Agouti Signaling Protein ; Animals ; Central Nervous System ; abnormalities ; metabolism ; pathology ; Energy Metabolism ; Hair Color ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Mutation ; Obesity ; genetics ; metabolism

Atomic force microscopy is a powerful new tool to investigate the structure and measure the relationship between structure of surfaces and functions in microorganisms. Comparing with conventional electron microscope, atomic force microscope has higher resolution and can image real-time structures from atomic to molecular scale in three-dimensional mode under physiological condition. Therefore, atomic force microscope is being used in almost every aspect of microbiology and has gotten many exciting findings.

Objective: To investigate influence of Wenxin particle on cardiac electrophysiology in rats complicated with depression after myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: A total of 50 SD rats were randomly and equally divided into normal group, MI group, depression group, MI complicated with depression group (model group) and Wenxin particle group (Wenxin particle were given to model rats by gavage, 2 g/d, 28d). Model（MI complicated with depression）rats were made by acute ligation of left coronary artery and supply chronic unpredictable mild stress in order. The influences of Wenxin particle on cardiac electrophysiological indexes, such as monophasic action potential (MAP90), left ventricular effective refractory period (ERP) and ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) were evaluated in Wenxin particle group. Results: (1) Compared with normal group, there were significant decrease in behavior scores (P<0.05) in model group, after four-week treatment with Wenxin particle, their behavior scores significantly increased (P<0.01); (2) Compared with normal group, there were significant increase in MAPD90 and ERP, and significant decrease in VFT in model group (P<0.05); compared with model group, there were significant decrease in MAPD90 [(89.33±7.12) ms vs. (72.29±8.37) ms] and ERP [(84.00±6.57) ms vs. (68.00±7.43) ms], and significant increase in VFT [(7±3.11)V vs. (29±5.60)V] in Wenxin particle group, P<0.05. Conclusion: Wenxin particle can improve cardiac electrical remodeling in rats complicated with depression after myocardial infarction, including decrease monophasic action potential duration and effective refractory period, and raise ventricular fibrillation threshold.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical and pathological features of Hirschprung disease (HD), intestinal neuro-nal dysplasia (IND) and hypoganglionosis (IH) in children.MethodsThe clinical data and pathologic slices from 238 children with intestinal dysganglionosis were retrospectively analyzed. The age, sex, involved intestinal length of children and prognosis were compared.ResultsIn 238 patients, 138 (58.0%) were diagnosed by rectal mucosal biopsies. There were 122 HD patients whose median age at diagnosis was 9 months and the ratio of male to female was 4.3:1, without involvement of whole colon. There were 45 IND patients whose median age at diagnosis was 14 months and the ratio of male to female was 1.05:1, and the whole colon of 33.3% patients was involved. There were two male IH patients whose ages at diagnosis were 12 years and 18 years respectively, and their whole colon was involved. There were 59 patients with HD complicated by IND whose median age at diagnosis was 13 months and the ratio of male to female was 5.56:1 and the whole colon of 16.9% patients was involved. There were 10 male patients with HD complicated by IH whose median age at diagnosis was 11.5 months and the whole colon of 80.0% patients was involved. The ages at diagnosis, the sex ratio, the rates of whole colon involved, and the cure rates among 5 groups were signiifcantly different (allP<0.01).ConclusionsThe rectal mucosal biopsy was the main method in diagnosis of intestinal dysganglionsis in children. Patients with HD had higher incidence and mild condition and favorable prognosis. Patients with IH or patients with HD complicated by IH had lower incidence rates and severe condition and poor prognosis, followed by patients with IND or patients with HD complicated by IND.

