The effect of iodinated contrast on thyroid function and auto-antibodies after a single percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was explored.In 96 patients with randomly selected PCI,serum TSH,T3,T4,thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb),thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) were determined preoperatively as well as by 3-6 months postoperatively.After PCI,the level of TSH,T3,T4,showed no significant changes; TgAb,TPOAb which were positive preoperatively,after 3-6 months were statistically increased(P＜0.05).Iodinated contrast in PCI has no significant influence on thyroid function and auto-antibodies after 3-6 months.

AIM: To evaluate whether tolerogenic dendritic cells (DC) loaded with heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) inhibit the progression of aortic atherosclerotic plaque in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E (Apo-E) -null mice. METHODS: Bone marrow derived DC of the mice were loaded with HSP60 and co-cultured with rapamycin to generate tolerogenic DC. The tolerogenic DC, DC loaded only HSP60 and PBS were injected into the ApoE-null mice at 8 weeks of age for three times at a one-week interval. 8 weeks after the last injection, aorta were harvested for HE staining and anti-CD4~+T cell immunostaining. Responses of pleenic cells to HSP60 were also evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with DC, DC_ HSP60 expressed higher levels of CD86, and stimulated T lymphocytes to proliferation significantly, while the tolerogenic DC expressed lower levels of CD86, and inhibited T lymphocytes to proliferation. After immunization with different injection, the numbers of CD4~+ T cells in plaque were increased significantly in DC_ HSP60 group vs in PBS group (P

AIM: To examine whether tolerogenic dendritic cells(DC) loaded with heat shock protein 60(HSP60) could restore endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E(apoE)-null mice.METHODS: Bone marrow derived DC of the mice was loaded with HSP60 and co-cultured with rapamycin to generate tolerogenic DC.The tolerogenic DC,DC loaded only with HSP60(DChsp) and saline were injected into the apoE-null mice at 6 weeks of age for two times at a one-week interval.C57BL/6 mice at the same age were taken as normal control two weeks after the last injection.Aorta was harvested for ex vivo vascular ring tension test.Immune parameters were also analyzed in vitro and in vivo.RESULTS: Compared with the non loaded DC,HSP60 pulsed DC expressed higher levels of CD86,and stimulated T lymphocytes to proliferation significantly,while the tolerogenic DC expressed lower levels of CD86,and inhibited T lymphocytes to proliferation.After immunization with different injection,Ach-induced relaxation was reduced significantly in(DChsp) group compared with saline group(P

To investigate the effects of CD14 on nuclear transcription factorκB (NF-κB) was activated by lipid-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) of Mycoplasma genitalium (Mg) ,THP-1 cells were pretreated with serum human or CD14 neu-tralizing antibody ,and then were stimulated by LAMPs .The activation of NF-κBp65 was detected by ELISA .After LAMPs was pretreated with sCD14 stimulated Hela cells with the co-transfection ,the activity of NF-κB luciferase were detected by the dual-luciferase reporter gene to analyze the role of CD14-mediated NF-κB activation by LAMPs .The activation of NF-κBp65 was significantly up-regulated in LAMPs activated THP-1 cells by human serum .It’s suggested that CD14 neutralizing anti-body could inhibit the activation of NF-κBp65 in LAMPs stimulated THP-1 .The activation of NF-κB was significantly up-regu-lated in LAMPs activated Hela cells by mCD14 or sCD14 .CD14 could augment the activation of NF-κB by Mg LAMPs .

Objective: To establish a multiplex PCR-microarray method for detecting important enteropahogens.Methods: Uniplex and multiplex PCR were performed to obtain the best primer sets for identifying the target bacteria at species and multi-species level.Fluorescent dyes were mixed into PCR reaction to determine whether it can affect the efficiency of amplification.To improve the efficiency of microarray,a 35 pairs primer-labeling system was optimized based on the hybridization results to find the best combination to avoid false negative results.Results: Specific PCR products were all obtained using species-specific primer sets.More preferential amplification may happen when more primer pairs were added to the reaction.The hybridization results showed a positive association between the efficiency of multiplex-PCR and signal intensity.Conventional PCR yielded more products than fluorescent dyes labeled PCR.Thirty-five primers were divided into three different combinations to label target respectively,hybridization results showed a high specificity.Conclusion: Mixing fluorescent dyes into PCR may reduce the efficiency of amplification and hybridization,but may have no effect on the analysis of hybridization results.The hybridization efficiency of microarray depends on the amplification efficiency of multiplex PCR.For microarray target labeling,three primer sets could be used to avoid negative hybridization led by preferential amplification of multiplex-PCR.It indicates that the multiplex PCR-microarray method is an attractive diagnosis tool for the high-throughput identification of enteropathogenic organisms especially for multiple causative agents and epidemiological investigations.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of cerebral blood flow defined bytranscranial color Doppler (TCD) and their correlation with the severity and prognosis of acute ischemicstroke. Methods Fifty-six consecutive patients with the primary onset of acute ischemic strokereceived dynamic examinations with TCD upon admission and on days 2, 4, 7, 14 and 28 following theonset, and the mean blood flow velocity and pulsatility index were recorded. Results TCDexaminations upon admission revealed high abnormal rate. The mean blood flow velocity of the middlecerebral artery (VmMCA) on the lesion side was significantly lower than that on the contralateral side andthat of the control group. The blood flow velocity of the anterior cerebral artery (VmACA) on the lesion sidewas significantly increased compared with that on the contralateral side and that of the control group.VmMCA of main stem occlusion group {23.45 [7.55,38.72] cm/s}, central branch infarction group {52.53[45.56,66.93] cm/s}, and cortical branch of cerebral arteries infarction group {38.44[31.67,52.45] cm/s}was significantly lower than that of the control group {66.51 [56.64,71.43] cm/s}. VmMCA graduallyincreased in these patients after the treatment, showing significant difference from that measured uponadmission. The PI of the middle cerebral artery increased after admission, with significant difference fromthat recorded on admission and that of the control group. Conclusion TCD has high diagnostic valuefor ischernic stroke and may help evaluate the severity of the condition and the prognosis of the patients.

P300/CBP-associated factor(PCAF),an important member of histone acetyltransferase family(HATs) within eukaryotic cells,is capable of inducing the acetylation of histone,promoting the transcription of specific genes and involving in many biological effects.In the present study,full-length cDNA of PCAF was inserted into plasmid pGEX-5x-1,then the soluble protein GST-PCAF was expressed in E.coli BL21(DE3) after the optimization of inducing conditions.The recombinant protein was further purified with affinity chromatography and tested the activity by in vitro acetylation assays.High efficient PCAF protein produced by this method could serve for the study on the role of PCAF in gene regulation and the interaction between PCAF and other proteins.

AIMTo study the effects of rhBNP and milrinone on the cardiac hemodynamics and renal function in anesthetized dogs.

METHODSThe actions of rhBNP given cumulatively i.v. 10, 30 and 100 ng.kg-1 for 30 min and milrinone of single dose (100 micrograms.kg-1, i.v.) on cardiac hemodynamics and renal function were studied in anesthetized open-chest dogs.

RESULTSIn anesthetized dogs (n = 7) intravenous infusion of rhBNP at 10-100 ng.kg-1, caused decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), LVdp/dtmax, pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), total peripheral resistance (TPR) and renal vascular resistance (RVR) dose-dependently, without significant changes in cardiac output (CO), LV(dp/dt)/P, renal blood flow (RBF) and heart rate (HR), increases in urinary volume and sodium excretion. In anesthetized dogs (n = 6), there were remarkable decreases in MAP, LVEDP, PAP, TPR, RBF, RVR and urinary volume following the MIL (100 micrograms.kg-1, i.v.), with significant increases of LVSP, +/- LVdp/dtmax, HR and CO, but no marked changes in urinary volume and sodium excretion.

CONCLUSIONrhBNP reduces the pre-load and after-load in the anaesthetized dogs but showed no distinct effect on the contractility of the heart. Positive inotropic and chronotropic actions have been demonstrated after intravenous injection of milrinone 100 micrograms.kg-1 in anesthetized dogs.

Anesthesia ; Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Dogs ; Drug Interactions ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiology ; Hemodynamics ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Milrinone ; pharmacology ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Sodium ; blood ; urine ; Urine

Objective To explore the clinical significance of EEG and CT presentations in the patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods Fifty-six consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted immediately after the onset were enrolled in this study.Thefindings bYCT,EEG,brain electrical activity mapping(BEAM),examinations of somatosensory evoked potentials(SEPs)and motor evoked potentials(MEPs)to transcranial magnetic stimulation, and the scores of modified Edinburgh-Scandinavia stroke scale(MESSS)and Barthel Index(BI)were comparatively analyzed in these patients. Results The location of the cerebral foci with EEG abnormalities were basically consistent with the lesions indentified by CT.but the range of the lesions defined by the two modalities showed some discrepancies.There Was statistically significant difference in SEP and MEP between the injured and uninjured sides(P<0.05).There was apositive correlation between MESSS on admission and BI on day 28 in hospital(r=0.58,P<0.05). Conclusion CT and cerebral electrophysiological examination provide valuable assistance in early diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the social mental state of drug addicts in a compulsive drug abuse treatment center; evaluate the effectiveness of integrated program for the prevention of abuse relapse and improvement of drug addicts' psychological health.

METHODSThe study subjects were addicts from the Wuhan Compulsive Drug Abuse Treatment Center between October 2003 and June 2004, who satisfied the inclusion criteria. A non-randomized control-intervention study design was adopted. Volunteers willing to take part in intervention were put into the intervention group with their full awareness and willingness to prevent drug abuse relapse. The control group was composed of the addicts who were willing to prevent relapse and to be followed up after their discharge.

RESULTSThe effectiveness of the integrated intervention program in promoting addicts' psychological health: before the intervention, the scores of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the positive and negative dimensionalities of Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) and Chinese Perceived Stress Scales (CPSS) had no significant differences between the intervention group and the control group. After the intervention, except that the SCSQ's positive dimensionality in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group, other indices in the intervention group were lower. Before and after the intervention, the psychological health level in both the groups was lower than that in the normal population; there were significant differences between addicts and normal subjects in regards with all of the indices above.

CONCLUSIONDrug abuse was associated closely with addicts' social mental factors. The integrated intervention program can alleviate anxiety and stress, reduce co-morbid mental disorders and effectively improve their coping style. In conclusion, the program can promote addicts' psychological health significantly.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health ; Program Evaluation ; Stress, Psychological ; Substance-Related Disorders ; psychology ; therapy