BACKGROUND: Glomerular mesangial cell (GMC) is the chief target cell of diabetic nephrosis. A series of functional alternations on mesangial cell (MC) in high glucose condition results in constant development of the disease. Intervention of Chinese herb is very significant in retarding the progression of diabetic nephrosis.OBJECTIVE: To probe into GMC proliferation in high glucose condition and the effects of serum with tangshen tang contained on it.DESIGN: Controlled experiment was designed.SETTING: Laboratory Room of Second Affiliated Hospital to Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.MATERIALS: MCs of SD rats were taken as experimental objects collected from Internal Department of Kidney of Shanghai First People's Hospital in August 2003.Totally 45 SD rats of clean grade were employed from Experimental Animal Center of Zhejiang College of Chinese Medicine, of either sex,weighted with (180±20)g in October 2003 and they were prepared as the animals with herb-contained serum. Tangshen tang [composed of dahuang (Rhubarb), taoren (Semen Persicae), chong (insects), huangqi (Radix Astragali seu Hedysari), digupi (Cortex Lycii Radicis), huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis),etc.] was concentrated as 3 g/mL after decoction and infiltration at ratio.METHODS: SD rats were randomized as normal group, tangshen tang group and captopril group, 15 rats in each. The serums with tangshen tang and captopril of different doses were applied in MCs. In normal group,gastric perfusion of equal volume of distilled water was applied everyday.Trypan blue staining and MTT method were used respectively to assay the effects on MC toxicity and proliferation after medication.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Activity of GMC in rats after stimulation of medical-contained serums and cellproliferation.liferation was inhibited (P ＜ 0.05 , vs blank group) in constant high-glucose condition and the inhibited proliferation due to high glucose was reversed to various extents after the intervention of tangshentang and captoter the intervention of medical-contained serums on GMCs in rats in every group (cell activity was up to over 94% and P ＞ 0.05, vs blank group).CONCLUSION: High glucose inhibits MC proliferation and tangshentang stimulates MC proliferation.

Objective To compare the difference of wound healing quality of composite skin grafting consisting of xenogeneic (porcine) acellular dermal matrix (PADM) combined with micro-autograft or split-thickness autograft of skin. Methods Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats with full-thickness skin defect on the back were randomly divided into three groups,namely test group I with PADM with split-thickness autologous skin,test group II with HADM with autologous micro- skin and allogeneic skin graft,and control group with autologous micro-skin with allogeneic skin graft to cover the skin defect area respectively. The take rate and the condition of wound healing,and also the rates of wound contraction were calculated. Tissue samples were harvested for histological examination. Results The wound contraction was less in test group I and II than that in control group( P

Objective To investigate the relationship between coexisting depression and anxiety (CDA)and quality of life of female nurses in general hospitals.Methods Seven hundred and ninety-three female nurses completed Zung' s Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS),Zung' s Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the World Health Organization' s Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF).According to the cut-off scores of SDS and SAS,all subjects were divided into 4 groups (non-depression and non-anxiety,pure depression,pure anxiety,and CDA).Group differences in SDS,SAS and WHOQOL-BREF scores were compared.Results Of these 4 groups,CDA group had the highest SDS and SAS scores (P ＜ 0.001) (SDS scores:(34.3 ±5.4),(47.1 ±4.0),(39.4 ± 2.4) and (49.7 ±4.2)) and the lowest WHOQOL-BREF scores (P≤0.033)(WHOQOL-BREF physical domain scores:(15.6 ± 2.0),(13.8 ± 2.0),(13.6 ± 1.6) and (12.1 ± 2.0)).The corresponding stratification analysis (controlling for confounding factors) showed consistent results.Conclusion CDA nurses have the most severe depressive and anxious symptoms and the worst quality of life,and thus are the key target population of mental health service.

Aim To study the in virto interaction o f Cefathiamidine in combination with Ciprofloxacin against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis. Methods The activity of each drug alone was determined against all the isolates. Chequerborad synergy testing was then performed against all the isolat es. Results The percentage of the FIC index less than 0.5, from 0.5 t o 1,from 1 to 2,more than 2 was 53.3%～93.3%,6.7%～46.7%,0%,0% respectiv ely. Conclusion Synergism and additivity of cefathiamidine comb ined with ciprofloxacin respectively against 90 strains of Gram positive cocci w ere the main inter actions, there were little autonomy and no antagonism.

OBJECTIVE To study the in vitro activity of cefepime combined with sulbactam against carbapenem-resistant strains of Acinetobacter spp clinically isolated. METHODS The activity of each drug alone was determined against 24 isolates. Chequerborad synergy testing was then performed against all the isolates. RESULTS The percentage of the FIC index showed 33.3% synergism, 62.5% additive, 4.2% (1/24) indifference, and no antagonism tively. CONCLUSIONS Testing of cefepime and sulbactam combinations revealed synergism and additivity activity against some carbapenem-resistant strains(23/24) of Acinetobacter spp which could be likely to prove beneficial effect for the treatment of infections due to multidrug-resistant strains of Acinetobacter spp.

Objective To evaluate the antibacterial activity of Cefdinir compared with other four antimicrobial agents against common isolates in vitro.Methods Minimal lnhibitory Concentrations (MIC) were determined by agar dilution method Results Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) showed highest susceptibility to Cefdinir with 100% susceptible rate, Streptococcus pneumoniae (including PSSP and PISP) showed higher susceptibility to Cefdinir with 63 6% 100 0% susceptible rate Hemophilus influenza and Moraxelle catarrhalis both showed good susceptibility to three kinds of cephalosporins and Azithromycin Klebsiella pneumoniae (including ESBLs positive strains) were resistant to three kinds of cephalosporins, while ESBLs negative Klebsiella pneumoniae were sensitive to three kinds of cephalosporins, with 73 10%~88 50% susceptible rate Conclusion Compared with other four antimicrobial agents, Cefdinir has a powerful antibacterial activity to pathogen from respiratory tract infections

Most drugs need to interact with cell membrane to reach the biological target, so that membrane affinity assay is an important early screening step in drug discovery. However, at present, the traditional oil-water distribution method is still used, a new, simple and accurate method for membrane affinity assay is urgently needed. In this study, according to the colorimetric principle, a new assay model based on polydiacetylene vesicles was optimized through a series of experiments including different concentrations of vesicle solution, temperature, or pH reaction environment. On this basis, tetracaine hydrochloride, 2-methylimidazole and histamine were used as model drugs to measure the membrane affinity constants and verify the between-batch precision of the optimized assay model (relative standard deviation less than 5%). In addition, polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for up to 180 days, demonstrating the potential application of the assay model. This strategy is simple, stable, reliable, with high reproducibility, low cost and easy to promote, which provided a new tool and a new direction for the high-throughput assay of membrane affinity.

Objective To study Twist,E-CD expression in colorectal cancer tissues and its relationship with colorectal cancer invasion,metastasis and prognosis.Methods Immunohistochemical staining (EnVision) was used to detect E-CD,Twist expression of normal colon mucosa in 30 cases,colorectal adenoma in 30 cases and colorectal cancer tissues in 142 cases.Chi-square、Fisher's and Spearman test were used to analyze E-CD and Twist protein expression,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate COX regression were used to analyze prognosis of patients.Results E-CD in the normal mucosa were positively expressed in 90％ cases,which was significantly higher than that in colorectal adenomas (63％) (P =0.046) and colorectal cancer tissues (42％) (P =0.000).E-CD expression was related to tumor differentiation (P =0.048),invasion depth (P =0.000),vein (P =0.000) and lymph vessel invasions (P =0.030),lymph node metastasis (P =0.001) and Dukes' stage (P =0.016),but not related to patient's age(P =0.174),gender(P =0.159),tumor size (P =0.628) and tumor histological type (P =0.153).1,3,5 year survival rate in patients with positive E-CD expression was significantly higher than that in patients with negative expression (P =0.000).Positive expression rate of Twist in colorectal cancer tissues (68％) was significantly higher than that in normal mucosa (20％,P =0.000) and colorectal adenomas (30％,P =0.000).Twist expression was related to tumor histological type (P =0.000),differentiation(P =0.000),invasion depth(P =0.000),vein(P =0.000) and lymph vessel invasions(P =0.000),lymph node metastasis(P =0.010) and Dukes' stage(P =0.000).1,3,5 year's survival rate of Twist-negative expression patients was significantly higher than that in patients with positive expression (P =0.000).E-CD and Twist in colorectal cancer tissues were negatively correlated (r =-0.530,P =0.000).COX multivariate analysis shows that vein invasion (P =0.045),lymph node metastasis (P =0.040),Dukes' stage (P =0.000),E-CD (P =0.003) and Twist (P =0.031) were independent prognostic indicators.Conclusions E-CD and Twist expression in colorectal cancer are related to tumor invasion,metastasis and prognosis.Low E-CD expression and high Twist expression are related to poor prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antagonizing effect of Hirsutella sinensis (HS) on renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (TEMT) and its possible pathogenic mechanism in rats with chronic aristolochic acid nephropathy (CAAN).

METHODSEighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into 3 groups, the model (M) group, the intervention (I) group and the control (C) group. The 24 h urinary protein (UP) in rats was measured before intervention and at the end of the 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th week, and creatinine clearance rate (CCr) was measured before intervention and at the end of the 12th week respectively. All rats were sacrificed at the end of the 12th week, their kidney was taken for examining the degree of fibrosis in renal interstitial with Masson's stain and determining mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), Snail, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and cytokeratin in renal tissue by Real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the C group, CCr was significantly lower, while 24 h UP was higher; the relative area of interstitial fibrosis was significantly larger in the M group; besides, the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-beta1, Snail and alpha-SMA were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and those of cytokeratin were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01) in renal tissue of the M group. While in the I group, all the above-mentioned abnormalities were restored to some extent (P < 0.05) and showed significant difference (all P < 0.05) as compared with those in the M group.

CONCLUSIONHS can downregulate TGF-beta1 and Snail expressions in renal tissue, antagonize TEMT and renal interstitial fibrosis, and improve renal function in CAAN rats.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aristolochic Acids ; toxicity ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; Chronic Disease ; Cordyceps ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Kidney Tubules ; pathology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Snail Family Transcription Factors ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

To investigate the effects of fluoride on the expression of thyroglobulin (TG),thyroid peroxidase(TPO),odium iodide symporter (NIS) genes in FRTL cells,FRTL cells cultured in vitro were treated in logarithmic phase with sodium fluoride at different concentration of 20.0,10.0,5.0,2.5,1.25 mg/L,respectively.After 72 h,the cells were collected and semi-quantitative RT-PCR for TG mRNA,TPO mRNA and NIS mRNA and β-actin was performed.The results showed that compared with the control cells,the expression levels of TG gene in FRTL cells treated with lower concentration of sodium fluoride increased compensatively,but decreased significantly (P<0.05) with higher concentration(>5.0 mg/L);the RT-PCR products of TPO and NIS in FRTL cells treated with all concentration of sodium fluoride reduced,some of them were significant (P<0.05).It is concluded that fluoride can reduce the expression of TG,TPO,NIS genes in thyroid cells,conseguently cause dysfunction" of thyroid in uptaking and unilizing of iodine,and synthesizing,storing,secreting of thyroid hormones.