Objective To study the variation of serum IL-1?, Hs-CRP, the monocytes infilitrating into the intima, the expression of HSP-70 in diet-induced hyperlipidemic and chronic Cpn-infected mice and the intervention of berberine. Methods Mice were inoculated intranasally with Cpn three times, every 2 weeks over a 6-week period and fed with high cholesterol diet. C57BL/6J mice were divided randomly into 6 groups:Ber1 group, Ber2 group, azithromycin group, atorvastain group, model group, and normal group. Ber1 group were given berberine at the beginning of Cpn infecting, while Ber2 group, azithromycin group and atorvastain group were given the drug after the 3rd Cpn infecting. The serum index, HE dye of the aortas and immune-histochemistry index were observed. Results The level of serum IL-1?, Hs-CRP, the monocytes infilitrating counting and the expression of HSP-70 in model group were increased. All of the index in Ber group, azithromycin group and atorvastain group declined to some extent. Conclusions Berberine has effect of decreasing inflammatory indexes of diet-induced hyperlipidemic and chronic Cpn-infected mice.

Objective: To evaluate the safety of acute normovolemic hemodilution (HD)during induced hypotension (IH). Method: 12 healthy mongrel dogs, were anesthetized and paralysed with sodium pentobarbital and pipecuronium. Ventilation was controlled. Hypotension was induced with nicardipine to lower the MAP by 30% after Hct was reduced to 0.35,0.30,0.25,0.20,0.15 or 0.10 respectively. Blood gases,lactate level(LAC)and hemedynamic variables were measured 15 minutes after HD and 20 minutes after IH. Result: Compared with HD alone, when combined with IH, CI.DO_2 and LAC increased significantly (P

Objective To know the influence of passive smoking on children's immune function. Methods The smoking state of children's family members and the illness-induced absence state of 135 children aged 10-11 years were investigated with questionnaire, and the concentrations of immunoglobin E (IgE) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) in serum of children were examined. Results The concentrations of IgE in serum of the children exposed to passive smoking(n=30) were significantly higher than those of the control group(n=20), while the concentrations of IL-8 were significantly lower(both P

The possibility of polyoxymethylene (POM) as heart valve leaflet material was investigated by comparing the hemocompatibility with that of 316L stainless steel and low-temperature isotropic pyrolytic carbon (LTIC). Surface hydrophobicity was characterized by water contact angle measurement. Platelet adhesion, APTT/PT/TT and hemolysis rate tests were applied for evaluating hemocompatibility. The results showed that POM was hydrophobic and had a low hemolytic rate, adhesion amount and activation degree of platelets on POM surface were less than 316L stainless steel, and was similar to LTIC. This research pointed out potential application of POM as heart valve leaflets.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Blood Platelets ; Carbon ; chemistry ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Platelet Adhesiveness ; Resins, Synthetic ; chemistry ; Stainless Steel ; chemistry

AIM:Activin A,a member of transforming growth factor superfamily,is the negative regulator factor in liver regeneration. In this study,the effects of extract of Ginkgo Biloba on hepatic fibrosis and the expression of Activin A in rats with cirrhosis were investigated. METHODS:The experiment was performed at in the Central Laboratory of Wuhan First Hospital from September 2005 to December 2006. ①Thirty-six male SD rats of(160?20) g were randomized into 3 groups:control group,model group and treatment group. ② Except the rats in the control group,others were intraperitoneally injected with 500 mL/L CCl4 for 8 weeks to establish models of hepatic fibrosis. Meanwhile,the extract treatment group was infused with the extract of Ginkgo Biloba(Chinese drugs preparation laboratory of Wuhan First Hospital,detected by Hubeu Wushi Medicine Industry Co.,Ltd. No. 02-391) daily for 8 weeks. ③After administration,all anesthetized rats were sacrificed. Blood samples were collected for the determination of liver function biochemical indexes. Liver tissue samples were used for histopathological examinations. The expression of Activin A was determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS:All 36 rats were involved in the final analysis. ①The liver function in extract treatment group was significantly improved compared with that in model group. ②The grade of fibrosis in extract treatment group were remarkably lower than that in model group under light microscope. ③The positive staining of Activin A in treatment group was significantly reduced compared with model group. ④The expression of Activin A mRNA in extract treatment group was significantly reduced compared with model group. CONCLUSION:Extract of Ginkgo Biloba can effectively decrease the expression of Activin A in rats with hepatic fibrosis caused by CCl4,and lessen the degree of hepatic fibrosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of MK-801 on levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID)in Parkinson' s disease (PD). MethodsRat models ( n = 25) of Parkinsonism related motor complications were established and were randomly divided into levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) group (n = 10), MK801 treatment group (n = 10) and PD group (n =5). Another 5 rats were served as control group. The behaviors of LID rats treated with MK-801 were observed. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were used to determine the expression of β-arrestin1 in the striate of rats.Results After MK-801 treatment, abnormalinvoluntarymovementscores and peakturning weredecreasedin LIDrats.Immunohistochemistry showed that β-arrestin1-positive cells of the lesioned side ((2. 95 ± 0. 44) × 104) in LID rats were decreased compared to the contralateral side ( ( 3.78 ± 0. 37 ) × 104, t = 5. 415, P ＜ 0. 05 ).Western blot showed that the levels of β-arrestinl in PD group ( presented as lesioned side/contralateral side) were ( 81.02％ ± 2. 23％ ). The levels of β-arrestin1 (64. 88％ ± 3. 10％ ) were deceased in LID rats compared to PD rats ( t = 9.47, P ＜ 0. 01 ). However, the levels of β-arrestin1 ( 89. 26％ ± 1.90％ )were increased in MK-801-treated rats (t = 14. 82, P ＜0. 01). ConclusionsMK-801 reduces LID in PD rats. The beneficial effect of MK-801 may be mediated through the increased expression of β-arrestinl which in turninhibits the overactivation of glutamate receptors.

Objective To investigate the biological effect of 50 Hz sinusoidal electromagnetic fields at 1 mT on the proliferation of the human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63.Methods Osteosarcrma MG-63 cells were divided into control and experimental groups.The control group was incubated without an electromagnetic field; the experimental group was incubated in a 50 Hz,1.0 mT sinusoidal electromagnetic field.On the 2nd,4th and 6th day,their proliferation was determined using a cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay.Variations in the cell cycle were detected with flow cytometry(FCM).Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to measure cyclin B1 and cyclin D1 mRNA.Results Compared with the control group,proliferation of the experimental group cells was reduced significantly.The percentage of cells at G0-G1 phase increased,and the mRNA expression of cyclin B1 and cyclin D1 was significantly reduced.Conclusions A 50 Hz sinusoidal electromagnetic field at 1.0 mT can inhibit the proliferation of osteosarcoma cell line MG-63 significantly.

To investigate the effects of Tianqi Pingchan (TQPC) Granule, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine with antitremor activity, on levodopa-induced dyskinesia and the expression of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 6 (GRK6) in rats with Parkinson disease (PD).

[Summary] Type 2 diabetic rat model accompanied by insulin resistance was established by high fat/high glucose diet and streptozotocin.Following metformin treatment for 4 weeks,realtime PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expressions of SIRT3 mRNA and protein in skeletal muscle tissue,respectively.The results showed that insulin sensitivity,superoxide dismutase (SOD),and glutathione (GSH) levels were significantly reduced in diabetic group compared with the control group (P＜0.05),while methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) level was increased (P＜0.05),along with the decreased expressions of SIRT3 mRNA and protein in skeletal muscles (P＜0.01).After metformin treatment,the insulin sensitivity,SOD,GSH,and SIRT3 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased (P＜ 0.05 or P＜ 0.01),while MDA level was decreased (P ＜ 0.05),suggesting that metformin may ameliorate insulin resistance via upregulating SIRT3 expression in skeletal muscles of diabetic rats.

Objective To explore the optimal semi-quantitative uptake ratio for differentiation between benign and malignant lung lesions with 18F-FDG coincidence imaging.Methods One hundred and thirty-seven patients (89 males,48 females,age range:33-78 years) with lung diseases underwent 18 FFDG coincidence imaging.The maximum radioactivity counts of the lung lesions (T),normal chest wall soft tissues (NT1) and the contralateral lung tissue (NT2) were measured.The ratios of R1 (T/NT1) and R2(T/NT2) were calculated.The optimal threshold values of R1(cutoff)and R2(cutoff) were identified by ROC curve analysis.Using the optimal threshold,the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy were calculated.Results The optimal threshold values R1(cutoff)and R2(cutoff) were identified as 3.58 and 4.40.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy were 90.0％(90/100),89.2％(33/37),89.8％(123/137) according to R1(cutoff) and 90.0％ (90/100),78.4％(29/37),86.9％(119/137) according to R2(cutoff) Conclusion Based on which the chest wall soft tissue is taken as a reference point,the optimal threshold value of T/NT1 is 3.58 in differentiation between benign and malignant lung lesions with 18F-FDG coincidence imaging.