】 Objective To observe the effects and explore the mechanism of Huaxian Capsule (HXC) on pulmonary fibrosis. Methods 60 rats were divided into the normal group, the HXC group, the prednisone group, and the model group, 15 rats in each group. The pulmonary fibrosis model of rats was established with bleomycin. The experimental rats were sacrificed in batch on the 7th, 14th and 28th day for determining TIMP-1 protein and MMP-2 mRNA expression by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization respectively. The outcomes were compared between groups. Results It was showed that TIMP-1 protein and MMP-2 mRNA expression in different stage of pulmonary fibrosis increased significantly and continuously after modeling, showing significant difference in comparison between the model group and the normal group. After HXC treatment, the two indexes expressed weakly as compared with those in the model group, and showed significant difference to those in the model group on 14th and 28th. Conclusion HXC influence on the expression of TIMP-1 and MMP-2 mRNA in rats with pulmonary fibrosis. 【

Many reasons cause low back pain, such as muscles and ligaments injury, vertebral joints retrogression, spinal canal stenosis, lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthritis, infection, tumor and metabolic bone disease. It is in recent years that discogenic low back pain be recognised, especially after the MRI widely applied in clinics. This article makes a summary on discogenic low back pain of recent years from etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy.

AIM and METHOD: Human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene was transfected into human phagocytic cell U937 and the effects of gene transfer on cytokines and cAMP production were observed. RESULTS: A functional eNOS was stably expressed in transfected U937 cells, but NO release was undetectable in intact transfectants. However, eNOS gene expression upregulated tumor necrosis factor - a release and downregulated interleukin - 10 and cAMP production in either presence or absence of NOS inhibitor N? - monomethyl - L - arginine. CONCLUSION: The function of tranfected eNOS gene product showed cellular speciality. The effector molecule that changed the produced pattern of cytokines and cAMP in phagocytic cells seems not likely the nitric oxide.

Objective To study the changes in gene expression profiles of dendritic cells(DCs) during their maturation processes using cDNA microarray.Method DCs were generated from human peripheral blood monocytes induced by GM-CSF and IL-4,and lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was used to induce the maturation of DCs.After inducing for 48h,cells were collected to extract the general RNA.Genes expressions of mature DCs(maDC) and immature DCs(imDC) were analyzed using cDNA microarray,and immature DCs without induction served as control.Results DCs expressed highly surface markers of mature DCs after LPS induction.The studied data showed that among those 165 target genes,a total of 50 genes(30.3%) exhibited differential levels of expression in LPS-induced mature DCs.Thirty-five genes were up-regulated and fifteen genes were down-regulated.Maturation-dependent up-regulation,defined by a differential expression ratio of ≥2,included twelve cytokine and chemokine genes,ten antigen uptake and presentation genes and thirteen signal transduction molecule genes.Reciprocally,maturation-dependent down-regulation,defined by a differential expression ratio of ≤0.5,occurred with two cytokine,five antigen uptake and presentation genes and eight signal transduction molecule genes.Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was employed to further confirm the results of cDNA microarray.Conclusion It is suggested that LPS has significant influence on many genes of DCs in their maturing processes.Those changed genes include cytokines,chemokines and their receptors,antigen uptake and presentation molecules and signal transduction molecules.Analysis on these differentially expressed genes is helpful in understanding the maturing processes of DCs.

Malachite green (MG) is a dye which has been widely used as a topical fungicide and antiseptic in aquaculture throughout the world. Now,MG has become a highly controversial compound due to its potential highly residual and toxic characteristics in recent years. In the paper,the advances in toxicity,toxicological mechanism,detection methods,metabolism and removal of malachite green and its metabolite were reviewed,and the problems in aquaculture and the safety of aquaculture technology were discussed,in order to make us be aware of potential hazard of malachite green and provide a dependable evidences of safely breeding in aquatic products.

Objective To investigate the effects of Pollen Typhae total flavone ( PTF) , an extract from Pollen Typhae which has the actions of activating blood and removing stasis, on inflammatory factors and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic rats. Methods SD rats were used as the experimental animal. Type 2 diabetic rats induced by high fat diet plus low dose of streptozotocin were randomly divided into model group, PTF group (in the dosage of 200 mg·kg-1·d-1) , and rosiglitazone group (in the dosage of 4 mg·kg-1·d-1) . Additionally, normal control group was set up. After treatment for 4 weeks, plasma interleukin 6 ( IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-α) levels were detected, the insulin tolerance test ( ITT) was performed, and the protein expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 ( SOCS-3) in skeletal muscle was determined. Results After treatment for 4 weeks, the plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, the homeostasis model of insulin resistance ( HOMA-IR) , and expression level of SOCS-3 in skeletal muscle in the model groups were significantly increased ( P﹤0.05) as compared with those in the normal control group, and insulin tolerance was also impaired in the model group ( P﹤0.05) . Compared with the model group, IL-6 level and HOMA-IR were markedly decreased in the PTF group ( P﹤0.05) , and the impaired insulin tolerance was obviously improved (P﹤0.05) . The level of SOCS-3 in the skeletal muscle of PTF group was also much lower than that of the model group and rosiglitazone group (P﹤0.05) . Conclusion PTF has effects on decreasing the levels of plasma IL-6 and SOCS-3 in the skeletal muscle and on improving insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic rats.

Objective To discuss the influence of Yifei-Kangxin capsule on MMP-1 in Wistar rats model with pulmonary heart disease. Methods 40 Wistar rats with pulmonary heart disease were averagely grouped as Normal Group, Model Group, Therapeutic Group and Comparative Group randomly by weight. The rats in Therapeutic Group were given Yifei-Kangxin capsule and the rats in Comparative Group were given Nifedipine. The course of treatment was 15 days. The rats were killed at the next 7th, 14th and 28th day separately to test MMP-1 in pulmonary tissue. Results After the treatment, the expression of MMP-1 in pulmonary tissue of the Therapeutic Group[7 d, 14 d, 28 d was(0.231±0.017)ng/m、(0.308±0.081)ng/m、(0.358±0.074)ng/m]was lower than the Model Group[7 d, 14 d, 28 d was(0.266±0.036)ng/m 、(0.315± 0.060)ng/m、(0.612±0.091)ng/m]. Conclusion Yifei-Kangxin capsule can inhibit the expression of MMP-1 in the rats model pulmonary heart disease.

Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inventions

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of the serum of traditional Chinese medicine Nao Yi An on glutamate induced cell death in cultured hippocampal neurons of rat and the underlying mechanisms. MethodsHippocampal neurons were cultured. The excitatory amino acid induced toxicity on cultured neurons was investigated. The viability of injured neurons was determined with the measurement of Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) were determined by immunoprecipitation /kinase assays /western blot detection.ResultsThe serum of Nao Yi-An raised cell viability. The serum of Nao Yi-An upregulated the expression of extracellular regulated protein kinases(ERK) and downregulated the expression of c-Jun N terminal kinase/stress activited protein kinase(JNK) in cultured neurons. The serum of Nao Yi-An induced upregulation of ERK and its anti death action were prevented with the specific ERKs inhibitor PD98059. Conclusions Activation of ERK signaling together with inhibition of JNK signaling by Chinese medicine Nao Yi-An appears to be an important mechanism for its survival effects on cultured hippocampal neurons.

Objective To determine the three dimensional motion data of each segment of cervical vertebrae and analyze the characteristics of the intervertebral coupled motion during cervical axial rotation under physiological weight bearing. Methods A total of 16 healthy volunteers (ranging from 22 to 29, median age, 23 years) were recruited to our study. Any cervical spine disorder history, pain or other discomfort and malformations were excluded so as to avoid abnormal neck motion. These subjects underwent CT scans of their cervical segments in a supine position, and 3D models of C1-C7 were constructed. Next, each subject was asked to sit up straight and was positioned in the following sequence:maximal left and right twisting, while double oblique images by DFIS were taken simultaneously at each of the positions. Then, the CT models were matched to the osseous outlines of the images from the two oblique views to quantify the position of cervical vertebraes in 3D at each position. Through local coordinate systems at the center of vertebral bodies, changes of position and angle of each cephalad vertebrae relative to the cauddal one were calculated before and after the axial rotation. Results (1) In the axial rotation of the cervical spine, the contribution of C1/2 accounted for the most of the total cervical rotation range. For the lower levels, axial rotation was found to be maximal at C3/4 and C5/6, minimal at C2/3. (2) In cervical axial motion, C1/2 demonstrated a coupled lateral bending opposite to the axial rotation direction, while each segment of C2-7 demonstrated coupled lateral bending towards the same side of the axial rotation. Among these segments the lateral bending angle of C2/3 was smaller than angles of C3/4, C4/5 and C5/6. Conclusion This study investigated the cervical coupling behavior using the noninvasive 2D-3D matching technique and obtained the motion data at each cervical spinal segment. These findings will help to improve the understanding on physiological cervical spine movement and potential biomechanical mechanism and treatment of cervical spondylosis. Also our data may provide useful reference for the prosthesis design.