Objective　To study the effects of irradiation and W11-a12，a kind of repair-promoting drug，on anion-selective channel in membranes of mouse peritoneal macrophage. Methods　The activity of anion-selective channel was recorded from cell-attached patches with patch clamp techniques． Results　The effects of irradiation on anion-selective channel in membranes of peritoneal macrophage included：①decreasing the mean number of activated channels by the presence of zymosan; ②prolonging the mean time from stimulus to the opening of channels; ③depressing the opening of channels by decreasing open-state probability，shortening open-time and prolonging close-time． The effects of irradiation could partly be depressed by W11-a12. Conclusion　Irradiation will depress the anion-selective channel of peritoneal macrophage, which may be an important way to depress the function of macrophage．

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP-CHN) in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Totally 165 out-patients and in-patients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia were entered in the study.Ten of subjects was included the intra-rater reliability training.The Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) was regarded as the' gold standard' to investigate the validity of PSP-CHN,and the Positive and Negative Rating Scale was used to assess the severity of disease to explore the correlative validity,in the other 155 subjects.Five to seven days after the first PSP-CHN interview,the second PSP-CHN was evaluated by another investigator to assess the test-retest reliability among 66 subjects.Twenty-seven subjects with the score of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) more than 60 were followed up for 8 weeks of standardized pharmacotherapy.By the end of 8 week of treatment,the PANSS and PSP-CHN were assessed again to explore the sensitivity of PSP-CHN.Results:The internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.84) and the inter-rater reliability (κ value=0.56,ICC=0.94 for PSP-CHN total score) were good.The test-retest reliability was high [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.95].The scale showed good construct validity with statistically significant correlations with the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) (ICC of 0.95).The PSP-CHN score had a good negative correlation with the PANSS total score(r=-0.79,-0.57,-0.63 and -0.71,respectively,P<0.01).After 8 week treatment,PSP-CHN total score was increased with the improvement of PANSS,and the responder showed higher increasing of PSP-CHN total score (21.2) than those partial responder(10.2),significantly.Conclusion:The Chinese version of the PSP-CHN is a convenient and valid instrument to assess the personal and social functions of stabilized and acute patients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEIn Guangxi province, from 1970s to 1990s, the mortality of primary liver cancer (PLC) ranked the first among a variety of malignant tumors. Investigating the epidemiological characteristics of PLC is very important for developing reasonable and effective treatment strategy, allocating health resources rationally, and evaluating the quality of PLC prevention and control. This study was to analyze the mortality and epidemiological characteristics of PLC in Guangxi province between 2004 and 2005.

METHODSMulti stage stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 9 counties (cities or urban areas) as sample points. The residents' death causes between 2004 and 2005 were analyzed, and the epidemiological characteristics of PLC were investigated.

RESULTSIn the period of 2004-2005, the crude mortality of PLC was 34.39/100,000 in Guangxi province population (55.30/100,000 in men and 13.21/100,000 in women). The national population standardized mortality in 1964 was 22.17/100,000. The man to woman ratio of mortality was 4.19:1. PLC ranked as the first death cause among a variety of malignant tumors, and PLC related death accounted for 30.70% of all tumor related death cases. Age specific mortality of PLC was increased with age, rising significantly from 30 year old (from 25 year old in men and from 40 year old in women), and reached a peak at 75 year old.

CONCLUSIONSThe mortality of PLC shows a decreasing trend in Guangxi province in the early 21st century, and the starting age of PLC death peak postpones about 10 years than that in 1990s. It shows that the comprehensive prevention and control measures of PLC implemented in Guangxi province are fruitful. However, the PLC mortality in Guangxi province is still significantly higher than the national average level, and it still ranks as the first death cause in a variety of malignant tumors in Guangxi province. PLC mainly occurs in middle aged and elderly people. The prevention and treatment research of PLC still has a long way to go.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; trends ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore expression of β-catenin and NF-κB signaling pathway in synovial tissue of rats with different degrees of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Forty-eight SPF male rats weighed (200±20) g were randomly divided into three groups, namely model group (32 rats), sham operation group (8 rats) and control group (8 rats). KOA model rats were established by Hulth method, and 8 rats were killed at 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks respectively after modeling, in order to establish KOA model rats with moderate, early, mild and severe degree. Sham operation group was only cut off capsule of knee joint and suture to exclude interference factor, control group was untreated. Behavior, synovial hyperplasia and cartilage degeneration of rats among each group were observed. Expression of NF-κB and signaling pathway and β-catenin in synovial tissue of rats were detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: KOA rat model was successfully established, and synovial hyperplasia was observed in KOA model at mild and early degree, and then gradually decreased; while cartilage degeneration in the early moderate and severe KOA model was significantly expressed, and gradually aggravated with time. The results of PCR showed that expression of β-catenin in 4-week group (8.57±0.46) and 8-week group (4.23±0.09) were higher than those in control group (<0.05); expression of TLR-2 in 2-week group (12.04±4.02) and 4-week group (8.54±2.13) were higher than those in control group(<0.05), and TLR-4 in 2-week group(5.04±0.93), 4-week group (3.29±0.58) and 8-week group (1.63±0.12) were higher than those in control group; expression of NF-κB was significantly higher in 2-week group (10.15±2.04), 4-week group (15.97±4.17), 8-week group (7.69±1.48) and 12-week group (6.70±1.58) than that in control group (<0.05), and expression of IL-1β was significantly higher in 4-week group (2.79±0.25) and 8-week group (2.46±0.32) than that of control group (<0.05). CONCLUSIONS On the RNA expression level, both of β-catenin and NF-κB signaling pathways are involved in synovial inflammation in KOA model rats, and they play a regulatory role in expression of IL-1β, degeneration of KOA.
Animals ; Inflammation ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; beta Catenin

Biomarkers ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Myocardial Infarction ; Prognosis ; Reperfusion ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases

OBJECTIVEScrub typhus is an infectious disease due to Orientia tsutsugamushi transmitted by infected chigger mites. Scrub typhus has long been recognized to occur in southern areas of China, but has recently been increasingly often reported from the north since the first case was reported in Mengyin County, Shandong Province in 1986. The key objectives of the present study were to investigate the clinical manifestations and epidemic factors of scrub typhus in children from the northern new natural foci.

METHODSThe case records of 56 children with scrub typhus who were admitted to the 5 hospitals of Fei County from September 1993 to January 2004 were reviewed. Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) was isolated from the cases. Based on ecological observations on the composition, seasonal fluctuation of animal hosts and chigger mites, Ot was isolated from rodents and chiggers. IgG antibodies to Ot was detected by IFA. Genotypes of the Ot isolates were also identified by nested PCR.

RESULTSAmong 56 children scrub typhus cases, 46 were male, 10 were female; 96% exhibited typical eschars or ulcers, 100% cases had high fever, skin rashes were observed in 55 cases (98%), and regional lymphadenopathy occurred in 48 cases (86%). All cases came from countryside, and all had histories of exposure to the crop field. fifty-one serum samples of suspected patients with scrub typhus were collected, 48 were positive for antibodies to Ot. The serotypes were Gilliam types. The cases only appeared in September to December with the peak at mid and late October. Leptotrombidium (L.) scutellare was the most important vector causing scrub typhus in the foci. Apodemus (A.) agrarius was the main host animals of Ot in the crop field. Totally 26 strains were isolated from patients, rodents, and chigger mites. The serotypes of 24 out of the 26 isolates were Gilliam types, while the genotypes of these isolates were Kawasaki types. The serotypes of the other 2 isolates were identical and both were Karp types.

CONCLUSIONChildren scrub typhus patients were frequently seen in the new natural foci of Shandong province. Exposure history, typical eschars or ulcers, and presence of IgG antibody were the important indexes to diagnose the disease.

Adolescent ; Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mice ; parasitology ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; isolation & purification ; Scrub Typhus ; epidemiology ; Seasons ; Trombiculidae ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo study the antiviral effect and mechanisms of the liquid extract from Ceratostigma willmattianum against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro.

METHODC. willmattianum in various concentration was applied to different steps of HSV-1 replication cycle. 50% Tissue culture infective dose (TCID50), cytopathic effect (CPE), MTT staining method, dot blotting and Northern blotting analysis were used to estimate index of antiviral activity.

RESULT50% Toxic concentration (TC50) was 1077 mg x L(-1), IC50 29.46 mg x L(-1) and therapeutic index (TI) 36.56 in C. willmattianum. TC50 330 mg x L(-1), 50% Inhibiting concentration (IC50) 9.12 mg x L(-1) and TI 36.18 in ACV by MTT staining method. The liquid extract from C. willmattianum had remarkable effect on inhibiting HSV-1 in vitro. Ceratostigma could interfere absorption of HSV-1 to Vero cells to prevent HSV-1 infectivity, inhibit HSV-1 gD DNA replication and HSV-1 gD mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONC. willmattianum possesses strong anti-HSV-1 activity in vitro. The antiviral mechanisms are related to inhibiting virus absorption, HSV-1 gD gene replication and HSV-1 gD gene transcription.

Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Adhesion ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; DNA Replication ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Primulaceae ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Vero Cells ; drug effects ; virology ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo compare the beneficial effects of Atenolol and Metoprolol on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and related gene expressions after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats.

METHODSAMI model was established with the ligation of anterior descending coronary artery in 251 randomly selected female SD rats. Twenty-four hours after operation, the 124 survivors were randomly assigned to AMI control group (MI group, n = 43), Atenolol group (group A, 10 mg x kg(-1) d(-1), n = 39), and Metoprolol group (group B, 20 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), n = 42). Sham operation group (group S, n = 27) was also established. Two subgroup (48 h subgroup and 4 weeks subgroup) was randomly divided in each group according to the time points. Drugs were given to each treatment group by gastric gavage 24 h after ligation. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and DNA ladder. Bcl-2, bax and caspase-3 genes were detected with immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.

RESULTSCompared with AMI control group, myocyte apoptosis rate (MAR) significantly decreased only in infarction area (P < 0.01) in group B. Bcl-2 expression was found to increase in myocytes of infarction, border and non-infarcted areas except for non-infarcted area of group A. Changes of the expressions of bax and caspase-3 was not significant. Four weeks after AMI, MAR was found to decrease significantly in scar, border and non-infarcted areas (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in both group A and group B. No significant changes of bcl-2, bax and caspase-3 expressions was found except for a significant decrease of bax expression in non-infarcted area of group A. As indicated by Western blot, no significant change of the expressions of caspase-3, bcl-2 and bax were found in myocytes of group A and group B compared with AMI control group; however, bcl-2/bax ratio significantly increased to the same level of sham-operated group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth Atenolol and Metoprolol treatment can reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis in infarction/scar, border and non-infarcted areas after AMI, mainly through the increase of bcl-2 expression and bcl-2/bax ratio.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Atenolol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Metoprolol ; pharmacology ; Myocardial Infarction ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics

To explore the affect and mechanisms of rapamycin on mesangial cell proliferation and cell cycle, rat mesangial cells (HBZY-1) were cultured and divided into the six groups: normal; normal with platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) 20 ng·mL^-1; PDGF + rapamycin 1, 10, 100, 1 000 nmol·L^-1. The cell proliferation was measured by MTT in 24 and 48 h; flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle phase. Western blot was performed to determine cyclin D1,cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), p27, p70S6K/p-p70S6K protein expression. The p27 mRNA was detect by Real-time PCR. The results showed that rapamycin significantly suppressed PDGF induced glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) proliferation in a dose and time-dependent manner, but with the dose increased (1 to 1 000 nmol·L^-1), the time dependence gradually weakened. Rapamycin inhibited mesangial cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase. PDGF at 20 ng·mL^-1 significantly increased the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E and CDK2, CDK4 (P < 0.05), but rapamycin did not affect the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E and CDK2, CDK4. Rapamycin can significantly inhibited p70S6K phosphorylation, up-regulated the expression of p27 protein and mRNA. Collectively, rapamycin has the effect of inhibiting the glomerular mesangial cells proliferation of mesangial cells by regulating the transcription of p27 mRNA, increasing its protein expression through the mTORC1/p70S6K pathway, resulting in decreased activity of cyclin-CDK, and blocking cell cycle in G0/G1 phase.

Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture on the level of inflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptor 4 in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of SHR; To investigate the mechanisms of acupuncture in reduction of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in SHR. Methods Thirty 10-week old SHR were randomly divided into SHR group, acupuncture group and non-acupoint group, with 10 rats in each group. 10 WKY rats were set as control group. Acupuncture group received bilateral acupuncture in "Taichong" acupoint, and twisting and diarrhea method was used to stimulate; non-acupoint group received acupuncture at the back of feet, and soothing and diarrhea with twisting method was used to stimulate. Materials were taken two weeks later. The mean arterial pressure of rats was detected every day; the expression of TLR4 mRNA in PVN was detected by RT-PCR; The expression of TLR4 protein in PVN was detected by Western blot; The levels of TNF-αa nd IL-6 were detected. Results Compared with control group, the mean arterial pressure of SHR group increased; TLR4 mRNA and protein expression in PVN increased significantly; the level of TNF-α and IL-6 increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with SHR group, the mean arterial pressure of acupuncture group decreased significantly;TLR4 mRNA and protein expression in PVN decreased significantly; the level of TNF-α and IL-6 decreased significantly (P<0.05). There was no significant change in non-acupoint group. Conclusion Acupuncture in"Taichong" acupoint can attenuate blood pressure of SHR by inhibiting expression of TLR4 in PVN and reducing the levels of TNF-α and IL-6.