AIM: To observe the effect of piceatannol on the kidney of diabetic nephropathy rats in early stage, and to explore the possible mechanisms.METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group, model group, low dose of piceatannol treatment group, medium dose of piceatannol treatment group and high dose of piceatannol treatment group.The rat model of diabetic nephropathy was induced accordingly, and the rats received 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg of piceatannol by gavage once a day for 4 weeks.Blood glucose was detected by glucometer.The urea nitrogen and creatinine levels in the serum were measured by urease-glutamate dehydrogenase enzymatic and inosine acid oxidase methods, respectively, and 24 h urinary microalbumin was analyzed by immune transmission turbidimetry test.Moreover, the pathological changes of the kidney tissues were observed under microscope with HE staining.The protein expression of TGF-β1 and Smad 7 and the phosphorylation levels of Smad2 and Smad3 were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Compared with model group, piceatannol treatment significantly decreased the levels of blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen and urinary microalbumin, but had no effects on serum creatinine.Furthermore, HE staining showed that the increased mesangial cells, matrix hyperplasia and degenerated epithelial cells in model group were markedly inhibited after piceatannol treatment.Additionally, piceatannol treatment also reduced the protein expression of TGF-β1 and Smad 7, and the phosphorylation levels of Smad2 and Smad3.CONCLUSION: Piceatannol attenuates pathological progression in the kidney of diabetic nephropathy rats in early stage, which may be through inhibiting TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of surgical skills, anhepatic time and preoperative hepatic function grading with bacteria infection after the liver transplantation and identify the common bacterial flora involved for effective prevention and treatment of the posttransplant bacterial infection. METHODS;The clinical records of 31 cases of liver transplantation from August 2004 to August 2005 were reviewed and the collected data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS; Among the 31 cases, posttransplant bacterial infection occurred in 16 cases accounting for a total incidence of 51.61%, with the incidence of multi-system (or multi-organ) infection of 22.58%. The earlier cases had longer average surgery time and anhepatic period than the later cases, with also higher incidence of infection. Among the 19 patients with hepatic function class A before surgery, 7 acquired bacterial infection involving one system or organ, 2 had infections compromising multiple system or organ. In the 8 patients of hepatic function class B before surgery, 2 had single-system or -organ infection and 1 multi-system or -organ infection. Four out of the 5 patients with hepatic function class C before surgery acquired posttransplant bacterial infections, all involving multiple systems or organs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common bacteria responsible for the infections in these cases.

CONCLUSIONImprovement of surgical skills can obviously reduce the incidence of bacterial infection after liver transplantation. No evidences suggest the correlation between the incidence of infections (including severe ones) and hepatic function class A or B before the operation, whereas patients with preoperative hepatic function class C seems to be at higher risk for infection involving multiple systems or organs. The anhepatic time does not significantly impact on the incidence or severity of the posttransplant infections, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common bacteria causing the infections.

Adult ; Aged ; Bacterial Infections ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pseudomonas Infections ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Risk Factors

Objective　To ascertain the natural infection rate of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome virus (HFRSV) among its hosts and the type of the natural foci for providing some baseline data for the immigrant health and epidemic prevention of the Three-Gorge region. Methods　Epidemiological survey on the field was performed including epidemiological data collection, ecology of rodents and pathogen detection. HFRS virus antigen of hosts were detected by the direct immunofluorescent assay (DIFA) technique and determination of HFRSV-RNA by ISH were carried out from HFRSV-Ag-positive animals. Results　HFRSV-Ag-positive animals were found in 5 migration areas ie Baitao Town of Fuling Section, Wansheng Village of Fengjie County and Dachang Town of Wushan County. The positive hosts were as follows, Rattus Norvegicus, Apodemus agrarius, Anourusurex squamipes, Mus musculus and Rattus flavipectus. The positive rate of HFRSV in the mice of 5 migration areas were 19.4%, 17.0%, 14.0%, 13.7%, and 8.5% respectively. The results showed that the lung tissues of some hosts in all five migration areas were HFRSV-RNA-positive. Baitao Town and Peishi Town were attributed to mixture type epidemic areas while. Kangle Town, Wansheng Village and Dachang Town were domestic rats type epidemic areas. Conclusion　This study shows that the five migration areas are natural epidemic foci of HFRS. It is predicted that maximum risk of HFRS breakout or epidemic may take place after the completion of the San Xia Reservoir(the Three-Gorges Reservoir), which results from rodent moving toward higher land. Therefore, deratization and preventive measures for rat are important in migration areas.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; China ; ethnology ; Female ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; HLA-DQ beta-Chains ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes in spinal cord pathophysiology, motor function and electrophysiology after spinal cord injuries induced by punctures with different needles, and explore a new means for studying spinal neurotoxicity of local anesthetics.

METHODSA total of 144 SD rats were randomly allocated into the sham-operated group (n=36) and 3 spinal cord injury groups (n=36) with the L4-5 segment of the dura mater of the spinal cord punctured using 29G, 25G, and 21G needles. The BBB scores before surgery were recorded, and at 8 h, 24 h, 72 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks after the surgery, the motor evoked potential (MEP), spinal cord pathology and the BBB scores were examined.

RESULTSIn the control group, the rats showed normal BBB score, spinal function and microstructure. Spinal cord puncture with 29G needle did not cause obvious pathologies of the spinal cord, whereas puncture with 21G needle resulted in marked changes in the motor function, electrophysiology and histology of the spinal cord, which showed significant improvements at 2 weeks postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONPuncture with a 29G needle causes less injuries and minimal functional changes of the spinal cord, which can serve as a new means for studying spinal neurotoxicity of local anesthetics.

