Objective To investigate the effect of compound catechu anti-diarrhea ointment on the expression of aquaporin3 (AQP3) in the colonic tissues of diarrhea rat model, and the mechanism thereof. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups:blank control group, model control group, positive control group and compound catechu anti-diarrhea ointment group. Rats were given 6 g blank matrix cream in model control group, 2 mL suspension of berberine in positive control group and compound catechu anti-diarrhea ointment in compound catechu anti-diarrhea ointment group, two times/d for 7 d. The rat model of diarrhea was established by using senna intragastric administration. The water content of feces was measured. The expression of AQP3 in colonic tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry assay. Results The water contents of feces were significantly higher in model control group (64.09±0.41)%than those of other three groups (F=53.879,P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the water content of feces between compound catechu anti-diar-rhea ointment group (48.83 ± 1.08)%and positive control group (46.87 ± 2.19)%. The AQP3-positive cells were mainly ex-pressed in the intestinal mucosa. The dyeing index was significantly lower in model control group (0.85±0.18) than that of other three groups (F=14.971,P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the dyeing index between compound catechu anti-diarrhea ointment group (1.30±0.18) and positive control group (1.37±0.14). Conclusion Compound catechu anti-di-arrhea ointment can significantly reduce the water contents of feces, which may be related to the increased AQP 3 expression in colonic tissues.

Objective To investigate the effects of inhaled low dose nitric oxide(NO)on lung ischemia-reperfusion injury during flush and delayed 10 min after reperfusion.Methods Sixty health a- dult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to the control and the NO group.Before the donor lung was harvested,the right hilus was clipped for 5 min(clipping test),then blood sample was collected from carotid artery for arterial blood gas analysis as baseline.Lung transplantation was per- formed in a“cuff-like”vessel anastomosis technique.Dynamic compliance(Cdyn)and resistance of airway(Raw)were monitored before operation(baseline)and after 2-h reperfusion.The graft's gas exchange and oxygenation were assessed by“clipping test”after 2-h reperfusion.The lung graft was harvested for measuring wet/dry weight ratio(W/D),the activity of myeloperoxidase(MPO)and in- ducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),the content of malonyldialdehyde(MDA),and the expression of iNOS gene and protein.Results After 2-h reperfusion,compared to the control group,PaO_2/FiO_2, OI,and Qs/Qt were improved significantly in the NO group(277?91 vs.157?47,P＜0.01;2.67?0.89 vs.4.72?1.48,P＜0.01;21.1?4.57 vs.27.1?2.37,P＜0.01,respectively).The activi- ties of MPO were significantly reduced in NO group(1.80?0.46 vs 3.08?0.65 U/g tissue,P＜0.01).The content of MDA in the lung tissue of NO group was significantly higher than that of the control group(34.8?7.9 vs.20.0?11.2 nmol/mg protein,P＜0.05).Inflammatory cell infiltration was also significantly reduced(P＜0.05).The expression of iNOS gene and protein in the lung tissue of NO group was significantly lower than that of the control group.The activities of iNOS were also significantly reduced in NO group(10.6?10.2 vs 97.8?82.2 nmol?g~(-1)?min~(-1),P＜0.05).The im- munohistochemical positive staining of iNOS was localized in the alveolar epithelial cells and the in- flammatory cells infiltrated in the alveolar spaces and mesenchymal tissue.But there were no signifi- cant differences between two groups in Cdyn,Raw and W/D ratio.Conclusion Inhaled low dose NO might mitigate the intrapulmonary shunt,prevent neutrophil sequestration,inhibit the expression of iNOS gene and protein in isograft,thereby ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion injury and improve the ox- ygenation of the graft.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of allogene hepatic nonparenchymal cell (NPC) on the survival of grafted skin in mice and its underlying mechanism.

METHODSSixty-five C(3)H and fifty-eight C(57)BL/6 mice were employed in the study. Twenty C(3)H mice were used as skin donor and forty as the source of hepatic NPC. The rest five served as the stimulators of mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) before and on the 7th, 18th, 30th, and 60th day after NPC infusion with 1 at each time point. MLC was determined and expressed as count per minute (CPM). Fifty-eight C(57)BL/6 mice were further divided into experimental (E, n = 50) and control groups (C, n = 8). The mice in C group only underwent skin grafting without NPC infusion. The mice in E group received with 2 x 10(7) NPC via caudal vein, followed by peritoneal injection of cytoxan (200 mg/kg) 48 hours later; They were grafted with skin donated from C(3)H mice 18 days after injections. The survival time of the mice in the two groups was observed. The serum levels of interleukin-4, chimera and MLC in the two groups were determined before and on 7th, 18th, 30th, 60th days after NPC infusion, and micro-chimera were aslo assessed on the 1st and 3rd day after NPC infusion. Five mice were sacrificed at each time point.

RESULTSThe survival time of skin graft in E group (70.0 +/- 17.2 day) was obviously longer than that in C group. The serum levels of IL-4, chimera in E group were increased gradually, while MLC response decreased gradually. The serum IL-4 level reached 251.5 +/- 11.0 ng/L and splenic chimera level to 26.30 +/- 1.04% on the 60th day after NPC infusion.

CONCLUSIONThe high levels of IL-4 and chimera might play important roles in inducing and maintaining immune tolerance.

Animals ; Female ; Graft Survival ; immunology ; Hepatocytes ; immunology ; Immune Tolerance ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Skin Transplantation ; immunology ; Surgical Flaps ; Transplantation Chimera ; Transplantation, Homologous ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) agonist on the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA expression in monocyte-derived macrophages of essential hypertensive patients.

METHODSTotally 57 essential hypertensive patients were randomly divided into three groups: conventional treatment group (n=18), telmisartan group (n=19), and benazepril group (n=20); 20 patients with normal blood pressure were also selected as the control group. Monocyte-derived macrophages were isolated from blood samples of patients in all four groups. The expression of ACE2 mRNA in monocyte-derived macrophages was detected by RT-PCR before treatment and 4 and 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTSFour and 12 weeks after treatment, the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure of telmisartan group and benazepril group were significantly lower than that of the conventional treatment group (all P<0.01), and the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure of telmisartan group were significantly lower than that of the benazepril group(both P<0.01) .The expression of ACE2 mRNA in monocyte-derived macrophages were significantly lower in essential hypertensive patients than that in control group (P<0.01). After having been treated for 4 weeks and 12 weeks, the expression of ACE2 mRNA in monocyte-derived macrophages of hypertensive patients in telmisartan and benazepril groups were significantly higher than that in conventional treatment group (all P<0.01), and the expression of ACE2 mRNA in telmisartan group was significantly higher than that in benazepril group (both P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONPPAR-γ agonist could increase the ACE2 mRNA expression in monocyte-derived macrophages of essential hypertensive patients.

Aged ; Benzazepines ; pharmacology ; Benzimidazoles ; pharmacology ; Benzoates ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Macrophages ; enzymology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; PPAR gamma ; agonists ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) on blood phosphorus metabolism in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSPatients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive CHB were treated with ADV alone, ADV combined with interferon (IFN), or ADV combined with lamivudine (LAM). Changes in levels of calcium, phosphate, urea, and creatinine were assessed at treatment weeks 4, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS 16 software; influential factors were analyzed by ANOVA and non-conditional logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSDuring the course of treatments, 32 (42.6%) of the patients presented with low phosphorus. The highest incidence of low phosphorus was found to have occurred at treatment week 24 (25.0%, 27.5% and 36.4% respectively, with no statistical difference between three groups, x2=0.225, P>0.225). Patients with hypophosphatemia did not show a significant difference in serum phosphorus levels from the other patients (F=1.853, P=0.169). Logistic regression showed a correlation between low phosphorus and sex (x2=7.876, P<0.05), age (t=2.479, P<0.05), and serum creatinine (t =-2.256, P<0.05), but not with blood urea nitrogen or blood calcium (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONADV antiviral treatment can decrease the blood phosphorous levels of CHB patients, particularly over extended time of treatment, and the occurrence of low phosphorus is more common than of mild phosphorus decrease.Male and elderly patients may be at greater risk of this complication. The incidence and severity of low phosphorus is not significantly different for the different ADV-based treatment regimens.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; Creatinine ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Interferons ; Lamivudine ; Male ; Organophosphonates ; Phosphorus

Objective: To understand the level and risk factor of lead exposure among children in one city of Jiangsu. Methods: In northern Jiangsu Province, 373 children from 2 primary schools were enrolled and were tested for blood lead and heavy metal exposure. Lead exposure was tested in household dust of 46 children. A multivariate Logistic regression was used for lead exposure risk analysis. Spatial distribution of lead contamination in household dust was conducted and compared with the location of industrial enterprises. Results: The geometric mean of blood lead in 373 children was 25.80 mg/L,the blood lead of 3 children (0.8%) was more than 100 mg/L. Pencil biting ( OR=4.26, 95%CI=1.61-10.68, P <0.05) and lead contamination in surrounding environment ( OR=2.93, 95%CI=1.24-7.34, P =0.02) was positively related to high blood lead level in children. The geometric mean household dust lead concentrations in 46 children was 302.27 μg/mg, and household with high dust lead levels were mainly located around manufacturing enterprises. Conclusion Environmental factors correlate with blood lead level in children. Efficient strategies and public health policies are urgently needed to control and prevent environmental lead pollution. Families and schools should actively carry out health education to engourage children good hygiene habits, and effectively reduce lead exposure.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to construct an effective method to concentrate and detect virus in drinking water, and human adenovirus pollution status in actual water samples was monitored by constructed method.

METHODSThe concentration efficient of NanoCeram filter for the first concentration with source water and drinking water and the concentration efficient of the different concentrations of PEG 8000 for the second concentration were assessed by spiking f₂ bacteriophage into water samples. The standard of human adenovirus for real-time PCR was constructed by T-A clone. The plasmid obtained was identified through sequence analyzing and consistency check comparing to target gene fragment was conducted by using blast algorithm. Then, real-time PCR was constructed to quantify the concentration of human adenovirus using the plasmid as standard. Water samples were concentrated by using NanoCeram filter on the spot and then concentrated for the second time by PEG/NaCl in 2011. The DNA of concentrated samples were extracted for the quantification of human adenovirus in real-time PCR subsequently to monitor the pollution of human adenovirus in water.

RESULTSFor the first concentration by NanoCeram filter, the recovery rates were (51.63 ± 26.60)% in source water and (50.27 ± 14.35)% in treated water, respectively. For the second concentration, the highest recovery rate was reached to (90.09 ± 10.50)% at the concentration of 0.13 kg/L of PEG 8000. The sequence identity score of standard of adenovirus for real time PCR and adenovirus gene was 99%, implying that it can be successfully used to quantification with human adenovirus. The levels of human adenovirus in the water samples sampled in 2011 ranged from 4.13×10³ to 2.20×10⁶ copies/L in source water, while range from 5.57×10² to 7.52×10⁵ copies/L in treated water and the removal efficiency range was (75.49 ± 11.71)%.

CONCLUSIONNanoCeram filers combined with PEG/NaCl was an effective method to concentrate virus in aquatic environment. There was a large number of human adenovirus in source water, and it is not sufficient to remove them thoroughly through conventional water treatment processes.

Adenoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Drinking Water ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Water Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) on monocytes and lymphocytes in blood of mice and to find a sensitive index of toxic effects.

METHODSSpecific pathogen free Kunming male mice, aging 1 month-old,were randomly divided into 5 groups by weights, 7 mice for each group. The mice in 5 groups were exposed to MC-LR through intraperitoneal injection at 0, 3.125,6.250, 12.500 and 25.000 µg/kg respectively for 7 days. Then cytokine levels in the serum were measured by radioimmunoassay, DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) was measured by the SDS/KCl precipitation technique, and the phagocytosis and ROS of leukocytes were detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe levels of interleukin 6 in the 6.250, 12.500 and 25.000 µg·kg(-1)·d(-1) dose groups were (346.837 ± 25.536), (360.847 ± 37.886) and (434.245 ± 35.858)pg/ml respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group which the value was (232.775 ± 32.816) pg/ml (t values were -7.258, -6.760 and -10.966 respectively, P values were all < 0.05).While the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was(10.782 ± 0.966) fmol/ml in 25 µg·kg(-1)·d(-1) dose group was statistically lower than it in the control group which the value was (16.878 ± 3.378) fmol/ml (t value was 4.591, P < 0.05). The DPC levels of lymphocytes in 6.250, 12.500 µg·kg(-1)·d(-1) dose group were (242.576 ± 7.545),(241.472 ± 2.793) ng/ml,higher than it in the control group while the value was (228.657 ± 4.130) ng/ml (t value was -4.282, -6.801, P values were all <0.05). The fluorescence intensity of DCF in lymphocytes in the 4 treated groups were separately 3299.37 ± 120.54, 3281.38 ± 58.34, 3308.06 ± 136.12 and 3346.92 ± 108.69, all significantly lower than 3770.81 ± 131.39 in the control group (t values were 6.995, 9.007, 6.472 and 6.577 respectively, and P values were all <0.05). The fluorescence intensity of DCF in monocytes in the 4 treated groups (3271.51 ± 140.79, 3270.05 ± 117.92, 3326.90 ± 114.39 and 3292.49 ± 145.97 respectively) were also significantly lower than the value in the control group was 3841.72 ± 130.92 (t values were 7.847, 8.584, 7.835 and 7.411 respectively, P values were all <0.05). There was no significant difference in other index among the four experiment groups and the control group.

CONCLUSIONThe MC-LR administered via intraperitoneal injection to mice induced the alterations of some cytokines of monocytes and lymphocytes in blood. By comparison, the ROS of leukocyte was the most sensitive index.

Animals ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Microcystins ; pharmacology ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the features of HBx protein distributed in liver cells and its expression in E. coli.

METHODSThe expression vectors encoding the full length HBx and its mutants were constructed by the routine molecular cloning method. HBx protein expression was detected using Western blotting. The distribution feature of HBx protein in liver cells was examined using the fluorescence confocal microscopy. A series of purified HBx fusion proteins were obtained by glutathione-sepharose 4B affinity chromatography.

RESULTSThe expression vectors were successfully constructed for the full length HBx and its mutants. HBx was found distributed uniformly in the nuclei but granularly in the cytoplasm of the liver cells. Under optimal conditions, the mutant GST-HBx (72-120aa) was easily degraded.

CONCLUSIONThis study may provide a basis for further study on the biological function of HBx at the protein level.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Glutathione Transferase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Mutation ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Trans-Activators ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

BACKGROUNDChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a variable natural history and not all individuals follow the same course. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and characteristics of asymptomatic COPD patients from a population-based survey in China.

METHODSA multistage cluster sampling strategy was used in a population from seven different provinces/cities. All residents (over 40 years old) were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire and spirometry. Post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1))/forced vital capacity (FVC) of less than 70% was defined as the diagnostic criterion of COPD. All COPD patients screened were divided into symptomatic group and asymptomatic group according to the presence or absence of chronic respiratory symptoms. Socio-demographic, personal and exposure variables were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the 1668 patients who were diagnosed with COPD from the 25 627 sampling subjects, 589 (35.3%) were asymptomatic. The age, sex, body mass index (BMI), rural and urban distributions, smoking habit and education levels were similar in the two groups. A total of 64.7% of the asymptomatic patients had no comorbidities. Cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer were more common among symptomatic COPD patients than asymptomatic group. Asymptomatic COPD group were less likely to present with poor ventilation in the kitchen, a family history of respiratory disease and recurrent childhood cough. Asymptomatic COPD patients had significantly higher FEV(1) (73.1% vs. 61.0%), FVC (91.9% vs. 82.0%), and a higher ratio of FEV(1)/FVC (62.9% vs. 58.7%) (all P < 0.001) than symptomatic group. More asymptomatic patients were underdiagnosed (91.9% vs. 54.3%, P < 0.001) than symptomatic patients.

CONCLUSIONSThis large population-based survey confirmed a high prevalence of asymptomatic COPD patients in China. More use of spirometry screening test may be important to the early detection of COPD.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Spirometry ; Surveys and Questionnaires