Panax ginseng is the king of herbs and plays important roles in the traditional Chinese medicine industry. In this paper, we summarized the development of ginseng cultivation in China and other main countries, analyzed the effects of ecological factors of soil and climate on ginseng distribution, and investigated the characteristic of main cultivation patterns (conversion of forest to cultivate ginseng soils, cultivated ginseng in the farmland and wild nursery). Aimed at the serious issues in the cultivation, research strategies have been provided to guarantee the sustainable development of the ginseng industry. The patterns of cultivated ginseng in the farmland should be strive to develop; pollution-free cultivation and studies of continuous cropping obstacles should be carried out; ginseng varieties suited to ecological environment of farmland should be bred using modern biotechnology.
Agriculture ; methods ; China ; Climate ; Ecosystem ; Panax ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Soil ; chemistry

Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Paraffin Embedding ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tissue Fixation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the levels of monocarboxylate transporter-2 in spinal cord horn in a rat model of chronic inflammatory pain.

METHODSMale SD rats weighting 180 - 220 g were randomly divided into two groups(n = 48): normal saline group (NS group), complete Freund's adjuvant group (CFA group). Rats were given injections of CFA 100 µl in left hind paw in group CFA, and an equal volume of saline was given injection in group NS. Mechanical withdraw threshold(MWT) and thermal withdraw latency(TWL) were measured at before injection(T0 and 3 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d, and 21 d after injection(T1-7). Four rats were chosen from each group at T0-7 and sacrificed, and L4-5 segments of the spinal cord horn were removed for measurement of the expression of monocarboxylate transporter-2 by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSIn CFA group, mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia appeared on the 3 h after CFA injection, then until the day 14. The expression of monocarboxylate transporter-2 in the spinal dorsal horn of rats in CFA group was significantly higher than that in normal control group at T1-6(P <0.05). The protein level of monocarboxylate transporter-2 was apparently correlated with MWT and TWL(P <0.01 and P <0.05) in CFA group.

CONCLUSIONThe level of monocarboxylate transporter-2 in spinal dorsal horn is significantly increased in a rat model of chronic inflammatory pain and the change may involve in the formation and maintenance of central sensitization in spinal cord of chronic inflammatory uain.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Hyperalgesia ; chemically induced ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Male ; Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters ; metabolism ; Pain ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; physiopathology

AIM: To observe the dynamic changes of plasma levels of nitric oxide(NO) and endothelin (ET-1) in portal veins of the rats during prehepatic portal hypertension, and investigate the role of them in hyperdynamic circulation. METHODS: The models of prehepatic portal hypertension were established in Sprague-Dawley rats by means of partial portal vein ligation (PVL). The plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate (NO - 2/NO - 3) and ET-1 in the portal veins were detected by the method of nitric reductase and radioimmunoassay, respectively. In this study, rats were divided into normal, sham operation (SO) and PVL group. SO and PVL rats were divided into several subgroups according to different time after operations. Meanwhile, the changes of several hemodynamic indexes in these rats were also measured. RESULTS: The levels of NO - 2/NO - 3 were significantly increased and ET-1 were significantly decreased in rats at different time after PVL compared with normal control, whereas the hemodynamic indexes changed accordingly. CONCLUSION: The portal hypertensive rats are in hyperdynamic circulatory state (HCS). NO and ET-1 may play an important role in the induction and maintenance of HCS.

Objective To investigate the effects of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)treatment interval on the prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular caisinoma(HCC).Methods We retrospectively collected clinical data of 123 advanced HCC patients treated with repeated TACE.The patients were divided into two groups (group A with fixed repeated treatment interval and group B with that according to the clinical needs).Cox regression,survival curve and log-rank test were used to assess the effects of the treat-ment intervals on prognosis.Results The treatment intervals of the group A and group B were (1.1±0.3)months and (3.0±1.5) months,respectively (P <0.001).Multivariate Cox analysis showed the efficacy (P =0.024)and repetition periods (P <0.001 ) were independent prognostic factors.Conclusion TACE interval is independent risk factor for the prognosis of patients with ad-vanced HCC.Repeated TACE treatment according to clinical needs may be more favorable for prognosis of the patients.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Glomus Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hemangiopericytoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; etiology ; Juxtaglomerular Apparatus ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; ultrastructure ; Kidney Neoplasms ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; ultrastructure ; Nephrectomy ; Wilms Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology