Objective To evaluate the inflammatory response and the expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR)isoforms(PPARα,PPARβ/δ,and PPARγ)in the brain(cortex,striatum,cerebellum)of spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR).Methods Brain tissues(cortex,striatum,and cerebellum)were dissected from SHR and age-matched control Wistar-Kyoto rats.Myeloperoxidase(MPO)activity was measured in brain tissues as an index of neutrophil accumulation and the carbonyl protein content was analyzed by spectrophotometry to evaluate the protein oxidation.RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to examine the expressions of inflammatory mediators(IL-1β,TNFα,ICAM-1,and iNOS)and nuclear factor PPARs(PPARα,PPARβ/δ,and PPARγ),respectively.Results(1)Systolic blood pressure of SHR was significantly higher than that of Wistar-Kyoto rats,(205.4±9.4)mm Hg versus(130.4±7.9)mm Hg(t=14.96,P＜0.01).(2)MPO activity of cortex,striatum,and cerebellum were markedly higher in SHR than in Wistar-Kyoto rats.Carbonyl protein levels of cortex,striatum,and cerebellum in Wistar-Kyoto rats and SHR were(3.27±0.43)nmol/mg versus(11.87±1.11)nmol/mg,(4.02±1.04)nmol/mg versus(14.06±1.36)nmol/mg,(5.94±0.71)nmol/mg versus(14.95±1.82)nmol/mg,indicating significantly higher levels of protein oxidation in SHR than Wistar-Kyoto rats(t=17.70,14.36,11.30,P＜0.05).Consistently,the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators(IL-1β,TNFα,ICAM-1,and iNOS)was upregulated when compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats.The difference between SHR and control Wistar-Kyoto rats was statistically significant except the mRNA expression of IL-1β in striatum,cerebellum and TNFα in cerebellum of SHR.All the above experimental data indicated the occurrence of inflammatory status in the brain tissue of hypertension.(3)mRNA and protein levels of brain PPAR isoforms(PPARα,PPARβ/δ,and PPARγ)of SHR increased significantly when compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats.Specifically.protein levels of PPARα in cortex.striatum,and cerebellum of SHR increased by 644.78%,791.95%,and 42.85%;PPARβ/δ increased by 106.72%,94.12%,and 161.44%;PPARγ was up-regulated by 2700.16%,790.81%,and 875.00%compared with that of Wistar-Kyoto rats,respectively.Conclusions The brain(cortex,striatum,and cerebellum)from SHR shows marked inflammatory status and increased expression of all PPAR isoforms.Increases in PPARs expression may play a compensatory role in the inflammatory response of the brain in SHR.

Objective To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of histopathologie analysis vs cytomegalovirus (CMV) detection for the diagnosis of CMV-infected hepatitis post liver transplantation. Methods Twenty-five biopsies with CMV infection and twenty-five without CMV infection were collected. Histopathologic observation, immunohistochemical staining and virus detection were performed on both groups to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of these examinations for the diagnosis of CMV-infected hepatitis. Results The detection rate of microabscess, aggregation of monocyte and rnacrophage, and cytomegalic change in CMV infection group was higher than that in the group without CMV infection (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in intranuclear inclusion and eosinophilic body between the two groups (P>0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of IHC and PCR for CMV detection were 20% and 100%, 72% and 84%, respectively. Conclosions CMV detection with PCR combined with histological observation is the most effective diagnostic scheme for CMV disease of liver.

In order to test the equilibrium solubility of puerarin in different solvents and solubilizer,cilia toxicity and irritation of these excipient, the balance method, toad in the ciliary body toxicity and rat nasal mucosa irritation were used respectively. Results showed that puerarin solubility was 56.44 g x L(-1) in combined solvent of 30% PEG200 and 10% Kolliphor HS 15. With normal saline solution as negative control and sodium deoxycholate as positive control, the effects of 30% PEG200, 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 and combination of 30% of PEG200 and 10% Kolliphor HS 15 on toad palate cilium were observed and cilia movement duration was recorded. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in cilia movement duration among 30% PEG200, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 and normal saline group. The rats long-term nasal mucous membrane irritation of 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15, which had no cilia toxicity, was studied, with normal saline solution as negative control. There were no significant difference revealed on rat nasal mucosa epithelial thickness among 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 and normal saline. Above researches showed 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 was ideal for solubility of puerarin nasal drops and showed a lower cilia toxicity and irritation, and can be used as the solvent and solubilizer of puerarin nasal drops.
Administration, Intranasal ; methods ; Animals ; Anura ; Cilia ; chemistry ; Female ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; Male ; Nasal Mucosa ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solubility ; Solvents ; chemistry

The stability of melittin in different solvents (water, deoxygenated water, physiological saline, PBS, 50% ethanol, ethanol, glycerol)was studied and the results showed that the stability of melittin is not influenced by light, temperature and pH in 50% ethanol, which melittin can be completed dissolved when compared with ethanol and glycerol, in such, 50% ethanol was chosen as solvent storage when measured content of melittin. Then the effect of different concentrations of PBS, the pH of PBS and rat skin ho- mogenates were tested, and the results showed that melittin was degraded rapidly at low concentration solution and low ionic strength. Increasing pH of PBS and rat skin homogenate can accelerate the degradation of melittin. These researches provide an experimental ba- sis for further study of melittin.
Animals ; Drug Stability ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Melitten ; chemistry ; Rats ; Skin ; drug effects ; Solvents ; chemistry ; Temperature

To study preliminarily the effect of Jiawei Bazhen decoction combined with oxytocin in promoting cervical ripening of full-term pregnancy women who were in the deficiency of qi and blood type through the syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). 180 patients that met the inclusion criteria of the study were randomly divided into three groups: the control group(oxytocin group), the treatment group (Jiawei Bazhen decoction combined with oxytocin group), the blank control group (expected and observation group). Cervical maturity score (Bishop score), vaginal and cervical secretions fetal fibronectin (FFN), the result of induced labor, the result of mother and baby were observed in each group before and after treatment. The result comes out that the cervical Bishop score of pregnant women for treatment group were significantly higher than the control group and blank control group after treatment (P < 0.05). The FFN of pregnant women for the treatment group were significantly different from the control group and blank control group after treatment (P < 0.05). The pregnancy outcome of the three groups: the labor rate and rate of vaginal delivery of the treatment group were higher than the other two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The cesarean section rate of the treatment group was significantly lower than the other two groups, the difference was also statistically significant (P < 0.05). The three groups did not appear the phenomenon of neonatal asphyxia. Jiawei Bazhen decoction combined with oxytocin is effective in producing cervical ripening and induce labor. It is convenient, safe and reliable, for it is no obvious adverse effects on mother and fetus, but effective in reducing the rate of cesarean section, and playing a positive role in promoting natural delivery.
Adult ; Cervical Ripening ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fibronectins ; secretion ; Humans ; Labor, Induced ; Oxytocin ; administration & dosage ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Qi ; Vagina ; drug effects ; secretion ; Young Adult

Using sustained release tablets of gardenia extract as model drug and DPPH radical scavenging capacity as antioxidant index, the feasibility of using pharmacodynamics index was explored to evaluate sustained release tablets. Applying the established quantifiable method of DPPH radical scavenging to the dissolved liquid of model drug, release profiles and biological effects profiles were drawn, and their correlation was discussed. A good correlation was observed by linear regression and f2 actor, suggesting that the indicator could be used to evaluate sustained release tabletsofextracts of gardenia in which iridoids were mainly involved.
Antioxidants ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Biphenyl Compounds ; metabolism ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Linear Models ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Picrates ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Tablets

Peptide cyclization, a pivotal approach to modifying linear precursors of proteins and pepticles, has been used to enhance their biological activities and serum stabilities. Recently, sortase A (SrtA) from Staphyloccus aureus becomes a promising new technology for efficiently incorporating site specific modifications into proteins, conjugating the cell surface and cyclizing the linear peptides. In this study, we constructed two recombinant expression systems, one with chitin binding domain and the other with six-histidine tag and chitin binding domain on the N-terminal of SrtA, separately. The results of enzymatic kinetics indicate that the two recombinant tags do not impair the transpeptidase activity of SrtA compared with the standard reaction reported under the same reaction condition. The two synthesized peptides with N-ternimal three glycines and C-terminal penta-amino acid motif, LPETG, were cyclized using immobilized and recycled SrtA. The SrtA-based cyclization promises to represent a simple method for easy and efficient enzymatic synthesis of large cyclic peptides.
Aminoacyltransferases ; metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; Cyclization ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; metabolism ; Enzymes, Immobilized ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Peptides, Cyclic ; biosynthesis ; Staphylococcus aureus ; enzymology

Objective To investigate the prevalence status and risk factors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in old people in pension facilities in Chongqing, China. Methods From October to November, 2015, the people above 60 years old in four pension facilities in Chongqing were cluster sampled. They were interviewed with Mini-Mental State Examination, Instrumental Activity of Daily Living Scale, self-made general situation questionnaire for the elderly and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results There were 25 MCI patients identified in 84 old people selected, with the prevalence of 29.76%. MCI prevalence was different with the factors such as genders, educational levels, economical status, smoking, eating freshwater fish frequently, participating in outdoor activities frequently, playing Mahjong/chess/cards fre-quently, watching TV/listening to broadcast/reading newspaper frequently, participating in social activities frequently, having religious be-liefs, suffering high blood pressure (χ2>4.271, P<0.05). Based on multivariate Logistic regression analysis, male was the protective factor (OR=0.055, 95%CI:0.005~0.618), while high blood pressure was the risk factor (OR=8.281, 95%CI:1.278~53.646) to the MCI. Conclu-sion MCI is prevalent in old people in pension facilities in Chongqing, which needs intervention targeted to the risk foctors.

To investigate the cellular immunity abnormalities of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA), peripheral blood lymphocytes subpopulations, interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and natural killer (NK) cell activity were determined in 9 patients with RA. The results showed that there were a remarkable decrease in NK cell activity and poor response to IL-2 stimlulation. IL-2 production and.the expression of membrane-bound IL-2 receptor were increased in RA patients. The percentage of T4 positive cells and the ratio of T4/T8 were also increased in patients with RA. The results indicate that there are severe cellular immunity abnormalities in patients with RA.

Polymerase chain reaction was employed to amplify the whole HBV CP region from the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection, and then the PCR products were subcloned into pGEM Teasy vectors. Clones were randomly selected to be sequenced and the selected clones were compared to look for the difference.The sequencing results suggested that each sequence of selected clones was different and there were HBV quasispecies groups in patients. There were hot deletion region and point mutation near the TATA like box of CP gene. To address whether the mutations were responsible for the transcriptional activity, the wild type(wt) and the mutants of HBV CP genes were subcloned into pcDNA3 1( ) vectors, respectively. The reverse oriented clones were digested with KpnI and XhoI, and cloned into the KpnI and XhoI sites of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) expressing vector (pCAT3 basic).The recombinant CAT plasmids were transfected into HepG2 cells using lipofectamine PLUS reagent, and the CAT expression which indirectly represented the transcriptional activity of HBV CP lying upstream of CAT gene was detected with a CAT ELISA kit. The restriction enzyme digesting results indicated that the recombinant CAT plasmids were successfully constructed, and the transfection tests indicated that the transcriptional activity of the mutants with deletion or substitute point mutation of TATA like box were reduced in comparison with that of CPwt. The HBV CP gene heterogeneity downregulated the transcriptional activity to some extent.