The formation of macrophage-derived foam cells is a typical feature of atherosclerosis (AS). Reverse cholesterol efflux (RCT) is one of important factors for the formation of macrophage foam cells. In this study, macrophage form cells were induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and then treated with different concentrations of ferulic acid, so as to observe the effect of ferulic acid on the intracellular lipid metabolism in the ox-LDL-induced macrophage foam cell formation, the cholesterol efflux and the mRNA expression and protein levels of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and ATP binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) that mediate cholesterol efflux, and discuss the potential mechanism of ferulic acid in resisting AS. According to the findings, compared with the control group, the ox-LDL-treated group showed significant increase in intracellular lipid content, especially for the cholesterol content; whereas the intracellular lipid accumulation markedly decreased, after the treatment with ferulic acid. The data also demonstrated that the mRNA and protein expressions of ABCA1 and ABCG1 significantly increased after macrophage foam cells were treated with different concentrations of ferulic acid. In summary, ferulic acid may show the anti-atherosclerosis effect by increasing the surface ABCA1 and ABCG1 expressions of macrophage form cells and promoting cholesterol efflux.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 ; analysis ; genetics ; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family G, Member 1 ; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; analysis ; genetics ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacology ; Foam Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Mice

Objective To analyze the corneal flap thickness in laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK) using Moria M2 microkeratome and to identify the related factors. Methods Sixty patients with LASIK were divided into two groups: M2 90 group,using the Moria M2 90 microkeratome,n=30;M2 110 group,using the Moria M2 110 microkeratome,n=30.All were performed on both eyes with the right one treated first.Subtraction pachymetry was used to measure corneal flap thickness which was analyzed statistically with the data including age,preoperative corneal diameter,curvature,corneal thickness and refraction. Results In the 30 patients of M2 90 group,the mean corneal flap thickness of right eye and left eyes were(128.03?12.03)?m(105~156 ?m) and(123.40?12.38) ?m(92~147 ?m),respectively,and the corneal flap thickness were statistically different between the right and left eyes(P

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of compound glycyrrhizin plus mizolastine for patients with generalized neurodermatitis(GND)and its influence on patietents' psychology.METHODS:60 patients with GND were randomly assigned to receive compound glycyrrhizin plus mizolastine(treatment group)or mizolasitine alone(control group)for 28 days.The psychological factors were examined before and after treatment using self-rating anxiety scale(SAS),and the curative effects and the psychological changes between two groups were compared.RESULTS:The SAS scores of treatment group and control group were 30.53? 1.50 and 33.20? 1.67,respectively(P

AIM:To investigate the differentiation-inducing effects of baicalin on HL-60 leukemia cells.METHODS:The effect of baicalin on differential induction in AML cell line HL-60 was evaluated by cellular morphology,clone formation assay,CD11b and CD33 expression and NBT assay.RESULTS:Baicalin inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells.It enhanced the expression of CD11b on HL-60 cells,also increased the expression of CD33.HL-60 cells showed differentiation morphology after the drug treatment examined by Wright-Gimesa staining and NBT assay.CONCLUSION:Baicalin possessed differentiation-inducing effects on HL-60 cells.

Objective To evaluate the reproducibility of Negative Expiratory Pressure(NEP)technique in detecting expiratory flow limitation (EFL) on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Methods EFL was evaluated with NEP technique in 72 subjects having stable COPD on two occasions. Agreement between testing occasions was assessed with the κ statistic for the 3-point and 5-point EFL scores, and with paired t-test for FL index. Results On the first testing occasion, 18 subjects had no EFL, 18 subjects had EFL in the supine position, and 36 subjects in the sitting and the supine position. Using the 3-point score, agreement was present in 58 of the 72 subjects at time 2 (κ =0.69, P＜0.001 ), indicating a substantial agreement was found. Using the 5-point score, agreement was seen in 52 of the 72 subjects (κ =0.65, P＜0.001 ), also indicating a substantial agreement. The difference of FL index between the first and the second occasion was significant in both the sitting (P＜0.05) and supine (P＜0.05) positions. Conclusion Both 3-point and 5-point scores provided a reproducible assessment of EFL on COPD patients but the FL index seemed less reproducible. More research were needed before NEP technique was promoted to be used clinically.

Cerebrograph imaging system is a medical imaging device which is used to diagnose cere- brovascular disease and investigate the function of cerebrum.This system can analyse quantitatively regional Cerebral Blood Flow(rCBF)and map it.Besides that,it can also record and analyse quantitatively electroen- cephalography(EEG)andmap topographical EEG.The measurement of cerebellum-brain stem-cerebral cor- tex is realized and a map is also given.This system first conjugates the technique of nuclear medicine imag- ing with that of electrophysiology.It provides doctors with synthetic information about CBF and the function of cerebrum in the manner of colour rCBF map,topographical EEG and quantitative data.These informa- tion are very important to the diagnosis and the research of cerebropathy,and especially have significant val- ue to earlier diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease.

To reveal the colonization characteristics in host of endophytic biocontrol bacteria NJ13 isolated from Panax ginseng, this study obtained the marked strain NJ13-R which was double antibiotic resistant to rifampicin and streptomycin through enhancing the method of inducing antibiotic. The colonization characteristics in ginseng and its biocontrol efficiency against Alternaria spot of ginseng in the field were studied. The results showed that the strain could colonize in root, stem and leaf of ginseng and the colonization amount was positive correlated with inoculation concentration. Meanwhile, the strain could infect and then transfer in different tissues of ginseng The colonization amount of strain in roots and leaves of ginseng increased first and then decreased. However, the tendency of colonization amount of strain in stems was ascend at first and then descend slowly, and was more than that in roots and leaves along with time, which had a preference to specific tissue of its host. In field experiment, the endophytic bacteria NJ13 was proved to be effective in controlling Alternaria leaf spot of ginseng. The biocontrol efficiency of fermentation broth at the concentration of 0.76 x 10(8) cfu x mL(-1) reached 75.62%, which was close to the controlling level (73.06%) of 0.67 mg x L(-1) 50% cyprodinil WG.
Alternaria ; physiology ; Antibiosis ; Bacillus ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Endophytes ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Panax ; growth & development ; microbiology ; Plant Diseases ; microbiology

The paper is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shenmai injection for chronic heart failure, retrieving the Pubmed, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang database and VIP database to comprehensively collect all types research report of Shenmai injection for chronic heart failure (CHF). Particularly wishing to point out, randomized controlled trials are include for the evaluation of effectiveness, which are statistically analyzed and evaluated by Rev-Man 5. 2. The current studies show that the improvement rate of NYHA classification of cardiac function of CHF patients and their related indexes figure such as LVEF, SV, CO, BNP, 6 min walking test value are all improved by the combination of Shenmai injection and foundation treatment. However, HR is almost no improvement. Meanwhile, serious ADR/AE of Shenmai injection for CHF isn't appear.
Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans

AIM: To investigate two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the apolipoprotein(a) promoter at positions -418 and -384 and to compare distributing difference of genotype frequencies of single nucleotide among different races and to explore the influencies of them on serum lipid level and their association with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: Using PCR-RFLP (BsgI,BfaI) method, we determined genotypes of these two SNPs in 156 unrelated healthy controls of HanZu Chinese and 56 unrelated CHD patients of HanZu Chinese and 56 unrelated African Blacks, then cloned polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products into T-vector and sequenced it by M13 currency primer, correspondingly. RESULTS: (1) There was no polymorphism at position -418A/A and -384C/C in control group. Only one CHD patient′s genotype determined was -418G/G, other were -418A/A and (-384C/C) in CHD patients. (2) Only two African Blacks′ genotype determined was -418G/G, other were -418A/A and (-384C/C) in African Blacks. (3) However, the Apo(a) promoter sequence was in coincident with the sequence publicized in GenBank and the base at positions -418 was adenine (A) and -384 was cytosine (C). CONCLUSION: The mutation frequencies at position -418 and -384 are low in the Chinese Han Population of Hubei and perhaps no single nucleotide polymorphisms is at two positions. No association with serum lipid levels and CHD is observed. There may be great variabilities to the SNPs in the Apo(a) promoter among different races.