HMGB-1, an ubiquitously expressed 25-KD nucleoprotein among mammals, belongs to the HMG family. Recent studies have identified that HMGB-1 is secreted by activated monocytes/macrophages via a non-classical ,vesicle-mediated secretory pathway. Extracellular HMGB-1 is an important proinflammatory cytokine. It participates in the pathogenesis of many diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis , acute lung injury, and even leads animals death. Further studies of the mechanism and function of extracellular HMGB-1 may provide a novel strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of reduced radiation dose for CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and the possible lowest radiation threshold by a phantom study.Methods The CT value difference between air within the trachea and the extracorporeal background region was measured in132 consecutive patients.A noise-measurement phantom and a pulmonary embolism (PE) phantom were made of phenol-formaldehyde, and both phantoms and a water phantom were scanned with standard and lower radiation doses as follow: 280, 200, 160, 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 15, and 10 mA respectively, at a fixed voltage of 120 kVp.Standard and soft tissue algorithms were used to reconstruct the images.Three experienced doctors independendy evaluate the image quality and the efficiency of detecting PE of the images with various doses.The Pearson correlation analysis, two-tailed paired t test, ANOVA, and Kappa test were employed for the statistical analysis.Results The CT value difference between air within the trachea and the extracorpereal background region in 132 consecutive patients ranged from 20.00 to 55.00 HU, which had a positive correlation with weight[(64.99±11.86) kg], weight-height ratio [(38.71±6.13) kg/m], and BMI[(23.11±3.38) kg/m2](r=0.228,0.374,0.449 respectively; P <0.01).The image noise level with soft-tissue reconstruction algorithm[(16.55±9.08), (16.42±9.40) HU]was significantly lower than that of the image with standard reconstruction algorithm[(22.43±11.25),(21.99±11.67) HU](F=4.316, P < 0.05).The image noise level with soft-tissue reconstruction algorithm at 100 mA was similar to that of the images with standard reconstruction algorithm at 280 mA, and the signal-w-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the image of PE phantom was 23.05 and 20.52 respectively, without any impairment in detectability of embolus.The image noise level with soft-tissue reconstruction algorithm at 60 mA was similar to that of the image with standard reconstruction algorithm at 160 mA, while the SNR and CNR was 18.01 and 15.97 respectively, also with acceptable detectability of embolus.When the tube current was reduced below 30 mA, the image quality decreased significantly, with the SNR and CNR was lower than 12.36 and 10.95 respectively, and the detectability of embolus was degraded.The consistency of the image quality grading by 3 observers was excellent(K=0.807,0.712,0.904 ,respectively; P < 0.01).Conclusions The 100 mA may potentially be the ideal low dose tube current setting, with radiation dose only equal to 36% of 280 mA (standard dose).The 30 mA may possibly be a minimum radiation dose for detecting PE.The soft-tiasue reconstruction algorithm was favorable in preserving the SNR when the radiation dose was reduced.

Objective To explore the correlation of pathological changes and imaging through a control study on pathology and imaging of 4 cases of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT).Methods By HE and Gallyas silver dyeing,four immunohistochemical methods were carried out The loss of neurons cells of all lobes of cerebral cortex,cingulate gyrus,amygdaloid nucleus,hippocampal gyrus,parahippocampal gyrus,meynert basal nucleus,substantia nigra,locus ceruleus,dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve,senile plaques (SP) and the changes of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) were observed in detail The control study of pathology and imaging was carried out by comparison of CT in different phases before and after death of the patient.Results The degeneration of temporal lobe was marked: (1) The degeneration of middle frontal gyrus of cortex of frontal lobe was the most evident; (2) The degeneration of long gyrus was more evident than that of the short gyrus as the cortex of insular lobe was concerned; (3) The degeneration posterior part of cingulated gyrus was more evident than that of the anterior part.Conclusion The pathological findings of SDAT mentioned above are basically in conformity with the changes of imaging.

Abstract: TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway has a wide range of biological activities and plays an important roles in regulating cell growth, adhesion, differentiation, cell dynamic balance, and immune responses. The higher activity of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway may promote scar formation, organ fibrosis, immunosuppression, and late-stage cancer progression, while low activity may lead to inflammation, dysplasia, poor healing and oncogenesis. The function of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway is extremely complex and can exhibit inhibitory or enhancing effects on immunity and inflammation under different circumstances, but immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects are dominant. During HIV infection, the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway interacts with HIV in a complex manner as HIV proteins tat and gp120 can induce TGF-β expression. Meanwhile, this signaling pathway may also play a role in HIV infection and replication, latent virus reservoir, host immune deficiency and HIV-related inflammation. It is worth noting that even though TGF-β, which mainly exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, is induced by HIV, high levels of TGF-β do not seem to inhibit HIV-related inflammation. So far, the relationship between TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and HIV infection has not been elucidated, and its role and mechanism in HIV infection and related illnesses need further exploration and validation. This review summarizes the relevant research progress on the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and HIV infection, and provides a reference for further understanding of HIV pathogenesis and exploring strategies of AIDS treatment.

Objective To observe the preventive efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine with parecoxib sodium on the patients with postoperative hyperalgesia induced by remifentanil. Methods A total of 100 female patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were as-signed into four groups according to the table of random number:the control group (group C),the parecoxib sodium group (group P),the dexmedetomidine group (group D)and the parecoxib sodium combined with the dexmedetomidine group (group DP).The vital signs were monitored and the total intravenous anesthesia was performed.All the patients were give intravenous injection of 0.2μg·kg-1 ·min-1 remifentanil and 4-12 mg·kg-1 ·h-1 propofol to maintain the anesthesia.Patients in group P were given 40 mg parecoxib sodium 30 minutes before the end of the operation.Patients in group D were give intravenous injection of 0.6μg·kg-1 ·min-1 dexmedetomidine consistently till 30 min before the end of the operation.Patients in group DP were given 0.6 μg·kg-1 ·min-1 till 30 min before the end of the operation and were given 40 mg parecoxib sodium.The VAS scores were re-corded at 1,2,6,12,24 hours.The cases of agitation,rigors,nausea and vomiting and increasing of analgesics were recorded.Results The postoperative VAS scores in group P,group D and group DP were significantly lower than group C(P <0.05).The postoperative VAS scores in group DP were significantly lower in group P and group D (P<0.05).Cases of agitation and rigors in group D and group DP were less than group C(P <0.05).The increasing of analgesics in group DP was much higher than other groups(P<0.05).Conclusion After induced,patients were given intravenous in-jection of 0.6 μg·kg-1 ·min-1 dexmedetoniding consistently till 30 min before the end of the opera-tion were given 40 mg parecoxib sodium can effectively prevent hyperalgesia after remifentanil anes-thesia without significant increase in revival time and obtain a better sedation.

Nicotinic acid could increase high density lipoprotein and reduce serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in human bodies, thus is frequently applied in treating low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia in clinic. However, according to the findings, nicotinic acid could also cause adverse effects, such as skin flush, beside its curative effects. In this study, bioisosterism, fragment-based search and Lipinski's Rule of Five were used to preliminarily screen out potential TCM ingredients that may have similar pharmacological effects with nicotinic acid from Traditional Chinese medicine database (TCMD). Afterwards, homology modeling and flexible docking were used to further screen out potential nicotinic acid receptor agonists. As a result, eleven candidate compounds were derived from eight commonly used traditional Chinese medicines. Specifically, all of the candidate compounds' interaction with nicotinic acid receptor was similar to nicotinic acid, and their docking scores were all higher than that of nicotinic acid, but their druggability remained to be further studied. Some of the eight source traditional Chinese medicines were used to lower lipid according to literature studies, implying that they may show effect through above means. In summary, this study provides basis and reference for extracting new nicotinic acid receptor agonists from traditional Chinese medicines and improving the medication status of hyperlipidemia.
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Structure ; Nicotinic Acids ; chemistry ; Nicotinic Agonists ; chemistry ; Protein Binding ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; agonists ; chemistry ; Receptors, Nicotinic ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Hiru doid,Sufu and Musk Hemorrhoids Ointment on preventing peripheral chemothera?peutic phlebitis due to continuous infusion of 5?fluorouracil. Methods Totally 90 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with continuous infusion of 5?fluorouracil were recruited and randomly divided into Hirudoid group,Sufu group and Musk Hemorrhoids Ointment group, with 30 cases in each group. Three groups were applied with drugs respectively along the vein punctured while connecting the pump of 5?fluorouracil 3 times a day(each time interval of 6 hours)for 5 consecutive days. The occurrence of chemotherapy phlebitis was observed and recorded. Results Musk Hemorrhoids Ointment and Sufu were more effective than Hirudoid in reducing the incidence of phlebitis and relieving the degree of venous in?jury(P<0.05);however,there were no differences between Musk Hemorrhoids Ointment and Sufu(P>0.05). Musk Hemorrhoids Ointment was the most effective among the three in relieving the pain caused by phlebitis(P<0.05). There were no difference between Sufu and Hirudoid(P>0.05). Conclusion Musk Hemorrhoids Ointment can effectively prevent peripheral chemotherapeutic phlebitis caused by continuous infusion of 5?fluorouracil with affordable expense which is worthy of promotion in clinic use.

Objective To investigate the potential mechanism of intestinal trefoil factor(ITF)against methotrexate (MTX)- induced injury in intestinal mucosa. Methods Cultured IEC-6 cells were divided into groups as follows: blank group, MTX treated group, ITF treated group and experimental group treated with gradient concentrations of ITF plus MTX. Expression of E-cadherin mRNA was determined by Real-Time polymerase chain reaciton (RT- PCR). The activity of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 and MMP-9 was measured by gelatin zymogramphy. Caspases-3 activity was measured by colorimetric assay. Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8)assay. Migration of IEC-6 in vitro was observed using modified Boyden chamber assay. Results The expression of E-cadherin mRNA in experimental group (treated with 0.1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of ITF) was significantly down-regulated (0. 538±0. 109 or 0. 528±0. 132, respectively) in comparison with MTX treated group (0. 763±0. 139) with significant difference (P=0. 021 or P=0. 025, respectively). There was no significant difference in activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 among groups (P＞0. 05). When compared with MTX treated group (0. 090 ±0. 011 ), the activity of Caspase3 in experimental group (treated with 0. 1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of ITF) was significantly decreased (0. 077±0. 009, P=0. 032 or 0. 044±0. 009,P=0. 005, respectively). There was no statistical difference in cell proliferation between experimental group (treated with 1 μg/ml, 0.01 mg/ml, 0. 1 mg/ml or 1.0 mg/ml of ITF) and MTX treated group (P=0. 132,0. 150,0. 114 or 0. 367, respectivley). More migratory cells attached to the bottom surface of the membrane in experiment group (treated with 0. 1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of ITF) in comparison with MTX treated group (P ＜0. 001 ). Moreover, more migratory cells were found in experimental group treated with 1.0 mg/ml of ITF than those in group treated with 0. 1 mg/ml of ITF (P＜0. 001). Conclusions Without cell proliferation, the protective effect of ITF is related to its functions of promoting cell migration and inhibiting cell apoptosis, which may down-regulate expression of E-cadherin mRNA.

Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii ,and to investigate the changing pattern of antimicrobial resistance of these strains isolated during 2012 - 2014 .Methods Strains of Pseud‐omonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from January 2012 to December 2014 were collected .Antimicrobial suscep‐tibility of clinical isolates was tested by Kirby‐Bauer method .Results In the past three years ,214 strains of Pseudomonas aerugino‐sa and 347 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated .The nosocomial infection rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa decreased year by year ,while the Acinetobacter baumannii ′s increased .Most strains were isolated from sputum ,wound secretion and urine . The strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii were distributed in various departments of the hospital .The detection rates of these strains were the highest in ICU ,respectively 27 .6% and 34 .9% .Both the resistance rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to ceftazidime ,imipenem ,Amikacin and Acinetobacter baumannii to Piperacillin/Tazobactam and imipenem had in‐creased ,while the resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii to polymyxin B had decreased with each passing year .Conclusion Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii causes severe nosocomial infections and the antimicrobial resistance rates in‐creased ,especially the resistance rates to carbapenem are becoming more higher in recent years .Acinetobacter baumannii shows strong antibacterial activity in vitro to Polymyxin B .Therefore ,antimicrobial resistance surveillance should be strengthened to direct rational use of antibiotics .

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has definitely clinical effect in treating hyperlipidemia, but the action mechanism still need to be explored. Based on consulting Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010), all the lipid-lowering Chinese patent medicines were analyzed by associated rules data mining method to explore high frequency herb pairs. The top three couplet medicines with high support degree were Puerariae Lobatae Radix-Crataegi Fructus, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Crataegi Fructus, and Polygoni Multiflori Radix-Crataegi Fructus. The 20 main ingredients were selected from the herb pairs and docked with 3 key hyperlipidemia targets, namely 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-α (PPAR-α ) and niemann-pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L1) to further discuss the molecular mechanism of the high frequency herb pairs, by using the docking program, LibDock. To construct evaluation rules for the ingredients of herb pairs, the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) value between computed and initial complexes was first calculated to validate the fitness of LibDock models. Then, the key residues were also confirmed by analyzing the interactions of those 3 proteins and corresponding marketed drugs. The docking results showed that hyperin, puerarin, salvianolic acid A and polydatin can interact with two targets, and the other five compounds may be potent for at least one of the three targets. In this study, the multi-target effect of high frequency herb pairs for lipid-lowering was discussed on the molecular level, which can help further researching new multi-target anti-hyperlipidemia drug.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; PPAR alpha ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Pueraria ; chemistry