Objective To observe the effects of progesterone on the mRNA and protein expressions of nerve growth factor(NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) in the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfused rats,and to explore its mechanism of brain protection. Methods Totally 96 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into sham surgery group,ischemic reperfusion group,vehicle-treated group and progesterone-treated group (n=24 for each).The model of focal brain ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).After 2 h temporary MCAO,rats were subjected to reperfusion for 3 h,6 h,12 h and 24 h,respectively.The mRNA and protein expressions of NGF and BDNF were analyzed by real time-PCR and Western blot,respectively. Results In the injured cortex,the mRNA and protein expressions of NGF and BDNF in ischemic reperfusion group came to the peak at 6 h after reperfusion,and then gradually declined to the level of sham operation group at 24 h after reperfusion.In progesterone treatment group,BDNF and NGF mRNA and protein expressions reach the peak at 12 h after reperfusion,and were still higher at 24 h after reperfusion than in ischemic reperfusion group(P＜0.05). Conclusions Progesterone plays a protective role in focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by increasing the expressions of BDNF and NGF in rats.

Pesticides ; classification ; toxicity

Objective To study the correlation of multi-slice CT portography (MSCTP) and digestive endoscopy in the diagnosis and evaluation of esophageal and gastric varices (EGV) caused by cirrhosis.Methods A total of 92 patients with cirrhosis were enrolled in the prospective study.All the patients were examined by endoscopy and 64-slice spiral CT scan in 4 weeks.The types,grading of EGV were observed by endoscopy and MSCTP,and Kappa conformance test was applied with the endoscopic findings as gold standard.The sensitivity,specificity,consistency,and Youden index were evaluated for the diagnosis of sophageal and gastric varices by MSCTP.Results Sixty-five patients were diagnosed to have EGV by endoscopy and 27 were negative.The positive patients included 45 patients of GOV1,19 of GOV2 and 1 patient of IGV1.MSCTP diagnosed 67 cases of EGV and 25 patients of negative results.The positive patients included 46 of GOV1,18 of GOV2 and 3 of IGV1.Two patients of IGV1 varicose veins without positive findings on endoscopy were diagnosed by using MDCTP,which revealed isolated varicose veins under the gastric mucosa.There was high consistency between MSCTP and EGV in the diagnosis of EGV (Kappa =0.732,P ＜ 0.01).The sensitivity of MSCTP was 93.8％,specificity was 77.8％,consistency was 89.1％,and Youden index 71.6％.There was high consistency between MSCTP and EGV in the classification of EGV (Kappa values were 0.743 and 0.763,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions There is high consistency between MSCTP and digestive endoscopic in the diagnosis and classification of EGV in cirrhosis.MSCTP is superior to endoscopy in the detection of gastric varices.

Objective To assess the therapeutic effect of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on radiation-induced vascular injury in the small intestine of rat. Methods A total of 34 male Sprague-Dawley rats were enrolled in this study. To establish a model of radiation-induced intestinal injury, each rat was irradiated with 15 Gy in whole abdomen. 17 rats were randomly selected and infused intraperitoneally with passage 6 ( P6 ) Ad-MSCs, and the other 17 rats that received PBS were set as control. 10 days post-irradiation, the number of CD31+ endothelial cells in the small intestine villus was measured by flow-cytometry, the expressions of CD31, CD105 and isolectin-B4 in the na?ve endothelial cells with detected by IHC-staining, and the vascular integrity was evaluated by measuring VE-Cadherin. The origination of na?ve endothelial cells within injured intestine was also analyzed. In addition, total mRNA were extracted from irradiated small intestine to assay the expressions of VEGF, bFGF, Flk-1 and SDF-1 using quantitative Real-time PCR. Results Compared to the control, the amount of CD31-postive endothelial cells within irradiated intestine was significantly increased after Ad-MSCs infusion ( t=12?15, P<0?05). The microvascular density in the injured sites was also significantly increased by the infusion of Ad-MSCs (20 d:t=10?33, P<0. 05;30 d:t=32?85, P<0?05). Moreover, the expressions of VEGF, bFGF, Flk-1 and SDF-1 were significantly up-regulated after delivery of Ad-MSCs ( VEGF:t =10?34, bFGF:t=11?25,Flk-1:t=6?73, SDF-1:t=6?73, all P<0?05), which was beneficial in maintaining the integrity of intra-villus blood-vessels as well as promoting neovascularization in the injured sites. Conclusion Ad-MSCs had potentials in healing radiation-induced vascular injury in rat small intestine.

Multi-target drugs attract increasing attentions for the therapy of complicated neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a computer-assisted strategy was applied to search for multi-target compounds by the pharmacophore matching. This strategy has been successfully used to design dual-target inhibitor models against both the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1). Based on two pharmacophore models matching and physicochemical properties filtering, one hit was identified which could inhibit AChE with IC50 value of (0.337 +/- 0.052) micromol x L(-1) and PARP-1 by 24.6% at 1 micromol x L(-1).
Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Computer-Aided Design ; Drug Discovery ; methods ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors

Objective To compare 99Tcm-MIBI MPI with delayed enhancement MRI (DE-MRI) in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM). Methods Forty patients with IDCM were included. They underwent both rest 99Tcm-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging and DE-MRI within 7 days. 99Tcm-MIBI MPI was performed to identify diffuse or segmental abnormal perfusion patterns including reduced or defect perfusion segments. DE-MRI images were divided into 4 categories: no delayed enhancement, septal, subendocardial and transmural delayed enhancement, x2 test was used for data analysis. Results Diffuse and segmental perfusion abnormality on 99Tcm-MIBI MPI were found in 19 (47.5%) and 21 (52.5%)patients respectively, while DE-MRI enhancement was simultaneously found in 5 patients of the former (5/19, 26.3%) and 18 (18/21, 85.7%) of the latter (x2 =14.401, P＜0. 001). For those (n=18) with both segmental perfusion abnormality and DE-MRI enhancement, the number of segments of the 4 DE-MRI respectively. A significant difference was found in the DE-MRI enhancement categories between normal and defect perfusion segments (x2 = 29. 183, P ＜0.001 ) and between reduced and defect perfusion segments as well (x2 =25. 110, P＜0. 001). Conclusions Both diffuse and segmental perfusion abnormalities on 99Tcm-MIBI MPI can be found in patients with IDCM. DE-MRI enhancement is more frequently found in patients with segmental perfusion abnormality.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on radiation enteritis.Methods A total of 52 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the present study.Herein,46 rats were randomly selected and irradiated with a dose of 15 Gy at their abdomens.Two hours post-irradiation,23 rats were randomly selected and infused intraperitoneally with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in passage 6 from young-female donor.The other 23 rats were intraperitoneally infused with PBS.The rest 6 rats were set as normal control.During the first 10 days post-irradiation,peripheral blood-samples from irradiated rats were harvested for testing the levels of IL-10 in serum using ELISA assay.Additionally,after isolating the thymic cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells,the percentages of CD4/CD25/Foxp(3)-positive regulatory T cells in thymus and peripheral blood were tested by flow-cytometry.Finally,infiltration of inflammatory cells and deposition of collagens within irradiated small intestine were analyzed by H&E staining and Masson Trichrome staining,respectively.Based on the MPO-immunohistochemistry staining,the type of infiltrated cells was identified.The Kaplan-Meier method was used for analyzing the survival rate of irradiated rats.Results During a period of 30 days post-irradiation,the irradiated rats receiving adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells survived longer than those receiving PBS (t =4.53,P ＜ 0.05).Compared to the irradiated rats with PBS-treatment,adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells could elevate the level of IL-10 in serum (7 d:t =13.93,P ＜ 0.05) and increase the percentages of CD4/CD25/Foxp(3)-positive regulatory T cells in both peripheral blood (3.5 d:t =7.72,7 d:t=11.11,10 d:t =6.99,P ＜0.05) and thymus (7 d:t =16.17,10 d:t =12.12,P＜ 0.05).Moreover,infiltration of inflammatory cells and deposition of collagens within irradiated small intestine were mitigated by adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.Conclusions Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were capable of curing radiation enteritis.

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of progressive hemorrhagic injury (PHI) after traumatic brain injury. Methods The medical records of 127 patients with traumatic brain injury (n=49 in PHI group and n=78 in non-PHI group) were reviewed. The relationship between PHI and influencing factors including sex, age, Glasgow coma scale, time from injury to first CT, traumatic subaraehnoid hemorrhage (tSAH), prothrombin time(PT),activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT) was analyzed. Results The time for first CT was(1.39± 1.27) h in PHI group and (2.91±1.85) h in non-PHI group (t=2.14, P<0.05). 35 cases of PHI group developed tSAH and 37 of non-PHI group developed tSAH (χ2=7.06, P<0.05). Multifactor Logistic regression analysis showed that the time for first brain CT after injury and the patients accompanied with tSAH were associated with PHI after traumatic brain injury (OR=0.558,95 % CI 0.329-0.946, OR=13.000,95 % CI 1.187-142.354, P<0.05 for each). Conclusions Time from injury to first CT and tSAH can be prognostic factors for PHI.

Objective To evaluate the rehabilitation effects of walk exercise training on the heart function rehabilitation in the patients with heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFPEF) .Methods A total of 142 cases of HFPEF were randomly assigned to 2 groups on the basis of medication therapy ;the control group (70 cases) was given only routine medica‐tion therapy without the exercise prescription;On the bases of control group ,the exercise group (72 cases) conducted the rehabilita‐tion training according to the exercise prescription .After 24 weeks follow up ,6 min walking distance ,plasma NT‐proBNP level and left ventricular diastolic function were compared between the two groups .Results The 6 min walking distance after walk exercise training in the exercise group was significantly increased compared with before walk exercise training and the control group ,while the level of NT‐proBNP was significant decreased(P<0 .01) .Conclusion The walking exercise training mode according to the ex‐ercise prescription can significantly improve the exercise tolerance in the HFPEF .

Bacillus subtilis B6-1 was used as an original strain for mutagenic treatment and a defined medium was used as the selective medium. A mutant named B. subtilis W003 was isolated after three serial ultraviolet (UV) irradiations and one diethyl sulfate (DES) treatment. The ?-PGA yield on a rotary shaker was enhanced from 10.9 g/L in parental strain to 20.5 g/L in the mutant. It was illustrated by single factor experiments that the optimal carbon and nitrogen sources were glucose and (NH4)2SO4 respectively. The optimal fermentation medium was achieved by orthogonal test. In the optimal medium, a ?-PGA yield of 45.3 g/L was obtained after 36 h cultivation.