OBJECTIVETo study the expression of Galectin-9 and Tim-3 in lungs of mice with asthma and the effect of rosiglitazone (PPAR-γ agonist) on their expression.

METHODSFortyfive BALB/c SPF female mice were randomized into control group and asthma groups with and without rosiglitazone intervention. After ovalbumin stimulation and rosiglitazone intervention the pathological changes of the lung tissues were observed. Galectin-9 and Tim-3 mRNA levels in lung tissues were determined using RT-PCR. The levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ in peripheral blood were measured using ELISA.

RESULTSThe expression of Galectin-9 and Tim-3 mRNA of lung tissues in the untreated asthma group increased significantly compared with the control and the rosiglitazone treated groups (P<0.05). A significantly increased blood expression of IL-4 and a significantly decreased blood expression of IFN-γ were found in the untreated asthma group compared with the control and the rosiglitazone-treated groups (P<0.05). The expression of Galectin-9 and Tim-3 mRNA was positively correlated with blood IL-4 level (r=0.792, r=0.794 respectively; P<0.05), but negatively correlated with blood IFN-γ level (r=-0.692, r=-0.757 respectively; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGalectin-9 and Tim-3 mRNA levels in lungs increase in mice with asthma and significantly correlate with the levels of blood Th1/Th2 cytokines. This suggests that Galectin-9 and Tim-3 are closely related to inflammatory process in asthma. Rosiglitazone treatment may decrease the expression of Galectin-9 and Tim-3.

Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Female ; Galectins ; genetics ; Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2 ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; PPAR gamma ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptors, Virus ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology ; Thiazolidinediones ; therapeutic use

Objective To observe the morphologic changes of peripheral blood lupus cell in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and investigate its relationship with disease activity in systemic lupus ery- thematosus.Methods Modified classical blood clotting method to observe the morphological changes of pe- ripheral blood lupus cells in 80 cases with systemic lupus erythematosus.Fifty cases were in active stage,and 30 cases were in stable stage.Comparison of serum autoantibody,complement and SLEDAI were also carried out.Results There was significant association between lupus cells in special morphous and autoantibody, such as anti-double-stranded DNA antibody,anti-nucleosome antibodies,complement C3、C4 and SLEDAI(r= 0.588,P=0.056:r=0.759,P=0.135;r=-0.648,P=0.058;r=-0.589,P=0.057,r=0.686,P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of FIZZ1 and NOTCH1 in the pathogenesis of asthma and the effect of rosiglitazone on airway remodeling.

METHODSForty-five healthy 6 to 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group and asthma groups with and without rosiglitazone treatment. The paraffin slices of lung tissues were made to assess the histological changes. a-SMA protein, a specific marker of airway remodeling, in lung tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry. FIZZl-mRNA and NOTCH1-mRNA expression in lung tissues was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe characteristic changes of airway remodeling were observed in the untreated asthma group. The histological changes in the airway were less severe in the rosiglitazone treated asthma group. Positive a-SMA staining, FIZZl-mRNA and NOTCH1-mRNA were highly expressed in peribronchial lung sections isolated from the untreated asthma group. Rosiglitazone treatment decreased significantly the expression of a-SMA protein, FIZZl-mRNA and NOTCH1-mRNA compared with the untreated asthma group, but the expression of a-SMA protein, FIZZl-mRNA and NOTCH1-mRNA in the rosiglitazone treated asthma group remained higher than the control group. a-SMA expression was positively correlated with FIZZl-mRNA (r=0.826, P<0.01) and NOTCH1-mRNA expression (r=0.9, P<0.01). FIZZl-mRNA expression was positively correlated with NOTCH1-mRNA expression (r=0.76, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSFIZZl and NOTCH1 may induce an increase in a-SMA expression. FIZZl and NOTCH1 play a critical role in the process of airway remodeling. Rosiglitazone treatment may inhibit airway remodeling in asthmatic rats.

Actins ; Airway Remodeling ; Animals ; Asthma ; etiology ; pathology ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; genetics ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Notch1 ; genetics ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo discuss the present status and progress of clinical research on the cognitive effects caused by different types of brain tumors and common treatments.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were mainly from PubMed articles published in English from 1990 to Febuary 2012. Research terms were "cognitive deficits" or "cognitive dysfunction".

STUDY SELECTIONArticals including any information about brain tumor related cognitive deficits were selected.

RESULTSIt is widely accepted that brain tumors and related treatments can impair cognitive function across many domains, and can impact on patients' quality of life. Tumor localization, lateralization, surgery, drugs, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are all thought to be important factors in this process. However, some conflicting findings regarding brain tumor-related cognitive deficits have been reported. It can be difficult to determine the mechanism of these treatments, such as chemotherapy, antibiotics, antiepileptics, and steroids. Future research is needed to clarify these potential treatment effects.

CONCLUSIONSCognitive function is important for patients with brain tumor. Much more focus has been paid on this field. It should be regarded as an important prognostic index for the patients with brain tumor, and neuropsychological tests should be used in regular examinations.

Brain Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; Cognition ; physiology ; Cognition Disorders ; physiopathology ; Glioma ; physiopathology ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence, clinical characteristics and prognosis of sepsis-related liver injury(SELI). METHODS: The data of septic patients in the department of Critical Care Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January 2013 to December 2014 were collected and the basic information, infection site, emergency operation and residence were recorded. Also, the duration of ICU, the first 24 h APACHE II and SOFA score, mechanical ventilation, MODS, nutritional support, serum total bilirubin and aminotransferase, the duration of liver dysfunction and the duration of liver dysfunction during ICU stay were recorded. Rank sum test was used to compare age, APACHE II score, SOFA score, length of stay in ICU, duration of mechanical ventilation; Chi square test was used to compare the patient's source, type of operation, whether MODS, and nutritional support; The logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors of death. RESULTS: A total of 341 septic patients with sepsis were included in the study, including 96 patients with septis-related liver dysfunction. The main manifestations were elevated transaminase in 17 cases(17.71%), elevated bilirubin in 31 cases(32.29%), elevated bilirubin and transaminase in 48 cases(50%) and liver injury in 66 cases(68.75%) of sepsic patients occurred within 1-3 days of ICU 3.22 days(1-40 days). The morbidity and mortality of MODS in sepsis-related liver injury patients were 70.83% and 33.33%. Statistically differences in APACHE II scores, SOFA scores, mechanical ventilation duration, and MODS in patients with different prognosis were revealed. Further logistic regression analysis showed that sepsis with MODS was an independent risk factor for death. There were statistical difference in duration of symptoms, duration of ICU stay and prognosis. CONCLUSION: The morbidity of SELI is high, mostly in the early stage of sepsis, men are more prone to the disease. The abdominal cavity is the most common site of infection. High APACHEII score, prolonged mechanical ventilation and MODS are independent risk factors for SELI.

OBJECTIVETo describe the prevalence of body overweight and obesity and its changes among Chinese people during 1992-2002, and to provide scientific basis for developing intervention strategies for obesity in China.

METHODSThe data from "1992 China third National Nutrition Survey" (78,704 subjects, 38,323 male and 40,381 female) and from "2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey" (209,849 subjects, 101,377 male and 108,472 female) were used in this study. The overweight and obesity were defined by using WHO Z-score criteria for children younger than 7 years old, Chinese age-, sex-specific BMI criteria for children aged 7-17 years, and Chinese BMI criteria for adults.

RESULTSThe overall prevalence of overweight and obesity of Chinese people was increased by 38.6% and 80.6%, respectively during the period of 1992-2002. The prevalence of overweight and obesity of Chinese people aged 0-6 years, 7-17 years, 18-44 years, 45-59 years and above 60 years was increased 31.7%, 17.9%, 66.7%, 45.2% and 43.7%, respectively. The increase of the prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher in girls younger than 6 years than their male counterparts, while among other age groups, that were higher in boys than girls. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among people living in rural areas was lower than that of their urban counterparts, while the increment of overweight and obesity prevalence among rural people was greater than that of their urban counterparts. It was estimated that another 70 million overweight and 30 million obese Chinese people emerged in China from 1992 to 2002.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of overweight and obesity of Chinese people was increased rapidly in the past decade, which had affected 260 million Chinese people. It would continue to increase in the near future if effective intervention measures have not been taken.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Overweight ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Rural Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Urban Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between sexual hormones in semen and germ cell apoptosis in male population.

METHODSSixty-six infertile patients and thirty fertile males were selected randomly. The levels of folicle stimulating hormone ( FSH), prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T) in semen were measured by ELISA. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used for the detection of germ cell apoptosis.

RESULTSThe levels of FSH, LH, PRL, T in thirty fertile men were (1.63 +/- 0.15) U/L, (2.18 +/- 0.21) U/L, (6.34 +/- 0.30) nmol/L, (1.85 +/- 0.11) nmol/L, respectively, and germ cell apoptosis rate was (4.61 +/- 1.23)%. FSH, LH, PRL, T levels in infertile group were (1.25 +/- 0.18) U/L, (1.76 +/- 0.32) U/L, (5.86 +/- 0.13) nmol/l, (1.45 +/- 0.13) nmol/, respectively, and germ cell apoptosis rate was (18.36 +/- 2.04)%. There were significant differences in all parameters between infertile group and fertile group. The levels of FSH, LH, PRL, T were negatively correlated with germ cell apoptosis rates( r = -0.88, -0.93, -0.90, -0.98). The volume of apoptotic germ cell decreased, and chromatin was compacted to form cell-membrane blebs and apoptotic bodies.

CONCLUSIONLow concentration of sexual hormones may increase the apoptosis of germ cells, which can induce male infertility.

Adult ; Apoptosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; metabolism ; Germ Cells ; pathology ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; pathology ; Luteinizing Hormone ; metabolism ; Male ; Prolactin ; metabolism ; Semen ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on human sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR).

METHODSDifferent concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were added to the sperm suspension from 48 healthy fertile men, and the suspension was incubated in 1 x Earle at 37 degrees C for 1 hour. Progesterone was used to induce AR for 15, 30, 45 and 60 min, and then acid phosphatase (ACP) activity in the suspension before and after capacitation and at different time of AR was measured by p-nitrophenyl sodium phosphate assay. In the meantime, sperm motile parameters were assayed by CASA to observe sperm capacitation and AR.

RESULTSACP activity and sperm motile parameters increased in the 50 approximately 100 nmol/L NO concentration group, showed no significant variation in the 150 approximately 200 nmol/L group, and decreased in the 250 approximately 300 nmol/L group.

CONCLUSIONNO can facilitate sperm capacitation, AR and sperm motile parameters in low concentration and suppress them in high concentration. ACP activity assay of sperm is an objective and reliable method to evaluate sperm capacitation and AR in whole sperm population.

Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Acrosome Reaction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Adult ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Donors ; pharmacology ; Nitroprusside ; pharmacology ; Sperm Capacitation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; enzymology

BACKGROUNDRapid recanalization of infarct-related artery (IRA) has become the major target during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI), but strategy for treatment of non-IRA lesions in this setting remains unclear. This study aimed to compare long-term effects between PCI for IRA only and that for both IRA and non-IRA in ST-elevation MI patients with multi-vessel disease.

METHODSA total of 242 eligible patients with ST-elevation MI and at least two diseased coronary arteries (luminal narrowing > or = 70%) undergoing primary PCI were included. Of them, 149 patients underwent primary PCI for IRA only (group 1), and 93 received primary PCI for IRA followed by elective PCI for non-IRA 7 to 15 days after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (group 2). Drug-eluting stents (DESs) were deployed in more than 90% of the patients.

RESULTSThe two groups did not differ with respect to baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics. No significant differences were observed in 12-month clinical follow-up results regarding major adverse cardiac events (11.5% vs 15.1%, P > 0.05) and target lesion revascularization (8.1% vs 7.6%, P > 0.05) between the two groups. However, patients in group 1 had higher rates of recurrent angina (10.1% vs 2.1%, P < 0.05) and depressed left ventricular ejection fraction evaluated by echocardiography (0.56 +/- 0.22 vs 0.63 +/- 0.25, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWith the use of DESs, complete revascularization with elective PCI for non-IRA after primary PCI may exert a beneficial effect on long-term symptomatology and left ventricular function in patients with ST-elevation MI and multi-vessel disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; methods ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; therapy ; Myocardial Revascularization ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

High mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1), which is a nuclear protein, participates in chromatin architecture and transcriptional regulation. When released from cells, HMGB1 also plays a well-established role as a pro-inflammatory mediator during innate immune responses to injury. In the initial stage of injury, there is a release of large quantities of early pro-inflammatory mediators to initiate or perpetuate immune responses against pathogens, but this pro-inflammatory period is transient, and it is followed by a prolonged period of immune suppression. At present, several lines of evidences have suggested that HMGB1 is a late cytokine provoking delayed endotoxin morbidity, which may enhance the production of early proinflammatory mediators, and it can contribute potently to the activation of different immune cells and play a role in the development of host cell-mediated immunity. The biology of HMGB1 has been extensively studied as a pro-inflammatory cytokine of systemic inflammation, however, this review will attempt to provide a summary of the effects of HMGB1 on different immune cells and its regulatory mechanism in acute insults.
Cytokines ; immunology ; HMGB1 Protein ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Inflammation ; immunology