Objective To investigate the protective effect of Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide(CGRP)on ET-1 mediated injury of human hepatocyte.Methods Human liver tissues obtained from patients undergoing partial hepatectomies were randomly divided into five groups:control group,liver perfused with D-Hank's solution group;liver perfused with ET-1 group and three liver perfased with ET plus CGRP(10-6M,10-7M,10-8M)treated groups.Collagenase digestion method was used to isolate human hepatocytes,then hepatocytes were cultured,and the level of MDA and TNF-?,the viability and proliferation of hepatocyte,and the hepatocyte function(ALT,Alb,Urea and LDH)were determined.Results As compared with control group,in ET-1 group,the viability and proliferation of hepatocytes,the level of Alb and Urea declined significantly(P

Objective To explore the clinical features of hemophagocytic syndrome in children and the signifi﹣cance of gene detection. Methods TWenty－tWo pediatric patients diagnosed as hemophagocytic syndrome since 2004 clinical and laboratory criteria Were enrolled in Children＇s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to January 2016. The clinical data of patients Were analyzed,and the genes associated With hemophagocytic syn﹣drome Were detected. The clinical biochemical indicators Were compared betWeen mutation group and non －mutation group. Results TWenty－tWo cases of patients(3 months to 12 years)Were enrolled,including 10 males and 12 fe﹣males,and the proportion of children over 5 years old accounted for the highest proportion,accounting for 50%,and all of them had fever,liver,spleen and lymph node enlargement. The main test results Were as folloWs:peripheral blood cells decreased in 6 cases( 27. 27%),hemophagocytic phenomena presented in bone marroW smears in 12 cases (54. 55%),abnormal liver function in 18 cases(81. 82%),and loW serum albumin in 22 cases(100. 00%). High serum ferritin levels Were detected in 20 cases(90. 91%);the detection of natural killer(NK)cell activity shoWed nor﹣mal activity( active ＞ 15%) in 7 cases( 31. 82%),and decreased activity( activity ≤ 15%) in 15 cases (68. 18%). The genes associated With hemophagocytic syndrome Were detected in 22 cases of patients,and 12 of them Were associated With mutations related to hemophagocytic syndrome,accounting for 54. 55%. LYST,ITK and UNC13D gene Were common. There Was no statistical difference in Which ages of onset,symptoms of the nervous system,and labo﹣ratory data of leukocyte count,red blood cell count,hemoglobin,platelet count,NK cell activities,prognosis,hemophago﹣cytic phenomena shoWed in bone marroW smears,alanine aminotransferase,albumin,triglyceride,ferritin and fibrinogen betWeen mutation group and non－mutation group(all P＞0. 05). Conclusions Pediatric hemophagocytic syndrome is mostly accompanied by fever,liver,spleen and lymph node enlargement,and most of them are accompanied by gene mu﹣tations. LYST,ITK and UNC13D gene are commonly seen. But there is no significant correlation betWeen gene mutation and general condition,biochemical index and severity of the disease.

This paper describes natural products, semi-synthetic natural products and natural product-derived compounds used for treating antiparasitic, antiviral and neurological disease that were being evaluated in clinical trials or in registration from 1998 to the end of 2005.
Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Antiparasitic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Biological Products ; therapeutic use ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy

Natural products have played an important role in drug discovery. Today, therapeutics from natural origin count for about 70% of the worldwide human therapeutic sales. For anti-infective treatment even higher figures are reported. This review describes antibacterial and antifungal natural products, semi-synthetic natural products and natural product derived compounds undergoing clinical evaluation or registration from 1998 to end of 2005. In addition, natural product derived drugs launched since 1998 are also discussed in this review.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Biological Products ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Drugs, Investigational ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Echinocandins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Polyenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology

To observe the serum samples and the anti-inflammatory effect of Tripterygium wilfordii in treating RA by using the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model, make a correlation analysis on concentration-time and effect-time curves, and explore RORγt, IL-17, STAT3, IL-6 mRNA transcriptional levels in rats by PCR. Methotrexate, tripterine and high-dose T. wilfordii could down-regulate RORγt, IL-17, STAT3, IL-6 mRNA transcriptional levels in AA rat lymph nodes. The study on PK-PD model showed correlations between inflammatory factors and blood concentration of T. wilfordii. T. wilfordii and its main active constituent tripterine could show the inflammatory effect and treat RA by inhibiting IL-17 cytokine.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Biomarkers ; Female ; Interleukin-17 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tripterygium ; Triterpenes ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of carnitine on human sperm motility and its potential role in the treatment of male infertility diseases.

METHODSWe obtained sperm by testis puncture from obstructive azoospermia patients and cultured them in vitro with normal culture solution (the control group) and the solution with L-carnitine at the concentration of 100 and 250 mmol/L, respectively. We observed the changes in sperm motility and morphology before and after the treatment, detected the expressions of the germ-specific genes, Vasa, Dazl, Acr, Prm1 and ATPase 6.0 by RT-PCR, and investigated the relationship between L-carnitine and the genes associated with sperm development and maturation.

RESULTSAfter 24 -72 hours of treatment, the percentage of motile sperm was significantly higher in the 100 mmol/L L-carnitine group than in the control and 250 mmol/L L-carnitine groups (P < 0.01); the number of forward moving sperm was obviously increased and sperm morphology remained normal in the 100 mmol/L L-carnitine group. RT-PCR showed that L-carnitine increased the expressions of Acr, Prm1, Dazl and ATPase 6. 0 at the concentration of 100 mmol/L, and decreased the expressions of Dazl, Acr and Prm1 at 250 mmol/L.

CONCLUSIONL-carnitine at a proper concentration may improve the motility of incubated testicular sperm by upregulating the expressions of some sperm-specific genes, which helps sperm selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. However, a higher concentration of L-carnitine may reduce the expressions of these genes, probably due to its increased toxicity.

Azoospermia ; etiology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carnitine ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Testis ; drug effects ; metabolism

AIM: Accommodation is one of the most important functions of human eye, while its mechanism is still under discussion. This paper aimed to study accommodation mechanism with numerical simulation.METHODS: A simulation model was constructed to study the mechanism of accommodation based on the experimental data derived from published resources. The displacement and pressure are applied on the model to study the deformation of lens during accommodating.RESULTS: The simulation showed that, as the eye was accommodating, the thickness of the lens increased linearly,and the lens diameter decreased linearly. The optical power of the lens increased as the accommodation increased. This result was accord with the public facts in accommodation.Furthermore, the pressure was found to have a great influence on the shape of the lens and the optical power. The lens became thinner and flatter as the pressure increased and the pressure caused a remarkable increase of lens' optical power.CONCLUSION: The outcome of this paper is consistent with the Helmholtz's hypothesis on accommodation to some extent. The analytical model presented in this paper can be used in the theoretical study of the accommodation mechanism of the human lens.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the overall effect of transsphenoidal microsurgery for pituitary adenomas in recent 5 years and to discuss the surgical technique, application of new technology and postoperative follow-up results.

METHODSThe clinical presentation, image characteristics, endocrinal findings, pathological types, tumor removal percentage, postoperative complication and follow-up of 1 462 patients with pituitary adenomas who underwent the transsphenoidal microsurgery from 1997 to 2002 were analysed retrospectively.

RESULTSTotal rate of tumor removal for the patients achieved 97.0% in the patients with Hardy I adenomas, 95.2% with Hardy II, 90.5% with Hardy III, and 47.4% with Hardy IV respectively. A significant postoperative improvement both in clinical symptoms and endocrinal parameters was achieved. The tumor recurrence rate was 0.3%.

CONCLUSIONSWith the improvement of microsurgical technique and application of novel technology, the indication of transsphenoidal microsurgery for pituitary adenomas was increasingly extended. Endoscope and(/or) neuronavigation-assisted microsurgery via transsphenoidal approach should be of the first choice for the treatment of pituitary adenomas. The routine postoperative radiotherapy is not required for patients with total tumor removal.

Adenoma ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Sphenoid Sinus ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Hairy roots of Cucumis sativus L. could be incited directly from the cut edges of 10-day-old cotyledon explants after infection with the strain Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834 harboring agropine-type plasmid, pRiA4b for 5 days. It was observed that the percentage of rooting cotyledon explants was more than 90 % 10 days after infection. Hairy roots could grow rapidly and highly branched on solid plant growth regulator-free MS medium. The PCR amplification of rol B genes and vir C gene showed that T-DNA of Ri plasmid of A. rhizogenes was integrated and expressed into the genome of transformed cucumber hairy roots. A bacterium-free transformed cucumber hairy root line was selected to culture on solid MS medium to examine influence of exogenous cytokinin 6-BA on growth and morphology alteration of cucumber hairy roots. The results showed that cytokinin 6-BA can influence the growth and altered the morphology of hairy roots. With increasing of 6-BA concentrations, Cucumber hairy roots become shorter and thicker and less branched. 6-BA at the concentration of 0.1 to approximately 3.0 mg/L could delay the appearance of maximum growth peak by 5 days and decreased the content of soluble protein, enhanced the activities of SOD and POD and decreased the levels of endogenous ethylene evolution in cucumber hairy roots. Our results also indicated that cytokinin 6-BA in the medium could influence growth and morphology alternation of cucumber hairy roots and delay its senescence of hairy roots by acting through ethylene.
Cucumis sativus ; genetics ; growth & development ; Culture Media ; Culture Techniques ; Cytokinins ; pharmacology ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; growth & development ; Rhizobium ; genetics ; Transfection ; Transformation, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the possible relationship between the ultrastructural characteristics of pulmonary veins and the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation originating from pulmonary veins.

METHODSThe pulmonary veins from domestic pigs were serially sectioned (2 mm) transversely along the vessels. The odd number sections were fixed in 10% phosphate buffered formalin solution and the even number sections were fixed in 3% Glutaral for further electron microscopy observations.

RESULTSTwo cell types were found in the pulmonary veins of pigs. One cell type was the P-like cells that had an empty-appearing cytoplasm containing only sparse myofibrils and small mitochondria, both of which were randomly distributed. Another cell type was slender transitional cells with plenty of longitudinally displayed myofibrils.

CONCLUSIONP-like cells in the pig pulmonary veins were found using electron microscopy in this study and ectopic beats from P-like cells in the myocardial sleeves in the pulmonary veins might be responsible for atrial fibrillation originating from pulmonary veins.

Animals ; Microscopy, Electron ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; ultrastructure ; Pulmonary Veins ; ultrastructure ; Swine