Objective To determine whether peritoneal mesothelial cells express CD40 and to investigate potential mechanism by which CD40-CD40 ligand(CD40L) interaction may be involved in the inflammation of peritoneal membrane. Methods Rat peritoneal mesothelial cells (MC) were harvested from peritoneal cavity and maintained under defined in vitro conditions. Expression of CD40 on MC under normal culture or stimulation with interferon-?(IFN-?), tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?), interleukin(IL)-1 was examined by RT-PCR and FACS analysis. After activation with CD40 mAb, the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on MC was analyzed by FCAS. Results MC cultured in vitro expressed CD40 constitutively. The expression of CD40mRNA and CD40 protein up-regulated markedly following the stimulations with IFN-?, but not with IL-1, TNF-?. The expression of ICAM-1 on MC was significantly increased after activation of CD40 with IFN-? and CD40mAb. Conclusions MC functionally expresses CD40. The interaction of CD40 on MC and CD40L+ cells in peritoneal cavity may play an important role in peritoneal local defense and may be involved in the inflammation process of peritoneum.

To study the effect of cholesterol and 25-OH-cholesterol on cholesterol metabolism in HepG2 cells and the effect of coptisine (Cop) extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) in reducing and regulating cholesterol. In this study, TC, TG, LDL-c and HDL-c were measured by biochemical analysis; mRNA and protein expressions of LDLR, HMGCR and CYP7A1 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. According to the results, cholesterol and 25-OH-cholesterol inducing could decrease in mRNA and protein expressions of LDLR and CYP7A1, so as to increase TC and LDL-c contents. However, Cop could up-regulate mRNA and protein expressions of LDLR and CYP7A1 and down-regulate that of HMGCR, so as to reduce TC and LDL-c levels. These findings suggested that Cop has potential pharmacological activity for reducing cholesterol, and may reduce cholesterol by regulating mRNA and protein expressions of key genes involved in cholesterol metabolism, such as LDLR, CYP7A1 and HMGCR. This study laid a firm theoretical foundation for developing new natural drugs with the cholesterol-lowering activity.
Berberine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, LDL ; genetics ; metabolism ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

AIM: To investigate the effect of IL-4, CD40L on RANTES production in murine renal tubular epithelial cells (TEC). METHODS: TEC were obtained from mouse, expression of RANTES and CD40 on TEC were measured. RESULTS: (1) Activation of TEC with IL-4 resulted in significant increase in CD40 expression (P

The clinical characteristics of patients who presented in poor clinical grade due to ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms (MCAAs) associated with large sylvian hematomas (SylH) were analyzed and an ingenious designed prophylactic hinged craniectomy was introduced. Twenty-eight patients were graded into Hunt-Hess grades IV-V and emergency standard micro-neurosurgeries (aneurysm clipping, hematoma evacuation and prophylactic hinged craniectomy) were performed, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. 46.43% of the patients reached encouraged favorable outcomes on discharge. The favorable outcome group and the poor outcome group significantly differed in terms of patients' anisocoria, Hunt-Hess grade before surgery, extent of the midline shift and time to the surgery after bleeding (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in age, sex, volume and location of the hematoma, size of aneurysm between the favorable and poor groups (P>0.05). However, ingenious designed prophylactic hinged craniectomy efficiently reduced the patients' intracranial pressure (ICP) after surgery. It was suggested that preoperative conditions such as Hunt-Hess grading, extent of the midline shift and the occurrence of cerebral hernia affect the prognosis of patients, but time to the surgery after bleeding and prophylactic hinged craniectomy are of significant importance for optimizing the prognosis of MCAA patients presenting with large SylH.

Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) has been one of the most effective treatments for prostate cancer.This study is designed to identify the related predictive risk factors for complications in patients following RRP.Between 2000 and 2012 in Department of Urology,Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center,421 cases undergoing RRP for localized prostate cancer by one surgeon were included in this retrospective analysis.We reviewed various risk factors that were correlated with perioperative complications,including patient characteristics [age,body mass index (BMI),co-morbidities],clinical findings (preoperative PSA level,Gleason score,clinical stage,pathological grade),and surgeon's own clinical practice.Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was used to explain comorbidities.The total rate of perioperative complications was 23.2％ (98/421).There were 45/421 (10.7％),28/421 (6.6％),24/421 (5.7％) and 1/421 (0.2％) in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ respectively,and 323/421 (76.8％) cases had none of these complications.Statistical analysis of multiple potential risk factors revealed that BMI ＞30 (P=0.014),Charlson score ≥1 (P＜0.001) and surgical experience (P=0.0252) were predictors of perioperative complications.Age,PSA level,Gleason score,TNM stage,operation time,blood loss,and blood transfusion were not correlated with perioperative complications (P＞0.05).It was concluded that patients' own factors and surgeons' technical factors are related with an increased risk of development of perioperative complications following radical prostatectomy.Knowing these predictors can both favor risk stratification of patients undergoing RRP and help surgeons make treatment decisions.

Objective To explore the attitudes towards the Smoking Ban policy and the bias in different levels of related society sanctions so as to provide evidence for implementing anti-smoking measures in the public places.Methods A multi-univariate-multilevel logistic model was developed to find the relation between penalty attitudes and the covariates' effects.Results 74.6％ (3647/4892) and 61.2％ (2994/4892) of the residents agreed to punish either the managers of public places or to the smokers.The two kinds of attitude were associated (x2 =1253.45,P＜0.0001 ).Residents being female,aged between thirty and fifty-nine years old,having had higher than college education,being non-current smokers,with high scores on knowledge of tobacco control,tended to have the attitude of punishing the public place managers and smokers.However,those persons exposed to everyday secondhand smoke or being non-current smokers,tended to punish the smokers in the generalized Wald test.Conclusion There was strong evidence noticed that most of the residents in Guangzhou had supported the ‘tobacco control penalty'.Factors as age,sex,level of education received,knowledge on hazards of smoking,being current smokers and under secondhand smoke exposure were the influencing factors.Non-current smokers and those who exposed to secondhand smoke everyday,would prefer to take different penalties policies.

Objective To study local and systemic immune response in an animal model treated with recombinant hIFN-α-2b-BCG instillation. Methods The MB49 orthotopic bladder cancer model in C57BL/6 mice was established and treated separately with rBCG, wild BCG, wild BCG combined with IFN-α-2b and PBS as the control. The changes of lymphocyte subgroups in peripheral blood were analyzed with FCM, and mTNF-α and mIL-12 in peripheral blood of mice were detected with ELISA.Immunohistochemistry was carried out to detect the local immune reaction, T cell subsets and FAS, in bladder cancer after being treated with rBCG or wBCG. Results The content of CD4+ T lymphocyte was up-regulated in the rBCG group. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio of 2. 63 was up-regulated than pretreatment, significantly different than that of wBCG group(P＜0.05). ELISA assay showed that BCG significantly up-regulated the level of mTNF-α and mIL-12 in serum of orthotopie murine bladder cancer mice. The mTNF-α 806 pg/ml, mIL-12 860 pg/ml in rBCG group, was not significantly higher than those in wBCG group and combination group. The immunocompetent cell numbers with CD3, CD4,CD8 phenotype increased significantly in the tumor tissue of BCG treated group than the control(P＜0.05). The results of CD4+ in rBCG group and the combination group, and CD8+ in rBCG group were significantly higher than that of the wBCG(P＜0.05). The expression of Fas in tumor tissues treated with intravesical BCG was increased(P＜0. 05). Conclusions The recombinant IFN-α-2b-BCG can retrieve the disproportion of systemic lymphocyte subgroups, and increases Th1-type factors and local Fas expression in orthotopic murine bladder cancer. The recombinant IFN-α-2b-BCG is effective in regulating local and systemic immune reaction in orthotopic murine bladder cancer model.

Objective To analyze the CT findings of melamine induced urinary calculi.Methods Nineteen children with a history of ingestion of melamine contaminated infant formula milk were studied, including 12 males and 7 females, age ranged from 50 days to 5 years.Results CT demonstrated renal pelvic and ureteral stones in 13 cases, with urinary obstruction in 9 of them.The size of the stones ranged from 0.3 cm × 0.3 cm to stag-horn calculus.The density of the stones measured from a low of 40-70 HU up to a high of 410 HU with an average density of 160 HU.Conclusion CT scan is an excellent modality in demonstrating urinary tract calculi caused by melamine. It is the method of choice when ultrasound examinations are equivocal.

Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and Atractylodis Rhizoma were widely used in strengthening spleen under different disease conditions, and were easily and often misused each other. Therefore, DNA barcode was used to distinguish Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and Atractylodis Rhizoma from their adulterants to ensure the safe use. The sequence lengths of ITS2 of Atractylodes macrocephala, Atractylodis Rhizoma (A. lancea, A. japonica and A. coreana) were both 229 bp. Among the ITS2 sequences of A. macrocephala, only one G/C transversion was detected at site 98, and the average GC content was 69.42%. No variable site was detected in the ITS2 sequences of A. lancea. The maximum K2P intraspecific genetic distances of both A. japonica and A. coreana were 0.013. The maximum K2P intraspecific genetic distances of A. macrocephala, A. lancea, A. japonica and A. coreana were less than the minimum interspecific genetic distance of adulterants. The ITS2 sequences in each of these polytypic species were separated into pairs of divergent clusters in the NJ tree. DNA barcoding could be used as a fast and accurate identification method to distinguish Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Atractylodis Rhizoma, from their adulterants to ensure its safe use.
Atractylodes ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; classification ; genetics

In order to make sure whether Panax notoginseng is sensitive to chloridion and guide fertilization in planting of P. notoginseng, the effects of the different proportion of potassium chloride (KCl) and potassium sulfate (K2SO4) on the yield, quality of P. notoginseng were studied. The results showed that K fertilizer significantly improved the growth of P. notoginseng and increased the biomass per plant or per pot and the content of N, P, K and the content of saponin. In cases of conditions such as potassium, and the effects of K2SO4 on increasing the petiole length, leaf size, rhizome length, root length, and content and accumulation of Ginsenoside Rg1 were better than those of KCl. While compared with K2SO4, KCl was more conducive to augmenting height, root width, the biomass of shoot, rhizome, root and the content of Ginsenoside Rb1 and Rd. There was not remarkable difference in agronomic characters, biomass and the content of N, P, K among KCl, K2SO4 and the combination of KCl and K2SO4. However, the content of saponin of the treatment with combination of KCl and K2SO4 was significant higher than that of single KCl or K2SO4 treatments. K fertilizer significantly increased yield and the content of saponins. And P. notoginseng was not sensitive to chloridion. KCl increased the yield and the content of saponins of P. notoginseng as well as K2SO4, and the combination treatment was superior to single treatment. It is recommended that the KCl should be adopted in production, to reduce the cost of potash fertilizer.
Agriculture ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Potassium Chloride ; analysis ; metabolism ; Quality Control ; Soil ; chemistry ; Sulfates ; analysis ; metabolism