Equipment Design ; Humans ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers

BACKGROUND:There are many positive effects by activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) signal pathway in cardiovascular system. Angiotensin II is closely related with myocardial fibrosis, however, there are few articles demonstrating that the activation of PPARγsignal pathway can weaken the expression of angiotensin II to improve the radiation-induced heart injury. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect of angiotensin II type 1 receptor in the rat model of radiation-induced heart injury after PPARγsignal pathway is activated. METHODS:Sixty rats were randomly and equal y divided into five groups:control, pioglitazone, model, radiation+low-dose pioglitazone, radiation+high-dose pioglitazone. In the model, radiation+low-dose pioglitazone, radiation+high-dose pioglitazone groups, rats received 6 MV high energy X-ray irradiation at the range of 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm and the irradiation dose of 300 cGy/min, for 6 hours. Furthermore, rats in the radiation+low-dose pioglitazone and radiation+high-dose pioglitazone groups were given 10 and 20 mg/kg pioglitazone by lavage, for 30 days;rats in the model group were given 2 mL distil ed water. In the pioglitazone group, rats were treated with 10 mg/kg pioglitazone by lavage. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After rats were treated with pioglitazone, the heart injury and the heart fibrosis in the irradiated rats were decreased. The expressions of angiotensin II type 1 receptor mRNA and protein in the heart tissue were down-regulated. Experimental findings indicate that, pioglitazone intervention downregulates the expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor in the rat models of radiation-induced heart injury and activation of PPARγsignal pathway al eviates the radiation-induced heart injury.

BACKGROUND: The source of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is limited, and the cellular morphology,proliferation and multi-directional differentiation capacities can vary during serial passages in BMSCs in vitro.OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) on cellular morphology, proliferation and differentiation of serially passaged BMSCs.METHODS: (1) BMSCs were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured. These cells were passaged six times in vitro, and the cellular morphology was observed and photographed. (2) BMSCs at passage 6 were seeded into 96-well plates and randomly divided into control group and FGF treatment group. The proliferation of cells in both groups was detected with cell counting kit-8 kit at days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 after culture. (3) BMSCs at passage 6 were seeded into 6-well plates and randomly divided into control group and FGF treatment group. After 7 days treatment with growth medium or growth medium containing FGF, the cellular morphology was observed and photographed. And then the cells of both groups were treated with osteogenic induction medium, adipogenic induction medium and chondrogenic induction medium for the next 7 days. The osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic related genes (RUNX2, ALP, OCN;PPARγ2, AP2, ADIPOQ; SOX9, collagen II, aggrecan) were detected with real-time PCR. The protein expressions of RUNX2, PPARγ2, SOX9 were detected with western blot assay. (4) BMSCs at passage 6 were seeded into 6-well plates and randomly divided into control group and FGF treatment group. After 7 days treatment with growth medium or growth medium containing FGF, the cells were cultured with osteogenic induction medium, adipogenic induction medium and chondrogenic induction medium for the next 14 days. Then, alizarin red S staining, oil red O staining and alcian blue staining were performed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) After in vitro passage for six times, the cellular morphology changed obviously, and FGF treatment recovered the characteristics of primary cells. (2) Compared with the control group, the cell proliferation in the FGF treatment group was significantly increased (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with the control group, the expression of osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic related genes (RUNX2, ALP, OCN; PPARγ2, AP2, ADIPOQ; SOX9, collagen II, aggrecan) was increased significantly in the FGF treatment group (P < 0.05). The protein expressions of RUNX2,PPARγ2, SOX9 were also higher in the FGF treatment group than the control group (P < 0.05). (4) Compared with the control group, the number of extracellular calcium nodules, the number of intracellular lipid droplets, and the expression of acid acidic mucopolysaccharide were significantly increased after FGF pretreatment. To conclude, FGF pretreatment can preserve the stemness of BMSCs serially passaged in vitro.

A rapid and sensitive method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of four selenium species Se(Ⅵ), Se(Ⅵ), selenomethionine, and Se-methylselenocysteine in Se-enriched yeast by liquid chromatography-hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AFS). The isolation of the analytes from yeast samples was accomplished by proteaseⅩⅣ and trypsin enzymatic digestion. The target compounds were separated on a PRP-X100 anion exchange column and analyzed by HG-AFS. The mobile phase was 20 mmol/L (NH4)2HPO4. Good linearity was obtained for all the selenium species, with linear correlation coefficients higher than 0. 9996. The LODs of the four species were between 0. 5 and 5. 0 μg/kg. Average recoveries for the four analytes were in the ranges of 82 . 5%-101 . 2%, with intra-and inter-day RSD lower than 8. 6% and 14. 5, respectively. The proposed analytical method is simple, sensitive, with low operation cost, making it applicable for the determination of the selenium species in Se-enriched feeds.

Objective To investigate the correlation between extended high-frequency audiometry and distortion product oto acousticemissions (DPOAE) amplitudes. Methods 60 normal hearing people aged 20~40 years were examined with extended high-frequency audiometry and DPOAE. Results Extended high frequency thresholds negatively correlated to DPOAE. Conclusion There is correlation between these two methods, and they can be used for early creening and diagnosis of hearing loss.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 308-nm monochromatic excimer light for the treatment of amelanotic nevus.Methods Eighteen patients with amelanotic nevus were treated with 308-nm monochromatic excimer light twice a week for five consecutive weeks.Melanin content index (MCI) was measured in the lesions before and after the treatment.After the final exposure,a three-month follow-up was carried out.Results After the start of treatment,the MCI in lesions increased in a session-dependent manner and approximated to 100％ of that in perilesional normal skin after six sessions of treatment.The follow-up revealed a decrease trend in MCI after the end of the treatment,which was nearly equal to that in perilesional normal skin one month later,and dropped to about 90％ of that three months later.No side effects such as blisters or scar were observed during the treatment.Conclusions The 308-nm monochromatic excimer light is safe and effective for the treatment of amelanotic nevus.Re-exposure to 308-nm monochromatic excimer light after three months is recommended as consolidation therapy.

Histocytochemistry ; methods ; Humans ; Pathology, Clinical ; methods ; Specimen Handling ; methods ; Staining and Labeling ; methods

Objective To investigate the potential association between 163A/G and 950T/C polymorphisms of osteoprotegerin(OPG)gene and severe pre-eclampsia.Methods Eighty-five severe preeclamptic patients and 81 normal term pregnant women(as control group)were recruited from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,West China Second University Hospital,Sichuan University during the period from July 2007 to March 2009,and they were all Han population living in Chengdu,China.Genotype and allele frequencies of 163A/G and 950T/C were determined by the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)assay.Clinical and biochemical parameters for different alleles between the patients and controls were compared for statistical significance respectively,such as blood pressure,serum creatinine and 24-hour urine protein.Results The observed and expected genotype counts were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.No significant differences were found in the genotype and allele frequencies of 163A/G and 950T/C polymorphisms between the two groups(P ＞ 0.05).However,in the preeclamptic group,serum creatinine was significantly higher in women with the AG + GG genotypes [(76 ±24)μmol/L]compared with AA genotype[(56 ± 18)μmol/L].Reversely,birth weight was lower in the AG + GG genotypes[(2040 ± 721)g]than those in the AA genotype[(2520 ± 810)g],and the P ＜0.05,respectively.In the severe pre-eclampsia,950T/C TT genotype carriers exhibited significantly higher systolic blood pressure[(153 ± 16)mm Hg(1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa)]and 24-hour urine protein [(4.0±2.5)g]compared with TT + TC carriers[(145 ±17)mm Hg,(2.9±1.8)g],respectively,furthermore the P ＜ 0.05.Conclusions In severe pre-eclampsia,carriers with G allele at position 163A/G has more genetic predisposition than A allele carriers,as well as 950T/C T allele carriers compared with C carriers.Taken together,this study suggested that OPG gene polymorphisms might be associated with some clinical parameters of severe pre-eclampsia.

LPS stimulation of macrophages production of IFN-beta plays a key role in innate immunity defending the microbial invasion. In this study, the effect of S632A3 promoting LPS-induced IFN-beta production and the underlying mechanism were investigated, mRNA level was measured by real-time PCR, cytokine production was determined by ELISA, GSK-3beta activity was investigated by kinase assay, protein phosphorylation and expression were evaluated by Western blotting. The results revealed that S632A3 significantly augmented IFN-beta production by LPS-stimulated macrophages. S632A3 inhibition of the activation of GSK-3beta, reduced the threonine 239 phosphorylation of transcription factor c-Jun but increased the total level of c-Jun in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Moreover, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of c-Jun level abrogated the ability of S632A3 to augment IFN-beta. The study thus demonstrates S632A3 being a new anti-inflammation lead compound and provides a molecular mechanism by which S632A3 promoted LPS-induced IFN-beta production in macrophages through inhibiting the activation of GSK-3beta.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy of Qinzhu Liangxue Decoction (QZLXD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in patients with blood-heat type psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients diagnosed with blood-heat type psoriasis vulgaris were randomly divided into two groups: QZLXD group (30 cases) and ampeptide group (28 cases). Patients in both groups were treated for 4 weeks. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score and the level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were obtained to evaluate the efficacy of the two treatments. RESULTS: There was a better curative result in QZLXD group than in ampeptide group (P<0.05). The response rates in QZLXD and ampeptide groups were 83.33% and 64.28% respectively. DLQI score was also significantly improved during 4-week treatment in QZLXD and ampeptide groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VEGF level between QZLXD and ampeptide groups. CONCLUSION: QZLXD is remarkably advantageous in treatment of psoriasis vulgaris of blood-heat syndrome and improvement of patient's quality of life. The mechanism may be related to decrease in serum VEGF level and action against neogenesis of blood vessels.