Objective To study the therapeatic effect of testosterone on skeletal muscle atrophy induced by dexamethasone in rat, and to explore the relationship between androgen and insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) expression in skeletal muscle and serum. Methods Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (CON) in which the rats were injected with saline and sesame oil for 10 days; dexamethasone group (DEX) in which the rats were injected with dexamethasone and sesame oil for 10 days; testosterone group (TES) in which the rats were injected with saline and testosterone for 13 days; and the testosterone+dexamethasone group (TES+DEX) in which the rats were injected with dexamethasone and testosterone. The animals were weighed daily. 24 hours following the final injection, animals were weighed and sacrificed. Blood samples were withdrawn from the abdominal aorta and centrifuged at 3 000r/min for 10min. The supernatant was collected and stored at -20?C. Gastrocnemius muscle was removed, weighed and stored at -80?C. IGF-1 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle was determined by real-time PCR. IGF-1 protein expression in serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Testosterone attenuated the body weight loss and gastrocnemius muscle weight loss in rats as a result of dexamethasone adminishation (P

Objective To investigate the potential role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-?B) in the development of acute liver injury induced by postburn sepsis in rats. Methods Sixty-three Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, burn sepsis group, burn sepsis with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment group, and simple PDTC treatment group. Rats in experimental groups were subjected to 30% full-thickness scald injury combined with intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic early sepsis after burns. The following parameters were measured with the method indicated in parentheses: NF-?B activity (electrophoretic mobility shift assay, EMSA), I?B-? expression (Western blotting), TNF-? (enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay, ELISA). Results NF-?B activity was markedly enhanced and reached its peak at 1 hour after LPS challenge (P

MicroRNAs ( miRNAs ) , a highly conserved and non coding RNA, modulates gene expression via inhibiting the translation of protein and thereby influences cell fate and function.A large body of literature demonstrates that miRNAs plays a critical role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis through modulating immune cell differentiation, function as well as apoptosis.As important antigen presentation cells, dendritic cells ( DCs) play a central role in the initiation and control of the adaptive immune response in the peripheral lymphatic system.Uncontrolled inflammatory response and immunosuppressive response followed by tissue and organ dysfunction were associated with DC loss and apoptosis after septic challenge.This review will focus on the effect of miRNAs on DC function and apoptosis, and its potential role in sepsis.

OBJECTIVE:To establish the HPLC fingerprints for Herba clematidis in northeast. METHODS:HPLC was per-formed on the column of Hedera ODS-2 C18 with mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.5% phosphoric acid solution(gradient elution)at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min,detection wavelength was 338 nm,column temperature was 30 ℃,and the injection volume was 20 μL. Using rutin as as a reference,the HPLC profiles of 10 batches of H. clematidis were determined,Similarity Evaluation Software for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2004A edition) was used for the common peaks identification and similarity evaluation. RESULTS:There were 16 common peaks in the 10 batches of H. clematidis,similarity degree was higher than 0.9. It was proved that the HPLC profiles and control fingerprint profile of 10 batches of H. clematidis had good consistency. CONCLUSIONS:The established fingerprints can provide reference for the identification and quality evaluation of H. clematidis in northeast.

Objective To investigate the effect of co-expression of neuropilin-1(Nrp-1)and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)on regulatory T cell(Treg)-mediated immunosuppression. Methods CD4+CD25+Tregs were isolated from the spleens of male Balb/c mice. CD4+CD25+Tregs were blocked with various doses of Nrp-1 antibody(Ab-Nrp-1,0.5,5,10 μg/ml)for 24 hours with anti-CD3/CD28 and lipopolysaccharide(LPS)stimulation, and expression of Nrp-1 and TGF-βwas determined by flow cytometry. Meanwhile,CD4+CD25+Tregs were cultured with different doses of Ab-Nrp-1 for 1 hour,and co-cultured with CD4+CD25-T cell for 12,24 and 48 hours respectively,the proliferative activity of CD4+CD25-T cells was analyzed by microplate reader. Results Compared to control group,the expressions of Nrp-1 and TGF-β were significantly increased under anti-CD3/CD28 and LPS stimulation(both P<0.05),and treatment with Ab-Nrp-1 markedly inhibited the expression of TGF-β in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.05). The normal Treg had the potential to inhibit the proliferation of CD4+CD25-T cells(P<0.05),while various doses of Ab-Nrp-1 had the ability to reverse the immunosuppressive function of CD4+CD25+Treg in a dose-and time-dependent response manner,5μg/ml has the strongest ability,expecially after 24 hours. Conclusion Treg cell plays an important role in mediating immunosuppressive response via membrane associated TGF-β,and co-expression of Nrp-1 can markedly promote the immunosuppressive function.

Burns ; complications ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Sepsis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; prevention & control

To study the changes of skeletal muscle proteolysis in severely burned patients with sepsis and analyze its possible mechanism, the blood, 24h urine and quadriceps femoris muscle samples were collected from nine severely burned patients with sepsis (the burn sepsis group) and nine patients with plastic operation (the control group). The plasma concentrations of cortisol and TNF ? were determined with radioimmunoassay. The urinary output of 3 methylhistidine (3 MH) in 24h urine were assessed with high performance liquid chromatography. The expressions of ubiquitin mRNA and C 2 mRNA in quadriceps femoris muscle were determined by Northern blot analysis. The protein expressions of ubiquitin in quadriceps femoris muscle were determined by immunopathology. The results showed that the plasma concentrations of cortisol and TNF ? in burn sepsis group were significantly higher than those of the control group ( P

In recent five years,brain imaging studies suggested that internet addicts' neural pathway have abnormalities in reward circuits,executive control system,and decision-making system when they are in resting state or induced state.For internet addicts,in the aspect of reward circuits,they showed decreased metabolism level when undergoing a resting-state fMRI scan,and enhanced reward sensitivity as well as decreased loss sensitivity when functioning.In the aspect of executive control system,the related brain areas were associated with reduced white matter integrity and disrupted functional comnectivity in resting-state.When the task was internet-related,internet addicts showed enhanced executive control function.However,when the task was not internet-related,they showed reduced executive control function.In the aspect of decision-making system,reduced cortical thickness in related brain areas was found when internet addicts are in resting-state,and they possess high impulsivity and high risk tendency when they are in induced state.These findings are consistent with the conclusions of substance addicts which are based on the research of brain imaging,therefore,we preliminary think the internet addiction is a new type of addictive mental disorder.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an acute infectious disease caused by Ebola virus,the mor-tality rate of which is up to 90% . Due to its high infection rate,high mortality rate as well as being a serious threat to public health and safety,Ebola virus is listed as a World Health Organization Risk Group 4 Patho-gen(requiring Biosafety Level 4-equivalent containment). However,there is no effective control method and treatment for Ebola virus infection. Different approaches have been used to develop vaccines and therapeutic drugs against Ebola virus infection and clinical trials of some products have been initiated,such as ZMapp, BCX-4430,GS-5734,DNA vaccines,and adenovirus vector vaccines. National Institutes of Health(NIH) announced a successful development of vaccine for Ebola virus which had passed the clinical trial by the end of 2014. At the meantime,the first anti-Ebola virus medicine had also been approved in China for emergency use only. Recent advances in the research and development of therapeutic drugs and vaccines against Ebola virus will be described in this review.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy,adverse events of gemcitabine vs.5-FU with radiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic carcinomas.Methods Between January 2007 and January 2011,a total of 56 patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinomas was included and clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.All patients received 3-DCRT radiotherapy with individual dose of 1.8 ～ 2 Gy,5 times per week,and total dose of 45 ～ 50.4 Gy for 25 ～ 28 fractions,and received concurrent chemotherapy (5-FU or gemcitabine).The patients (n =30) in gemcitabine group were treated with gemcitabine (500 rng/m2 at the 1st,8th,15th,22nd day,at 10 mg · (m2)-1 · min-1,through micro-pump) during radiotherapy; 3 weeks after radiotherapy the patients received gemcitabine infusion at a dose of 800 mg · (m2)-1 · d-1,one time per week,for 3 or 4 cycles.The patients (n =26) in 5-FU group were treated with 5-FU (500 mg/m2 at the 1 ～ 5th day per week,IV),the cycle was repeated every 2 weeks during radiotherapy; 3 weeks later the patients received 5-FU infusion at a dose of 800 mg · (m2)-1 · d-1,the 1st ～5th day per week,the cycle was repeated every 2 weeks ; with a total of 3 or 4 cycles.The efficacy and adverse events were observed,and the patients were followed until June 2013,and the median survival,1 year and 2 year survival was calculated.Results Of the 56 patients,the overall response (CR + PR) rate was 73.2％,and it was 65.3％ in radiotherapy with 5-FU group,80.0％ in radiotherapy with gemcitabine group (P ＜ 0.05).The overall one and two year survival rate was 48.2％ and 14.3％,while median survival was 15.2 months,and the corresponding values were 42.3％,11.5％,13.3 months in radiotherapy with 5-FU group,and 53.3％,16.7％,16.6 months in radiotherapy with gemcitabine group,and the survival difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P =0.071).At the end of treatment,the pain-relief rate (VAS score ＜4) of the 56 patients was 83.3％,it was 75.0％ in 5-FU group and 90.0％ in gemcitabine group.In radiotherapy with gemcitabine group,the incidence of 3～ 4 grade myelosuppression was significantly higher than that in radiotherapy with 5-FU group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (20.0％ vs 7.6％,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions For the locally advanced pancreatic carcinomas,radiotherapy with gemcitabine can improve pain-relief and prolong survival compared with radiotherapy with 5-FU,but the incidence of adverse event of myelosuppression is higher.