Objective To investigate the expression of Apelin in placenta tissue from women with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy.Methods Thirty six women with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy(HDCP)and 15 normal pregnant women were studied.The expression of Apelin-36 was analyzed semi-quantitatively using immunohisto-chemistry and image analysis in placenta tissue and the levels of Apelin mRNA expression were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR method.Results The levels of Apelin-36 and Apelin mRNA in placenta from normal pregnant women were 0.27?0.04 and 0.82 ?0.25,respectively.The levels of Apelin-36 and Apelin mRNA in placenta from HDCP women were 0.18 ?0.05 and 0.31?0.21;in gestational hypertensive women,the values were 0.24?0.02 and 0.59?0.16; in mild preeclampsia were 0.16?0.03 and 0.25?0.07,and in severe preeclampsia they were 0.14?0.02 and 0.17?0.09,respectively.The levels of Apelin-36 and Apelin mRNA in HDCP were lower than those in normal pregnant women(P

Objective To estimate the significance of E-selectin and P-selectin in nodular vasculitis.Methods The EnVision two-step method was used to measure the expression of E-selectin and P-selectin in skin samples from the lesions of 70 patients with nodular vasculitis and normal skin of 24 human controls. The differences between the patients and controls in the expression of E-selectin and P-selectin and relationship between their expression levels in nodular vasculitis lesions were assessed. Results The expression of E-selectin was detected in all the specimens of nodular vasculitis, and most of the expression level was moderately intensive (++); while E-selectin was absent in all of the control specimens. All the specimens of nodular vasculitis stained postivive for P-selectin, which was strongly (+++) expressed in most of the specimens; while only 2 control specimens stained weakly positive for P-selectin. A significant difference was observed in the expression of E-selectin and P-selectin between the specimens from the patients and controls (both P< 0.01), but not among specimens from patients at different ages and between specimens from female and male patients (all P > 0.05). In addition, the expression of E-selectin and P-selectin was well correlated with each other in lesions of nodular vasculitis (P < 0.01). Conclusions The expression of E-selectin and P-selectin is correlated with each other in lesions of acute nodular vasculitis, and is associated with the development of nodular vasculitis.

To develop a method to estimate the anti-Aspergilli activity of active ingredients of Chinese herbs. With the broth microdilution testing procedure proposed by NCCLS, anti-Aspergilli activity of active ingredients ( cinnamalde-hyde, cinn. and citral) of Chinese herbs was determined.The MIC values of cinn. to Aspergillus flavus, A.fumigatus were 0.100?g /mL , 0.050?g/mL.The MIC values of citral to A. flaws, A.fumigatus were 2.600?g/mL, 0.650?g/ mL.These results demonstrate that citral and cinn. have high potency activity against Aspergillus spp. .The research may provide references to establishing a standard for evaluating the effect of anti-Aspergilli Chinese herbs.

Objective To investigate the situation and change of antifungal resistance in clinical Candida and other fungal iso- lates from 5 hospitals in diverse geographic region of China.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 8 000 fungat iso- lates collected during 2001 and 2005 were carried out with 25?g fluconazole disk and 1?g voriconazole disk using disk diffusion method as recommend by CLSI/NCCLS M44-A.Disk test plates were automatically read and results were recoded with the BIOMIC Image Analysis System.The equivalent MICs were automatically calculated by the BIOMIC System software.Results The proportion of Candida atbicans and non-Candida albicans (e.g.Candida glabrata) in the total fungal isolates did not change significantly from 2001 to 2005.The susceptibility rate of C.albicans to fluconazole and vorieonazole were stable during 2001 and 2005.However, the resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole increased variably in C.glabrata and other non-Can- dida albicans fungal isolates during the same period.Conclusions The voriconazole demonstrated higher activity against all yeast species in comparison with fluconazole.The increasing resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole in non C.albicans fungal isolates including C.glabruta suggests the importance of surveillance of fungal resistance in Candida isolates.

There are 250 species of Zanthoxylum (Rutaceae) in the world. This genus distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Alkaloids are the major and representative ingredients in these plants including quinolines, isoquinolines, and amide alkaloids, with such biological activities as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-virus, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-bacteria and anti- oxidant. These species have been used for a long time to treat toothache, urinary and venereal diseases, lumbago and rheumatism. This review summarizes the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities from the Z. sppplants, in an effort to the systematic research and application of the alkaloids of this genus.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Zanthoxylum ; chemistry

Cutaneous Fistula ; Digestive System Abnormalities ; therapy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy on the progression of acute renal failure in patients with chronic renal insufficiency. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with chronic renal insufficiency developed acute renal failure recently were treated with Chinese herbs and western drugs intravenously and clysterizing of Chinese herbs liquid for 30 minutes, and the treatment course was 14 days. Assessment of liver and renal function, blood routine, electrolytes and endogenous creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) was performed before and 2 weeks after the treatment. RESULTS: The levels of hemoglobin (HB), white blood cell count (WBC) and serum electrolytes showed no significant changes after the treatment. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) decreased, while the level of Ccr increased significantly (P<0.05) after the treatment. The total effective rate was 65.6%. CONCLUSION: The integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy can effectively delay the deterioration of renal function in patients with chronic renal insufficiency accompanied by acute renal failure.

Objective To investigate the antiproliferative effect of rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione (TZD) on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) cystic lining epithelial cells and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods ADPKD cysticlining immortalized epithelial (WT9-12) cells were stimulated by rosiglitazone with different concentrations. After treatment, MTT method was performed to detect the level of proliferation; flow cytometry was used to determine the cell cycle distribution and the apoptosis rate. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of mTOR, p70S6K, 4E-Bp1, PPARγ PPARγ siRNA was transfected into WT9-12 cells to knock down the expression of PPARγ Results Treatment of WT9-12 cells with rosiglitazone resulted in a dose-dependent and time-dependent strong inhibition of cell proliferation, an accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 phase (rosiglitazone 50 μmol/L 65.43%,rosiglitazone 100 μmol/L 64.02%, control 49.65% ) and 6% apoptosis at high concentration (rosiglitazone 200 μmol/L). Rosiglitazone reduced the phosphorylation of p70S6K in a dosedependent and time-dependent manner. The levels of phosphorylated mTOR and 4E-Bp1, the latter being a downstream substrate of mTOR related mRNA translation initiation, were not changed by rosiglitazone. Cells were pre-incubated with GW9662, a PPARγ antagonist, before the treatment with rosiglitazone, the inhibition of p70S6 kinase phosphorylation by rosiglitazone was partially prevented by GW9662 (P＜0.01). Then PPARγ siRNA was transfected into WT9-12 cells, in contrast to untransfected control or cells transfected with an irrelevant siRNA, rosiglitazone did not cause an obvious inhibition of p70S6 kinase phosphorylation in PPARγ knock-down.Conclusion Rosiglitazone inhibits the proliferation of ADPKD cystic lining epithelial cells, and down-regulates p70S6 kinase phosphorylation through mTOR-independent and PPARγ-dependent signal pathway.

Objective To investigate the effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on the transition and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression of human renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 . Methods The expression of CTGF mRNA and protein of HK-2 cells were measured by real time RT-PCR and Western blot respectively . The effect of PTH on the phenotypic transformation of HK-2 cells was examined by light microscopy . The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in HK-2 cells was detected by immunofluorescence . Results Basal level of CTGF mRNA and the protein expression were detected in HK-2 ceils . PTH upregulated the expression of CTGF mRNA and protein with the maximal response at the concentration of 10-10 mol/L and the best stimulating time was at 72 h . After exposure to PTH (10-10tool/L) for 12 hours, the highest level of luciferase activity was 1 .96 fold as compared to control (1 .888±0 .078 vs 0 .989±0 .030, P＜0 .01 ) . Untreated cells showed negligible expression of ±-SMA,whereas ±-SMA expression was significantly increased in cells treated with PTH . Conclusion PTH up-regulates CTGF expression and induces transition of HK-2 cells .

Effects of traditional Chinese medicine salvianolate combined with alprostadil and reduced glutathione on delay of progression in patients with acute kidney injury has been confirmed, but the role of this combination therapy on the progression of chronic renal failure is uncertain.