Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; drug therapy ; Remission Induction

Objective To observe the expression of matrix metalloproteinases(MMP)-1,MMP-3 and iNOS in cartilage of experimental rabbit osteoarthritis at different time intervals after anterior cruciate ligament transection(ACLT)operation.The aim of this study is to provide the theoritical evidence for using ACLT rabbit model in Osteoarthritis(OA)research.Methods Unilateral ACLT was performed on 27 randomly selected while rabbits and underwent unilateral arthrotomy was performed on the other 9 white rabbits as the control group.Nine randomly selected white rabbits in experimental group were killed and 3 white rabbits in the control group at 4th,8th and 12th week respectively.Cartilage degradation of femoral condyles was evaluated macr-oscopically,mRNA expression level and protein expression level of MMP-1,MMP-3 and iNOS was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and immunohistochemistry respectively.Results Forepart OA cartilage degradation was observed at the 4th week and became more severe at the 8th week after ACLF.Afterpart cartilage degradation was evident at the 12th week after ACLT while cartilage still remained normal in the control group,mRNA expression level and protein expression level of MMP-1.MMP-3 and iNOS were increased at the 4th week and became higher gradually at the 8th,12th week after ACLT compared with the control group.Expression distribution of MMP-1,MMP-3 and iNOS bad different patterns respectively.Conclusion It is suggested that the process of OA cartilage degradation can be simulated by ACLT model and MMP-1,MMP-3 and iNOS may be good markers in therapeutical research of OA.

The optimum culture conditions for Acetobacter xylinum NUST4 which produces bacterial cellulose(BC) were obtained by uniform design method.BC production was dependent on MgSO_(4)?7H_(2)O,FeSO_(4)?7H_(2)O and cosubstrates such as p-aminobenzoic acid,nicotinamide,d-Biotin and ethanol.The optimal medium contained glucose 24g,sucrose 22g,peptone 16g,HAc 2.4mL,Na_(2)HPO_(4)?12H_(2)O 3.5 g,KH_(2)PO_(4)?H_(2)O 1 g,MgSO_(4)?7H_(2)O 6 g,FeSO_(4)?7H_(2)O 0.015g,nicotinamide 0.003 g,d-Biotin 0.02g and ethanol 20mL in 1L culture medium.BC yield reached 9.87g(the dried weight) in stationary culture for 7 days,which was 12-fold higher than that in the S-H medium.

Objective To explore the relationship between genetic variation in PAF-AH V279F and coronary heart disease among Han population in Beijing.Methods A case-control study was held which enrolled 124 patients with coronary heart disease and 103 normal subjects.The genotype of PAF-AH V279F was determined with allele-specific polymerase chain reaction(AS-PCR)method. Results The highest frequency of PAF-AH V279F genetic variation was VV genotype(92.2%),the next was VF genotype(5.8%)and the lowest was FF genotype(2.0%)among the studied Han population in Beijing.In the coronary heart disease group the frequency of 279 V→F carriers was significantly higher than in the control group(19.3% vs.7.8%,P＜0.05)and F allele frequency was also higher(12.1% vs.4.9%,P＜0.01).Among the coronary heart disease group,the V279F variation frequency and the F allele frequency were significantly higher in patients with myocardial infarction than in those without myocardial infarction(27.3% vs.13.0%,17.3% vs.8.0%,both P＜0.05).In multiple logistic regression analysis,the odds ratio(OR)of V279F genetic variation for coronary heart disease was 1.919(95% CI:1.448-2.544,P=0.033).Conclusions The PAF-AH V279F genetic variation may be a novel genetic marker for high risk of coronary heart disease.

Proper chromosome separation in both mitosis and meiosis depends on the correct connection between kinetochores of chromosomes and spindle microtubules.Kinetochore dysfunction can lead to unequal distribution of chromosomes during cell division and result in aneuploidy,thus kinetochores are critical for faithful segregation of chromosomes.Centromere protein A (CENP-A) is an important component of the inner kinetochore·plate.Multiple studies in mitosis have found that deficiencies in CENP-A could result in structural and functional changes of kinetochores,leading to abnormal chromosome segregation,aneuploidy and apoptosis in cells.Here we report the expression and function of CENP-A during mouse oocyte meiosis.Our study found that microinjection of CENP-A blocking antibody resulted in errors of homologous chromosome segregation and caused aneuploidy in eggs.Thus,our findings provide evidence that CENP-A is critical for the faithful chromosome segregation during mammalian oocyte meiosis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of Astragalus on cardiac function and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) level in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSForty-five patients of Xin-qi deficiency or Xin-yang deficiency types were assigned to the Chinese medicine (CM) group and the Western medicine (WM) group by a randomizing digital table. Standard treatment for correcting heart failure, including digoxin, diuretics, etc. was administered to both groups, but to the CM group oral medication of Astragalus granule was given additionally at the dosage of 2.25 g twice a day, the treatment for both was continued for two weeks. NYHA cardiac functional grading, serum TNF-alpha level, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and walk distance in 6 min (WD) were measured before and after treatment, and a correlation analysis was carried out.

RESULTSAfter therapy, the level of TNF-alpha in the two groups decreased (P < 0.05) and it was lower in the CM group [(54.77 +/- 9.34) microg/L] than in the WM group [(62.10 +/- 9.94) microg/L] (P < 0.05); LVEF in the two groups increased (P < 0.05) and it was higher in the CM group [(64.45 +/- 12.47)%] than that in the WM group [(56.03 +/- 13.33)%] (P < 0.05); both groups' WD increased (P < 0.05) and it was longer in the CM group [(446.97 +/- 68.82) m] than in the WM group [(345.40 +/- 63.62) m] (P < 0.05); the improvement of cardiac functional grading in the CM group was outstriper than the WM group (P < 0.05). The improvement in cardiac function was negatively correlated with TNF-alpha level.

CONCLUSIONAstragalus can alleviate the calcium overload-induced myocardial damage and improve both systolic and diastolic functions of heart in patients with CHF.

Aged ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Chronic Disease ; Coronary Disease ; complications ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects ; physiology

This study is to investigate the anti-tumor activities of a novel cyclophosphamide derivate 4, 6-diphenyl cyclophosphamide (9b) in vivo and in vitro, and its possible mechanism of action. The inhibitory effects of 9b on human hepatoma cell line HepG2, human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7 and human myeloid leukemia cell line K562 were measured by MTT assay in vitro. Cell cycle distribution and apoptotic rate were evaluated by flow cytometry. To evaluate the anti-tumor effect of 9b in vivo, mouse model bearing inoculated H22 tumor was established. The results indicated that 9b could inhibit the proliferation of HepG2, MCF-7 and K562 cells in a dose and time dependent manner. The ICo50 values of 9b were 32.34 micromol.L-1 to HepG2 cells, 87.07 micromol.L-1 to MCF-7 cells and 149.10 micromol.L-1 to K562 cells after incubation for 48 h. The results of flow cytometry indicated that after being treated for 48 h with different concentrations of 9b, the ratios of HepG2, MCF-7 cells at the Go/G1 phase and K562 cells at the G0/Gl phase and G2/M phase increased significantly compared with control group, and the apoptotic rate increased with the increase of the concentration of 9b. 9b could significantly reduce tumor weight of H22 solid tumor mouse model in vivo. To summarize, 9b showed significantly anti-tumor activity in vivo and in vitro, of which the mechanism might be associated with the change of cell cycle distribution and induction of tumor cell apoptosis.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclophosphamide ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Random Allocation ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship of TCM syndrome type of gastric mucosal epithelial growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) for exploring the essence of TCM type and providing a theoretical basis of clinical treatment.

METHODSTCM syndrome type of 200 patients with diagnosis of CAG confirmed by fibro-gastroscope and pathological examination were differentially classified, and the expressions of EGF, VEGF and PCNA in different types were determined using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSPatients were differentiated as Pi-Wei deficiency type (Type I ) in 72; Gan-Wei disharmony type (Type II ) in 43; Pi-deficiency with qi stagnation type (Type III) in 32; Wei-yin deficiency type (Type IV) in 24; Pi-Wei damp-heat type (Type V) in 14; and Wei-collateral stasis obstruction type (Type VI) in 5. The difference of PCNA expression level between Type II with Type I , III and IV was significant (P < 0.05). No significant difference in expression levels of EGF and VEGF was found among the 6 types (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONType I and II were the dominant TCM syndrome types in CAG patients; the high expression of PCNA might be a diagnostic evidence for Gan-Wei disharmony syndrome.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; biosynthesis ; Syndrome ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis

Objective To study the damage to striatum in patients perorally addicted to compound codeine phosphate solution by using the brain dopamine transporter SPECT imaging. Methods Patients p erorally addicted to compound codeine phosphate solution ( n = 29 ) and addicted to heroin ( n = 27 ), as well as healthy volunteers (n = 31 ) were included in the study. Each of them underwent dopamine transporter (DAT) SPECT imaging with 99Tcm-2β-[N, N'-bis-( 2- mercaptoethyl ) ethylenediamino] methyl, 3β-(4-chlorophenyl)tropane (99Tcm-TRODAT-1). The striatum volume (V, cm3), mass (m, g) and radiactivity ratio (Ra) of striatum to whole brain were calculated using physio-mathematical modeling method.R esults Bilateral striatum of healthy volunteers showed typical "panda eyes" pattern and the distribution of DAT was uniform and symmetrical. Bilateral striatum of patients addicted to compound codeine phosphate showed impaired tracer uptake, similar to those addicted to heroin. The V, m and Ra of bilateral striatum of patients addicted to compound codeine phosphate were (23.68 ±4.94) cm3, (24.87 ±5.19) g and (5.01 ±0. 88 ) %, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of healthy controls: ( 35.39 ± 4.42 ) cm3,(37.16 ±4.64) g and (7.93 ±0.86)% (t = -9.69, -9.69, - 13.01, all P =0.000), but significantly higher than those addicted to heroin: ( 18.87 ± 4.66 ) cm3, ( 19.81 ± 4.90 ) g and (4.26 ± 1.02 ) % ( t =3.74, 3.74, 2.96, P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.005 ). Conclusion Long-term peroral intake of compound codeine phosphate solution may damage the function of cerebral striatum, which is someway similar to though less severe than, the impairment caused by heroin.

Objective To study the association between the plasma homocysteine level and coronary artery disease(CAD), and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) A1298C polymorphism, the methionine synthase (MS) A2756G polymorphism and their associations to the plasma homocysteine level and CAD in the elderly . Methods One hundred and twenty-nine elderly patients with CAD documented by coronary angiogram and 48 elderly patients with normal coronary angiographic results were included in this study. Plasma homocysteine level were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to analyse the MTHFR A1298C and MS A2756G genotypes. Results The plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher in CAD group than that in the control group〔(16.2?8.6) ?mol/L vs (12.7?5.0) ?mol/L,P0.05);the prevalence of MTHFR 1298CC homozygous in the CAD patients was significantly less than that in the control group (3.1% vs 14.6%, P