An EPA and DHA enriched fish oil ( containing EPA 0.24 g/L, DHA 0.47g/L ) was administered by gastric intubation at the dose of O.2ml/100g wt for a period of one month in the hyperlipoprotein-emia rats caused by high lipid and cholesterol feeding. The administration of fish oil resulted in reduction in TG ( Triglyceride ) ; TC ( Total Cholesterol ) and VLDL-C + LDL-C levels in serum. Levels of HDL2-C and ratio of HDL2/HDL3 were elevated although there was no significant change in level of HDL-C. The study suggests that oral administration of EPA and DHA enriched fish oil might reduce the developoment of atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of artesunate (ART) on cell differentiation and cell cycle distribution of the prostate cancer cell line PC-3 in vitro. METHODS: PC-3 cells were cultivated with ART from logarithmic growth phase. After 48-hour treatment, the cell cycles were detected by flow cytometry (FCM), and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in cell culture supernatant. The change of cellular morphology was observed under a transmission electron microscope (TEM). RESULTS: In comparison with the blank control group, the rate of G(0)/G(1) plus S stages of PC-3 cells was significantly decreased in the high-dose ART group. The PC-3 cell was arrested in G(2)/M by ART. The rates of G(2)/M of the high-dose ART group and the medium-dose ART group were obviously higher than those of the blank control group and the cisplatin group (P<0.05). The levels of PSA in the three ART groups were significantly lower than that of the normal control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the ART groups, TEM showed that some vacuoles appeared in endochylema, cell polarity was enhanced, cell nucleus leaned to one side of the cell, and microvilli increased on the other side of the cell. CONCLUSION: ART can induce PC-3 cell cycle arrest and differentiation in vitro.

Objective To approach the brain protective effect and mechanism of Sini decoction on rats with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) syndrome.Methods Fifty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham operation group (n = 10), CPR model group (n = 20) and Sini decoction treatment group (n = 20) by random number table. The rat models were established by trachea clipping to induce cardiac arrest, and after heart beat stopped for 5 minutes, CPR was carried out. In the Sini decoction group, Sini decoction 5 g/kg was given through a stomach tube, once per 24 hours, while in the sham and CPR model groups, the same amount of normal saline was given by the same method at the same time. Venous blood was collected before CPR and 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours after CPR, and the levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent test (ELISA); after CPR for 72 hours, the rat brain tissue was obtained from all the groups, the content of caspase-3 in brain tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry method, and its protein expression caspase-3 was detected by Western Blot; the apoptosis situation of brain tissue was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated duTP nick end labeling (TUNEL).Results With the prolongation of time, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in CPR model and Sini decoction groups showed a tendency firstly increased and then decreased, IL-6 reached its peak value after resuscitation for 24 hours, while TNF-α reached its peak value after resuscitation for 48 hours, and both IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased after resuscitation for 72 hours ; beginning from 6 hours after resuscitation, the levels of serum IL-6 (ng/L: 61.79±1.31, 62.49±1.42 vs. 21.48±0.79) and TNF-α (ng/L: 48.32±1.98, 25.32±1.96 vs. 18.34±2.45) in CPR model and Sini decoction treatment groups were all significantly higher than those in sham group, since 12 hours after resuscitation, the level of IL-6 was significantly lower in Sini decoction than that in CPR model group (ng/L: 70.41±2.21 vs. 88.32±1.59), and since 6 hours after resuscitation, TNF-α was obviously lower in Sini decoction group than that in CPR model group (ng/L: 25.32±1.96 vs. 48.32±1.98, allP < 0.05), both IL-6, TNF-α persisting to 72 hours after resuscitation, and their levels did not return to normal at the end of experiment in the two groups. After the end of resuscitation, the content and protein expression of caspase-3 and rate of cell apoptosis in the brain tissue in CPR model group were significantly higher than those in the sham group [caspase-3 content (A value,×103): 2.59±0.26 vs. 1.57±0.06, caspase-3 protein (gray value): 0.80±0.08 vs. 0.43±0.04, apoptosis rate: (2.01±0.08)% vs. (0.26±0.02)%, allP < 0.05], above indexes in the Sini decoction treatment group were significantly lower than those in the CPR model group [caspase-3 content (A value,×103): 1.89±0.08 vs. 2.59±0.26, caspase-3 protein (gray value): 0.57±0.02 vs. 0.80±0.08, apoptosis rate: (1.03±0.05)% vs. (2.01±0.08)%, allP < 0.05).Conclusion The Sini decoction has a protective effect on rats with post-resuscitation syndrome, and its mechanism is possibly realized by the inhibition of inflammatory factors and reduction of cell apoptosis.

Objective To research the microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Glechoma longituba. Methods In present study, the processes of extraction of polysaccharides from Glechoma longituba by water bath and microwave-assisted extraction were optimized using orthogonal test, and the two methods were compared. Results The optimal process of water bath extraction was as follows:liquid-solid ratio 50∶1, time 180 min, temperature 90 ℃ and pH 8. 0. The optimal parameters of microwave-assisted extraction were liquid-solid ratio 30∶1, top microwave power, time 4 min, and pH 8.0. The yield of polysaccharides from Glechoma longituba by microwave-assisted and water bath methods was (4.58±0.09)% and (3.09±0.12)%, respectively, and the yield of microwave-assisted method was elevated by 48.2% compared with that of water bath extraction. Conclusion The microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Glechoma longituba not only improves the yield, but also reduces the extract volume, saves energy and time.

BACKGROUND:The methylprednisolone pulse therapy in early period of spinal cord injury can attenuate the pathological degree of spinal cord injury, however no breakthrough was found within recent 20 years.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the protection effects of sodium aescinate on the nerve cellapoptosis and expression of glial fibrial ary acidic protein (GFAP) in the early spinal cord injured rats.
METHODS:Spinal cord injury models were established with the modified Al en’s method in 180 Sprague-Dawley rats, and were randomly divided into three groups, with 60 rats in each group. Immediately after injury, the rats in three groups were intraperitoneal y injected with sodium aescinate (5 mg/kg), methylprednisolone (100 mg/kg) and equal saline, respectively, once per day. At 8 hours, 24 hours, 96 hours and 7 days, 14 days after injury, rats were sacrificed and the injured segments were resected for hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining, the nerve cellapoptosis and GFAP expression were detected.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The apoptotic nerve cells were seen at 8 hours after injury and the number of apoptotic cells reached the peak at 7 days, the edema was attenuated at 14 days without less nerve cellapoptosis in al groups, significantly fewer apoptotic nerve cells can be seen in sodium aescinate and methylprednisolone groups compared with the control group (P<0.05) at each time. The expression of GFAP was increased in the time dependant manner in al groups, the increase was slow in methylprednisolone group but sharp in sodium aescinate group and control group within 96 hours. There was no difference between control group and sodium aescinate group within 24 hours (P>0.05), which was lower than methylprednisolone group (P<0.05);after 96 hours, methylprednisolone group and sodium aescinate group were both significantly lower than control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the decreasing expression was observed in al groups after 7 days. Sodium ascinate has obvious protection effects on nerve cells in spinal cord injured rats and promotes neurological function through decreasing GFAP expression after injury. The efficacy of sodium ascinate is equal to that of methylprednisolone within 2 hours.

Objective To analyze the characteristics and significance of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in the pathophysiological processes of tuberculous meningitis in mice.Methods Sixteen mice were intracerebroventricularly injected with H37RV suspension as the model group.Meanwhile,the other 16 mice were injected with 0.9％ sodium chloride solution as the control group.Thirty days later,all mice were decapitated and the brain tissue were respectively used to for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tuberculosis) incubation,pathological changes observation,MMP-9 activity detection by zymography,blood-brain-barrier permeability and moisture content detection,and immunofluorescence stain of MMP-9,glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and integrin αM (OX-42).The t test was used to compare the differences between the two groups.Results Every experimental mouse was injected with (1.271±0.111) × 106 colony-forming units (cfu) M.tuberculosis.Thirty days later,the amount of M.tuberculosis in brain tissue homogenates was (4.900± 1.407) × 104 cfu/mL,and the hematoxylin and eosin staining showed dilatation of subarachnoid and ventricular and infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells.The cumulative absorbance (A) of MMP-9 bands of brain tissue was 47 821 ± 19 932 in the model group and 10 082 ± 3 544 in the control group.The difference was statistically significant (t =3.728,P=0.010).The evans blue (EB) content of brain tissue was (11.8 ± 3.6) μg/g in model group and (4.7 ±3.4) μg/g in control group.The difference was statistically significant (t=2.887,P=0.028).The moisture of brain tissue was 0.849±0.035 in model group and 0.775±0.037 in control group.The difference was statistically significant (t=2.925,P=0.026).The immunofluorescence staining showed that the infected brain tissue expressed high degrees of MMP-9,GFAP and OX-42.And MMP-9 was overlapped with both GFAP and OX-42 obviously.Conclusions The activity of MMP-9 is significantly enhanced in brain tissue of mice suffering from tuberculous meningitis and participates in blood-brain barrier damage,tissue edema and inflammatory cells exudation.Microglia cells-astrocytes network is involved in the secretion of MMP-9.

Objective:To establish an LC-MS/MS method for the content determination of triptolide in Shenshe ointment.Methods:The chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent TC-C18 (250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm)column with the mobile phase consisting of methanol-0.1% formic acid solution (73∶27,v/v).The flow rate was 0.5 ml·min-1 and the column temperature was maintained at 35℃.An electrospray ionization (ESI) source was applied with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) combined with a positive mode.Metronidazole was used as the internal standard.The mass transitions were 361.4→43.2 for triptolide and 172.1→128.0 for metronidazole,respectively.Results:The linear range was 10-500 ng·ml-1 with good correlation coefficient (r=0.999 9).The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 9.5 ng·ml-1.The intra-and inter-day RSDs of peak areas were all less than 3% and the average recovery was 96.87%(RSD=2.79,n=6).Conclusion:The established LC-MS/MS method is simple,efficient,sensitive and accurate in the quality control of Shenshe ointment.

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in surface morphology of cobalt-chromium alloy, pure titanium and high-cobalt chromium molybdenum alloy immersed in artificial saliva with different concentrations of fluoride, and to analyze the corrosion resistance of these metals.

METHODSThe three kinds of metal were polished and then were immersed in artificial saliva with different concentrations of fluoride (0%, 0.05%, 0.2%). All specimens were immersed for 3 weeks at (37.0 +/- 1.0) degrees C. Metal surface roughness before and after immersion were measured and analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

RESULTSMetal surface roughness was increased with the concentration of fluoride. The surface roughness of the Co-Cr group and Ti group had a statistically significant difference between before and after immersion at the fluoride concentration of 0.05% (P<0.01), and the difference between Co-Cr group and vitallium2000 group, Ti group and vitallium2000 group were statistically significant difference (P<0.01). The differences of three groups before and after immersion were statistically significant at the fluoride concentration of 0.2% (P<0.01), and the difference among three groups was statistically significant (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONPatients who frequently use fluoride products should not use pure titanium or cobalt-chromium alloy prosthesis. Patients with these three metal prostheses are not advised to use high concentration fluoride products.

Chromium Alloys ; Corrosion ; Dental Alloys ; Fluorides ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Phosphates ; Saliva, Artificial ; Surface Properties ; Titanium

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of quantitative analysis of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in the diagnosis and therapeutic evaluations in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSAccording to the staging criteria defined by the American Association of Liver Diseases, 96 patients with CHB admitted in Zhujiang Hospital were classified in immune-tolerant (IT), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (EPH), inactive carrier (IC) and HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH) phases. Serum HBsAg, HBV-DNA and ALT levels were quantified and their correlations were evaluated in each phase of infection.

RESULTSThe mean HBsAg titers (measured in log10U/L) differed significantly between the phases of CHB (4.12 in IT, 4.02 in EPH, 2.85 in EPH, and 3.29 in ENH). The correlation coefficient of HBsAg with HBV-DNA was 0.6828 in IT, 0.5759 in EPH, 0.3280 in IC, and 0.1083 in ENH. Serum HBsAg titers were significantly higher in HBeAg-positive patients than in HBeAg-negative patients. No correlation was found between HBsAg level and ALT in each phase of CHB.

CONCLUSIONThe median baseline serum HBsAg levels vary between different phases of CHB in Guangzhou, suggesting the value of HBsAg in accurate classification of hepatitis B patients and evaluation of the therapeutic effect and outcomes of the patients.

DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; Humans ; Serologic Tests

Objective To evaluate right ventricular ( RV ) function in male rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induced by Monocrotaline (MCT) and discuss the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on RV function in PAH rats . Methods Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups( n =8) :MCT group ,MCT+E2 group ,MCT+Veh group and control group . MCT group ,MCT +E2 group and MCT+Veh group were given monocrotaline through intraperitoneal injection . MCT + E2 group and MCT+Veh group were also treated with E2 and placebo at the same time respectively . Echocardiography was performed four weeks later after MCT injection . Right heart catheterization was performed after echocardiography . Echocardiography right ventricular function parameters included:tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) ,RV index of myocardial performance (RIMP) ,right ventricular fractional area change ( RVFAC) ,tissue Doppler-derived tricuspid lateral annular systolic velocity ( s′) and right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain ( RVLSFW ) . Results Compared with control group ,TAPSE ,RVFAC and RVLSFW decreased ,and RIMP increased in MCT group ,( P <0 .001 , P <0 .001 , P <0 .001 , P =0 .001 , P <0 .001 ,respectively) . TAPSE ,RVFAC and RVLSFW in MCT+ E2 group were higher and RIMP was lower than those in MCT group ( P < 0 .001 , P = 0 .001 , P = 0 .001 , P = 0 .002 , P = 0 .002 , respectively) . The parameters regarding RV function were slightly lower in MCT + E2 group ,compared with control group . However , these differences had no obvious statistical significance ( P > 0 .05 ) . Moreover ,Pearson correlation analysis showed that the serum E2 level was positively correlated with TAPSE ,RVFAC ,s′and RVLSFW ( r =0 .845 , P <0 .001 ;r =0 .859 , P <0 .001 ;r =0 .802 , P =0 .006 , respectively) ,and negatively correlated with RIPM ( r = -0 .803 , P <0 .001) . Conclusions RV function in male PAH rats induced by MCT decreased significantly ,while E2 could improve RV function in PAH rats and has a protective effect on RV function . Echocardiography could contribute to the quantitative evaluation of RV function in PAH rats induced by MCT .