OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of blood pressure by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring in children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) and explore the relationship of the changes in blood pressure with rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in these children.

METHODSABP and casual blood pressure (CBP) monitoring were performed in 114 children with PNS. Plasma levels of rennin activity (PRA), angiotensin II (AngII) and aldosterone (ALD) were measured. The correlation of plasma levels of PRA, AngII and ALD with ABP was evaluated.

RESULTSOf the 114 children with PNS, 101 (88.6%) presented elevated blood pressure. Mild or severe masked hypertension was found in 45 children (39.5%). Eighty (70.2%) children showed non-dipper blood pressure. The index and load of systolic blood pressure were higher than those of diastolic blood pressure. The blood pressure index and blood pressure load during sleep were higher than those during wakefulness. The boy presented higher diastolic blood pressure index and load than girls. Decubitus blood PRA, AngII and ALD levels in children with PNS were significantly higher than normal controls. The group with elevated blood pressure presented significantly higher decubitus blood PRA, AngII and ALD levels than the group with normal blood pressure. AngII level was significantly positively correlated with the index and load of both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONSThe children with PNS present a high incidence of hypertension, with a large percentage of masked hypertension and non-dipper blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure increases more significantly than diastolic blood pressure. Blood pressure during sleep increases more significantly than that during wakefulness. Diastolic blood pressure increases more significantly in boys than in girls. RAAS activity is elevated and the elevated RAAS activity might increase the blood pressure mainly by AngII in children with PNS.

Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; physiopathology ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; physiology

Sodium calcium exchanger (NCX), which is widely expressed in the plasma membrane, mitochondrial membrane and secretory vesicles in diverse kinds of cells, belongs to a type of cation translocators. NCX works in two modes, the forward mode and reverse mode, to regulate the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration bi-directionally. In the forward mode, NCX carries Ca(2+) out of the cell against its electrochemical gradients coupled to the influx of Na(+) down its electrochemical gradients; alternatively, Ca(2+) enters through the reverse mode of NCX, and Na(+) is carried out of the cell. Exactly through the two-way modes, NCX can regulate intracellular Ca(2+) concentration fleetly and accurately, and plays a critical role in a series of physiological processes including intracellular signal transduction, growth and development of cells, excitation and its coupled functions of excitable cells. NCX are acknowledged to be involved in myofiber contraction, neurotransmission, migration and differentiation of neurogliocyte, activation of immune cells, secretion of cytokines and hormones etc. Moreover, abnormal activation of the reverse mode of NCX plays a vital role in many pathological processes including cell apoptosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, insulin secretion, tumor etc. Here we reviewed the research status about the NCX's participation in some physiological and pathophysiological processes, so as to provide comprehensive understanding about its functions.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Calcium ; physiology ; Humans ; Ion Transport ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Signal Transduction ; Sodium ; physiology ; Sodium-Calcium Exchanger ; physiology

Objective To investigate the impact of one versus two distal locking bolts on the mechanical properties of tibial interlocking intramedullary nails. Methods Twenty 9-mm titanium alloy locking nails were divided into two equal groups in which the nails were fixed with only one and two distal locking bolts, respectively. Each group was further divided into two sub-groups for compression and torsion tests separately using a universal material-testing machine. Results In the compression tests, the average maximum strength of double bolts was greater than that of the single bolt (P＜0.05), but the number of the bolts did not significantly affect the results of the torsion tests in terms of the either the maximum torsion moment or angle (P＞0.05). Conclusion One distal bolt is sufficient for fixing stable fractures and double bolts are recommended for management of serious fractures. The model we used is convenient and economic for examining the biomechanics of the tibial nails, especially for comparative purposes.

Objective To investigate the impact of one versus two distal locking bolts on the mechanical properties of tibial interlocking intramedullary nails. Methods Twenty 9-mm titanium alloy locking nails were divided into two equal groups in which the nails were fixed with only one and two distal locking bolts, respectively. Each group was further divided into two sub-groups for compression and torsion tests separately using a universal material-testing machine. Results In the compression tests, the average maximum strength of double bolts was greater than that of the single bolt (P＜0.05), but the number of the bolts did not significantly affect the results of the torsion tests in terms of the either the maximum torsion moment or angle (P＞0.05). Conclusion One distal bolt is sufficient for fixing stable fractures and double bolts are recommended for management of serious fractures. The model we used is convenient and economic for examining the biomechanics of the tibial nails, especially for comparative purposes.

Animals ; Bile Ducts ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply ; Dogs ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Microcirculation ; anatomy & histology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of the estrogen on the mRNA expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteoclast differentiation factor (ODF) and macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in bone tissue of ovariectomized rats, and investigate the possible pathway of estrogen in preventing and treating postmenopausal osteoporosis. METHODS; Thirty healthy adult SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, ovariectomized group and estrogen-treated group. All rats were ovariectomized except those in the sham operation group. Bone density of the L3-L6 vertebra was detected 12 weeks after the operation. The total RNA were extracted from the femur to examine mRNA expression of OPG, ODF and M-CSF by real-time PCR.

RESULTSEstrogen increased the bone density of the ovariectomized rat lumbar vertebra and up-regulated the expression of OPG, whereas down-regulated the expression of M-CSF and lowered ODF:OPG ratio.

CONCLUSIONThe effect of estrogen in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis is closely correlated with the regulation of OPG and M-CSF expressions and ODF:OPG ratio.

Animals ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Estrogens ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; Osteoprotegerin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Ovariectomy ; RANK Ligand ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of apigenin on semen parameters in male mice.

METHODSTotally 100 healthy male mice of Kunming strain were randomly divided into 5 groups according to the body weight: negative control, solvent control, low-dose apigenin, median-dose apigenin and high-dose apigenin, the latter three groups given intragastric apigenin at a fixed time every day for 7 and 14 days. At 35 days after the first medication, all the mice were killed and detected for the sperm motion parameters by computer aided sperm analysis (CASA).

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences in sperm motion parameters, density and motility between the negative control and the three apigenin groups after 7-day medication. At 14 days, the high-dose apigenin group showed remarkable decreases in average path velocity (VAP), straight line velocity (VSL), straightness (STR), wobbliness (WOB), the percentage of grade b sperm and sperm motility, and a significant increase in beat cross frequency (BCF) as compared with the negative control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONApigenin affects sperm motility in male mice to a certain extent.

Animals ; Apigenin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Semen ; drug effects ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects

Objective To analyze the correlation between clinical characteristics and pathological findings lupus nephritis (LN) in children,together with the correlation of the renal vascular lesion respectively with the glomerular lesion and tubulointerstitial lesion.Methods Forty-one cases of LN in children diagnosed by percutaneous renal biopsy from Jan.2008 to Sep.2012 in Pediatrics of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were collected.Clinical manifestations and the lab findings of the blood and urine of all the patients were analyzed,and all the frozen sections were evaluated according to the standard of ISN/RPS2003 for LN.The glomerular lesion and tubalointerstitial lesion separately were also evaluated,respectively.The wall thickening/outer diameter ratio,intima thickening/outer diameter ratio and medial thickening/outer diameter ratio of the arterioles were measured.Results The percentage of clinical manifestation with LN increased coupled with the degree of pathological damage.In the different stages of pathological damage,both the glomerular lesion and tubulointerstitial lesion were getting much more serious along with the progressiveness of pathological damage,and what's more,they had a positive correlation(r =0.959,P ＜ 0.05).The wall thickness/outer diameter ratio in all cases was greater than 0.5,in dicating the thickness of vessel wall.Conclusion Renal vascular lesion really existed and is characterized by the progressive loss of integrity of the intima and the medial thickening.

Objective A new type of tibial femoral force balancing telemetry device was developed for measuring force balance on the tibial femoral contact surface in knee joint. MethodThe force balance telemetry device was designed imitating the configuration of tibial part of total knee prosthesis, in which force sensors and telemetry circuit were embedded. During total knee arthroplasty(TKA), this device was implanted as a tibial prosthesis to measure tibial femoral force while the knee joint was being placed at different angles. The tension balance was adjusted by releasing soft tissue around knee joint. ResultsThe results indicat that this device has advantage of high accuracy for force measurement (r>0.98，RMS= 65　g), which is sufficient to meet clinical demand. ConclusionsThe measurement of force balance on the tibial femoral contact surface with telemetry device can provide new insight into the estimation of optimal knee prosthesis position and selection of appropriate polyethylene insert.

Objective To express human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF165) in E. coli JM109 in the form of fusion protein by genetic engineering and test the biological activity and immunological competence of the expressed protein.Methods hVEGF165 gene was subcloned by PCR and inserted into pQE30 plasmid. hVEGF165 fusion protein was expressed in E. coli JM109 and purified by Ni2+-NTA. The immunological competence of the expressed protein was tested by means of Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and its biological activity was assayed by chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and Matrigel angiogenesis assay. Results The recombinant hVEGF165 fusion protein was successfully expressed in E. coli JM109 and its expression accounted for 30% of the total cellular protein. The purified protein presented a single band of 23 kD in SDS-PAGE. Western blotting, ELISA, CAM and matrigel angiogenesis assay showed excellent immunologic competence and biological activity of the recombinant protein. Conclusion Recombinant hVEGF165protein with excellent biological activity has been successfully expressed in E. coli JM109, which may facilitate future study in construction of prefabricated tissue-engineered bone graft.