OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of tanshinone II(A) on the expression of different components in the renin-angiotensin system of left ventricles of renal hypertensive rats.

METHODThe renal hypertension model was established in rats by the two-kidney-one-clip (2K1C) method. In the experiment, all of the rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 15 per group) before the operation: the sham-operated (Sham) group, the hypertensive model (Model) group, the low-dose tanshinone II(A) group and the high-dose tanshinone II(A) group. At 5 week after the renal artery narrowing, the third and fourth groups were administered with 35 mg kg(-1) x d(-1) and 70 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) of tanshinone II(A), respectively. The blood pressure in rats was determined by the standard tail-cuff method in each week after the operation. After the drug treatment for 8 weeks, all the rats were put to death, and their left ventricles were separated to determine the ratio of left ventricle weight to body weight (LVW/BW), the myocardial collagen content, and the expressions of different components in myocardial RAS, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin 1-type receptor (AT1R), Mas receptor mRNA expression and angiotensin II (Ang II) and angiotensin (1-7) [Ang (1-7)] content.

RESULTCompared with the sham group, the hypertensive model group exhibited a markable increase in the content of Ang II and Ang (1-7) and the mRNA expressions of ACE, ACE2, AT1R and Mas (P < 0.01). However, the treatment with tanshinone II(A) showed the does dependence, inhibited left ventricle hypertrophy, decreased myocardial Ang II content and the mRNA expression of ACE and AT, R in renal hypertensive rats (P < 0. 01) , further increased the myocardial Ang (1-7) content and the mRNA expression of ACE2 and Mas (P < 0.01) , but without any change in the blood pressure of hypertensive rats.

CONCLUSIONThe treatment with tanshinone II(A) could inhibit left ventricle hypertrophy of renal hypertensive rats. Its mechanism may be partially related to the expression of different components in the renin-angiotensin system for regulating myocardial tissues.

Angiotensin I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiotensin II ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; administration & dosage ; Heart Ventricles ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; genetics ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Renin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and outcome of critically illness with acute kidney injury (AKI) treated with continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) in children.Methods Twenty-four cases of critically illness with AKI were treated with CVVHDF in our pediatric intensive care unit from Jan 2008 to Dec 2010.The levels of creatinine (Cr),blood urea nitrogen (BUN),K +,Na + and HCO3- were observed before CVVHDF and 6,12,24,48,72 h after CVVHDF.ResultsCatheter was successfully established for CVVHDF in 24 cases of AKI.The average duration of CVVHDF was 46 h ( 16 ～142 h).The blood levels of Cr and BUN were significantly decreased at 6 h after CVVHDF [ ( 196.3 ±112.4) μmol/L,( 13.3 ± 8.5 ) mmol/L] and 12 h after CVVHDF [ ( 106.1 ± 84.2) μ mol/L,( 10.2 ± 9.7 )mmol/L] as compared to those before treatment [ (340.6 ±298.2) μmol/L,(31.6 ± 11.3) mmol/L] (P ＜0.05,P ＜ 0.01 ).After 48 h of CVVHDF,the Cr,BUN returned to normal range.The imbalance of blood K +,Na +,and HCO3- improved at 6 h after CVVHDF and returned to nomal levels at 24 h.Total 28 d fatality rate was 29.2％ (7/24),and all death cases were complicated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.ConclusionCVVHDF therapy for AKI can quickly clear Cr,BUN and excess water,correct electrolyte disorders,improve kidney function in children.

Natural products especially flavonoids are being explored for their therapeutic potentials in reducing bone loss and maintaining bone health. The present study is to investigate the effects of isoquercitrin from Craibiodendron yunnanense with different concentrations at 1 x 10(-4), 1 x 10(-5), 1 x 10(-6), 1 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1) on proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3-E1. Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 kit at 1, 3, 5 and 7 days of culture. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were performed qualitatively and quantitatively on day 7, and alizarin red S staining was employed to access the mineralization of cells on day 21. The osteogenic markers ALP, collagen type I (COL 1A1), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2) and Osterix were detected to analysis early osteogenic differentiation of cells on day 3 by RT-PCR. The results showed that isoquercitrin had a dose-dependent effect on the proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, mineralization and gene expression of MC3T3-E1 in the range from 1 x 10(-7) to 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1). At concentrations above 1 x 10(-4) mol x L(-1) isoquercitrin showed cytotoxicity, while 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) is the optimal concentration of isoquercitrin to improve the osteoblastic activity. All these results implied that isoquercitrin might be the major composition of traditional Chinese medicine C. yunnanense to treat bone fractures.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ericaceae ; chemistry ; Mice ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Solvents ; analysis ; chemistry ; Volatile Organic Compounds ; analysis ; chemistry

Objective To explore the effect and application value of percutaneous transhepatic various interventional technique for treatment of common bile duct stones.Methods 46 patients with common bile duct stones were treated.All patients were treated by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiopancreatography in order to confirm the number and location and size of the stones.Place me-chanical lithotripsy net according to the size of stones.Then percutaneous transhepatic balloon dilation.Postoperatively biliary tract was drained for 2 weeks.Results 45 operations were successful,The successful rate was 97.83%.Complete stone removal was obtained with one session in 41 patients and two sessions in 4 cases,respectively.There was no serious complications occurred during the operation. There was no perforation and bleeding,but hyperamylasemia occurred in 3 patients and acute pancreatitis occurred in 1 patient and bile perito-nitis occurred in 2 patients.Conclusion Percutaneous transhepatic various interventional technique can keep the function of papillary sphincter and is a valuable methed for patients suffering from common bile duct stones with a high successful rate and safety.

Background Age-related cataract is one of the common causes of blindness.Although the pathophysiology of age-related cataract is far from clearly understood,it is well accepted that DNA damage plays an important role in the disease pathogenesis.Objective The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes of age-related cataract.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out.This study complied Declaration of Helsinki and approved by Ethic Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Two hundred and eleven patients with agerelated cataract and 147 normal subjects were enrolled from a “ Jiangsu Eye Study:Funing 2011 Eye Disease Epidemic Survey”.All the subjects aged from 50 through 80 years with matched age and gender between the two groups.The percentage of tail DNA and Olive tail moment (OTM) were detected by comet assay to assess the extent of DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes.Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 17.0 software,and the differences of the percentage of tail DNA and OTM were compared between the age-related cataract group and normal control group by independent sample t test as well as among the 50-59 years group,60-69 years group and ≥70 years group by one-way analysis of variance.Results Comet assay showed a round lymph cell with the clear border in the normal group;while in the age-related cataract group,the cell was bigger with a comet-like tail.The percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (21.75 ± 3.51) ％ and 6.54 ± 1.65 in the age-related cataract group,and those in the normal control group were (9.31 ±3.60)％ and 2.18 ± 1.10,respectively,with significant differences between them (t =32.67,P =0.00 ; t =28.02,P =O.00).In the 50-59 years subgroup of the age-related cataract group,the percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (20.04±2.86) ％ and 5.92± 1.14,and in the 60-69 years subgroup of the age-related cataract group,the percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (20.77 ±2.93) ％ and 6.13 ± 1.14,which were significantly reduced in comparison with (22.79 ± 3.67)％ and 6.95±1.91 of the ≥70years subgroup(TailDNA％:q=2.75,P=0.00; q=2.02,P=0.00;OTM:q=1.03,P =0.02 ; q =0.82,P =0.00).Conclusions The pathogenesis and development of age-related cataract probably is associated with DNA damage.

The physiological mechanism underlying the acupoint sensitization was evaluated systemically by using the method of electric physiology at spinal cord, medulla, and thalamus levels; the dynamic change of acupoint from the relative "silence" to the relative "activation" function was explained through the study on the dynamic process of acupoint sensitization; the biological process of the therapeutic effect of acupoint stimulation was illuminated through the research of the central mechanism underlining the dose effect relationship between the sensitive acupoint and the related brain area, thus scientific evidence for the functional link between the acupoint and internal organs as well as the nature of the acupoint were provided.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Sensation ; Viscera ; innervation ; physiology ; Visceral Afferents ; physiology

Objective To explore the expression of Metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and its relationship with clinical pathologic characteristics and prognosis Methods The expression of MACC1 was detected in 130 cases of NPC and the relationship among the MACC1 expressions, clinical pathologic characteristics and prognosis of NPC was analyzed. Results Positive expression rate of MACC1was 68.5% in the NPC and MACC1 expression was associated with advanced T stages, lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stages of NPC (P < 0.05). The results of Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the five year overall survival rate in patients with positive expressions of MACC1 (45.9%) was significantly lower than that of those with negative expressions (73.7%) and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05), Cox multi-factor analysis results showed that MACC1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for NPC (P = 0.004). Conclusion MACC1 abnormal expression is closely related to the invasion and metastasis of NPC and it is expected to become a new target for gene therapy of NPC.

Objective To evaluate the validity of original plasma cortisol level and responses to lowdose ACTH stimulation test in assessing the severity of critical illness.Method Original level of cortisol and cortisol concentrations 30 min after administration of a low dose ( 1 μg/1.73m2 ) of cosyntropin were determined within 24 hours after admission to our PICU.Critical illness related cortisol insufficiency was defined by initial level of cortisol ＜ 10 μg/dL or an increment cortisol [ Δmax =Stimulated plasma cortisol level (T1) -initial cortisol level (T0)]≤ 9 μg/dL.Results Ninety-five consecutive patients were admitted to PICU from May 2010 to April 2011.The patients were assigned to severe sepsis group (35/95),major operation group (30/95),and other critical illness group (30/95).Overall mortality was 12.6％ (12/95).The initial and stimulated plasma cortisol levels in three groups were (37.17 ± 47.35 ) μg/dL,(31.52±52.78) μg/dL,(28.61 ±17.45) μg/dL,vs.(50.26±48.21) μg/dL,(58.56±73.21)μg/dL, (42.41 ± 13.56) μg/dL,respectively.There were no significantly differences between above groups ( P ＞ 0.05 ).The incidence of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in this study was 55.8％.The incidences of CIRCI were 60％,53.3％,and 53.3％ in severe sepsis,other critical illness and major surgery illness,respectively ( P ＞ 0.05 ).The morbidity of CIRCI and normal response group were 7.5％ and 19％ (P ＞0.05).The levels of T0 and T1 were related to the PCIS (P ＜0.05). Conclusions CIRCI is often seen in children with critical illness. And a low-dose ACTH stimulation test can be used to evaluate the adrenal function in critical illness.However,there is no significant correlation between CIRCI and mortality of critically ill children in this study.