Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Genes ; Microfilament Proteins ; genetics ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; pathology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo explore changes of B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), malondialdehyde (MDA) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, and the effect of Xinfeng Capsule (XFC) on them.

METHODSTotally 120 AS patients were assigned to two groups according to random digit table method, the XFC group (3 XFC pills each time, 3 times a day) and the SASP group (4 SASP tablets each time, twice a day), 60 in each group. All patients were treated for 3 months. Another 60 healthy subjects were recruited as a healthy control group. The expression frequency and activation levels of BTLA were detected using flow cytometry. Serum oxidative stress indices (such as SOD and CAT, TAOC, ROS, RNS, MDA) and contents of cytokines [tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-1β, IL-4, and IL-10] were detected using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was detected using Westergren method. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) was detected using HITACHI 7060 type automatic biochemical analyzer. Clinical efficacies of ASAS 20 and BASDAI50 were assessed using VAS. Correlation analysis between scoring for quality of life and BTLA expression frequency was performed.

RESULTS(1) Clinical efficacies of ASAS 20 and BASDAI50 were significantly better in the XFC group than in the SASP group (P < 0.01). (2) Compared with the healthy control group, BTLA expressions in the peripheral blood of AS patients decreased significantly (P <0. 05); SOD, CAT, and TAOC values significantly decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); ROS, RNS, and MDA values significantly increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); TNF-α, IL-1β, ESR, and Hs-CRP values significantly increased (P < 0.01); IL-4 and IL-10 values decreased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). (3) Compared with pre-treatment in the same group, BTLA/CD19 + B, BTLA/CD24 + B, SOD, TAOC, IL-4, SF-36 [physical functioning (PF), social functioning (SF), role limitation due to physical problems (RP), role limitation due to emotional problems (RE), body pain (BP), mental health (MH), vitality (VT), general health (GH)] were significantly elevated; ROS, MDA, TNF-α, ESR, Hs- CRP, VAS, BASDAI and BASFI, BAS-G were significantly lower in the peripheral blood of the two groups after treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Better effect was shown in the XFC group in elevating BTLA/CD19+ B, BTLA/CD24 + B, SOD, TAOC, IL-10, BP, MH, VT, and SF; and lowering ROS, IL-1β, MDA, TNF-α, ESR, Hs-CRP, VAS, BASDAI, BASFI, and BAS-G (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). (4) Pearson correlation analysis showed, BTLA/CD19 + B expression of the peripheral blood was positively correlated with SOD, CAT, TAOC, IL-4, IL-10, GH, RP, BP, and SF (r = 0.431, 0.325, 0.318, 0.316, 0.348, 0.314, 0.358, 0.318, 0.326, respectively, P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while it was negative correlated with ROS, MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, ESR, VAS, and BASDAI (r = -0.342, -0.368, -0.334, -0.354, -0.324, -0.372, -0.342, respectively, P < 0.05, P < 0.01). BTLA/CD24 B expression of the peripheral blood was positively correlated with SOD, TAOC, IL-4, IL-10, GH, RP, BP, SF, RE, MH, VT (r = 0.358, 0.352, 0.372, 0.436, 0.435, 0.326, 0.352, 0.345, 0.326, 0.343, 0.332, respectively, P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while it was negative correlated with ROS, RNS, MDA, ESR, Hs-CRP, VAS, BASDAI, and BASFI (r = -0.447, -0.336, -0.405, -0. 395, -0. 358, -0.436, -0.338, -0.425, respectively, P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONXFC could improve BTLA expression in the peripheral blood of AS patients, negatively regulate activation and proliferation of B cells, and reduce abnormal immune responses and oxidative stress injury, thereby effectively alleviating joint stiffness and pain.

B-Lymphocytes ; physiology ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Capsules ; Catalase ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Quality of Life ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; physiology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Objective To explore the effect of fluoride and arsenic pollution on bone metabolism in exposed population. Methods One hundred and fifty-two fluoride and arsenic exposed people were selected from Jiaole village, Yuzhang town, Xingron county, Guizhou province in 2006, and 59 not exposed people from Daguoduo village 13 km away from Jiaole village were selected as control. Urinary fluorine(UF), urinary arsenic (UAs), urinary hydroxyproline (UHYP), cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen (UNTX) and bone strength index(STI) were detected. Results The main effect of fluoride on UHYP and UNTX were statistically significant (F = 9.785, 4.225, P < 0.01 ), but was not significant on STI(F = 0.183, P > 0.05). The main effect of arsenic on UNTX was statistically significant (F = 2.660, P < 0.05 ), but was not significant on UHYP and STI(F = 2.012, 0.183,all P > 0.05). The interaction between fluoride and arsenic on UNTX was statistically significant (F= 2.429, P <0.01), but was not significant on UHYP and STI(F= 1.218, 1.001, all P> 0.05). Conclusions Fluoride exposure can affect the metabolism of collagen and bone resorption, and Arsenic exposure main affect bone resorption, fluoride and arsenic co-exposure have more significant effect on bone resorption. UNTX may be used as biological biomarker of bone metabolism for population co-exposed to fluoride and arsenic in health monitoring.

Objective To study the modulation effect of adrenomedullin (ADM) on hypoxia pulmonary hypertension in rats.Methods Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group ( n =8), hypoxic group ( n =8), hypoxic with ADM group ( n =8). ADM was subcutaneously administered into rats of hypoxic with ADM group by mini-osmotic pump (300 ng/h). After two weeks hypoxic challenge, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were evaluated by a right cardiac catheterization procedure. Mean systemic artery pressure (mSAP) was measured. The ratio of right ventricular mass to left ventricular plus septal mass [RV/(LV+S)] was detected.Results sPAP, mPAP and RV/(LV+S) significantly increased in hypoxic rats compared with controls ( P

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rats with adjuvant arthritis and to explore the mechanism of neovasculization in rheumatoid arthritis.

METHODSThirty rats were randomly divided into normal control group and model control group. The model control group were established the model of adjuvant arthritis using Freund's complete adjuvant. At 19 days after modeling, the expression of microvascular density (MVD), HIF-1α, VEGF were detected by ELISA assay and PTEN, PI3K, AKT were detected by Werstern Blotting.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, paw swelling, arthritic index were increased, and the expression of MVD, VEGF, HIF-1α of serum, PI3K, AKT of synovial tissue were significantly increased, PTEN was significantly decreased in model control group. PI3K, HIF-1α were positively correlated with MVD; VEGF, AKT were positively correlated with paw swelling; PTEN was negatively correlated with the arthritis index; HIF-1α was positively correlated with VEGF; PI3K was positively correlated with AKT, PTEN was negatively correlated with PI3K, AKT, VEGF.

CONCLUSIONImbalance of PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in rats with adjuvant arthritis is one of the mechanisms of synovial neovasculization.

Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; physiology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; etiology ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; physiology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; physiology

Enhancing medical students' humane quality education is an urgent requirement for modem medical mode transformation for medical education.The pharmacology teachers of Chongqing Medical University follow the modem education concepts and fully search the human spirit materials hidden in pharmacology,then actively explore how to integrate the humanity spirit education into the pharmacology teaching to achieve the changes of from exam-oriented education to quality education.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of prospective memory impairment and event related potentials(ERPs)changes in Parkinson's disease(PD)patients without early treatment.Methods Event-based prospective memory(EBPM),time-based prospective memory(TBPM)and ERPs were examined in 33 PD patients and 31 healthy controls matched with age,gender,education and occupation.Results The scores of EBPM and TBPM in PD patients were significantly lower than those in normal controls(P＜0.05).The latencies of N2 and P300 were significantly prolonged,and P300amplitude was markedly decreased in PD patients as compared with those in normal controls(P＜0.05).The relative analysis showed that the P300 latency was positively correlated with both EBPM(r=0.628,P=0.000)and TBPM(r=0.582,P=0.000).Conclusion The EBPM and TBPM impairment might exist in PD patients without early treatment; the P300 latency can be used as a predictive electrophysiological marker to assess the severity of EBPM and TBPM impairment in PD patients.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the common male diseases, which affects 15,200 men in the world. Recent discovery has shown the important role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in ED. This paper updates the researches on the role of ROS in ED, expounds the relationship of ROS with various risk factors of ED, and outlines the advances in the anti-oxidation treatment of the problem.
Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Reactive Oxygen Species

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of 6-gingerol, the main active component of ginger, on hair shaft elongation in vitro and hair growth in vivo.

METHODSFirstly, Hair follicles were co-cultured with 3 different concentration of 6-gingerol for 5 days and hair elongation in three groups was measured. Secondly, The proliferative effect of 6-gingerol on DPCs was measured using MTT assay. Thirdly, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in DPCs were measured using Western blotting. In vivo study, the influence of 6-gingerol on hair growth in C57BL/6 rats was measured through topical application of 6-gingerol on the dorsal skin of each animal.

RESULTSThe length of hair shaft in 20 microg/ml 6-Gingerol group (0.50 +/- 0.08 mm) is less than 0 microg/ml (0.66 +/- 0.19) mm and 10 microg/ml (0.64 +/- 0.03) mm 6-Gingerol group (P < 0.05). In cell culture, compared to 0 microg/ml and 5 microg/ml 6-Gingerol, 10 microg/ml 6-Gingerol can significantly inhibited the proliferation of DPCs (P < 0.05). Along with the growth inhibition of DPCs by 6-gingerol, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio increased obviously. In vivo study, the hair length and density decreased a lot after using 1 mg/ml 6-gingerol.

CONCLUSIONS6-Gingerol can suppress human hair shaft elongation because it has pro-apoptotic effects on DPCs via increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. It might inhibit hair growth by prolonging the telogen stage in vivo.

Animals ; Catechols ; pharmacology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Fatty Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Hair ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Hair Follicle ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of meatoplasty with the pedicle flap in the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 32 cases of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis treated by meato- plasty with the pedicle flap. All the patients had a history of chronic balanitis and had received meatal dilatation or simple ventral mea- totomy without significant effect. Their mean maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) was (4.3 ± 2.4) ml/s. During the operation, A "/\"-shaped incision was made in the healthy epidermis and a flap was harvested from the frenulum. After complete removal of the scar, the flap was placed into the urethral wall, followed by reconstruction of the external urethral orifice.

RESULTSThe patients were fol- lowed up for 6 to 30 months, which revealed smooth urination in all the patients with Qmax of (26.7 ± 4.5) ml/s and normal erectile function and uresiesthesis.

CONCLUSIONWith little invasiveness and few complications, meatoplasty with the pedicle flap is an ideal surgical method for the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis. However, there might be some change in the normal appearance of the balanus postoperatively, and its long-term effect needs further observation.

Balanitis ; complications ; Constriction, Pathologic ; etiology ; surgery ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Urethra ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; etiology ; surgery ; Urination