Objective: To analyze the relationship between thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor ( TAFI ) and coronary heart disease ( CHD ), and to provide evidence for the prevention of CHD. Methods: The patients with CHD in Fushun Central Hospital in Liaoning Province were selected as the case group, the patients without CHD in the same hospital and period were selected as the control group. The demographic information and clinical examination results ( serum TAFI, lipid, glucose, etc. ) were collected to analyze the association between TAFI and CHD by logistic regression models.The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between TAFI and CHD. Results: There were 222 cases, including 100 cases of stable angina, 44 cases of unstable angina and 78 cases of acute myocardial infarction, and 222 controls. The median ages of cases and controls were 62 and 57 years old. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum TAFI>22.88 μg/mL ( P75 of controls ) was associated with the risk of CHD ( OR=1.619, 95%CI: 1.011-2.593 ), unstable angina ( OR=2.917, 95%CI: 1.433-5.939 ) and acute myocardial infarction ( OR=2.626, 95%CI: 1.007-6.847 ). Conclusion The high level of TAFI is related to CHD, unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction.

Mugwort leaf is the traditional herb being used for moxibustion. Although its place of production and the course of making Mugwort floss have been described in detail, there is no unified standard about the quality and processing of Mugwort floss until now, which seriously affect on the popularity and application of moxibustion. In accordance with the real herb of Mugwort leaf and floss as well as its processing and quality judgment, this paper thoroughly analyze the related data including ancient documents, modern research results and clinical applications. The authors consider that the Mugwort floss in the market is lack of regulations for its processing, and it needs to be discussed the way to judge the quality of Mugwort leaf by volatile oil, suggesting that the further study on the quality control of Mugwort leaf and floss has to be carried out from multiple aspects, such as physical attributes and chemical characteristics.
Artemisia ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; standards ; Moxibustion ; standards ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVE Alcohol is mainly metabolized through liver and excreted by kidney in the body. Kidney damage has been considered as the secondary to liver injury and kidney dysfunction is common in hospitalized patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Both acute and chronic alcoholism accumulation can compromise kidney function, although alcoholic kidney disease has drawn much more attention recently,the methodology for establishing the in vivo and in vitro alcoholic renal fibrosis models are still lacking,and the underlying mechanisms are to be determined. METHODS and RESULTS Mice were feed with a liquid diet containing alcohol for 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks respectively, results of Masson′s Trichrome staining showed that kidney fibrosis peaked in 8-week model group, which consistent with the results of albumin assay,Western blot,immunostaining and real-time PCR of collagen I and α-SMA.In vitro study also confirmed that ethanol upregulated the level of fibrotic index-es,including collagen I and α-SMA,in tubular epithelial cells(HK2 cells).Additionally,both in vivo and in vitro studies showed that Smad7 was decreased and Smad3 was highly activated. Then we further detected the underlying mechanisms by which alcohol induced the imbalance of Smad7 and Smad3. Results of Genome-wide methylation sequencing found DNA methylation of Smad7 in the alcoholic fibrosis kidney,which may be mainly mediated by DNA methyltransferase 1(DNMT1),because knock-down of DNMT1,but not DNMT2 and 3,largely restored Smad7 level in ethanol-treated HK2 cells.Con-sequently, we found that NADPH Oxidases (nox)-mediated oxidative stress is the major force upregu-lating DNMT1,since knockdown of Nox2 and 4 could both decrease DNMT1 while rebalancing Smad7/Smad3 axis, and thereby relieved ethanol-induced fibrotic response in HK2 cells. More importantly, intraperitoneal injection of apocynin,an inhibitor of NADPH oxidoreductase,attenuated renal fibrosis in alcoholic kidney fibrosis mouse model. CONCLUSION By establishing the novel in vivo and in vitro models,we found that through activating oxidative stress-induced DNA methylation of Smad7,alcohol induces renal fibrosis by breaking the balance between Smad7 and Smad3.Elimination of Nox-mediated oxidative stress may be a potential therapy for treatment of long-term alcohol abuse-induced kidney fibrosis.

OBJECTIVETo analyze and study types, infections routes and causes of global pathogenic microorganisms laboratory-acquired infections cases reported in the literatures from 2000 to 2009 and to discuss prevention and control strategies.

METHODS(1) Pathological observation of hepatic specimens: hepatic tissue pathogenic microorganisms laboratory-acquired infections. Methods PubMed, Embase, Biosis and Webs of Science covering SCIE, SSCI, CPCI-S and CPCI-SSH are chosen as data sources, "laboratory-acquired (associated) infections" are searched as the key words to search laboratory-acquired infections literature published from 2000 to 2009, from which information and data are accessed to be collected, analyzed and researched.

RESULTSThere are 19 species of pathogenic microorganisms causing laboratory-acquired infections in the last 10 years, including 15 species of bacteria, accounting for 78.9%; 4 species of virus, accounting for 21.1%. There are 83 cases reported, of which there are 60 bacterial cases, accounting for 72.3%; and 23 virus cases, accounting for 27.7%. Ingestion and inhalation are main routes of infections, respectively accounting for 32.5% and 31.3%, which are mainly due to accidents, accounting for 47.0%.

CONCLUSIONIn recent years, pathogenic microbiology laboratory-acquired infections continue to occur, and it is mainly due to accidental infections, which expose laboratory workers' low sense of safety and deficient operation methods. Laboratory staff should strengthen their senses of safety and comply with safe operation procedures, which are still the key to prevent laboratory-acquired infections.

Bacterial Infections ; microbiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Laboratory Infection ; microbiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Virus Diseases ; prevention & control ; virology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of IPS-B2 on mouse peritoneal macrophages and the transcription of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and iNOS.

METHODELISA method and Griess method were used to detect the effect of mouse peritoneal macrophages produce cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and cytotoxic effectors NO. The transcription of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and iNOS was detected by real-time RT-PCR method.

RESULTIPS-B2 could not promote mouse peritoneal macrophage production, but it could significantly improve the IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha content in mouse peritoneal macrophages culture supernatant, and increase the gene expression of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and iNOS.

CONCLUSIONIPS-B2 can enhance the ability of peritoneal macrophages to excrete bioactive substances and promote the transcription of bioactive substances to antitumor.

Agaricales ; chemistry ; Animals ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Interleukin-1beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; Transcription, Genetic ; drug effects ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of small fenestra stapedotomy with semiconductor diode laser and microdrill in patients with otosclerosis.

METHODSTwenty-six patients (29 ears) undergoing stapedotomy with semiconductor diode laser and 19 patients (21 ears) with microdrill were compared for the hearing results and complication rates.

RESULTSNo statistically significant differences were found in postoperative speech frequency and high frequency pure tone average in closing the air-bone gap between the two groups. The ears treated by stapedotomy with semiconductor diode laser showed significantly better preoperative minus the postoperative air-bone gap and milder dizziness.

CONCLUSIONIn spite of the good hearing outcomes in both groups, small fenestra stapedotomy with semiconductor diodelaser can achieve better results and reduce the incidence of complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fenestration, Labyrinth ; methods ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otosclerosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Stapes Surgery ; instrumentation ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the absorption and transport mechanism of magnolol in Caco-2 cell model.

METHODSA human intestinal epithelial cell model Caco-2 cell in vitro cultured was applied to study the absorption and transport of magnolol, the effects of time, donor concentration, P-gp inhibitor verapamil, pH and temperature on the absorption and transport of magnolol were investigated. The determination of magnolol was performed by high performance liquid chromatography, then the values of apparent permeability coefficient (P app ) and P ratio Basolateral-to-Apical (BL-to-AP)/Apical-to-Basolateral (AP-to-BL) were calculated.

RESULTSIn Caco-2 cell model, comparing the amounts of transport of AP-to-BL and BL-to-AP, the latter was larger. At the same donor concentration, either the amounts of transport of AP-to-BL or BL-to-AP increased with increase in donor concentration and incubation time. Verapamil could significantly improve the amounts of transport of AP-to-BL. The transport of AP-to-BL and BL-to-AP depended on temperature, and there was no significant effect of pH on the transport of AP-to-BL.

CONCLUSIONMagnolol could be transported through the intestinal mucosa via a passive diffusion mechanism primarily, coexisting with a carrier-mediated transport, at the same time, the efflux mechanism could be involved.

Biological Transport ; drug effects ; Biphenyl Compounds ; metabolism ; Caco-2 Cells ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; drug effects ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Lignans ; metabolism ; Models, Biological ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

Flavonol synthase (FLS) is one of the key enzymes in flavonoids metabolic pathways. In this study, middle sequence was obtained from Carthamus tinctorius transcriptome sequencing results. Full-length cDNAs of FLS was cloned from petals of C. tinctorius to FLS by using RT-PCR and RACE technology. Its full-length cDNA was 1,201 bp, with an open reading frame of 1,101 bp and 336 encoded amino acids. The phylogenetic analysis showed that, FLS gene encoded amino acids in C. tinctorius were highly homologous with amino acids in congeneric Compositae species, especially Rudbeckia laciniata. The pBASTA-FLS plant expression vector was successfully built by the molecular biology method, which lays a foundation for further studying biology functions of the gene and biosynthesis mechanism of flavonoids.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Carthamus tinctorius ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo investigate mechanism for the increasing level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in tumour patients during radiotherapy and the inhibitory action of the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) to the expression of VEGF protein by radiotherapy in the prostate cancer cell line (PC3M).

METHODSTo observe the changes of serum VEGF in the prostate cancer patients during radiotherapy dynamically and the inhibitory action of the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to the expression of VEGF by radiotherapy in PC3M.

RESULTSThe changes of serum VEGF in three patients receiving radiotherapy had been observed continuously. The levels of serum VEGF began to increase when the patients received radiotherapy and rised up to peak value after fifteen days, then declined to the range of pre-radiotherapy. Irradiating the PC3M cells with X-rays significantly increased the VEGF expression and secretion. The expression of VEGF protein in the group treated by VEGF AS-ODNs and X-ray irradiation decreased significantly than the group treated only by X-ray irradiation.

CONCLUSIONSThe induction of VEGF protein expression by X-ray irradiation in tumor cells may result in the increasing of the VEGF in the prostate cancer patients during radiotherapy and the induction can be blocked by VEGF AS-ODNs.

DNA, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; antagonists & inhibitors ; blood ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; blood ; genetics ; Lymphokines ; antagonists & inhibitors ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Radiotherapy ; adverse effects ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

AIM To investigate the effect of β-cyclodextrin-assisted extraction on Cassiae Semen.METHODS The chemical constituents in aqueous extract and β-cyclodextrin extract determined and analyzed by UPLC and principal component analysis had their antioxidant activities tested by six methods (protective effects on lipid peroxidation injuries induced by spontaneous liver,CCl4,H2 O2,FeSO4-vitamin C,and scavenging effects on DPPH,hydroxyl free radicals).RESULTS Compared with aqueous extract,the component content and antioxidant activity of β-cyclodextrin extract were increased by 10.476％ and 80.88％,respectively.CONCLUSION β-Cyclodextrin can effectively enhance the component extraction rate and antioxidant activity of Cassiae Semen.