Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Fever ; complications ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; blood ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypergammaglobulinemia ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Pain ; complications

Objective: To predict the possible quality markers of ginseng in the treatment of heart failure. Methods: The ginseng chemical information was used to predict its putative targets related to heart failure by TCMIP V2.0 and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. The key targets of drug intervention on heart failure were enriched. The interaction network of chemical components-key targets-pathways was constructed to obtain the main components acting on these key targets, which are related to drug efficacy. According to the five principles of quality markers identification, we analyzed the quality markers of ginseng in the treatment of heart failure. Results: A total of 63 key targets were obtained for ginseng in the treatment of heart failure, including 63 putative drug targets and two targets related to disease. ATP1A1 and ADCY2 are the common targets associated with the drug and disease. The common targets of ATP1A1 and ADCY2 may be the key targets of drug acting on disease. The main components of ginseng acting on these common targets were screened out, and then we have determined the possible quality markers of ginseng for the treatment of heart failure based on the five principles of quality markers. Conclusion: We obtained the possible quality markers of ginseng in the treatment of heart failure, including ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rf, and ginsenoside Rb2, which provided the basis for our deeper research of ginseng in the treatment of heart failure.

OBJECTIVEOver the last few decades, diabetic cardiomyopathy has been identified as a significant contributor in cardiac morbidity. However, the mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy have not been clarified.

METHODSIn the present study, a diabetic rat model was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The myocardial CD147 expression and extent of glycosylation, as well as thematrixmetalloproteinases(MMPs) expression and activity, were observed in the diabetic and synchronous rats.

RESULTSThe results showed that CD147 located on sarcolemma of cardiomyocytes. The myocardial CD147 expression and glycosylation were significantly increased in the diabetic rats as compared with the control. Expression of MMP-2 protein, MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were also increased in left ventricular myocardium in the diabetic rats. Tamoxifen only inhibited the enhanced expression of myocardial CD147 in the diabetic rats, but not in synchronous control rats. Tamoxifen inhibited glycosylation of myocardial CD147 in both diabetic and control rats. The inhibition of tamoxifen on CD147 glycosylation was stronger than on the expression in the myocardium. The extent of myocardial CD147glycosylation was positively related toMMP-2 and MMP-9 activity. Tamoxifen induced an inhibition of myocardial MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in the control and diabetic rats.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that myocardial CD147 expression, especially the extent of glycosylation, regulates MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity, then accelerates cardiac pathological remodeling inducing diabetic cardiomyopathy. Tamoxifen inhibits myocardial CD147 glycosylation and further depress the activity of MMPs. Therefore, tamoxifen may protect the diabetic rats against diabetic myocardium.

Animals ; Basigin ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; Glycosylation ; Heart ; drug effects ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Rats ; Sarcolemma ; metabolism ; Tamoxifen ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the incidence of radiation-induced maxillary malignancy after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Methods A total of 273 patients who suffered from osteoradionecrosis after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer were evaluated.Among them,6 patients were presented with carcinoma and sarcoma arising from maxillary area after radiotherapy.Results Radiationinduced maxillary cancers happened at a rate of 2.2% in the patients with osteoradionecrosis.There were no statistically significant difierences in age,sex and the time interval between the radiotherapy and the cancer occurence.Conclusions Radiation-induced malignancy after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is mainly located in maxilla,presenting as squamous cell carcinoma or sarcoma of the maxillary sinus.

Neurosteroids are the key molecules in the central nervous system that modulate neural functions. They can influence human mood and behavior in various physiological and pathophysiological situations. Neurosteroids have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depressive episodes, providing innovative therapies for psychiatric disorders such as depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. This paper reviewed the research progress on the role of neurosteroids in the treatment of depressive episodes.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of vitamin D level on early-onset sepsis (EOS) in neonates.

METHODSSeventy-eight full-term neonates with EOS were used as the research group (EOS group). sixty healthy full-term neonates without clinical and/or laboratory features related to infections were used as the control group. Blood samples of the neonates and their mothers in both groups were collected within 72 hours of delivery to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D(25-OHD) levels. The rate of vitamin D deficiency in the neonates and the level of 25-OHD supplemented to their mothers during pregnancy were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThere was a significant positive correlation between the serum level of 25-OHD of the mothers and that of the neonates in both groups (EOS group: r=0.797, P<0.01; control group: r=0.929, P<0.01). The neonates and their mothers in the EOS group had significantly lower 25-OHD levels than those in the control group (P<0.01). The rate of vitamin D deficiency among the neonates in the EOS group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). The level of vitamin D supplemented to the mothers during the last 3 months of pregnancy in the EOS group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSLow serum level of 25-OHD is associated with the development of early-onset sepsis in full-term neonates.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neonatal Sepsis ; etiology ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; complications

The formalin test is a commonly used animal model of acute and tonic pain. However, the molecular targets of formaldehyde (FA, the main ingredient of the formalin solution) on primary nociceptor cells remain controversial. In this report, the effects of FA on electrophysiologically-identified primary nociceptor cells were evaluated in vitro and the roles of the vanilloid receptor TRPV1 in FA-produced activation of primary nociceptors were also examined at both cellular and behavioral levels. Of 92 acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells recorded by current patch-clamp technique, 34% were discharged by FA application with the mean onset latencies of the first action potential (AP) being (367.34+/-32.96) s. All the FA-sensitive cells were identified as nociceptor cells by their distinguishable features of AP including longer duration, existence of a hump (a shoulder or inflection) on the repolarizing phase, and longer after-hyperpolarization of APs. Co-application of capsazepine (CPZ), a competitive antagonist of TRPV1 receptors, could block FA-evoked firing with partial inhibition on the membrane depolarization of all cells tested. Of another 160 cells examined by confocal calcium imaging, 32% were shown to respond to FA with an intracellular Ca(2+) rise. Of 51 FA-sensitive cells, 67% were suppressed by CPZ, suggesting partial involvement of TRPV1 in mediation of the FA-evoked intracellular Ca(2+) rise. Under voltage-clamp mode, 41% of DRG cells were evoked to give rise to inward current with the remaining 59% being unchanged. In separate experiments on the other 56 FA-sensitive cells, concentration-dependent increase in the FA-evoked current amplitude was demonstrated. In comparison with controls, the FA-evoked inward current could be significantly suppressed by CPZ that was further enhanced by HC-030031, a TRPA1 selective antagonist. Finally, local effects of CPZ were confirmed in the formalin test and it was shown that the formalin-induced paw flinches were strongly suppressed by CPZ in phase 1 but with phase 2 being significantly suppressed only during 25-55 min. It is therefore concluded that FA can directly activate a subpopulation of primary nociceptor cells and the FA-induced AP discharges are likely to contribute mainly to phase 1, but not phase 2 of the formalin-induced nociception. The activation of primary nociceptor cells by FA is likely to be mediated, at least in part, through TRPV1 and/or TRPA1 receptors.
Acetanilides ; pharmacology ; Action Potentials ; Animals ; Capsaicin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Formaldehyde ; pharmacology ; Ganglia, Spinal ; physiology ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Pain Measurement ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Purines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; TRPV Cation Channels ; physiology

Because of the proposed importance of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase (COX) decrease in Alzheimer's disease (AD) , the protective effect of Shenwu capsule on mitochondrial deficiency model rats and its pharmacological mechanism were investigated in present study. Rats were administered with azide at 1 mg . kg-1 . h-1 subcutaneously via an Alzet minipump for 30 days. Tweny-four hours after the operation, the rats were administered intragastrically by Shenwu capsule with the dose of 0. 45, 0. 9 and 1. 8 g . kg-1 . d-1 for one month. Then learning-memory ability was determined by the watermaze test and passive avoidance tests. The activity of choline-acetyl-transfertase(ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in hippocampus and cortex of rats were measured by radiochemical method and hydroxylamine colorimetry separately. M-cholinergic receptor binding ability (M-binding) was assayed by radio binding. Chronic infusion of sodium azide via minipump induced learning-memory deficiency of rats. Both ChAT activity and M-binding decreased in hippocampus and cortex of model rats, however, the activity of AChE increased in hippocampus and was not affected at the cortex. As the result, the cholinergic function of the brain decreased in model rats. Shenwu capsule significantly improved learning and memory ability and the mechanism may be related with the improved cholinergic function in model brain: ChAT activity and M-binding significantly increased in Shenwu treated groups compared with model group; and the increased activity of AChE in hippocampus returned to normal. Mitochondria, especially mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase, may play the key role in the early event of AD. Chronic, partial in vivo inhibition of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase in rats provides a suitable model mimicking several aspects of AD. Shenwu capsule indicate effectiveness in AD-like mitochondrial deficiency model rats, so it would be applied in the treatment of AD.
Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; metabolism ; Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate genetic etiology of Dandy-Walker syndrome with array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH).

METHODSEight fetuses with Dandy-Walker malformations but normal karyotypes by conventional cytogenetic technique were selected. DNA samples were extracted and hybridized with Affymetrix cytogenetic 2.7 M arrays by following the manufacturer's standard protocol. The data were analyzed by special software packages.

RESULTSBy using array-CGH technique, common deletions and duplication on chromosome 7p21.3 were identified in three cases, within which were central nervous system disease associated genes NDUFA4 and PHF14.

CONCLUSIONCopy number variations (CNVs) of chromosome 7p21.3 region are associated with Dandy-Walker malformations which may be due to haploinsufficiency or overexpression of NDUFA4 and PHF14 genes.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; methods ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; methods ; Dandy-Walker Syndrome ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; methods ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods