OBJECTIVETo observe effects of mild moxibustion and lovastatin on immunologic function in rabbits with chronic hyperlipidaemia and atherosclerosis (AS) to initially explain regulating rules of mild moxibustion on immunologic function.

METHODSAmong thirty-two Japanese male big-ear rabbits, 8 rabbits were randomly selec ted as a blank group, the rest 24 rabbits were fed with method of endothelial injury and high-fat diet to establish AS model. The blank group was raised with normal diet and free water. After ten weeks of model establishment, the rest 24 rabbits were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion group and a medicine group, eight rabbits in each one. Moxibustion was applied at "Shenque" (CV 8) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 10 min per acupoint per day in the moxibustion group, while intragastric administration of 3.6 mg/kg lovastatin capsule was applied in the medicine group. After treatment, serum was acquired. Spectrophotometry method was adapted to measure cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and evaluated atherosclerosis index (AI), while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used to measure interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4).

RESULTS(1) The serum TC and HDL-C in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group, moxibustion group and medicine group (all P < 0.01). The mean value of AI was 1.683 +/- 0.486 in the moxibustion group, which was obviously lower than 20.301 +/- 4.022 in the model group (P < 0.01). (2) The ratio of Th1/Th2 was 0.569 +/- 0.143 in the moxibustion group and 0.445 +/- 0.079 in the medicine group, which were significantly lower than 0.917 +/- 0.255 in the model group (both P < 0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference between the moxibustion group and the medicine group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe moxibustion for AS could reduce atherosclerosis index, influence drift and bias of helper T cell and regulate balance between humoral immunity and cellular immunity. As a result, status of relative balance of immunity is acquired, which could slow down the development of atherosclerosis and process of thrombus burst.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; immunology ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; immunology ; therapy ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Interleukin-4 ; immunology ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Rabbits ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

Objective: In acute pancreatitis, traditional treatment insists fasting on purpose to avoid activation of proteolytic enzymes and pancreatic enzyme secretion. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of early oral feeding as compared to traditional fasting in patients with mild acute pancreatitis.Methods: Seventy-two patients were randomized to the two treatment groups, fasting or early oral feeding. The inclusion criteria were pancreas amylase≥3times above normal, onset of abdominal pain within 48h, acute physiological and chronic health evaluation-II score<8 and C-reactive protein(CRP)<150 mg/L. Measures were amylase, systemic inflammatory response, length of hospital stay. Results: The groups were comparable with respect to age, sex, etiology, APACHE II, time from onset of pain and amylase at admission. No significant differences were seen between the groups concerning levels of amylase, CRP, leukocytes, abdominal pain or number of gastrointestinal symptoms. The length of hospital stay time was significantly shorter in the oral feeding group (13 vs. 17 days; P<0.05).Conclusion: Early oral feeding would not exacerbate disease process. The differences between treatment groups for amylase or systemic inflammatory response were not obvious. In mild acute pancreatitis, early oral feeding was feasible and safe and may accelerate recovery.

Objective To assess the association between Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) development in Guangxi Zhuang and Han populations,as well as the difference in TLR9 SNPs between the two populations.Methods Totally,41 SLE patients of Zhuang nationality and 56 of Han nationality,as well as 82 healthy checkup examinees of Zhuang nationality and 120 of Han nationality were enrolled in this study.Venous blood samples were obtained from all of these subjects and subjected to DNA extraction.The single nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR9 gene were detected by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis followed by direct sequencing.Chi-square test and adjusted Chi-square test were conducted to assess the relationship between the genotype and allele frequencies of TLR9 SNPs and some clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with SLE,as well as the differences in genotype and allele frequencies of TLR9 SNPs between the two populations.Results The frequencies of CC,CT and TT genotypes of TLR9 SNP rs352140 were 42.9％,41.1％ and 16.1％ respectively in the patients of Han nationality,compared to 38.3％,55.8％ and 5.8％ in the healthy controls of Han nationality (all P ＜ 0.05),but no significant difference was observed in the frequency of C or T allele of the SNP rs352140 between the patients and controls of Han nationality (both P ＞ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the genotype or allele frequency of TLR9 SNP rs352140 between the patients and healthy controls of Zhuang nationality,or between the patients of Han nationality and Zhuang nationality (all P ＞ 0.05).The patients with anti-dsDNA antibodies showed a significantly higher frequency of TT genotype (P ＜ 0.05),but similar T allele frequency at TLR9 SNP rs352140 (P ＞ 0.05) compared with those without.The frequencies of both TT genotype and T allele of TLR9 SNP rs352140 were significantly increased in the patients with a SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) ≥ 9 compared with those with a SLEDAI ＜ 9 (both P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistical difference in either the TT genotype or the T allele frequency at TLR9 SNP rs352140 between antinuclear antibody-positive and-negative patients with SLE (both P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The TLR9 SNP rs352140 is correlated with several clinical and laboratory parameters of SLE,and might contribute to the susceptibility to SLE in Guangxi Han population.

OBJECTIVETo explore effects and action mechanism of warm moxibustion on regulation of blood lipids and anti-atherosclerosis.

METHODSForty-one male Japanese big-ear white rabbits were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rabbits), a model group (10 rabbits), a moxibustion group (10 rabbits) and a medication group (11 rabbits). Normal diet was applied in the blank group while high-cholesterol diet combined with injection of bovine serum albumin were applied in the rest groups to establish rabbit model of atherosclerosis. After establishment, the model group was not intervened and warm moxibustion was applied in the moxibustion group at "Zusan-li" (ST 36) and "Shenque" (CV 8), 10 min per acupoint per day for continuous 4 weeks. The medication group was treated with intragastric administration of lovastatin capsule (3.6 mg/kg) for continuous 4 weeks. The level of blood lipids, such as total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and content of CD40 ligand (CD40L), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and expression of nuclear factor NF-kappaB were tested after 4 weeks.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the moxibustion group and medication group could effectively reduce the contents of TC and low density lipoprotein (all P < 0.05), lower the level of sCD40L [(8.310 +/- 1.221) ng/mL in the model group, (7.097 +/- 0.846) ng/mL in the moxibustion group and (7.354 +/- 0.631) ng/mL in the medication group], reduce expression of CD40L [(0.235 +/- 0.179) mm2 in the model group, (0.072 +/- 0.079) mm2 in the moxibustion group and (0.039 +/- 0.015) mm2 in the medication group] and NF-kappaB [(0.145 +/- 0.052)mm2 in the model group, (0.052 +/- 0.012) mm2 in the moxibustion group and (0.036 +/- 0.013) mm2 in the medication group], indicating the significant difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the moxibustion group and medication group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe warm moxibustion has great effect on regulation of blood lipids and anti-atherosclerosis, in which lowering expression of CD40-CD40L could be one of possible mechanisms to take effect of anti-atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; therapy ; CD40 Antigens ; blood ; CD40 Ligand ; blood ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Moxibustion ; methods ; Rabbits

The effects of application of in-process quality control in Guizhi Fuling capsule production were evaluated by 192 batches data analysis. Using a statistical analysis method, each batch of data were to be counted to research for the difference between 96 samples adopting the technologies of in-process control or not. According to quality standards of Guizhi Fuling capsule, all measurements of the 192 batches of the drugs before and after the application of process control technology were analyzed, and they were within the rules. There was a significant difference between adopting the technologies of process control or not. Application of in-process control technology can improve the uniformity of lot-to-lot for Guizhi Fuling capsule.
Capsules ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Quality Control

This study attempts to discuss the correlation between UGT1A1*28 as uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase gene promoter and coding region Gly71Arg gene polymorphism with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of neonates in Wuhan.A total of 168 neonates were divided into the hyperbilirubinemia group (case group,n=108) and healthy neonates group (control group,n=60).Their DNA was obtained through blood extraction.The gene exon mutation of UGT1A1 was detected by Sanger sequencing,which revealed the relationship between UGT 1A 1*28 and Gly71Arg polymorphism with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of neonates.The results showed that:(1) The frequency of UGT1Al*28 allele mutation in the case group and the control group was 9.3％ and 10％ respectively,with the difference being not significant between the two groups (P＞0.05).(2) The frequency of Gly71Arg allele mutation in the case group and the control group was 35.1％ and 21.7％ respectively,with the difference being significant between the two groups (P＜0.01).(3) The serum bilirubin level of Gly71Arg mutant homozygous and heterozygous subgroups (n=66) in the case group was 302.7±31.4 μmol/L,which was significantly higher than 267.3±28.5 μmol/L of the wild subgroup (n=42) (P＜0.01).It was suggested that the occurrence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of neonates in Wuhan was not associated with UGT 1A1*28 gene polymorphism,but closely with the Gly71Arg gene polymorphism.Meanwhile,the Arg allele mutation was related to the degree of jaundice.

Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Culture Media ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Respiratory System ; cytology ; Swine

Objective To investigate the expression change of LRP16 in endometrial cancer tissues and its influence on the pro-liferation of human endometrial carcinoma HEC-1-B cells .Methods HEC-1-B cells were transfected with LRP16 .RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of LRP16 in 26 normal endometrium specimens ,10 endometrial cancer specimens .RT-PCR was used for verifying the transfection success .WES-T was used to observe the proliferation change of HEC-1-B cells .Results The positive expression rate and level of LRP16 mRNA in the endometrial cancer tissues were 83 .33% and 0 .82 ± 0 .21 ,which were significantly higher than 30 .00% ,0 .47 ± 0 .18 in the normal endometrium tissues(P<0 .05) .The RT-PCR detection results revealed that the expression of LRP16 mRNA after transfection was significantly increased .HEC-1-B cells in the transfection group could continued to proliferate in vitro ,but the proliferation capacity was not increased .Conclusion The expression abnormality of LRP16 may be closely related to the occurrence and progress of endometrial cancer ,LRP16 gene may have potential value for the endometrial canc-er gene therapy .

Objective To explore therapeutic effects and mechanisms of radical scavenger edaravone on experimental cerebral hemorrhage.Methods Two hundred-forty male SD rats were divided randomly into four groups:control group,cerebral hemorrhage group,edaravone treatment group before operation (A) and edaravone treatment group after operation (B).Experimental cerebral hemorrhage model was made according to the method reported by Rosenberg.Water quantity contained in brain and nervous missing sign were observed,meanwhile the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain tissue were measured.Results Compared with cerebral hemorrhage group,nervous missing sign and water quantity contained in brain obviously changed in edaravone treatment group (P

3T3-LI preadipocytes were induced to differentiate and 3T3-L1 adipocyte or preadipocytes were incubated with oleate or palmitate overnight.RT-PCR was used to measure adiponectin receptor(AdipoR)1 and AdipoR2 mRNA levels.The results showed that the AdipoRl and AdipoR2 expressions were differentiation- dependent.Oleate only suppressed AdipoR mRNA expression in preadipocyte but not in adipocyte.However,high concentration of palmitate reduced AdipoR mRNA expression in both 3T3-LI preadipocyte and adipocyte.