Cadmium ; urine ; Humans ; Quartz ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; instrumentation ; methods

Objective: To investigate the effect of ginsenoside-rg1 (G-Rg1) on rat’s cardiomyocytes H9c2 with its mechanism of signal pathwayin vitro.
Methods: H9c2 cells were cultured and treated in different conditions by following groups:①Blank control group,②Hypoxia alone group, the cells were treated for (2, 6, 12, 24, 48) hr respectively,③G-Rg1 group, the cells were treated by G-Rg1 at (5, 10, 50) μmol/L respectively,④YC-1 group, which is the speciifc inhibitor of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α),⑤YC-1 + G-Rg1 group,⑥Wortmannin group, which is the speciifc inhibitor for protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation and⑦Wortmannin + G-Rg1 group. Each experiment was conducted with 5 replicates. The effects of G-Rg1, hypoxia and YC-1 on cell activity and injury were studied; intracellular mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were examined by RT-PCR; protein expressions of HIF-1α, GLUT-1, HO-1, activating transcription factor-6 (ATF-6), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and Akt with its signal pathway factors were measured by Western blot analysis.
Results: The time of hypoxia was negatively related to cell activity (r=-0.8580,P<0.05) and positively related to LDH overlfow rate (r=0.9201,P<0.05). G-Rg1 (10μmol/L) group showed increased cell activity than Hypoxia alone (24 hr) group (87.8% vs 62.6 %,P<0.05), while decreased LDH overlfow (25.0% vs 74.8%,P<0.05), and up-regulated mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, GLUT-1 and HO-1, P<0.05. YC-1+ G-Rg1 group had decreased cell activity than G-Rg1 group (68.0% vs 87.8%,P<0.05), while increased LDH overlfow (56.4% vs 25.0%,P<0.05). Meanwhile, YC-1 clashed the effect of G-Rg1 on protein expressions of HIF-1α, GLUT-1, HO-1, ATF-6 and CHOP,P<0.05; wortmannin clashed the effect of G-Rg1 on protein expressions of HIF-1α, CHOP,P<0.05 and suppressed the two phosphorylation sites for Akt activation,P<0.05.
Conclusion: G-Rg1 may protect rat’s H9c2 cellsin vitro by activating expressions of HIF-1α with its downstream factors and inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress, which might be related to the effect of G-Rg1 on Akt activation.

BACKGROUND: The gut is capable of inducing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). In the diagnosis and treatment of critical ill patients, doctors should pay particular attention to the protection or recovery of intestinal barrier function. However, no reliable diagnostic criteria are available clinically. This study aimed to assess the changes of intestinal mucosal barrier function in surgically critical ill patients as well as their significance. METHODS: Thirty-eight surgically critical ill patients were enrolled as a study group (APACHE II>8 scores), and 15 non-critical ill patients without intestinal dysfunction were selected as a control group (APACHE II<6). General information, symptoms, physical signs, and APACHE II scores of the patients were recorded. The patients in the study group were subdivided into an intestinal dysfunction group (n=26) and a non-intestinal dysfunction group (n=12). Three ml venous blood was collected from the control group on admission and the same volume of plasma was collected from the study group both on admission and in the period of recovery. The plasma concentrations of endotoxin, diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactate, and intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (iFABP) were detected respectively. The data collected were analyzed by the SPSS 17.0 software for Windows. RESULTS: The levels of variables were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (P<0.01). They were higher in the intestinal dysfunction group than in the non-intestinal dysfunction group (DAO P<0.05, endotoxin, D-lactate, iFABP P<0.01). In the non-intestinal dysfunction group compared with the control group, the level of endotoxin was not significant (P>0.05), but the levels of DAO, D-lactate and iFABP were statistically significant (P<0.05). The levels of variables in acute stage were higher than those in recovery stage (P<0.01).The death group showed higher levels of variables than the survival group (endotoxin and D-lactate P<0.01, DAO and iFABP P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The plasma concentrations of endotoxin, DAO, D-lactate, and intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (iFABP) could reflect a better function of the intestinal mucosa barrier in surgically critical ill patients.

The prescriptions including Polygoni Multiflori Caulis that built by Pro. Yan were collected to build a database based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) inheritance assist system. The method of association rules with apriori algorithm was used to achieve frequency of single medicine, frequency of drug combinations, association rules between drugs and core drug combinations. The datamining results indicated that in the prescriptions that including Polygoni Multiflori Caulis, the highest frequency used drugs were parched Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, Ostreae Concha, Ossis Mastodi Fossilia, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma, Paeoniae Rubra Radix, and so on. The most frequent drug combinations were "Polygoni Multiflori Caulis-parched Ziziphi Spinosae Semen", "Ostreae Concha-Polygoni Multiflori Caulis", and "Polygoni Multiflori Caulis-Ossis Mastodi Fossilia". The drug association rules of confidence coefficient 1 were "Ostreae Concha-->Polygoni Multiflori Caulis", "Poria-->Polygoni Multiflori Caulis", "parched Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-->Polygoni Multiflori Caulis", and "Paeoniae Alba Radix-->Polygoni Multiflori Caulis". The core drug combinations in the treatment of insomnia were Ossis Mastodi Fossilia, Polygoni Multiflori Caulis, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Ostreae Concha, Polygalae Radix, Margaritifera Concha, Poria, and parched Ziziphi Spinosae Semen. And the core drug combinations in the treatment of obstruction of Qi in chest were Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma, Polygoni Multiflori Caulis, parched Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, Trichosanthis Fructus, Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus, and Paeoniae Rubra Radix.
Data Mining ; methods ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Polygonaceae ; chemistry ; Prescriptions

Glycosides are important active components in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Their pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetic characteristics and in vivo existence become hotspots of current studies. The metabolic pathways of these glycosides are de-glycosylation mainly mediated by gut microbiota. After glycosides were metabolized into aglycones, they could be absorbed more easily and show better pharmacological effects. In this article, we reviewed the main glycosidase in gut microbiota which helps metabolize TCM glycosides, relevant bacterial strains which generate glycosidase, as well as the de-glycosylated metabolic pathways of the representative glycosides, on the basis of gut microbiota's important roles in in vivo metabolism and efficacy of TCM glycosides. We also preliminarily solved problems in studies on de-glycosylation of TCM glycosides.
Animals ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Glycosylation ; Humans ; Metagenome

To develop an inquiry scale for diagnosis of heart system syndromes, and to discuss the provisional standardization of the inquiry method in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of adenovirus-mediated transfer of PDCD5 gene on apoptosis of K562 cells induced by etoposide. Recombinant adenovirus PDCD5 (Ad-PDCD5), control vectors Ad-null and Ad-eGFP were constructed by AdMax vector system respectively. After K562 cells were transfected by Ad-PDCD5, Ad-null or Ad-eGFP with different multiplicity of infection (MOI), the expression level of the PDCD5 gene was examined by RQ-RT-PCR assay. The effects of etoposide in combination with Ad-PDCD5 on the proliferation and apoptosis of K562 cells were measured by using MTT assay and flow cytometry with Annexin-V-FITC/PI dual labeling technique, respectively. The results showed that the transfection efficiencies of Ad-eGFP in K562, Jurkat and CEM cells ranged from 60% to 86%. Expression level of PDCD5 gene in K562 cells was evidently increased following transfection with Ad-PDCD5. The Ad-PDCD5 synergistically enhanced the apoptotic percentage of K562 cells induced by VP-16, as compared with that of Ad-null + VP16 and VP-16 alone respectively. It is concluded that Ad-PDCD5 may be a potential agent for enhancing the chemotherapy effect.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Etoposide ; pharmacology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the significance of quantification of WT1 mRNA for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODSWT1 mRNA level was detected with real-time quantitative RT-PCR (RQ-PCR) technique in bone marrow samples from 15 normal subjects (NBM) and 123 AML patients. Sixty-two AML samples were also detected AML1-ETO mRNA expression by RQ-PCR. Simultaneously follow-up of WT1 and AML1-ETO levels were carried out in 50 samples from 8 AML patients. WT1 and AML1-ETO levels were normalized by internal control ABL gene.

RESULTSAll correlation co-efficiencies were over 0.99 for WT1, AML1-ETO and ABL standard curves. Co-efficiencies of both interassay and intraassay variation were below 4%. The WT1 expression levels in NBM were 0.001 to 0.019 with a median level of 0.008. Higher levels of WT1 expression were found in 61 of 67 (91%) newly diagnosed AML patients compared with NBMs and 37 of the 67 (55.2%) showed 100-fold higher WT1 levels than that in NBMs. WT1 mRNA levels were highest in M(4EO) and M(3) and lowest in M(1) and M(5) patients. There was an excellent correlation between WT1 and AML1-ETO gene expression levels (r = 0.88, P < 0.001). WT1 expression levels in three patients who were in continuous complete hematological remission (CHR) were within normal range. In three of four relapsing patients, WT1 expression levels increased 31.4, 11.4 and 4.0 fold respectively one month before hematological relapse.

CONCLUSIONSQuantification of WT1 expression level by RQ-PCR may be used to monitor MRD for most AML patients, but it is less sensitive than fusion gene. Continuous or significant increase of WT1 expression in CHR patients predicts an impending relapse.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Recurrence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; WT1 Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDRight ventricular function plays an important role in the hemodynamic derangement during off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery. Pressure-volume loops have been shown to provide load-independent information of cardiac function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of construction of right ventricular pressure-volume loops with pressure and volume data measured by a volumetric pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and to evaluate right ventricular systolic and diastolic function by end-systolic elastance (E(ES)) and end-diastolic stiffness (E(ED)) in OPCAB surgery.

METHODSTwenty-eight patients who underwent OPCAB surgery were included. After anesthesia induction, a volumetric PAC was placed via the right internal jugular vein. Data were recorded at: anesthesia steady-state before skin incision (T1); 5 minutes after the stabilizer device was placed for anastomosis on the heart's anterior wall (T2), lateral wall (T3), posterior wall (T4), respectively; after sternal closure (T5). Three sets of data were collected at each time point: first, hemodynamic variables were measured; second, right ventricular E(ES) and E(ED) were calculated; third, right ventricular pressure-volume loops were constructed with pressure and volume data measured from end-diastole point, end-isovolumic systole point, peak-ejection point, end-systole point and end-isovolumic diastole point.

RESULTSRight ventricular pressure-volume loops generally shifted to the left during OPCAB surgery. Especially, the end-diastolic point shifted upward and to the left at T2-T5 compared with that at T1. Decrease in right ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume index and end-diastolic volume index occurred (P < 0.05) at T4 compared with values at T1. Pulmonary vascular resistance index at T4 increased relatively compared with that at T2 and T3. The change of E(ES) was not statistically significant during operation. Right atrial pressure increased only during coronary anastomoses (T2-T4, P < 0.05), whereas E(ED) increased throughout OPCAB surgery (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRight ventricular pressure-volume loops can be constructed using a volumetric PAC. Right ventricular systolic dysfunction occurred during anastomoses on the heart's posterior wall not due to impaired myocardial contractility but as a result of reduced preload and a relative increase in afterload. Right ventricular diastolic function was impaired throughout OPCAB surgery.

Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; methods ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Function, Right ; physiology