BACKGROUND: Many studies have suggested that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEI) protect blood vessels through anti-atherosclerosis independent of lowering blood pressure, but its mechanism is still unclear.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of ACEI by observing the effects of Enalapril on lipoprotein(a) and oxygen free radicals in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) .DESIGN: A controlled study based on the observation of the patients with AMI.SETTING: Second Department of the South Building, General Hospital of Chinese PLAPARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five inpatients with AMI(19 males and 16 females, aged 42 -75 years old, and averaged (62 ± 9) years old and hospitalized at the Department of Cardiology of Tianjin Harbor Hospital from April 2001 to August 2002 were chosen. These patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the therapeutic group(20 cases) and the control group(15cases). Inclusion criteria: the diagnosis of patients with AMI was confirmed by WHO criteria. Exclusion criteria: patients with renal dysfunction, shock,hypotension, a history of allergy to ACEI, and a history of severe cough induced by ACEI. All patients had not taken ACEI in the past 2 weeks and agreed to participate in this study.METHODS: On early morning of the third day after AMI, patients in the treatment group took 5 mg of Enalapril one time. If they had no first-dose reaction of hypotension, on the fourth day after AMI, the patients of the treatment group were given a dose of 5 mg twice per day for the following 2 weeks. Then, they were given the drug at a dose of 10 mg twice per day for 2 weeks. The patients in the control group were not given Enalapril. Blood samples were taken respectvely prior to the administration and 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the administration in the two groups. Serum content of lipoprotein(a), oxygen free radicals, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol, Apo(a) were measured.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We compared the level of serum of lipoprotein (a), oxygen free radicals (OFR), triglyceride, total cholesterol,HDL cholesterol, Apo(a) pre-treatment and post-treatment respectively in patients of the two groups.RESULTS: Serum levels of OFR were significantly lowered in the treatment group, which were(1 423.14±216.23), (1 076.62±287.12) and (566.57 ± 138.02) U/mL respectively 2 weeks and 4 weeks before and after the treatment(t =2. 937, 3. 571, P ＜0. 01), but there were no significant changes in serum concentrations of lipoprotein(a) and lipids( P ＞ 0.05) .CONCLUSION: Enalapril improved the prognosis of patients with AMI by antioxidation, but not by lowering the serum levels of lipoprotein(a) and lipids. The study can serve as a theoretical reference that the mechanism of Enalapril might inhibit atherosclerosis in patients with AMI.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in China.

METHODSA total of 161 patients diagnosed as IPAH in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from June 2008 to June 2010 were retrospective analyzed.

RESULTSThe mean diagnostic age was (33 ± 15) years old and 70.2% patients were female. The median duration from symptoms onset to diagnostic right heart catheterization was 12 months. Incidence of NYHA class III to IV was 56.5% at diagnosis and the mean six minutes walk distance was limited to (398 ± 108) meters. Incidence of mild obstructive, restrictive and diffusing impairment in pulmonary function test was 7.8%, 42.2% and 82.2% patients with IPAH, respectively. Right heart catheterization demonstrated severe elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure [(63 ± 17) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa)] and pulmonary vascular resistance index [(25 ± 12) Wood U/m(2)] in this patient cohort. The response rate of acute pulmonary vasoreactivity testing was 8.7% in this cohort. Compared with non-responders, responders to acute pulmonary vasoreactivity testing were younger and with less severe pulmonary hypertension. Among non-responders, 89% patients were treated by one specific anti-pulmonary arterial hypertension drug and 27% patients received combined anti-pulmonary arterial hypertension medications.

CONCLUSIONSYoung female was predominantly involved in patients with IPAH in China. The diagnosis of IPAH is often made at advanced disease stage and majority patients with IPAH received specific anti-pulmonary arterial hypertension therapies in this patient cohort.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Cattle ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; chemistry ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Extracts ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-hypoxia and anti-oxidation effects of aminophylline on human with acute high-altitude exposure.

METHODSTotally 100 young male army members newly recruited from Sichuan province (400 meters above sea level) were enrolled. They were randomly divided into two groups: 50 in aminophylline group (A group) and 50 in control group (C group). A group and C group orally took aminophylline and placebo respectively for 10 days, 7 days before entering Lhasa (3 658 meters above sea level) by air and 3 days after it. Several parameters were measured at three time points: before drug taken, 7 days after drug taken, and 3 days after ascending high altitude. These parameters included serum levels of nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), hydrogen dioxide (H2O2), lactic acid (LA), as well as arterial oxygen saturation (SO2), arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), and arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2). Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the difference between two groups with Stata 7.0 software system.

RESULTSThere were no statistical differences between groups in hypoxia and oxidation indicators before and after drug taken in plain area. Three days after ascending high altitude, the serum levels of SOD, CAT, H2O2, LA, PaCO2 increased in both groups, yet to a much larger degree in C group than A group (P < 0.01); and NO, SO2, PaO2 decreased more markedly in C group (P < 0.05 for NO, P < 0.0001 for SO2 and PaO2).

CONCLUSIONAminophylline has significant anti-hypoxia and anti-oxidation effects at high altitude.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Altitude Sickness ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Aminophylline ; therapeutic use ; Carbon Dioxide ; blood ; Catalase ; blood ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Oxygen ; blood ; Partial Pressure ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the in vivo distribution of N-acetyl-L-glutamic prednisolone (ACEP) and to investigate the renal targeting characteristics of the prodrug.

METHODSThe concentrations of prednisolone in organs at predetermined time were assayed by HPLC after intravenous administration of ACEP or prednisolone to Kunming mice. The adverse effects were evaluated by testing the bone mineral densities (BMD) of Wistar rats.

RESULTSThe concentrations of prednisolone in kidney 15 min after i.v. administration were (86 +/- 8) microgram.g-1 for ACEP group, (57 +/- 4) microgram.g-1 for prednisolone group; 60 min after i.v. administration were (67 +/- 5) microgram.g-1 for ACEP group, (42 +/- 4) microgram.g-1 for prednisolone group. BMDs were (0.08 +/- 0.03) g.cm-2 and (0.14 +/- 0.06) g.cm-2 for prednisolone and ACEP-treated Wistar rats respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompared with the parent drug prednisolone, ACEP has kidney-targeting behavior and lower toxicity (n = 5, P < 0.001).

Absorptiometry, Photon ; Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Female ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Prednisolone ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Prodrugs ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate a new method for the analysis of IR fingerprint spectra of Radix Glycyrrhizae.

METHODTwo indexes, common peak ratio and variation peak ratio, are used to compare the IR spectra of various Radix Glycyrrhizae samples, and the values are calculated by means of sequent analysis.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe dual-index sequence method provides a good approach to discriminate Radix Glycyrrhizae samples of different species and geographical origins.

China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Ecosystem ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; classification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of in vivo CD151 gene transfer on angiogenesis and heart function in rats with myocardial infarction.

METHODSAcute myocardial infarction (AMI) was induced in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. The surviving rats randomly received myocardial injection of saline (MI control), pAAV-CD151 and pAAV-GFP (n = 12/group). Sham-operated rats without myocardial injection (n = 12) were taken as normal control. Four weeks later, heart function and the expression of CD151 were measured. Micro vessels density (MVD) in infarct myocardium was observed by factor VIII related antigen immunochemical staining.

RESULTSThe expression of CD151 (1.98 +/- 0.23 vs. 0.91 +/- 0.09, P < 0.01) and MVD counting [(385.4 +/- 79.9) vs. (252.5 +/- 43.0) n/mm(2), P < 0.01] in pAAV-CD151 treated MI rats were significantly higher than that in MI control group, similarly, EF (64.0 +/- 8.7)% vs. (41.5 +/- 5.0)%, P < 0.01] and dp/dt(max) (6620.2 +/- 884.6 vs. 5545.5 +/- 693.0, P < 0.01) were also significantly increased post pAAV-CD151 treatment. These parameters were not affected by pAAV-GFP treatment.

CONCLUSIONCD151 in vivo gene transfer for rats with acute myocardial infarction enhanced myocardial angiogenesis and improved left ventricular function.

Animals ; Antigens, CD ; genetics ; Disease Models, Animal ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tetraspanin 24 ; Transfection ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo investigate the contamination state of Legionella in cooling water samples from different places in Wuxi city and reveal the molecular biological characteristics of Legionella strains.

METHODS112 parallel water samples (500 ml each) were collected from 56 sites in Wuxi city during year 2009 - 2010. The samples were used for Legionella test and quantitative culture. The isolated Legionella strains were used for serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), sequence-based typing (SBT), and intracellular growth were tested.

RESULTSThe positive proportion of Legionella was 39. 3% (22/56) among all sampling sites. A total of 29 Legionella strains were isolated, and the serotypes include LP1, LP3, LP5 and LP6. LP1 serotype was the major one with a proportion of 65.5% (19/29). 29 Legionella strains got 17 PFGE types. There were 10 SBT types among 10 Legionella strains with different PFGE types. Comparing to LP1 strain (ATCC 33152), WX2011062 (LP6) and WX2011067 (LP5) had strong intracellular growth ability in mouse peritoneal macrophages J774 cell line (the amount of intracellular bacteria on day 0 after infection were (5.5 +/- 1.32) x 10(5), (3.9 +/- 0.60) x 10(5), (7.8 +/- 0.76) x 10(5) CFU/ml, respectively; the amount of intracellular bacteria on day 3 after infection were (58.3 +/- 1.61) x 10(5), (2700.0 +/- 655.74) x 10(5), (3066.7 +/- 208.17) x 10(5) CFU/ml, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe Legionella contamination existed in cooling water samples from different places in Wuxi city. Legionella strains isolated showed high genetic variation. Some Legionella strains had vigorous intracellular growth ability.

Air Conditioning ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Environmental Microbiology ; Legionella ; genetics ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; Legionella pneumophila ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; Macrophages ; microbiology ; Mice ; Serotyping ; Water Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate dissolution properties among different components with various polarities and to distinguish these groups from each other.

METHODUltraviolet fingerprint spectra (UV FPS) of the components from Baishao (Radix Paeoiae Alba) and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) with various proportions, extracted with chloroform, ethanol and water successively, were obtained. The analysis was performed on the absolute and relative absorptions of peaks in UV FPS.

RESULTDissolutions in different rates and in synergy among chemical components were observed, by which different components can be distinguished.

CONCLUSIONDissolution kinetics and processes of the various chemical components from medicinal herbs are of great difference.

Chloroform ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Ethanol ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Solubility ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods ; Water

The aim was to study the mechanisms of HL-60 cell apoptosis induced by nimodipine (NMDP) and cytarabine (Ara-C). The DNA fragment was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. The expressions of bcl-2 and bax gene proteins related with apoptosis were investigated by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that HL-60 cell apoptosis rate had been increasing in the experimental groups compared with the control group since culturing 8 hours. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was lower and the expression of Bax protein was higher in the experimental groups than that in the control group, while ratio of bcl-2/bax was lower in the experimental groups than that in the control group. It is concluded that NMDP and Ara-C induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells, and the mechanism of apoptosis induced by them may down-regulate the expression of bcl-2 gene and up-regulate the expression of bax gene. The mechanism of HL-60 cell apoptosis induced by Ara-C and NMDP is probably associated with the down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression.
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cytarabine ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Drug Synergism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Nimodipine ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; bcl-X Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics