Objective This present study explores and evaluates the effect of preliminary implementation in the clinical therapy programs for patients with chronic Keshan disease (CKD) in the disease seriously-affected endemic areas.Methods In 2010,seventy-six CKD patients with heart failure were chosen from Huangling and Xunyi Counties in Shaanxi Province,where incidences of CKD were high.Besides taking sodium selenite,all patients were given treatment with fixed prescription,which included angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril),β-blocker (propranolol),diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide,spironolactone) and cardiac (digoxin) for 4 months.The changes before and after treatment were analyzed,which included the changes of heart function by the United States of America New York Heart Association(NYHA) fractionation,cardiothoracic ratio,electrocardiogram,left ventricular ejection fraction(EF) and fractional shortening(FS).The therapeutic effect was subsequently evaluated.Results Seventy-four cases of the seventy-six CKD patients completed the treatment observation.The improvement rate of heart function was 81.1％ (60/74) after treatment.The elimination rates of ectopic rhythm,conduction block and ST-T changes were 37.5％ (9/24),2.7％ (1/36) and 26.9％ (7/26),respectively.The cardiothoracic ratios of heart function NYHA Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ were 0.504 ± 0.051,0.572 ± 0.054 and 0.632 ± 0.063 before treatment.After treatment,the cardiothoracic ratios were 0.486 ± 0.048,0.538 ± 0.046 and 0.607 ± 0.048,which were reduced in all groups (t =2.643,6.641,3.005,all P ＜ 0.05),while the D-value of cardiothoracic ratio changes before and after treatment was not significantly different(F =3.005,P ＞ 0.05).Both the mild reduction group(35％≤EF ＜ 50％) and the moderate-severe group(EF ＜ 35％) EF were (43.62 ± 4.58)％,(27.57 ± 3.69)％ before treatment and were (48.21 ± 10.01)％,(36.57 ± 6.60)％ after treatment,EF were increased in the two groups,while the changes before and after treatment were significantly different(t =-2.911,-3.334,all P＜ 0.05).The EF D-value of the two groups was (4.59 ± 8.48)％ before treatment and was (9.00 ± 7.14)％ after treatment,which were not significantly different(P ＞ 0.05).FS was higher compared with pre-treatment in FS reduction group(FS ＜ 25％) and the changes before and after treatment[(19.75 ± 2.88)％,(21.92 ± 5.67)％] were significantly different(t =-2.297,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions This study shows that the feasibility of clinical treatment of patients with CKD is very promising.The treatment of fixed prescription is effective.

This paper mainly discussed a bacterial stain with high flocculating activity isolated from cantaloupe juice .The strain was named Bacillus sp.B_(53) based on colony morphology, physiological and biochemistry experiments. The new flocculant was purified and shown to be a homopolymer of glutamic acid by HLPC analysis and thin layer chromatography, and presumed to be Poly ?-glutamic acid(?-PGA). ?-PGA 12.48g/L was achieved in shake flask. The purified material showed a absorption peak at 212nm, and was only composed of L-Glu. The MW could be detected through SDS-PAGE, and its MW was about a molecular mass between 440kD with 669kD. This bioflocculant efficiently flocculated various organic and inorganic suspensions. It's flocculanting effect on kaolin and ([BF]Ca(OH)_2[BFQ]) was superior to others.

Objective To explore effects of three different health education ways to improving perimenopausal women syndrome in community. Methods A total of 90 women were divided into three groups received different health education style respectively: community health education manual ( HEM) , health education manual + lectures ( HEML) , health education manual + lectures + exercise instruction ( HEMLE), athletic time and Kupperman index change were evaluated. Results The athletic time increased more in HEML group than that in other two groups; Kupperman index change decreased more markedly in HEML and HEMLE groups than that in HEM. Conclusions The methods of HEML and HEMLE are better to improve perimenopausal syndrome than HEM.

Animals ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Inflammation ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Particulate Matter ; adverse effects ; Rats

This study is to investigate the effect of total flavonoids of Uygur medicine bugloss (BTF) on rats with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, and to explore the mechanisms by which it acts. Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in rats was occluded for 30 min followed by 4 h reperfusion. Meanwhile, BTF dissolved in saline was administered intraperitoneally at dosage of 10, 30 and 50 mg x kg(-1). Electrocardiograph, infarction index, serum myocardial enzymes and heart function were determined to evaluate the effect of BTF. Some other observations were carried out to explore whether inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis is involved in the mechanisms underlying BTF. Our results showed that in ischemia/reperfusion injured rats BTF could dose-dependently reduce myocardial infarction index and myocardial enzyme leakage, and enhance heart function, indicating that it possesses significant cardio protection. ELISA analysis showed that BTF could decrease the content of myocardial inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Western-blotting confirmed that BTF could increase the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and reduce the expression of proapoptosis protein Bax. Further more, the phosphorylation level of PI3K and Akt was upregulated by BTF treatment. BTF can protect rat against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Anti-inflammation and inhibition of apoptosis through upregulating PI3K/Akt signal pathway may contribute to the protective effect of BTF.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; Boraginaceae ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Heart ; Interleukin-6 ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Myocardium ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Phosphorylation ; Protective Agents ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AHR) mR-NA and tryptophan dioxygenase (TDO) mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells of patients with acute leukemia.Methods Sixty-five patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia in Henan Provincial People's Hospital from August 2013 to August 2014 were selected as observation group,and there were 50 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia(AML) and 15 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia(ALL).Fifteen patients with anemia were selected as control group in the same period(excluding the malignant disease of blood system).The expression of AHR mRNA and TDO mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells of patients in the groups was detected by real time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.The correlation between AHR mRNA and TDO mRNA was analyzed.Results The expression of TDO mRNA and AHR mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells of AML and ALL patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P ＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the expression of TDO mRNA and AHR mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells between AML and ALL patients (P ＜ 0.05).There was significantly positive correlation between the expression of TDO mRNA and AHR mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells of AML and ALL patients(r =0.801,0.922;P ＜ 0.05).The levels of white blood cell,hemoglobin,platelet and lactate dehydrogenase were not related to the expression of TDO mRNA and AHR mRNA in AML and ALL patients(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The expression of TDO and AHR in bone marrow mononuclear cells of acute leukemia patients is high,and the TDO-KYN-AHR pathway promotes the development of acute leukemia.

OBJECTIVE: To study the change of DNA degradation in nucleolus of mice organs and its relationship with the postmortem interval, and to investigate a new accurate method to estimate the postmortem interval. METHODS: Eight parameters of cell nuclei were chosen, including the head DNA level, the tail DNA level, the head radius, the tail length, the tail moment, the Olive moment, the head area and the tail area. The changes of DNA degradation were analyzed in skeletal muscle, myocardium, liver, kidney and brain in mice at different intervals (0-72 h postmortem) by using single-cell gel electrophoresis and fluorescent microscope connected with auto-analysis-image system. RESULTS: The tail DNA level, the tail length, the tail moment, the Olive moment and the tail area showed an increasing tendency. The head DNA level, the head radius and the head area showed a decreasing tendency within 72h postmortem in mice. A quadratic regression equation (P < 0.001) and multiple regression equation of DNA degradation tendency were established (P < 0.000 1). CONCLUSION The regression equations established can be used as a new method for estimating postmortem interval in forensic practice.
Animals ; Cell Nucleus/metabolism* ; Comet Assay/methods* ; DNA/metabolism* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Male ; Mice ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Postmortem Changes ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of incorporating three different zinc oxide (ZnO) on the antibacterial activity of composite resin.

METHODSThe minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of nano-ZnO, tetrapod-like zinc oxide whiskers (T-ZnOw), micro-ZnO against Streptococcus mutans were examined by the broth dilution test. Then the three different ZnO were added to the powder of one kind of bicomponent self-cured composite resin at 5% respectively, and the antibacterial activities of the resin specimens were evaluated using the membrane covering method before and after 3-month accelerating aging.

RESULTSThe MIC values of the three different ZnO against Streptococcus mutans were 78.13, 312.50 and 1 250.00 microg/mL respectively and the MBC values were 156.25, 625.00, 1,250.00 microg/mL respectively. The antibacterial ratios of the resin specimens incorporating with 5% of the three different ZnO were (93.58+/-5.95)%, (89.42+/-4.11)% and (78.97+/-3.90)% respectively, while after 3-month accelerating aging those were (89.01+/-7.91)%, (84.63+/-4.72)% and (72.27+/-3.89)%.

CONCLUSIONThe three different ZnO could improve the antibacterial activity of the composite resin. The nano-ZnO exhibit the strongest antibacterial activity, while the micro-ZnO weakest. The T-ZnOw presents comparatively strong antibacterial activity although with smaller specific surface area.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Composite Resins ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Streptococcus mutans ; Zinc Oxide

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of caspase-3 siRNA on the neurobehavior of mice exposed to aluminum.

METHODSMale KunMing mice (3 months old) were randomly divided into 4 groups by weight:blank control group (4 microl normal saline), Al group (4 microl 0.5% AlCl3), Al plus empty vector group(3 microl 0.5% AlCl3 plus control siRNA expression vector)and Al plus RNAi group (3 microl 0.5% AlCl3 plus targeted siRNA expression vector). All groups were treated by lateral cerebral ventricle micro-injection for 5 days. The neurobehavior was tested by the Morris water maze test, Open-field and Step-down tests for all treated mice. Pathological changes in hippocampus was observed by electron microscopy, the caspase-3 gene expression levels were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe results of Step-down test indicated that as compared with control group, the latent time [LT, (44.67 +/- 10.60) s] in A1 group decreased significantly, the error number (3.63 +/- 0.52) in Al group increased significantly and the LT [(68.00 +/- 14.70) s] in Al plus empty vector group decreased significantly (P<0.05). the LT [(239.50 +/- 19.36) s] in Al plus RNAi group increased significantly and the error number in Al plus RNAi group decreased significantly, as compared with Al group (P<0.05). The results of Morris water maze test showed that as compared with control group, the LT in Al group increased significantly, and residence time in the former platform quadrant decreased significantly and the LT in Al plus empty vector group increased significantly (P<0.05). The LT in Al plus RNAi group was significantly longer than that in Al group (P<0.05). The results of open-field test demonstrated that as compared with control group, the time in the central grid in Al group and Al plus empty vector group increased significantly, the rearing number and the modification number in Al group and Al plus empty vector group decreased significantly (P< 0.05). As compared with Al group, the time in the central grid in Al plus RNAi group decreased, the inter-cell number, the rearing number and the modification number increased significantly (P<0.05). The results of electron microscopic examination exhibited that a slight change of hippocampal cells appeared in control group, the obvious pathological changes of hippocampal cells appeared in Al group and Al plus empty vector group, but the pathological changes of hippocampal cells in Al plus RNAi group significantly reduced as compared with Al group. The results of thionin staining indicated that the layers of neural cells of hippocampal CA3 were more clear and there was not obvious denatured injury of neural cells of hippocampal CA3 in control group. The number and Nissl body color of neural cells of hippocampal CA3 in Al group and Al plus empty vector group decreased significantly. After RNA interference, the number and Nissl body color of neural cells of hippocampal CA3 increased obviously. The expression levels of caspase-3 gene in Al group and Al plus empty vector group were 2.24 +/- 0.57 and 2.28 +/- 0.33, respectively, which were significantly higher than that (1.00 +/- 0.00) in control group (P<0.05). The expression level of caspase-3 gene in Al plus RNAi group was 0.44 +/- 0.08, which was significantly lower than those in Al group and control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAluminum can decrease the learning and memorizing ability, and inhibited the activity or exploration function of mice. It is suggested that Caspase-3 siRNA may reduce the neurotoxicity induced by aluminum to a certain extent.

Aluminum ; toxicity ; Animals ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; Male ; Maze Learning ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Neurons ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of prenatal exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on the physical development, early behavioral development, the adaptability to new environment and the learning and memory ability of rat offspring.

METHODSPregnant rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, olive oil group, 3 exposure groups (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg B [a]P). The rats were exposed to B [a]P) by intraperitoneal injection on the 17th-19th days during gestation. The offspring were weighed on postnatal days (PND)1, PND 4, PND 7 and PND 28, the indices of physical development, reflective ability and sensory function were detected for offspring, the Morris water maze and Open-field tests were used to measure the ability of learning and memory and the adaptability to new environment of offspring.

RESULTSThe time of ear opening in middle and high-dose groups [(4.1 +/- 0.4),(5.0 +/-0.4) d] was posterior to that in untreated and solvent groups [(3.3 +/- 0.5), (3.4 +/- 0.6) d ](P < 0.01). The attainment rate (6.5%) of the surface righting reflex test in high-dose group on the 4th day was significantly lower than that (36.1%) in untreated group, the attainment rate (50.0%) in high-dose group on PND7 was significantly lower than those (81.3% and 79.3%) in untreated group and solvent group (P < 0.05). Compared to the untreated group, the time of forelimb hanging test in all exposure groups on PND12 and PND14 significantly decreased; compared to the solvent group the time of forelimb hanging test decreased in high-dose group on the 14th day significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The attainment rate (61.9%) of olfactory discrimination in high-dose group on PND12 was significantly lower than that (94.3%) in untreated group (P < 0.05). The results of Morris water maze test showed that the escape latency of different dose groups significantly increased, and the time of spatial probe and the times of traversing flat in high-dose group decreased significantly, as compared to the untreated and solvent groups (P < 0.01). The results of open-field test indicated that the center retention time in middle and high-dose groups significantly prolonged, the times of crossing lattice obviously reduced, and the rearing times decreased in high-dose group, as compared to untreated (P < 0.05).Compared to the solvent group, the times of crossing lattice in all exposure groups reduced significantly (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prenatal exposure to B[a]P could inhibit the physical development and early behavioral development, and influence the adaptability to new environment and learning and memory ability for offspring.

Animals ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; toxicity ; Female ; Learning ; drug effects ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; drug effects ; Motor Activity ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; physiopathology ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley