Animals ; Cadmium Compounds ; toxicity ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; metabolism ; Lung ; cytology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Quantum Dots

Objective To investigate whether catestatin (bovine chromogranin A 344-364) can inhibit the biofilm formation of Candida albicans and examine its relationship with the expression of adhesion gene HWP1.Methods Clinical strains and standard strain ATCC 10231 of C.albicans were studied.XTT [2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide] method was used to assess the ability of C.albicans biofilm formation.Antifungal activity against planktonic Candida ceils was evaluated in terms of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) according to the description in CLSI-M27-A3.XTT assay and colony count were used to assess the effect of catestatin on inhibiting C.albicans biofilm formation.The lowest concentration showing 50 ％ inhibition on biofilm formation (BIC50) was decided by calculating the metabolic activity.The adhesion of C.albicans reduced by catestatin was visualized under an inverted microscope and quantified by colony count.The expression of HWP1 was analyzed by RT-PCR.One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Dunnett's T3 test were used to compare the results.Results Clinical strains and standard strain ATCC 10231 of C.albicans showed strong ability in forming biofilm.Catestatin exhibited MICs ranging from 40 μmol/L to 80 μmol/L against planktonic C.albicans cells,and BIC50 of 80-160 μmol/L in inhibiting C.albicans biofilm formation.Catestatin reduced the adhesion of C.albicans.The colony forming unit (CFU) was 27 822.22-±-2 472.74 in blank control group,while the CFU was 5 355.55± 1 264.03,11 377.78±2 232.58,17 488.89±1 136.27,22 377.78±3 521.99,and 26 044.44±1 329.57 in the presence of 160,80,40,20,and 10 μmol/L catestatin,respectively (F=147.018,P=0.001).The difference between control group and 160,80,and 40 μmol/L catestatin was statistically significant (P＜0.05).RT-PCR found the expression of HWP1 in the presence of 160 μmol/L catestatin was about 12.24％ of that in blank control group.Conclusions Catestatin can effectively prevent C.albicans biofilm formation.This effect may be related to the down-regulated expression of adhesion gene HWP1 by catestatin,which results in reduced adhesion of C.albicans.Promising clinical prospect is expected for this finding.

Adult ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; blood ; Humans ; Lead ; toxicity ; Male ; Occupational Exposure

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic polymorphisms of 19 STR Loci in Shandong Han population in order to provide the genetic data for paternity testing. METHODS: The genotypes of 205 unrelated individuals in Shandong Han population were typed by Goldeneye 20A kit to get the allele frequencies and population genetic parameters of 19 STR loci. Four kits, Identifiler kit, SinoFiler kit, PowerPlex 16 kit, and Goldeneye 20A kit, were compared with each other and used in the analysis of a special paternity test case. RESULTS: The population genetic parameters of 19 STR loci in Shandong Han Population were obtained. The cumulative discrimination power (CDP) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) ranked from high to low were Goldeneye 20A kit, SinoFiler kit, PowerPlex 16 kit and Identifiler kit, respectively. As duo case, the result of the real case showed that Identifiler kit had no excluding loci, and none of the SinoFiler kit, PowerPlex 16 kit or Goldeneye 20A kit could exclude fatherhood. CONCLUSION Compared with Identifiler kit, SinoFiler kit, and PowerPlex 16 kit, Goldeneye 20A kit shows the higher efficiency than the others, but is not completely satisfied for duo cases.
Asian People/genetics* ; China ; Forensic Genetics/methods* ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Loci/genetics* ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Paternity ; Polymorphism, Genetic/genetics*

Neural stem cells in brains have capacities of proliferation and differentiation, which is very critical to rebuild the cerebral cortex functions. Therefore, it is of great importance to find key targets and network pathways that regulate the proliferation of neural stem cells, which is also a pressing problem in the medical circle. With the Notch pathway as the core of the network, this paper summarized the advance of the bimolecular network system composed of Wnt, Shh, EGFR, cytokines and Notch signal, and analyzed such key nodes as Notch receptor, CBF1, NICD, Hesl, which may become potential targets of new-type drugs in the future. With the multi-component, multi-target, multi-lever characteristics, traditional Chinese medicines have many common grounds with the network pharmacology. The active component groups or active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicines are one of the material bases for showing their network pharmacological effect, which is worth exploring. This paper aims to provide a new strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease and nerve injury with traditional Chinese medicines.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Systems Biology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of low molecular weight heparin calcium (LMWHC) combined Compound Danshen Injection (DI) on nephrotic syndrome patients with early onset severe preeclampsia.

