Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA ; analysis ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Fluorescence ; G1 Phase ; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and relevant mechanism of shuxuening Injection (SI) in treating patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODSTotally 91 patients with active UC were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 44 in the control group and 47 in the treatment group. Patients in the control group received routine treatment, while patients in the treatment group additionally received intravenous injection of SI (15 mL), twice daily for 14 days in total. Colonoscopy was performed before and after treatment. The therapeutic effect was assessed by Mayo scoring system and the grading of activities evaluated by Baron endoscope. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA. The activity of SOD was detected by xanthine oxidase method. The content of MDA was detected by thiobarbituricacid (TBA). Besides, 20 healthy subjects were recruited as the healthy control group.

RESULTSTotally 82 patients completed the study (40 in the control group and 42 in the treatment group). There was no statistical difference in serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, SOD, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading between the two groups before treatment (P >0. 05). Compared with the healthy control group, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA significantly increased (P <0.01), and the serum SOD level decreased (P < 0. 05) in the treatment grup and the control group before treatment. Compared with before treatment in the same group, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading all decreased in the treatment group and the control group after treatment (P <0. 01, P <0. 05). Compared with the control group after treatment, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading all decreased (P <0.01, P <0.05), the serum SOD level increased (P <0.05) in the treatment group after treatment. The serum SOD level was obviously negative correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-a, Mayo score, and endoscope score (r = -0. 621, -0.638, -0. 509, -0.787, P <0.01). The serum MDA level was obviously positive correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, Mayo score, and endoscope score (r =0.711, 0. 882, 0. 525, 0. 639, P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSI could improve inflammatory injury and clinical symptoms of patients with active UC, and its mechanism might be associated with antioxidant and scavenging oxygen free radicals.

Colitis, Ulcerative ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective To compare the antimierobial resistance of the gram-negative isolates from blood stream between Beijing and Hong Kong patients.Methods Non duplicate blood stream isolates were collected between 1998 and 2003 from Peking U- nion Medical College Hospital(n=530)and Hong Kong Prince of Wales Hospital(n=2913).Disk diffusion method and broth microdilution(MB)method were used to determine the antimierobial susceptibility of these strains to 13 antimicrobial a- gents including imipenem,ceftazidime,cefepime,etc.Results The resistance rates of E.coli to amikaein,ceftazidime and cefepime were 0.6%-5.0% and 7.5%-23.5%,and to gentamicin,cefuroxime,ciprofloxacin and cefuroxime were 12.6%- 28.4% and 29.4%-68.4% in Hong Kong isolates(n=1471)and Beijing isolates(n=213),respectively.The resistance rates of Klebsiella spp.to piperacillin-tazobactam and ceftazidime were 3.3%-11.3% and 4.3%-17.7%,and to amikacin, gentamicin,cefotaxime and ceftriaxone were 1.5%-10.1% and 5.8%-27.1% in Hong Kong isolates(n=586)and Beijing i- solates(n=70),respectively.The strains above and the ECS group of bacteria in Hong Kong(consisting of Enterobacter spp.,Citrobacter spp.,and Serratia spp.,n=333)were all susceptible to imipenem and meropenem,but 4.6%(n=65)of the ECS group bacteria in Beijing were resistant.About 8.8% and 14% of ECS group isolates were resistant to cefepime.Such isolates resistant to the other?-lactams ranged from 28.4% to 96%.In Hong Kong,Salmonella typhi remained susceptible to most of the antimierobial agents tested,but in Beijing,the resistance rates to ampicillin and piperacillin were from 9.1% to 18.2%.In Hong Kong,The resistance rates of Acinetobacter spp.and P.aeruginosa to imipenem and meropenem were lower than 10%,but in Beijing their resistance rates to imipenem were 13.6%-15.3% and 8.8%-30.8%,respectively.Conclusions The resistance rates of gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood stream in Beijing to most antimicrobial agents were higher than the corresponding rates in Hong Kong.This result will be useful for empirical therapy of local bacteremia.

AIMTo investigate the coordinated role and its mechanism of the high protein and hypercholesterol intake on inducing rat myocardial fibrosis.

METHODSThe tissue level of the collagen in left ventricule, the concentrations of the plasma and the cardiac tissue angiotensin II (Ang II) and Aldosterone (Ald), the serum concentration of nitrite (NO2-), in the Wistar rats on diet which adding 20% protein or/and 100 mg/d cholesterin in the rat standard foods for 8 weeks, were measured by the colorimetric analysis of the hydroxyproline, by the radioimmunoassay, and by the assay of Griess, respectively.

RESULTS1.69 times left ventricular collagen contents, 0.7 times plasma concentrations of total cholesterin, 1.5 times levels of the plasma Ang II and 1 time myocardial ald contents were higher, and the serum NO2- concentration was significant lower, in the rats of the high protein and hypercholesterol intake than in the rats of the high protein intake. That 0.48 times left ventricular collagen contents, 0.23 times plasma Ang II in the high protein and hypercholesterol intake rats were higher than in the high cholesterin intake rats.

CONCLUSIONThe excessive protein and cholesterin intake can induce the coordinated effect on developing the myocardial fibrosis of rats. And the mechanism of the fibrosis in rat left ventricule maybe result with the activation of RAAS and the endothelial injury.

Animals ; Cardiomyopathies ; etiology ; pathology ; Cholesterol, Dietary ; adverse effects ; Dietary Proteins ; adverse effects ; Fibrosis ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Cryptosporidium andersoni ATP-binding cassette (CaABC) is an important membrane protein involved in substrate transport across the membrane. In this research, the nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of CaABC gene was amplified by PCR, and the eukaryotic expression vector of pEGFP-C1-CaNBD was reconstructed. Then, the recombinant plasmid of pEGFP-C1-CaNBD was transformed into the mouse intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) to study the iron transportation function of CaABC. The results indicated that NBD region of CaABC gene can significantly elevate the transport efficiency of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and HCO3 - in IECs (P<0.05). The significance of this study is to find the ATPase inhibitors for NBD region of CaABC gene and to inhibit ATP binding and nutrient transport of CaABC transporter. Thus, C. andersoni will be killed by inhibition of nutrient uptake. This will open up a new way for treatment of cryptosporidiosis.
ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/*chemistry/*genetics/metabolism ; Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Calcium/metabolism ; *Cloning, Molecular ; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology ; Cryptosporidium/chemistry/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; Iron/metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Protozoan Proteins/*chemistry/*genetics/metabolism ; Sequence Alignment

OBJECTIVETo observe the peripheral neurotoxicity of 1-bromopropane (1-BP) by developing an animal model of peripheral neuropathy through oral administration of 1-BP.

METHODSForty male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into low-dose group (200 mg/kg), medium-dose group (400 mg/kg), high-dose group (800 mg/kg), and control group. The rats in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups were orally given 1-BP (dissolved in corn oil), while the rats in the control group were orally given an equal volume of corn oil. The oral administration (0.2 ml/100 g BW) was performed once per day, 5 days per week, for 16 consecutive weeks. Neurobehavioral indices including gait score, hindlimb grip strength, and hindlimb landing foot splay were recorded periodically. Hematological and biochemical parameters were also measured during and after 1-BP exposure.

RESULTSThe gait scores were significantly higher in the high-dose group (after 8 ∼ 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure), medium-dose group (after 14 ∼ 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure), and low-dose group (after 15 ∼ 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure) than in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the high-dose group showed significantly decreased hindlimb grip strength after 9, 12, and 14 weeks of 1-BP exposure (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), with the hindlimbs paralyzed after 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure. After 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure, the hindlimb grip strengths of rats in the medium-dose and low-dose groups were decreased to 72.6% and 91.2% of the control value (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the high-dose group showed significantly increased hindlimb landing foot splay after 12, 14, and 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure, and the medium-dose group showed significantly increased hindlimb landing foot splay after 14 and 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The high-dose and medium-dose groups showed significantly higher serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity than the control group after 8 weeks of 1-BP exposure, and so did the low-dose group after 16 weeks of 1-BP exposure (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe nervous system is sensitive to the toxic effect of 1-BP, and 1-BP exposure can induce peripheral neuropathy in rats.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hydrocarbons, Brominated ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Male ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic alterations of neurofilament subunits (NF) in sciatic nerve of hens with organophosphorus ester induced the delayed neurotoxicity or neuropathy (OPIDN).

METHODSHens with OPIDN were produced by giving 30 mg/kg methamidophos subcutaneously to the 10-month-old Roman hens daily for 15 days, and sacrificed after manifesting neurotoxic clinical signs on the 2nd, 10th, and 23rd day respectively. The sciatic nerves were dissected, homogenized and centrifuged. The levels of NF in supernatant and pellet of sciatic nerves were examined by Western blotting respectively at different time from 2 to 23 days.

RESULTSIntegrated optional density (IOD) of high molecular weight neurofilament (NF-H) in sciatic nerve pellet of hens on the day 2, 10, 23 after appearance of OPIDN were 145,117 +/- 17,038, 55,917 +/- 17,333 and 45,038 +/- 6,662 respectively. As compared with the control group (78,875 +/- 22,569), the contents of NF-H in pellet were increased by 84% on day 2, and decreased by 29% and 43% on day 10 and 23 respectively. IOD of NF-H in supernatant of sciatic nerves were 4,709 +/- 1,739, 12,337 +/- 3,205 and 16,745 +/- 931, which were reduced significantly as compared with the control (44,083 +/- 6,895) at three different times. There was no significant difference in IOD of middle molecular weight neurofilament (NF-M) between control group (27,925 +/- 2,660) and on day 2 (31,493 +/- 4,625) in pellet. Those were 19,367 +/- 2,746 and 6,612 +/- 1,119 respectively on day 10 and day 23 in pellet of hen's sciatic nerve, which were much less than that in control. Little were detected in supernatant on day 10, and the IOD of NF-M were 3,196 +/- 269 and 5,206 +/- 1,292 on day 2 and day 23 respectively, which were lessened by 81% and 70% as compared with the control (17,243 +/- 3,232). In sciatic nerve pellet of hens, IOD of low molecular weight neurofilament (NF-L) on day 2 was 39,211 +/- 3,800, which was much higher than that in the control (28,749 +/- 9,319). There were no significant differences between IOD on day 10 (27,974 +/- 3,611), day 23 (21,507 +/- 2,286) and the control. There was no detection both on day 2 and 10 in supernatant of sciatic nerve, and IOD of NF-L were 5,962 +/- 1,929 on day 23, which were reduced significantly compared with the control (11,897 +/- 352).

CONCLUSIONThe alterations of NF in sciatic nerve might contribute to the occurrence and development of OPIDN.

Animals ; Chickens ; Female ; Insecticides ; toxicity ; Neurofilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; toxicity ; Sciatic Nerve ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Toxicity Tests

OBJECTIVETo study the strategy of applying molecular genetic methods and techniques in the diagnosis of spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA).

METHODSThis study included 43 patients with SCA from 36 families, 38 sporadic SCA patients, 60 healthy individuals from the SCA families and 44 normal controls. The trinucleotide repeats were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining technique. The repeat numbers were calculated by software.

RESULTSSCA3 was the most common type in the Hans of south China, accounting for 42.0%, followed by SCA2 (7.4%), SCA1 (4.9%), SCA7 (3.7%), SCA6 (2.5%) and SCA12 (1.2%). No patient was found to have SCA8, SCA10, SCA17, and dentatorubro-pallidoluysian atrophy(DRPLA).

CONCLUSIONMolecular genetic detection is an effective way to confirmation of SCA subtype diagnosis and presymptomatic genetic diagnosis.

Adult ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Trinucleotide Repeats ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the alterations of microtubule and microfilament expression are responsible for the neurotoxicity of carbon disulfide.

METHODSWistar rats were administered with carbon disulfide by gavage at a dosage of 300 or 500 mg/kg for continuous 12 weeks (five times per week). Spinal cords of carbon disulfide-intoxicated rats and their age-matched controls were Triton-extracted and ultracentrifuged to yield a pellet and a corresponding supernatant fraction. Then, the contents of alpha-tubulin, beta-tubulin, and beta-actin in both fractions were determined by immunoblotting. In the meantime, their mRNA levels in spinal cords were quantified using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSIn the supernatant fraction, the contents of beta-tubulin and beta-actin in both treated groups increased significantly (P < 0.01) the content of beta-tubulin increased by 141% and 158% respectively, and the content of beta-actin increased by 19% and 32% respectively. In the pellet fraction, the content of beta-tubulin in both groups increased by 107%(P < 0.01) and 118%(P < 0.01) respectively, and the others keep unaffected. In the meantime, the levels of of mRNA expression of beta-tubulin and beta-actin gene were elevated consistently in CS(2)-treated groups (P < 0.01) the levels of mRNA expression of beta-tubulin increased by 207% and 212% respectively, and the levels of mRNA expression of beta-actin increased by 94% and 91% respectively.

CONCLUSIONCarbon disulfide intoxication results in alternations of microtubule and microfilament expression, and the alternations might be related to its neurotoxicity.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Carbon Disulfide ; poisoning ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spinal Cord ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Tubulin ; genetics ; metabolism