OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of different solvent fractions of Boschniakia rossica on acute liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in mice. METHODS: The mice were randomly assigned to the normal control, model control, bifendate (positive control), as well as groups of different solvent fractions of Boschniakia rossica. Animals were treated once daily for 7d. APAP were given intraperitoneally to the mice of groups, then the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (ALB), reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid hydroperoxide (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were detected by the colorimetric method. RESULTS: The administration with butanol soluble fraction and aqueous fraction oi Boschniakia rossica reduced the serum ALT and AST activities, increased the scrum ALB level, decreased the hepatic ROS, LPO and MDA levels, increased the CAT, GPx, SOD activities and GSH level, increased the Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activities of liver mitochondria, and decreased hepatic iNOS activity and NO level of liver in mice with acute liver injury. CONCLUSION: The different solvent fractions of Boschniakia rossica have protective effects on acute liver injury induced by APAP in mice, probably via anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.

AIM:To study the effects of adiponectin on H 2 O2-induced cell injury and tau hyperphosphorylation in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.METHODS:Cell viability was determined by MTT assay .H2 O2-induced cell in-jury and morphological changes in the SH-SY5Y cells with or without adiponectin treatment were observed .The level of tau phosphorylation as well as the activities of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and of glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β) were examined by Western blotting . RESULTS: Adiponectin significantly attenuated H 2 O2-induced cell injury (P<0.01).Adiponectin upregulated the activity of PP2A and decreased phosphorylation levels of tau under the stimula-tion with H2O2(P<0.01).Okadaic acid, a specific inhibitor of PP2A, blocked the protective effects of adiponectin (P<0.01).Adiponectin increased the phosphorylation level of GSK-3βat Ser9 site under H2O2stimulation (P<0.01).CON-CLUSION:Adiponectin protects SH-SY5Y cells against H2O2-induced cell injury and decreases tau hyperphosphorylation by activating PP2A and inactivating GSK-3β.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of soyasaponins on acute liver injury induced by D-galactosamine (GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice.

METHODThe mice were randomly divided into five groups: the normal control, the model group, the silymarin (positive control) group, and soyasaponins high and low-dose groups. They were administered with drugs once every day for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, GalN and LPS were injected intraperitoneally to all of the groups except for the normal group to establish the acute liver injury model. The pathological changes were detected with hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was detected by ELISA method, and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and the activation of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 were detected by the colorimetric method.

RESULTSoyasaponins could reduce the activities of serum ALT and AST, the acute hepatic injury induced by GalN/LPS, serum TNF-alpha level, hepatic NO and MDA contents, and the Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 activations of liver tissues, and increase the hepatic CAT, GPx, GST and GSH levels.

CONCLUSIONSoyasaponins shows the protective effect on acute liver injury induced by GalN and LPS in mice, which may be related to its antioxidative ability and anti-liver apoptosis.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Galactosamine ; toxicity ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Soybeans ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of soybean phytochemical extract containing isoflavones and soyasaponins (SPE) on blood glucose, blood lipids, plasma lipid peroxide and platelet aggregation activity in diabetic rats.

METHODSDiabetic rats were fed with fodder containing 20 g/kg of SPE for 20 weeks. Their plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) were separated by sequential ultracentrifugation.

RESULTSTwenty weeks after experiment, level of blood glucose, atherosclerotic index and plasma level of lipid peroxide were (11.9 +/- 0.9) mmol/L, 0.40 +/- 0.14 and (15.7 +/- 0.5) mmol/L, respectively in diabetic rats fed with SPE, significantly lower than those in control rats not fed with it, (14.2 +/- 2.0) mmol/L, 0.58 +/- 0.22 and (20.7 +/- 3.0) mmol/L, respectively. Accordingly, platelet aggregation rates induced by ADP and collagen in the two groups were (54.1 +/- 8.8)% vs (66.6 +/- 12.4)% and (58.0 +/- 7.9)% vs (69.6 +/- 9.4)%, respectively. Changes in all these indices were significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSPE could significantly decrease blood glucose, improve atherosclerotic index, and inhibit lipid peroxidation and platelet aggregation in diabetic rats, which might be useful in prevention and control of diabetes mellitus and diabetes-associated atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Arteriosclerosis ; blood ; prevention & control ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, VLDL ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; prevention & control ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Soybeans ; Triglycerides ; blood

Objective To investigate the preventive effect of TGF-?_1 neutralizing antibody on flexor tendon adhesion from operation.Methods One hundred and eight leghon cocks performed anastomonsis op- eration were divieded into three groups randomly,as normal saline(control group),5?g/ml group,10?g/ml group of TGF-?_1,antibody.At 1 st,3rd,8th and 12th weeks respectively after operation,the flexor biomechan- ics test,HE staining,Masson staining,Sirius red-polarization staining and TGF-?_1 immunohistochemistry stai- ning were used.Results The max of strength of tendon and the stimulate active flexor from the experiment groups(5?g/ml group,10?g/ml) are higher than from the control group,The max of strength of tendon of the experiment groups are less at 8th weeks,and no difference at 12th weeks from the control group;Compared with the control group,the 10?g/ml group were less shorten the progress of inflammation and accelerated the progress of molding;In the experiment groups(5?g/ml group,10?g/ml),the density of the collagenⅠtype were less,the ratio ofⅠ/Ⅲcollagen and expression of the TGF-?_1 were decreasing.Condusion The study showed that applying of TGF-?_1 muhiclonal neutralizing antibody can inhibit efficiently the function of the TGF-?_1 during the flexor tendon repair,reduce tendon adhesion and scar fromation,however has no affec- tion of tendon intensity,suggesting it is a latent and efficient method for preventiong flexor tendon from adhe- ring after operation.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of immunoglobulin on the neuronal expression of IL-1beta and IL-1ra and the neuronal death at hippocampus in rats with convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazol.

METHODSThe epilepsy model was established by injecting intraperitoneally pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) into Wistar rats. Forty-five rats were randomly divided into three groups, normal control group, PTZ plus intravenous immunoglobulin (PTZ-IVIG); PTZ plus normal saline (PTZ-NS). Neuronal death was assessed by light microscopy with the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and with in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). IL-1beta and IL-1ra expressions were examined by histochemistry.

RESULTSThe ratio of IL-1beta/IL-1ra at hippocampal CA(1) region in PTZ-IVIG group (0.5 +/- 0.1) was significantly lower than that in PTZ-NS group (1.9 +/- 0.5, t = 12.9, P < 0.05). Apoptotic cell numbers at the hippocampal CA(1) region were significantly decreased in the PTZ-IVIG group, compared to PTZ-NS group (t = 27.1, P < 0.05). The numbers of positive cells were 16.4 +/- 3.3/1000 microm(2) in the former and 41.7 +/- 3.5/1000 microm(2) in the latter. Necrotic cell numbers at the hippocampal CA(1) region were significantly decreased in the PTZ-IVIG group (19.0 +/- 2.6/1000 microm(2)), compared to PTZ-NS group (42.3 +/- 4.9/1000 microm(2), t = 20.9, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONImmunoglobulin could inhibit neuronal death induced by convulsion and its possible mechanism might be the regulation of IL-1 system in neurons.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; immunology ; metabolism ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; pharmacology ; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Pentylenetetrazole ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seizures ; chemically induced ; immunology ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDDespite great reduction of in-stent restenosis, first-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) have increased the risk of late stent thrombosis due to delayed endothelialization. Arsenic trioxide, a natural substance that could inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis, seems to be a promising surrogate of sirolimus to improve DES performance. This randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel arsenic trioxide-eluting stent (AES), compared with traditional sirolimus-eluting stent (SES).

METHODSPatients with symptoms of angina pectoris were enrolled and randomized to AES or SES group. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF), and the second endpoint includes rates of all-cause death, cardiac death or myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization (TLR) by telephone visit and late luminal loss (LLL) at 9-month by angiographic follow-up.

RESULTSFrom July 2007 to 2009, 212 patients were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to receive either AES or SES. At 2 years of follow-up, TVF rate was similar between AES and SES group (6.67% vs. 5.83%, P = 0.980). Frequency of all-cause death was significantly lower in AES group (0 vs. 4.85%, P = 0.028). There was no significant difference between AES and SES in frequency of TLR and in-stent restenosis, but greater in-stent LLL was observed for AES group (0.29 ± 0.52 mm vs. 0.10 ± 0.25 mm, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONSAfter 2 years of follow-up, AES demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to SES for the treatment of de novo coronary artery lesions.

Aged ; Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxides ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; methods ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDIntra-articular fractures of the fingers are common problems to emergency physicians and hand surgeons. Inappropriate management of these injuries may result in chronic pain, stiffness, deformity, or post traumatic arthritis. Ideal treatment necessitates the restoration of a stable and congruent joint that will allow early mobilization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the results of intra-articular fracture of the fingers by mini external fixator combined with limited internal fixation.

METHODSFrom May 2005 to May 2007, a total of 26 patients with intra-articular fracture of the fingers were treated by mini external fixator combined with limited internal fixation. Of the 26 cases, 11 involved in metacarpophalangeal joint, and 15 interphalangeal joint in proximal interphalangeal. Kirschner wire, mini wire and absorbable suture were used for limited internal fixation. All patients were followed up and patients were accomplished with total active motion (TAM) of fingers.

RESULTSAll patients were reviewed by an independent observer. The mean follow up was 13 months (range 9 to 24 months). Subjective, objective and radiographic results were evaluated. X-ray films revealed fracture union and the average radiographic union time was 7 weeks with a range of 5 - 12 weeks and the phalange shortening or rotation in 2 cases, joint incongruity (less than 1 mm) and joint space narrowing in 3 cases respectively. Phalangeal shortening or rotation was observed in 2 cases and joint incongruity or joint space narrowing was observed in 3 cases. An artificial implant was performed on one case for traumatic arthritis 1.5 years after surgery. Based on TAM the overall good-excellent rate of joint motion function was 80.8%.

CONCLUSIONMini external fixator combined with limited internal fixation is a reliable and effective method for treatment of intra-articular fracture of the fingers.

Adolescent ; Adult ; External Fixators ; Female ; Finger Joint ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the medicinal plant group and resource of Sect. Euthya in Paris L. in Shaanxi Province. Methods Through literature analysis and interview survey, combined with line transect method, the medicinal plant group, the natural distribution and the status of medicinal plant group and resources about Sect. Euthya in the specific county territory in Shaanxi Province were investigated.Results According to related records about the medicinal plants of Sect. Euthya in Paris L. included P. polyphylla, var. stenophylla, var. apetala, and Paris fargesii var. petiolatain in Shaanxi Province. Based on field investigation, it was found that, the medicinal plants of Sect.Euthya in Paris L.also included five variations of P.polyphylla var.latifolia,var.apperdiculata,var. thibetica, var. chinensis, and var. yunnanensis, which were new distribution records. No var. apetala was found under field investigation. Most of the rhizomes of the Sect. Euthya plants were used as Chinese materia medica Paridis Rhizoma, with wide distribution and good growth condition. The natural resources of these plants are endangered. Conclusion In this study, two species and six variations in the Sect. Euthya are identified as new distribution records. Consequently, the medicinal plant distribution record of Paris L. in Shaanxi Province is complete. The natural resources are investigated, which have laid the foundation for further research, development and protection.

Objective To analyze the subjective well-being of the aged and to explore its influencing factors in Hangzhou City to provide evidence for improving the subjective well-being of the aged. Method A total of 60 years old and above healthy people in Hangzhou were selected as research objects. Stratified random sampling was used according to age and gender. Face to face interview was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The content of the interview included subjective well-being,behavioral habits,and demographics. Statistical methods contains Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Kruskal-Wallis H test and Spearman rank correlation. Logistic regression was used to select influencing factors of subjective well-being. Results A total of 429 samples were used in the analysis according to inclusion and exclusion criterion. The mean score of subjective well-being was 14.0±2.0,and the result of logistic regression shows that gender,marriage status,the number of people living together,whether experienced negative life events,the number of people that can provide information were important factors of subjective well-being. Conclusions The level of subjective well-being of elderly people in Hangzhou was high. The government and society should improve SWB among the aged by providing more psychological guidance and more social support.