Ribavirin is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent and glycyrrhizin has activities of anti-inflammation, immunoregulation and anti-viral infections. To enhance antiviral efficacy and weaken side-effects of ribavirin, antiviral effects of the combination of glycyrrhizin and ribavirin were studied in the present study. Firstly, a mouse model of viral pneumonia was established by inoculation of influenza H1N1 virus. Protective effects of glycyrrhizin and ribavirin used alone or in combination against H1N1 virus infection in mice were evaluated based on the survival rate, lung index and virus titer in lungs of mice. Results showed that the combination of glycyrrhizin and ribavirin significantly inhibited the lung consolidation with a 36% inhibition ratio on the lung swell of infected mice. The combination of the two drugs exhibited synergetic effects on survival of infected mice. The combination of 50 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1) glycyrrhizin and 40 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1) ribavirin resulted a 100% protection for infected mice with a synergetic value of 36, which was significantly higher than the control group and each drug alone. This combination also resulted a significant drop of lung virus titer (P < 0.01), as well as inhibition on the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 (P < 0.01), TNF-α (P < 0.01) and IL-1β (P < 0.05) induced by virus infection compared to the control. The treatment of ribavirin plus glycyrrhizin was more effective in influenza A infection in mice than either compound used alone, which suggested a potential clinical value of the combination of the two agents.
Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Synergism ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; Inflammation ; immunology ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; drug effects ; Interleukin-1beta ; immunology ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Lung ; immunology ; virology ; Mice ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections ; drug therapy ; Pneumonia, Viral ; drug therapy ; Ribavirin ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Objective To explore the activation and function of Janus protein-tyrosine kinase (JAK)/ signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1) signal transduction pathway in kidney,lung and brain of MRL/lpr mice.Methods MRL/lpr mice with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied at the age of 12 weeks up.Non-SLE MRL/lpr mice were used as controls.We used phosphospecific antibodies to detect STAT1 activation in kidney,lung and brain by immunohistochemistry and Western blots.Gene expression of the STAT induced feedback inhibitors of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS-1) was investigated by SYBR green I real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results Phosphorylation of STAT1 protein was markedly activated in these three organs,although renal and pulmonary STAT1 activation were much more evidently activated.SOCS-1 gene expression increased in all three organs,while renal SOCS-1 gene expres- sion increased less than lung and brain.Conclusion The activation of JAK/STATI signal transduction path- way may be pathogenic in the organ involvement and progression of SLE.The pathogenesis of lupus nephritis may also be associated with the down-regulation of SOCS-1 feedback inhibition.

The Freeman-Sheldon syndrome (FSS) is a rare congenital syndrome, characterized with myopathy and dysplasia. The musculoskeletal and soft-tissue manifestations often require orthopedic and plastic surgery. We reported a case of 8-year-old girl with FSS operated on for scoliosis.
Anesthetics ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Craniofacial Dysostosis ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Scoliosis ; surgery

Objective To sythesize 99Tcm labeled asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR)- interferon (INF)-α2a and investigate its biodistribution by scintigraphy in tumor bearing mice. Methods NGR-INFα2a was labeled with 99Tcm by a two-step method. Ethylenedicysteine (EC) and MDP were used as bifunctional and transferring chelating agents. The bioactivities of 99Tcm-NGR-IFN-EC-NGR-IFN-α2a, EC-NGRIFN-α2a and NGR-IFN-α2a were compared using least significant difference t-test. The hepatoma bearing mice models were established by subcutaneous injection of MHCC97-H cells. The mice were randomly divided into eight groups and 7.4 MBq 99Tcm-NGR-IFN-α2a was injected via the tail vein. The tissue uptake of the radiolabeled compound was measured as % ID/g. The scintigraphy was performed at 0.5, 1, 2, 4,6, 8, 12 and 24 h after injection. ROI were drawn around tumor and non-tumor tissue and the radioactivity ratio of T/NT was calculated. Results Both the labeling efficiency and radiochemical purity of 99Tcm-EC-NGR-IFN-α2a were more than 90%. The radiochemical purity was 71% after 24 h in saline. The bioactivity showed no significant difference among three compounds (t = 0.416, 0. 120 and 1. 300, all P >0.05). The tracer was mainly excreted through alimentary and urinary tract within 24 h after injection. The peak values of % ID/g in kidney, liver, interstinal tract and tumor were 41.5 ± 8.0_ (at 8 h), 31.3 ± 5.0(at 6 h), 36.0 ± 7.8 (at 6 h), 43.0 ± 4.8 (at 4 h), respectively. The tracer was cleared quickly from the blood and the highest T/NT ratio was 16.5. The optimal imaging time ranged from 4 to 8 h after injection. Conclusions The sythesis of 99Tcm-NGR-IFN-α2a is applicable and it may be used as a potential tumor imaging agent.

Objective: To assess the relationship between the characteristic of drug resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in ICU.Methods: The 73 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from sputum specimenpatients of in-patients in our ICU from March 2005 to February 2006.The data of the drug sensitivity test in vitro was analysised.The relation between the syndrome of TCM and drug resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was probed.Results: The 73 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were drug resistant to majority kinds of anti-infective except Piperacillin-Tazobactam,Piperacillin,Cefoperazone-Sulbactam,and Amikacin.The mains syndromes of TCM of all patients infected Pseudomonas aeruginosa were deficiency-excess complex(虚实夹杂证) and excess pattern(实证)(97.26%).The mains of deficiency-excess complex(虚实夹杂证) were Qi vacuity and phlegm obstruction(气虚痰阻证)and Yin vacuity internal heat(阴虚热郁证).The mains of excess pattern(实证) were phlegm-heat(痰热郁阻证)and phlegm-stasis(痰瘀互阻证).Conclusions: Combined ?-lactam antibiotics and aminoglycoside antibiotics is the first selection to treat the multidrugresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Indentifing patterns and determining treatment in TCM could be tried in the treatment of patients infected Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

OBJECTIVE To understand the distribution and epidemiology of ESBLs in ceftazidime or cefotaxime-(resistant) clinical Enterobacter cloacae isolates.METHODS Twenty seven ceftazidime or cefotaxime-resistant(nonrepetitive) E.cloacae were collected from 27 patients hospitalized at the Huashan Hospital,Shanghai.PCR and(sequencing) were performed to understand the distribution of ESBLs in E.cloacae;rep-PCR was(performed) to(understand) the epidemiology of ESBLs in E.cloacae.RESULTS CTX-M-3 like(ESBLs) were the most prevalent in our study(48%);this was the first report of VEB-1-like ESBLs in the member of(Enterobacteriaceae) in China,and the first report of the ESBLs VEB-1-like and CTX-M-3-like in an isolate simultaneously;the majority of(ESBLs) producers exhibited the same rep-PCR pattern,but harbored different ESBLs gene.(CONCLUSIONS) In our study,ESBLs have become prevalent in clinical E.cloacae isolates,and become an important factor of E.cloacae isolates resistant to extended-spectrum beta(-lactams).

Objective To explore the role of NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial injury.Methods Male SD rat hearts were divided into the normal control group; sham group; I/R group (1 h ischemia followed by 3 h reperfusion) ; I/R + apocynin group (50 mg/kg,administrated at 30 min before reperfusion) and I/R + vehicle group (same volume vehicle administrated at 30 min before reperfusion).At the end of reperfusion,myocardial infarct size,apoptosis,plasma CK activity,myocardial NOX activity,myocardial caspase-3 expression and activity,myocardial mRNA and protein expressions of vascular peroxidase 1 (VPO1) and NOX2 were measured.Results Infarct size,ratio of cardiomyocyte apoptosis,mRNA and protein expression of VOP1 and NOX2,serum CK,myocardial NOX and caspase-3 activities in the I/R group were all significantly increased compared to those in the sham group (P ＜0.01).Above parameters were similar between I/R + vehicle group and I/R group (all P ＞ 0.05).Infarct size,ratio of cardiomyocyte apoptosis,myocardial mRNA and protein expression of VOP1 and NOX2,serum CK,myocardial NOX and caspase-3 activities were significantly lower in I/R + apocynin group compared to those in I/R group (all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions NOX/VPO pathway plays an important role in mediating I/R-induced myocardial oxidative injury.NOX inhibition could reduce I/R-induced myocardial oxidative injury by attenuating myocardial apoptosis in this model.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) oxidase (NOX)-mediated oxidative stress plays a key role in promotion of oxidative injury in the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study is to evaluate the status of NOX in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) of hyperlipidemic patients and to assess the correlation between NOX activity and the functions EPCs. METHODS: A total of 30 hyperlipidemic patients were enrolled for this study and 30 age-matched volunteers with normal level of plasma lipids served as controls. After the circulating EPCs were isolated, the EPC functions (migration, adhesion and tube formation) were evaluated and the status of NOX (expression and activity) was examined. RESULTS: Compared to the controls, hyperlipidemic patients showed an increase in plasma lipids and a reduction in EPC functions including the attenuated abilities in adhesion, migration and tube formation, concomitant with an increase in NOX expression (NOX2 and NOX4), NOX activity, and reactive oxygen species production. The data analysis showed negative correlations between NOX activity and EPC functions. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive correlation between the NOX-mediated oxidative stress and the dysfunctions of circulating EPCs in hyperlipidemic patients, and suppression of NOX might offer a novel strategy to improve EPCs functions in hyperlipidemia.
Adenine ; Cardiovascular System ; Endothelial Progenitor Cells* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; NADP* ; NADPH Oxidase ; Oxidative Stress* ; Oxidoreductases ; Plasma ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Statistics as Topic ; Volunteers

Human K562 leukemia cells were cultured under free and microencapsulated condition, respectively. The cell cycles in the two kinds of cultures were investigated by flow cytometry. Moreover, mathematical model was established to simulate the cell viability and metabolized characteristic in different cultures. It was found that the cell percent in S phase was higher and the cell viability was better when cultured in microcapsule than that in free culture. The results showed that the model successfully described the substrate consumption and product formation in microencapsulated culture as well as in suspension culture. Based on the model, it was indicated that not only there was a higher proliferation and metabolic activity but also the time of the high activity could keep longer in microencapsulated culture. The parameters of the model showed that there was no significant difference between the two kinds of cultures when the influence of the glucose on the cell viability was concerned (kA(free) approximately = kA (APA)) but lactate had a obvious suppression effect on cell viability in free culture, and neglectable suppression in microencapsulated culture (kL(free) > kL(APA)).
Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; Models, Biological

OBJECTIVEThrough studying the difference between the hypertensive patients and those with normal blood pressure who all from the same hypertensive pedigree, we tried to find the factors which would decrease the risk of hypertension.

METHODSHypertensive patients, when coming to the cardiovascular clinic of Xuan Wu Hospital from 2003 to 2004, were defined as the members of the hypertensive pedigrees through inquiry. 84 families including 368 persons, with 192 syblings were involved. Metabolic syndrome could be defined by the criterion of adult treatment panel III.

RESULTSWhen compared with normal blood pressure persons, clinical examinations of the hypertensive patients had an higher levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, glucose and body mass index (BMI). The hypertensive group showed higher ratios among male patients, smokers, alcohol drinkers, having irritable personality and high-salt-intake. Through logistic regression, overweight, smoking and irritable temperament showed positive relations with hypertension. The rate of metabolic syndrome was higher in hypertension group.

CONCLUSIONIt is important that either persons with normal blood pressure or hypertension should control their body weights (BMI) since the rate of metabolic syndrome in hypertension group was high.

Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; China ; epidemiology ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors