factor protein and transforming growth factor beta 1, which may play an important role in the renal fibrosis.

The antioxidative capability and Na+-K+-ATPase α1-subunit mRNA expression in myocardium of hypothyroid rats induced by low-iodine diet were observed. The results showed that the antioxidative capability of myocardium decreased, resulting in lipid peroxidative damage, atrophy of myocardial cells and chondrification of tunica intima, along with decreased expression of sodium pump α1 subunit mRNA in hypothyroid rats.

Objective To investigate the clinical and laboratory features of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).Methotis 513 APL patients in the last two decades were retrospectively analyzed in this research.We investigated the clinical features including age,sex,abnormality of peripheral hemogram before treatment.therapeutic effect and follow-up and laboratory data such as morphology,immunology,cytogenetics and molecular biology(MICM).Results The median age of the APL patients was 33 years old and the ratio of male and female was 1.21:1.Before treatment,the median level of WBC was 4.3×109/L and the deteetion rate of abnormal promyelocyte on blood film was 85.8%;with immunophenotypie detection,the expression levels of CD117、CD34、HLA-DR、CD7、CD14 and CD19 in APL were found to be lower and the expression 1evels of CD2、CD33 and MPO higher than those in other subtypes of acute myelocytie leukemia(AML)(beth P<0.01).Specific abnormal chromosome t(15;17)was detected in 91.7%of the patients,of whom 75.9%had standard translocation of t(15;17),being the most common one and 15.8% of the patients had t(15;17)with additional abnormal chromosome.There was only 7.5%of the patients with nolnlal karyotype.However,the presence of both simple translocation and complex translocation was seldom seen.With molecular biological detection.PML/RARα fusion gene positive rate was 99.6%.In a relativelv long clinical follow-up,we found that the complete remission(CR)rate in APL patients was 84.7%.incidence of DIC was 13.4%and five-year survival rate was 30.7%.111e median count of WBC in CR group was lower than that non-remission group(P<0.01).There were no significant differences on expressions of CD34 and CD2 and changes of cytogenetics between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusions Comprehensive evaluation of MICM could be of important significance in the diagnosis and prognosis iudgrnent for APL patients.The CR rate in these patients with high WBC eount was considerable low.

BACKGROUND:Type 1 diabetes mel itus is an autoimmune disease, which is characterized as the selective destruction of pancreatic beta cel s in the body, resulting in the lack of insulin secretion. Umbilical cord blood stem cel s have the potential to differentiate into islet cel s in vitro and in vivo, which play a certain hypoglycemic effect. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of umbilical cord blood stem cel s on blood glucose levels and PDX-1 and MafA levels in the pancreatic tissue of type 1 diabetic rats. METHODS:Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, with 10 rats in each group. In treatment and model groups, type 1 diabetes mel itus modes were established. After modeling, the treatment group was given a single tail vein injection of umbilical cord blood stem cel s;the normal control group was given the same volume of normal saline;the model group was given the same volume of umbilical cord blood stem cel buffer solution. Oral glucose tolerance test was adopted to assess the islet function of rats;hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pancreatic morphology of rats;western blot and PCR methods were employed to detect expressions of PDX-1 and MafA in pancreatic tissues at protein and mRNA levels. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Compared with the normal control group, the levels of blood glucose in the model and treatment groups were significantly higher at 0, 30, 60, 90 minutes (P<0.05). At 120 minutes, the blood glucose level in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (P<0.05), but there was no difference between the treatment and normal control groups (P>0.05). (2) The number of islets in the model group was decreased, and the boundary was unclear and irregular;in the treatment group, the number of islets was decreased, but the boundary was stil clear. (3) The expressions of PDX-1 and MafA in the treatment group were similar to those in the normal control group (P>0.05), but significantly higher than those in the model group (P<0.05). These findings suggest that the umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation can significantly reduce the blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetic rats, improve the function of islet and morphology of pancreas, and up-reuglate the expressions of PDX-1 and MafA.

BACKGROUND:Common strategies for preventing diabetic nephropathy include effective control of blood sugar and blood pressure, inhibition of the rennin-angiotensin system and lipid-lowering therapy, but it is often difficult to get the desired results. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels on levels of blood glucose and urinary total protein in diabetic nephropathy rats. METHODS: Forty-five Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=15 per group): normal control group, diabetic nephropathy group and stem cel transplantation group. Rats in the diabetic nephropathy and stem cel transplantation groups were given single use of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin to make diabetic nephropathy models. The same dose of citric acid-sodium citrate buffer was injected in the normal control group. After modeling, 200μL of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel solution (2×106) was injected into the left ventricle of rats in the stem cel transplantation group, and then at 7 days after the first transplantation, the cel transplantation was conducted again. The same dose of serum-free L-DMEM was injected intracardialy into the rats in the normal control and diabetic nephropathy groups. Levels of urinary total protein and blood glucose were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 1, 4, 8 weeks after treatment, the urinary total protein and blood glucose levels were significantly higher in the stem cel transplantation group and diabetic nephropathy group than the normal control group (P < 0.05). At 1 week after treatment, the urinary total protein and blood glucose levels were significantly lower in the stem cel transplantation group than the diabetic nephropathy group (P < 0.05). At 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, the total urinary protein and blood glucose levels were slightly higher in the diabetic nephropathy group than the stem cel transplantation group, but there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). These findings indicate that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation in diabetic nephropathy rats can get good results in a short period, significantly improve the blood glucose and urinary total protein levels, but the long-term treatment effect is poor.

Objective: To explore the application value on combined examination of blood levels of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and NT-pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for their recent prognosis.
Methods: A total of 102 patients with sudden cardiac arrest and successful CPR in our hospital were enrolled. Blood levels of GDF-15 were examined at immediately, 12 h and 24-48 h after CPR respectively. According to GDF-15 levels, the patients were divided into 3 groups: Group A, the patients with GDF-15<1200 ng/L at all-time points,n=31; Group B, GDF-15 level consistently increasing and GDF-15>1200 ng/L at all-time points,n=35; Group C, GDF-15 level consistently increasing at 12 h and 24-48 h after CPR, while it was lower at 24-48 h than 12 h after CPR,n=36. Blood levels of NT-proBNP and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were also examined. The patients were followed-up for 6 months for post-CPR death.
Results: Blood levels of GDF-15 and NT-proBNP were related, NT-proBNP level was changing with GDF-15 varying. GDF-15 and NT-proBNP level was negatively related to LVEF (r=-0.530,P<0.001), the patients with GDF-15>1800 ng/L and NT-proBNP>400 pg/ml had the higher mortality than those had the lower levels of GDF-15 and NT-proBNP,P<0.05. Survival analysis presented that 6 months survival rate in Group B was lower than Group A and Group C,P<0.05; survival rate was similar between Group A and Group C,P>0.05.
Conclusion: Combined examination for blood levels of GDF-15 and NT-proBNP may better predict the recent prognosis in patients who received CPR.