METHODSTotally 80 nephrotic syndrome patients with early onset severe pre-eclampsia were randomly assigned to four groups voluntarily, i.e., Group A (22 cases, treated by magnesium sulfate), B (19 cases, treated by magnesium sulfate plus LMWHC), C (21 cases, magnesium sulfate plus DI), D (18 cases, magnesium sulfate plus LMWHC and DI). Umbilical arterial S/D ratios, amniotic fluid index (AFI), prolonged gestational age, placenta weight, neonatal weight, and Apgar score were compared among the four groups.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment in the same group, umbilical arterial S/D ratios decreased in the four groups (P <0. 05). AFI decreased in Group A, while it increased in Group B, C, and D (P<0. 05). Compared with Group A at the same time point, umbilical arterial S/D ratios decreased, and AFI increased in Group B, C, and D (P <0. 01 , P <0. 05). Prolonged gestational age and neonatal weight were increased in Group B, C, and D (P <0. 01, P <0. 05). Placenta weight were increased in Group B and D (P <0. 05). Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min were improved in Group D (P <0. 05). Compared with Group B and C at the same time point, umbilical arterial S/D ratios decreased, and AFI increased in Group D (P<0. 05). Compared with Group B, prolonged gestational age and placenta weight were decreased in Group C, but prolonged gestational age and placenta weight were increased in Group D (P <0.05). Compared with Group C, prolonged gestational age, placenta weight, and neonatal weight were increased in Group D (P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of nephrotic syndrome patients with early onset severe pre-eclampsia by LMWHC combined DI could prolong gestational ages, obviously improve prenatal outcomes, with better effect obtained than using any of them alone.

Calcium ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Phenanthrolines ; Pre-Eclampsia ; drug therapy ; Pregnancy ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

Objective To establish a simple and economic method for isolating rat hepatic lipocytes. Method Perfusion of the rat liver with pronase E and collagenase in succession was performed in cycles, and the hepatic lipocytes were isolated and purified by digesting the rat liver with DNase in the presence of the above 3 enzymes, followed by 11% Necodenz density gradient centrifugation. The resulted lipocytes were subjected to routine identification procedures and viability assessment. Results The yield of the lipocytes from each rat was 2×107 to 3×107, with viability over 95% and purity above 90%. Conclusion The method adopted in this study is simple, economic and highly productive.

Objective To establish a simple and economic method for isolating rat hepatic lipocytes. Method Perfusion of the rat liver with pronase E and collagenase in succession was performed in cycles, and the hepatic lipocytes were isolated and purified by digesting the rat liver with DNase in the presence of the above 3 enzymes, followed by 11% Necodenz density gradient centrifugation. The resulted lipocytes were subjected to routine identification procedures and viability assessment. Results The yield of the lipocytes from each rat was 2×107 to 3×107, with viability over 95% and purity above 90%. Conclusion The method adopted in this study is simple, economic and highly productive.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Feiyangqin Rectum Condensed Liquid (FRCL) in treating children syncytial viral pneumonia. Methods Seventy-two patients were randomly divided into two groups, the 36 patients in the treated group were treated with FRCL, and the other 36 patients in the control group simply treated with Western medicine. Efficacy of treatment on clinical condition and some immune function (IgA, IgG, CD3, CD4) were observed.

RESULTSIn the treated group, 28 patients were cured (77.8%), treatment was markedly effective in 4 patients (11.1%), effective in 2 (5.5%) and ineffective in 2 (5.6%), with the total effective rate of 94.4%. The corresponding number in the control group was 20 (55.6%), 7 (19.4%), 6 (16.7%), 3 (8.3%) and 91.7%, respectively. The cure rate in the treated group was obviously superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). FRCL could improve serum IgA, IgG, CD3, CD4, and CD4/CD8, lower serum IgE, these indexes in the treated group were significantly different to those in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFRCL had the action in treating children syncytial viral pneumonia without any adverse reaction, one of its mechanisms might be related to its regulation on immune function.

Administration, Rectal ; Anti-Infective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Pneumonia, Viral ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; drug therapy ; immunology

Opioid receptor, is classified into three subtypes, mu, kappa and delta, with the mu-type receptor plays important roles in opioid analgesia and opioid addiction. The cDNA encoding mu-type receptor was obtained by RT-PCR from human brain RNA and was cloned into pcDNA3.1(+). The resultant recombinant plasmid pcDNAMORs were transfected into CHO cells by liposome. After PCR identification, the positive clone were treated with agonist and antiagonist were tested for their competence of signal transduction. CHO cells that contained mu-opioid receptor in the expression vector pcDNA3.1(+) acquired naloxone-blockable high-affinity specific binding of morphine and DAMGO. The concentration of cAMP in CHO cells transfected with pcDNAMOR was reduced after binding to morphine and DAMGO, and increased after binding naloxone. These results indicate that the mu-type receptor expreesd on the CHO cell has similar biological property as the nature receptor. The availability of these specific cell lines will facilitate the drug development and promote our understanding the mechanism underlying opiate addiction.
Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; DNA, Complementary ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Receptors, Opioid, mu ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection