To address the role of Pr1 gene in the process of Hirsutella sinensis infecting Hepialus gonggaensis, differential expression of subtilisin-like protease gene was detected. In the present study, Pr1 gene analogues from H. sinensis were obtained by PCR strategy using specific primers designed from conserved regions of Pr1 gene reported in the GenBank. Then we detected the changes in the expression of Pr1 gene before and after infecting H. gonggaensis using real-time quantitative PCR. We obtained the partial sequence of Pr1 gene with the length of 535 bp (GenBank accession: KC009680). Real-time PCR results showed that the expression level of Pr1 gene was significantly different among 8 samples (P < 0.01). Pr1 gene showed the obvious higher expression level (2-3 folds) after infecting the H. gonggaensis, suggesting that the Pr1 gene may play an important role in the process of H. sinensis infecting H. gonggaensis. The present study paves a way for further identification on infectivity assessment of H. sinensis.

Objective To investigate the clinical and imageological features of pituitrin-induced delayed encephalopathy. Methods Clinical data of 8 patients with delayed encephalopathy caused by pituitrin were analyzed retrospectively. Results All of the 8 patients presented diffent degree neuropsychic symptoms at 4～12 d after stop using the pituitrin. The extrapyramidal and psychiatric symptoms of the cases were found,such as hypermyotonia(8 cases),hypokinesia(6 cases),extremity buffeting(3 cases),emotional and behavior disorder(6 cases). The 8 cases with EEG examination showed:there were gently to midrange widespread dysfunction in 4 cases,severe widespread dysfunction in 1 case. The levels of serum Na+ in 5 cases were decrease slightly. The 8 cases with brain MRI examination showed that the abnormal signals were mainly located in lentiform nucleus and head of caudate nucleus with long T1 and T2-weighted images,and including thalamus or midbrain abnormalities signal in 1 case,respectively. Conclusions The manifestations of pituitrin-induced delayed encephalopathy are extrapyramidal symptoms and cerebral disorders. The characteristics of brain MRI are abnormal signals in lentiform nucleus and head of caudate nucleus with long T1 and T2-weighted images. The supposed pathogenesis may be nerve necrosis induced by Charcot's artery spasm and hyponatremia.

30,BMI≥25 kg?m -2 ),who were admitted to the hospital from Apr.2004 to Sep.2005,were induded in the study.They underwent CPAP.The PSG and leptin,ghrelin,true insulin,fasting blood glucose are measured before the treatment,and one week and six months after the treatment.Results After one week,there was a little decrease of leptin and ghrelin,and no change in true insulin and fasting blood glucose.After six months,only 16 patients improved a lot in AHI and hypoxemia.There was significant decrase of leptin and ghrelin and also a change of true insulin.Conclusion These data indicate that the elevated leptin and ghrelin levels are not determined by obesity alone,since they decrease during CPAP therapy.The glucose metabolic disturbance and insulin resistance in OSAS are improved after 6 months of CPAP therapy.Therefore,we can think that OSAS patients have metabolic disturbance of leptin and ghrelin,which is one of factors of obesity.

Objective To study the roles of hepatocyte cytochrome P450 2E1 in model of nonalcoholic steatosis in rats Methods A total of 40 Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: control group (C) and high fat diet induced fatty liver group (H) The expression of hepatocyte cytochrome P450 2E1 antigen in rat model of nonalcoholic steatosis was detected by immunohistochemical method and Western blotting Malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were also determined Results MDA contents and the expression of hepatocyte cytochrome P450 2E1 antigen in rat model of nonalcoholic steatosis induced by high fat diet were higher than those in the normal controls ( P

The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory of "treating heart and brain diseases with same methods (Nao Xin Tong Zhi: NXTZ)" has great significance to the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It has been proven effective by a great deal of clinical researches. However, the underlying mechanism for this theory is still unclear. To provide insights into the potential mechanism of "NXTZ", this study attempts to deeply investigate the mechanism from two representative cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebral apoplexy. First, various data resources were integrated to obtain different types of biomedical entities including drugs, targets, pathways and diseases. Then, three different approaches including text mining, biological network and enrichment analysis were utilized to recognize the potential common features between CHD and cerebral apoplexy, and the corresponding functions of drugs which could treat both diseases, thus unveiling the mechanism of NXTZ.
Brain ; drug effects ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Heart ; drug effects ; Humans ; Stroke ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To explore causes of complications after endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) , for patients with superficial varicosities of the lower extremities. Methods In this study, 207 patients with a total of 268 lower limbs were treated by EVLT combined with surgical procedures. According to CEAP classification, there were C2 in 268 limbs, C3 in 56 limbs, C4 in 101, C5 in 23 and C6 in 18. Simple EVLT was performed for 25 limbs in 21 patients; EVLT combined with external banding valvuloplasty of superficial femoral vein for 23 limbs in 23 patients; EVLT combined with ligation of great saphenous vein (CSV) and denudation of superficial varicosities for 220 limbs in 163 patients. Results An average of 10?5 (3-24) months of follow up was achieved in 175 cases. Early complications (within the first 2-weeks after operation) included bruising or ecchymosis (178 cases, 66.42%) and skin burning (56, 20.90% ). Three month complication included painful induration or trabs (235 cases, 87. 69% ) as well as thrombophlebitis (28, 10. 45% ). Long-term complication (after 3 months) included skin numbness or pain at medial knee or ankle region (15,5. 60% ). Recanalization of CSV occurred in 4( 1. 49% ) treated limbs. Residual or reoccurred varicose veins were found in 13(4. 85% ) cases. Movement related swelling appeared in 6(2. 24% ) lower limbs. Conclusion EVLT is effective for patients with superficial varicosities of the lower extremities. Minor complications most often subsided within 3 months. Strict surgical protocol and high ligation of the GSV could prevent local recurrence of the varicose veins and the recanalization of GSV.

Objective To analyze the characteristic of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) evoked by chirp in normal hearing subjects .Methods Fifteen cases (30 ears) with normal hearing young people were recorded ABR by stimulation with two kinds of sounds :chirp and click .The data were compared .Results The response threshold of chirp-ABR were lower than that of click -ABR .The average difference was 8 .59 dB .At 90 dB nHL ,the wave V amplitude yield no significant difference between chirp -ABR and click-ABR .The wave V amplitude had a signifi-cant difference between chirp -ABR and click-ABR at 60 dB nHL .At 90 and 60 dB nHL ,the wave V amplitude of chirp-ABR had not a significant difference .The occurence rate was 40% for the wave I of chirp -ABR ,obvi-ously less than that of click -ABR .At 90 dB nHL ,the wave V latency of chirp -ABR was shorter than that of click-ABR .Conclusion The wave V response threshold of chirp -ABR is less than that of the click -ABR .The chirp-ABR is more advantageous than the click -ABR for assessing hearing threshold .

Abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important role in several pathological processes of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the effects of XCT790, a potent and selective inverse agonist of estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha), on rat VSMCs proliferation and related signal pathways were investigated. The proliferative activity of VSMCs was determined by CCK-8 assay. The mRNA levels of ERRalpha, PGC-1alpha, OPN and MCAD were assayed by RT-PCR. The protein levels of ERRalpha, ERK2 and p-ERK1/2 were evaluated by Western blotting. ELISA was used to assess the protein expression of VEGF. The results showed that XCT790 (5-20 micromol x L(-1)) inhibited rat VSMCs proliferation, and the expression of ERRalpha and its target genes, as well as p-ERK1/2, were also inhibited. XCT790 inhibited VSMCs proliferation in a dose-dependent manner at the dose range from 5 to 20 micromol x L(-1) and in a time-dependent manner at the dose range from 10 to 20 micromol x L(-1). These findings demonstrate that XCT790 inhibits rat VSMCs proliferation by down-regulating the gene level of ERRalpha and thus inhibiting the ERK signal pathway, suggesting that ERRalpha may be a novel potential target for therapeutic approaches to inhibit VSMCs proliferation, which plays an important role in several cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To observe the efficacy of ealcitonin and bisphosphonates on renal osteopathy of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD)patients. Methods Forty-three MHD patients were raindomly divided into two groups: A group and B group. All the patients were routinely received oral calcium carbonate 1.0 g tid and calcitriol 0.25 μg qd. Calcitonin (20U) hypodermic injection was given three times a week additionally during hemodialysis in A group. Patients in B group received bisphosphonates 70 mg once a week based on the therapy of A group. Serum levels of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase (AKP), bone mass density (BMD) of lumbar spine and femoral neck, and the degree of bone ache (visual analogue scale, VAS) were assessed before the therapy and 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. The adverse reactions were recorded during treatment. Results The levels of AKP and iPTH in both two groups decreased significantly after treatment. The above values of pre-treatment and 12 months after treatment were as follows: AKP(U/L)of A group 244.05±41.99 and 148.35±27.71,of B group 245.60±40.86 and 143.40±28.03;PTH(ng/L) of A group 697.5±119.7 and 267.4±45.9,of B group 708.2±120.3 and 277.6±41.9 (all P<0.05). While the levels of calcium and phosphorus did not change obviously during treatment (P>0.05). BMD was not improved at 3, 6 mouths and became better at 12 mouths after treatment. As compared to pre-treatment, BMD of lumbar spine(g/cm2) in A group was 1.062±0.223 vs 1.202±0.251 ,in B group 1.033±0.152 vs 1.189±0.225; BMD of femoral neck (g/cm2)in A group was 0.993±0.108 vs 1.067±0.095,in B group 0.947±0.083 vs 1.018 ±0.217 (all P<0.05). The scores of VAS also decreased significantly at 3, 6, 12 months after treatment(P<0.05). No severe adverse reaction was found during the treatment. Conclusions Utilization of calcitonin and combination with bisphosphonates during bemodialysis can effectively preserve the BMD and prevent bone loss in MHD patients and is well tolerated. No significant difference of therapeutic effect is observed between using ealcitonin or combination with bisphosphonates.

Objective To study the effects of psychological rehabilitation in the treatment of paraplegic patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods A hundred paraplegic spinal fracture survivors were divided into a research group and a control group with 50 cases in each.Systematic rehabilitation was given to the patients in the control group,while this was combined with individualized psychological rehabilitation protocols for the patients in the research group.The daily treatment lasted 10 weeks,6 days a week.All of the patients were assessed with the Barthel index (BI),a functional independence measure (FIM),the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and the Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) pre-treatment and post-treatment.Results Before the intervention there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in any of the assessments.After ten weeks the average BI,FIM,HAMD and HAMA results in the research group were significantly better than those pre-treatment and also significantly better than those in the control group.Conclusions Psychological rehabilitation can distinctly improve the functioning and psychological state of paraplegic patients after SCI.