Anesthetics, Local ; toxicity ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Female ; Male ; Needles ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recovery of Function ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; etiology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the polymorphism of HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 genes of Han population in Jiangsu of China.

METHODSThe alleles and haplotypes frequencies of HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 genes in 100 unrelated healthy individuals were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT).

RESULTSAmong the 7 DQA1 alleles detected, the most common allele was DQA1*0301/02/03 with a frequency of 29.5%, which was followed by DQA1*0501, DQA1*0102 and DQA1*0201 with frequencies of 18.5%, 17.0% and 12.5%, respectively. Of the 13 DQB1 alleles detected, DQB1*0201/02 allele (21.5%) was the most frequent allele, followed by DQB1*0301/09 (14.5%), DQB1*0303 (13.5%) and DQB1*0603 (11.5%). The most common DQA1 vs DQB1 haplotype was DQA1*0301/02/03 vs DQB1*0303 with a frequency of 12.5%, which was followed by the DQA1*0201-DQB1*0201/02 (10.5%),DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201/02 (9.5%) and DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301/09 (7.0%).

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of HLA-DQ alleles and haplotypes in Jiangsu Han population shares some genetic characteristics with other population in northern of China, but has its own characteristics. The data will provide useful information for anthropology, organ transplantation and disease association studies.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; HLA-DQ beta-Chains ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ERK on 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation in rats after vascular injury. Common carotid artery balloon-injury (Inj) model was established in ovariectomized rats (OVX). Female SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: OVX, E(2)+OVX, OVX+Inj, and E(2)+OVX+Inj groups. The thickness of the vessels, the plasma content of NO, and the expression of ERK, phosphorylated ERK as well as eNOS protein were measured. The results showed that compared with OVX, the vessel wall was significantly thickened and the plasma content of NO was significantly decreased in OVX+Inj group. E(2) significantly decreased the vessel thickness but increased the plasma NO content after balloon injury. E(2) inhibited the expression of ERK, phosphorylated ERK and induced the eNOS expression. There is a positive correlation between plasma NO content and eNOS protein expression, while there is a negative correlation between plasma NO content and the thickness of vessel. The plasma NO content and the expression of ERK protein were negatively correlated. These results suggest that E(2) increases the vascular eNOS protein expression and NO release, leading to the inhibition of VSMC proliferation after balloon injury by inhibiting the ERK and phosphorylated ERK protein expression.
Animals ; Carotid Artery, Common ; pathology ; Catheterization ; adverse effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; physiology ; Female ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Ovariectomy ; Phosphorylation ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possibility of Hantavirus (HV) and Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) coinfection in their hosts.

METHODSHV and Ot were used to infect Vero E6 cells cultured in vitro singly, simultaneously or successively. Genes of HV and Ot were identified in different generation cells with RT-PCR.

RESULTSFive experiment groups of infected Vero E6 cells were tested, the results were as follows: HV and Ot were both positive in infected Vero E6 cells passaged 2 times and the positive rate increased following the passaged times in HV and Ot infection groups, simultaneously or successively. However, in the groups which were infected with HV and Ot separately, the gene of HV or Ot could be detected in infected Vero E6 cells passaged only once and the positive rate increased following the times of the passaged. The positive rate was higher in the singly infected groups than in those infected simultaneously or successively.

CONCLUSIONCoinfection of HV and Ot did exist in the hosts while HV and Ot could inhibit each other in the initial infection stage.

Animals ; Cell Division ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Hantavirus ; pathogenicity ; Hantavirus Infections ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; pathogenicity ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Scrub Typhus ; Vero Cells

OBJECTIVETo explore relationship between HBeAg seroconversion with HBV genotypes and HBV specific CTL in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with Adefovir dipivoxil.

METHODSSeventy CHB patients had positive HBV DNA (HBV DNA > or = 1 x 10(4) copy/ml), 45 cases had positive HBeAg, of whom 23 cases (51. 11%) had genotype B, 22 cases (48.89%) had genotype C. ALT > 2 x upper limit of normal value (ULN), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A(n) positive, patients were treated with Adefovir dipivoxil (commercial name is Mingzheng, Zhengda Tianjing Pharmaceutical Company), 10 mg, orally, once a day. After treatment for 12 months, observe relationship between HBeAg seroconversion with HBV genotypes and HBV specific CTL.

RESULTSAfter treatment with Adefovir dipivoxil for 12 months, HBV specific CTL (0.68% +/- 0.11%) was higher than that before treatment (0.33% +/- 0.11%), t = 8.36 P < 0.001, HBV DNA (3.01 +/- 0.2) log10 copy/ml was lower than that before treatment (6.27 +/- 0.70) log10 copy/ml, t = 12.63 P < 0.001, HBV DNA turned negative (< 500 copy/ml) 43 cases (61.43%), in 45 cases with positive HBeAg, HBeAg turned negative in 13 cases (28.89%), 8 cases had HBeAg seroconversion (17.78%), HBV specific CTL (0.86% +/- 0.05%) of patients with HBeAg seroconversion is higher than (0.61% +/- 0.07%) of patients without HBeAg seroconversion (37 cases, 82.22%) t = 7.88, P < 0.001. In 8 cases with HBeAg seroconversion, 7 cases had genotype B (30.43% of genotype B), 1 cases had genotype C (4.55% of genotype C), chi2 = 5.15, P < 0.05.

CONCLUSIONAdefovir dipivoxil can enhance HBV specific cellular immunity of CHB patients. After treatment, occurrence of HBeAg seroconversion is related to increase of HBV specific CTL level and may be related to genotypes.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; drug effects ; Male ; Organophosphonates ; therapeutic use ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology