Objective To investigate the effects of Donglian Capsule(the combination of Ophiopogonis Tuber Polysaccharide with Rhizoma Coptidis Alkaloids, OPRA for short, Component of Chinese medicine)on early insulin resistance in experimental diabetic rats. Methods The animal model of insulin resistance in 2 type diabetic was established by injecting low dose of STZ in 60 high fat-fed SD rats. After one week, the successful models were randomly divided into 4 groups: untreated, high and low OPRA-treated, mefformin-treated group, Meanwhile, a normal control group was designed. After four weeks, the differences of FBG, PG, INS and C-P were compared among the groups. Results The OPRA can significantly reduced the level of serum TC and FBG, increased the C-E ]Lightened the IRI(P<0.01). Conclusion The OPRA can reduce the level of serum TG and FBG, and decrease insulin resistance to protect the β-cell function.

Adenovirus Infections, Human ; pathology ; virology ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; pathology ; virology ; HIV Infections ; pathology ; virology ; Hepatitis B ; pathology ; virology ; Hepatitis C ; pathology ; virology ; Herpes Zoster ; pathology ; virology ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; virology ; Kidney Diseases ; pathology ; virology ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; pathology ; virology ; Parvoviridae Infections ; pathology ; virology ; Parvovirus B19, Human ; isolation & purification

Objective Based on the teeth in vitro skull specimen to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of CARE kV CT scan for reducing radiation dose. Methods Of eight fixed and preserved skull teeth were scanned repeatedly in groups of A, B, C. In expose factors of 100 kVp/150 mAs in conventional scanning of group A, open CARE Dose 4D scan of group B and CARE kV scan of group C. We assessed the radiation dose in the group A, B and C, the average CT values of the images, noise, SNR, CNR and subjective ratings. Results Three groups of actual scan tube current, tube voltage and radiation dose were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with group A, the radiation dose in the group B was reduced by about 13.76% and 26.61%reduced in the C group. The average CT values of the images and the noise SNR, CNR and subjective ratings hasd no significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion CARE kV technology based on the use specimens tooth can reduce the radiation dose, protect image quality, and be consistent to the reports of previous researches.

BACKGROUND:Titanium mesh is a new type of bone graft supports used for the treatment of spine, especial y the cervical spine disorders at home and abroad in recent years. But, at present, how to improve the cervical lordosis curvature during anterior surgery is the difficulty for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of straight titanium mesh and individual designed titanium mesh used in the bone graft fusion and internal fixation on the recovery of cervical curvature and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score during anterior cervical subtotal vertebrectomy in the patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
METHODS:Forty-three patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy treated with surgical indications of subtotal vertebrectomy and decompression internal fixation were included, and the patients were divided into two groups according to different internal fixation methods. There were 15 cases in the individual designed titanium mesh group and 28 cases in the straight titanium mesh group. The preoperative anteroposterior X-ray films of the cervical spine of al the patients were as the blank control group. The clinical data of the patients in two groups were retrospectively analyzed, and the postoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, cervical curvature, intervertebral angles and intervertebral height were compared.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The cervical lordosis angle and the intervertebral angle of surgery segment in the individual designed titanium mesh group were improved when compared with those in the straight titanium mesh group and the blank control group (P<0.01), and the straight titanium mesh group was better than the blank control group (P<0.05). The intervertebral height of surgery segment in the individual designed titanium mesh group and the straight titanium mesh group was increased for 3.69 mm and 3.22 mm respectively when compared with that in the blank control group, and there was significant difference between individual designed titanium mesh group and the straight titanium mesh group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in Japanese Orthopaedic Association score between individual designed titanium mesh group and the straight titanium mesh group (P>0.05). During subtotal vertebrectomy for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, cutting titanium mesh into trapezoidal shape to simulate the normal disc shape of former high to low can effectively restore the physiological curvature of cervical spine and the intervertebral height of surgery segment.

Risk management is derived from industry.In recent years,risk management is introduced by many medical laboratories their process management abroad.However,the concept of risk management is still very new for laboratories in China.Therefore,the establishment of the project for risk detection,classification,correction,prevention and supervision could help medical laboratories improve their service quality.

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

An important index determination for clinical diagnosis of renal function is to assay the creatinine concentration in serum. In the analytical process applied with coupled-enzyme, the quality control of sarcosine oxidase (SOX) as a key enzyme is the first problem to be solved. In order to establish an efficient and laboratory-scale production of SOX, the recombinant sarcosine oxidase (r-SOX) gene was a high-level expression in E. coli induced with lactose on a large-scale fermentation in 300 L fermenter. The results suggested that the biomass concentration reached OD600 of 22 and the expression of recombinant sarcosine oxidase in E. coli accounted for about 25% of total soluble protein in culture after fermentation. The cell-free extract obtained from high pressure homogenizer was processed by selective thermal denaturation and then purified with Ni-Sepharose FF chromatography. The sarcosine oxidase with 97% purity, 25 U/mg specific activity and 92.4% activity recovery was obtained. The molecular weight with single peptide chain of 53 kD and 55 kD of recombinant sarcosine oxidase was assessed by SDS-PAGE in presence or absence of 2-mercaptoehanol and Sephacryl S-200 chromatography. This sarcosine oxidase was found to be a conjugated protein, yellow enzyme, which combined with FAD as prosthetic group by covalent linkage. The contaminant of catalase was not detected in the sample pool of this enzyme. In addition, a further test to the thermal stability of sarcosine oxidase was done. According to the above results, the development and utilization of this enzyme has been set up on a reliable foundation.
Escherichia coli ; Fermentation ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Sarcosine Oxidase ; biosynthesis

Neurofeedback, as an alternative treatment method of behavioral medicine, is a technique which translates the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to styles as sounds or animation to help people understand their own physical status and learn to enhance or suppress certain EEG signals to regulate their own brain functions after several repeated trainings. This paper develops a neurofeedback system on the foundation of brain-computer interface technique. The EEG features are extracted through real-time signal process and then translated to feedback information. Two feedback screens are designed for relaxation training and attention training individually. The veracity and feasibility of the neurofeedback system are validated through system simulation and preliminary experiment.
Brain-Computer Interfaces ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Humans ; Neurofeedback

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether aristolochic acid can be transported into human kidney proximal tubular cell (HKC) and its potential mechanism.

METHODSIntracellular aristolochic acid was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) induced by aristolochic acid in the presence of organic anion transporter inhibitor (probenecid) or organic cation transporter inhibitor (tetraethylammonium) was evaluated. The effects of probenecid on aristolochic acid induced connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA and protein expression were also examined by real time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTSAristolochic acid was detected in the suspension of the denatured HKC after incubation with aristolochic acid sodium salt. The release of LDH from HKC, which was induced by 60 mg/L aristolochic acid sodium salt, was significantly inhibited by 1 mmol/L probenecid (P < 0.01), but not by 1 mmol/L tetraethylammonium. The increased CTGF mRNA and protein expression in HKC stimulated by 40 mg/L aristolochic acid sodium salt was significantly down-regulated by 1 mmol/L probenecid (P < 0.05), with an inhibition rate of 16% and 21%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAristolochic acid can be transported into HKC by organic anion transport system, and then exerts its biological effects.

Aristolochic Acids ; metabolism ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiology ; Organic Anion Transporters ; metabolism

In this study, the herpetin (HPT) lyophilized liposome was prepared, and its saftey and pharmacodynamics were evaluated. HPT lyophilized liposome was prepared by thin-film ultrasonication method. The lyoprotectant was optimized using particle size and encapsulation efficiency as indexes. Then, the influencing factors of HPT lyophilized liposome were investigated. In addition, preliminary safety and therapy efficiency of HPT lyophilized liposome to liver injury induced by CCl4 in the mice. The optimal lyoprotectant was 5% sucrose plus 5% lactose and the dispersed HPT lyophilized liposomes were spherical with the mean diameter of (107.0 ± 1.2) nm and the mean encapsulation efficiency of (99.7 ± 0.50)%. The lyophilized powder was sensitive to temperature, humidity and illumination. None of hemolysis, hemagglutination and vein irritation was observed after intravenous injection of HPT lyophilized liposomes into rabbits. HPT lyophilized liposome showed obviously therapy efficiency to liver injury induced by CCl4 in the mice. The improvements of ALT, AST and ALP were better than that in HPT free drug. The obtained HPT lyophilized liposome met the standard of CP with fine particle size and encapsulation efficiency after dispersion. The HPT lyophilized liposome showed good safety and enhanced the treatment efficacy of HPT. The HPT lyophilized liposome should be stored in low temperature, sealed condition far away from light.
Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Cucurbitaceae ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Rabbits