Chronic alcohol consumption is a leading cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide, resulting in cirrhosis and hepa-tocellular carcinoma. Almost all heavy drinkers develop fatty liv-er, but only 20% ~40% of them develop more severe forms of alcoholic liver diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic fibrosis, and the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the disease progression remain largely unknown. The animal models which can mimic human alcoholic liver diseases are very neces-sary tools for better understanding and exploring the therapy strat-egy of the disease. Currently, the most widely used models for alcoholic liver injury are Lieber-DeCarli model, Tsukamoto-French model, Gao-binge model and others. Here we summarize the recent advances in animal models recapitulating different fea-tures and etiologies of human alcoholic liver diseases. These ani-mal models will be very useful for the mechanism study of alco-holic liver diseases and further new therapeutic drug screening.

Objective To investigate the effects of isoflurane and sevonumne on apoptosis and expression of CD44 and CD54 in human lung cancer cell line A549.Methods Human lung cancer A549 cells were obtained from Shanghai Cell Biology Medical Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences,and inoculated in 24 well culture plate.After being cultured for 24 h the cells were randomly divided into 3 groups:group Ⅰ control(group C);group Ⅱ isoflurane (group Iso) and group Ⅲ sevoflurane (group Sev).A 549 cells were exposed to 1.7% isoflurane and 2.5%sevoflurane for 4 h respectively in group Iso and Sev respectively,and were then cultured for another 24 h.Apoptosis and expression of CD44 and CD54 in A549 cells were detected with flow cytometer at 0 (T0),2 h(T1) and 4 h(T2) of and 24 h after(T3) exposure to isoflurane and sevoflurane.Results The percentage of apoptotic cells wag significantly higher at T2 and T3 in group Iso than in group C.The percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher at T1,T2 and T3 in group Sev than in group Iso and C.The expression of CD44 and CD54 at T1,T2 and T3 was significantly decreased as compared with the baseline at T0 in group Iso and Sev and was significantly lower in group Iso and Sev than in group C.Conclusion Isoflurane and sevoflurane can induce apoptesis of human lung cancer cell line A549, and sevoflurane is more effective. Isoflurane and sevoflurane can inhibit the expression of CD44 and CD54 of human lung cancer cell line A549.

Objective To study the differential expression of cell adhesion molecule(CAM) genes in the pathegenesis of AAA. Methods Microarray technique was applied to screen for the differential expression of CAM genes between AAA and normal aortic tissues. Results Three differentially expressed CAM genes were found in AAAs by microarray technique and molecular biology investigation, including VCAM 1, PECAM 1, TSP,with up regulating ratio of 5 683,3 601,57 406,respectively.Conclusion These abnormally up regulated CAM genes found in AAA might participate in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Seven terpenoids and three sterols were isolated from the methanol extracts of the aerial parts of Ricinus communis by chromatography methods and their structures were identified by spectra analysis as ficusic acid( 1), phytol(2), callyspinol(3) , lupeol(4), 30-norlupan-3beta-ol-20-one(5) , lup-20(29)-en-3beta,15alpha-diol(6) , acetylaleuritolic acid( 7), stigmast4-en-3-one(8) , stig-mast-4-en-6beta-ol-3-one(9) , and stigmast4-en-3,6-dione(10). Compounds 1-3 and 5-10 were obtained from this species for the first time and 5 and 6 showed significant inhibitive activity and good selectivity against 11beta-HSD of mouse and human in vitro. [Key words] Ricinus communis; terpenoids; sterols; 11beta-HSD
11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Mice ; Ricinus ; chemistry ; Sterols ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Terpenes ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

To establish a fast sensitive, reproducible LC-MS/MS method to study pharmacokinetic properties of THC, and compare relative bioavailability of THC and its solid dispersion in mice. 200 mice were divided randomly into two groups, and administered orally with THC and THC-solid dispersion after fasting (calculate on THC:400 mg x kg(-1)), used HPLC-MS/MS method to determine the THC concentration of each period at the following times: baseline ( predose ), 15, 30, 45 min, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 24 h after dosing. Calculating the pharmacokinetic parameters according to the C-t curv, and then use the Phoenix WinNonlin software for data analysis. The calibration curves were linear over the range 9.06-972 microg x L(-1) for THC (R2 = 0.999). The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.7 microg x L(-1), respectively. The average extraction recoveries for THC was above 75%, The methodology recoveries were between 79% and 108%. The intra-day and inter-day RSD were less than 13%, the stability test showed that the plasma samples was stable under different conditions (RSD < 15%). The precision, accuracy, recovery and applicability were found to be adequate for pharmacokinetic studies. Pharmacokinetic parameters of THC and THC-solid dispersion orally to mice shows as fllows: T(max), were 60 and 15 min, AUC(0-t) were 44 500.43 and 57 497.81 mg x L(-1) x min, AUC(0-infinity) were 51 226.00 and 68 031.48 mg x L(-1) x min, MRT(0-infinity) were 596.915 6, 661.747 7 min, CL(z)/F were 0.007 809 and 0.005 88 L x min(-1) x kg(-1). Compared with THC, the MRT and t1/2 of the THC-solid dispersion were all slightly extended, the t(max) was significantly reduced, AUC(0-24 h), AUC(0-infinity) and C(max) were all significantly higher, the relative bioavailability of THC-solid dispersion is 1.34 times of THC. The results of the experiment shows that the precision, accuracy, recovery and applicability were found to be adequate for the pharmacokinetic studies. After oral administration to mice, the relative bioavailability of THC-solid dispersion show significant improvement compared to THC.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Dronabinol ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Male ; Mice

Through scale-up cultivation of Eriobotrya japonica suspension cells using WAVE bioreactor, the cell growth and ursolic acid (UA) accumulation were studied. The comparison test was carried out in the flask and the reactor with cell dry weight (DW) and UA content as evaluation indexes. The culture medium, DW and UA content were compared in 1 L and 5 L working volumes of bioreactor. The orthogonal test with main actors of inoculation amount, speed and angle of rotation was developed to find the optimal combination, in 1 L working volume of bioreactor. DW of the cell growth and the UA content in bioreactor were higher than those of the shaker by 105.5% and 27.65% respectively. In bioreactor, the dynamic changes of elements in the fluid culture, the dry weight of the cell growth and the UA content in 1 L and 5 L working volumes were similar. Inoculation of 80 g, rotational speed of 26 r · min(-1), and angle of 6 ° was the optimal combination, and the cell biomass of 19.01 g · L(-1) and the UA content of 27.750 mg · g(-1) were achieved after 100 h cultivation in 1 L working volume of bioreactor. WAVE Bioreactor is more suitable than flasks for the E. japonica cell suspension culture, and culture parameters can be achieved from 1 L to 5 L amplification.
Biomass ; Bioreactors ; Cell Culture Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Eriobotrya ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Triterpenes ; analysis ; metabolism

Objective To discuss the value of moving darkroom and accompanying X-rays protective shield in endemic fluorosis areas.Methods Using moving and fixed darkrooms,the X-rays photos of the forearms and shanks of the 320 persons were developed in the endemic fluorosis areas,while the time for development and installing-uninstalling films was documented.The films develpoed in the darkroom were evaluated for the quality.Results Among the 320 films develpoed in the moving darkroom,the 268 had fingerprints,47 had scratches,298 were in good quality(93.13%),while in the fixed darkroom,the figure was correspondingly 735,384,227(70.93%);The moving darkroom increased excellent film rate significantly than fixed darkroom(χ2=53.43,P＜0.01),The detectable rate of skelelal fluorosis and degree Ⅰ skelelal fluorosis were highter than that in the fixed darkroom did (χ2=10.34,χ2=9.56,P＜0.01).Conclusions The films developed in moving darkroom have superior quality and higher diagnostic value,so it is important to use moving X-rays photographing in ecdemic fluorosis areas.

Objective To investigate the effects of Helicobacter priori (H.prlori) strains from the patient with gastric cancer on the expression of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes in AGS cells in vitro. Methods AGS cells were co-cultured with ten strains of H.prlori from five patients with gastric cancer and five patients with gastritis respectively.The expressions of DNA MMR genes (hMSH2 and hMLH1) in mRNA and protein levels were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot.The enteropathogenic E.coli served as a bacterial control.Results E.coli and H.priori strains from gastritis have no effects on the expression of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in both protein and mRNA levels on the whole,while all the H.prlori strains from gastric cancer reduced expression levels of hMSH2 and hMLH1.Conclusions There are different effects between H. prlori strains from gastric cancer and those from gastritis on DNA MMR in AGS cell line,indicating that infec- tion of some H.prlori strains might lead to the inhibition of DNA MMR,and that in turns increases the risk of gastric carcinogenesis during chronic H.prlori infection.

Adult ; Cosmetics ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; chemically induced ; Mercuric Chloride ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Mercury ; adverse effects ; analysis

Objective To introduce a new technique for urethral coverage in Snodgrass hypospadias repair,and to evaluate its effectiveness and complications.Methods From April 2003 to February 2006, this new procedure was performed in 289 children with hypospadias aged 3 months to 12 years (mean age,2. 4 years).The native meatus of urethra was identified subcoronal in 78 cases,penile/shaft in 136,penoscrotal in 36 and scrotal in 16;and 23 cases had undergoneⅡstage operation and re-operation.The overlapping coverage with bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle was done in the new urethra by Snodgrass hy- pospadias repair in these children.Results All the cases were followed for 3 months to 2 years.Postoper- atively,urinary fistulas developed in 32 cases (11%).Of them,11 were cured spontaneously within 4 weeks. The incidence of actual urinary fistula was 7% (21/289).Of the 21 fistulas which were not cured,11 (5%) occurred in 214 cases of distal hypospadias;and 10 (13%) in 75 cases of proximal hypospadias,Ⅱstage and re-operation.No dehiscence and diverticulum was found.Combined with mucosal collar technique,the ventral skin of the penis was sewn on the midline.During the follow-up,excellent cosmetic results with normal-ap- pearing circumcised penis were achieved in most patients.Conclusions Bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle urethral coverage procedure is a reliable and effective method for preventing urethral cutaneous fistulas and dehiscence.This method can reconstruct a satisfactory cosmetic appearance of the penis.