Bronchi ; drug effects ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; Humans ; Mineral Fibers ; toxicity

Objective To investigate the effects of nicotine on the gene expression profile in prefrontal cortex (PFC) region of rats. Methods Twenty-four adult male F344 rats were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, with 12 animals in each group. Animals in treatment group were injected with nicotine solution while those in control group were given physiological saline for 17 days. At the end of drug administration, the tissue of PFC region was sliced from the brain of each animal. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was utilized to analyze the gene expression profile in PFC of each animal. Bioinformatics tools including Bowtie, Tophat and Cufflinks were used to map the sequencing reads to the reference genome of rat, and to measure the relative expression level of each transcript. Genes whose expression levels were significantly differ-ent between the two groups were identified. The functional categories and the biochemical pathways associated with these genes were further analyzed. Results By comparing the expression level of each transcript between two groups, 885 signifi-cantly differentially expressed genes were identified. These genes were enriched in multiple Gene Ontology Biological Pro-cess categories (e.g., G protein coupled receptor protein signaling pathway, protein ubiquitination, and neurotransmitter up-take) and biological pathways (e.g., insulin signaling pathway, Alzheimer's disease, and long term potentiation). Conclu-sion Nicotine treatment may regulate signaling transduction, energy metabolism and other biological processes in PFC of rat brain.

Objective: To evaluate the protective effect of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) transferred by Ad?ANG ex vivo on ischemic myocardium. Methods: ELISA method was used to assay the expression and secretion of angiogenin (ANG) after Ad?ANG transfection of BMSCs ex vivo. Then BMSCs with Ad?ANG were transplanted into ischemic myocardium of isogenic Lewis rats. 4 weeks later, the parameters of heart function, such as EF and EDLV, were examined by echocardiography. Survival and differentiation of transplanted BMSCs and angiogenesis were appraised by histology and transmission electron micrography. Results: ANG was found in both lysate and culture medium after transfection of BMSCs. A maximum expression of ANG was observed at 4-7 days after transfection and could still be assayed 15 days later. 4 weeks later after transplantation in the BMSCs with Ad?ANG group, heart function improved better than the single BMSCs group(P

Objective To investigate the correlation between plasma homocysteine level and impaired glucose tolerance(IGT) patients in peripheral neuropathy.Methods 80 patients with IGT were selected according to the results of routine nerve conduction test,including 40 patients associated with peripheral neuropathy (IGT-PN),and 40 patients without peripheral neuropathy (IGT-NPN).Besides,40 healthy subjects were selected as control.Plasma homocysteine levels were measured in the three groups by enzyme rate method.The severity of neuropathy was scored and graded by the Toronto Clinical Scoring System (TCSS).Results Plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher in the all IGT groups than those in the control group.The plasma homocysteine level in the IGT-PN group (14.2±2.7) μmol/L was significantly higher than that in the IGT-NPN group (12.3±2.6) μmol/L (P＜0.05).Regression analysis showed that plasma homocysteine level had independent effects on IGT with peripheral neuropathy.Plasma homocysteine level was positively correlated with TCSS score.Conclusions Plasma homocysteine may play an important role in the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathy in patients with IGT,and their level may be associated with the severity of peripheral neuropathy.

Objective To observe effect of aerobic exercise combined with inhalation of tiotropium on patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated with pulmonary hypertension.Methods A total of 98 patients with stable COPD and grade Ⅱ or Ⅲ pulmonary function complicated with pulmonary hypertension were recruited.They were divided into an observation group (n =31) and two control groups (n =30 and 37).Patients in control group 1 inhaled shahmette and fluticasone powder,and antibiotics as well as apophlegmatisant were also used in accordance with the demands of the patient's condition.Patients of in control group 2 inhaled tiotropium dry powder and accepted other therapeutic measures equivalent to those of control group1.The patients in the observation group were given aerobic exercise in addition to other therapeutic measures equivalent to those of control group 2.Six-minute walk test distances,pulmonary arterial systolic pressure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test scores were compared after 6 months of treatment,among the groups and against the baseline values before treatment.Results After 6 months of treatment the average 6-minute walk distance,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment score and pulmonary arterial systolic pressure of the observation group were all significantly better than for either of the control groups.Conclusions Inhaling tiotropium dry powder combined with aerobic exercise can reduce pulmonary artery systolic pressure and improve the symptoms as well as the quality of life for patients with stable COPD complicated by pulmonary hypertension.

Objective To study the roles of the contact heat evoked potential (CHEP) in evaluating the small nerve fibers of cranial and spinal in elderly diabetic patients,and to analyze the feature of the small fibers in order to provide scientific foundations for early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy (DN).Methods Totally 50 diabetic patients and 40 healthy subjects were included in this study.The diabetic patients were divided into the normal nerve conduction group (n=17) and the abnormal nerve conduction group (n=33).CHEP was determined and thermal stimuli was given to the area of eyelid,forearm and peroneal.Sensory and motor nerve conduction velocity in the upper and lower limbs were tested in all diabetic patients.Results Compared with the healthy group,the N wave latencies were prolonged and the N-P amplitudes were reduced in the area of eyelid,forearm and peroneal in diabetic patients (all P＜0.01).Compared with the healthy group,the logarithm of N-P amplitudes were reduced in areas of forearm and peroneal [(1.70±0.10) vs.(1.60±0.14),(1.65±0.078) vs.(1.54±0.15),both P＜0.05] and N wave latencies were prolonged in eyelid area [(343.1±18.2) ms vs.(385.4±26.5) ms,P＜0.05] in normal nerve conduction group.Compared to group with normal nerve conduction velocity,the logarithm of N-P amplitudes was reduced in peroneal area [(1.54±0.15) vs.(1.44±0.15),P＜0.05] in abnormal nerve conduction group.Conclusions CHEP can detect the early impairment of the small fibers in elderly diabetic patients.The early smallfiber impairments in diabetic neuropathy may be axon-oriented in spinal nerves and myelin-oriented in cranial nerves.

Objective To investigate physical activities of preschool children by gender and to explore the effects of activity type on bone indexes.Methods During 2009 and 2010,397 preschool children of 3-5 years old were randomly selected from 4 kindergartens in Chengdu Province of China.Ultrasound bone analyzer was used to assess children's bone mass.A physical activity questionnaire was completed by parents to evaluate physical activities at leisure time.Student's t test and least square regression were used for data analysis.Results Concerning activity types,boys spent more leisure time on running and Wushu than girls did (t values were 1.94 and 2.84,respectively ; both P ＜ 0.05).However,girls spent more time on dancing (0.78 h),jumping rope (0.08 h) and manual labour (0.22 h) each day (t values were-9.50,-3.43 and-1.92,respectively; all P ＜ 0.05).The weekly total exercise time and energy consumption per unit of body weight of girls vs.boys were 7.29 vs.6.51 h and 127.57 vs.113.85 kJ (t values were 2.63 and 2.04,respectively ; both P ＜ 0.05).About per day time on sleeping and per week time on watching television,there were no significant difference between boys and girls (t =0.180,0.520;P ＞0.05).But boys spent more time on electronic game and computer than girls (t =0.760,2.510;P ＜ 0.05).The normalized correlation coefficient for bone mass and moderate physical activities or jumping was 0.184 and 0.275,respectively (both P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Our data suggest that preschool children's bone volume may be positively correlated with moderate physical activities and jumping activities.Introducing some moderate physical activities or activity appliance,toys and playing fields as well as increasing professional training might be helpful.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum cystatin C (CysC) levels and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods The patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled.Susceptibility weighted imaging was used to identify the presence of CMBs.Particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay was used to detect the levels of serum CysC.Results A total of 485 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled,including 151 (31.1％) with CMBs.The level of serum CysC of the CMB group was significantly higher than that of the non-CMB group (1.24± 0.13 mg/L vs.1.02± 0.11 rmg/L; t=4.261,P＜ 0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the increased serum CysC level was an independent risk factor for the presence of CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke (each increase in one standard deviation,odds ratio 4.063,95％ confidence interval 2.142-8.127; P ＜0.001).Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the number of CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke increased with the increasing serum CysC level after adjusting for other confounders (r2 =0.361,P =0.017).Conclusions In patients with acute ischemic stroke,the serum CysC levels are independently associated with the CMBs,and the number of CMBs increases with the serum CysC level.

Objective To assess the function of motor nerve fiber in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) by single-fiber conduction studies.Methods According to the diagnostic standard of DPN issued in Toronto meeting in 2009,on the basis of the result of peroneal nerve conventional conduction study,a total of 65 patients with DPN in the Department of Endocrinology and the Department of Neurology of Tianjin Third Central Hospital from October 2012 to October 2013 were enrolled into the study,from whom 33 had abnormal sensory conduction (sensory-diabetic peripheral neuropathy group,S-DPN group),32 had abnormal sensory motor conduction (sensory motor-diabetic peripheral neuropathy group,SM-DPN group).Single-fiber conduction velocity (SF-CV) and single-fiber distal motor latency (SF-DML)were detected in all subjects.The obtained results were compared with the data from 34 healthy volunteers (control group).The relationship of SF-CV,SF-DML and the duration of diabetes mellitus,fasting glucose,HbA1 c was also studied in DPN patients.Results The SF-CV ((43.1 ± 3.6) m/s) was decreased in S-DPN group compared with control group ((47.5 ± 3.3) m/s,t =5.077,P ＜ 0.01).There were no significant differences in SF-DML ((3.6 ± 0.7) ms),motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV (49.5 ± 2.6)m/s) and DML ((3.4 ± 0.6) ms) in S-DPN group compared with that of control group ((3.4 ± 0.5) ms,(50.9 ± 3.5) m/s,(3.2 ± 0.5) ms,respectively).SM-DPN group had lower SF-CV ((35.2 ± 3.6)m/s,t =9.119,14.219),MCV ((40.9 ± 3.2) m/s,t =11.131,13.025) and increased SF-DML ((4.5±0.7) ms,t=5.692,7.231),DML ((4.2 ±0.7) ms,t=5.561,6.975) compared with the other two groups (P ＜0.01).SF-CV in DPN patients was negatively related to the diabetic duration (r =-0.340,P =0.006),while SF-DML had no correlation with duration of DM,fasting blood glucose and HbAlc.Conclusions Detection of SF-CV is easy to find early motor nerve dysfunction in DPN patients.SF-CV is decreased with the increasing duration of diabetes.

Scutellarin is the main effective constituent of breviscapine, a flavonoid mixture isolated from the dried whole plant of Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz, and valsartan is used as an antihypertensive drug. These two drugs have already been clinically used together to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN) in China, and the combined medications showed some enhanced protection against DN. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential pharmacokinetic interaction between scutellarin and valsartan in rats. Breviscapine injection (20 mg x kg(-1), i.v.) and valsartan (15 mg x kg-, i.g.), either alone or together were given to 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Concentrations of scutellarin and valsartan were quantified by HPLC, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by non-compartmental methods. We found that the pharmacokinetic parameters of scutellarin altered significantly after co-administration of oral valsartan. The plasma clearance (CL(p)) and the bile clearance (CL(b)) of scutellarin were reduced significantly in the presence of valsartan. After oral administration of valsartan with or without intravenous scutellarin, however, the pharmacokinetic parameters of valsartan were comparable. In conclusion, our data suggests that the concurrent use of valsartan reduces the biliary excretion of scutellarin, and this may be due to the inhibitory effect of valsartan on the biliary excretion of scutellarin mediated by Mrp2 (Multidrug resistance-associated protein 2).