Antibodies ; immunology ; Graft Rejection ; drug therapy ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Graft Survival ; immunology ; Humans

Objective To discuss the value of echocardiography for the assessment of structure and function of right heart in normal Chinese adults Methods The structure and function of right heart was assessed by echocardiography according to 2010 guideline of American Society of Echocardiography (ASE). The echocardiographic data of right heart of 130 normal Chinese adults were analyzed to acquire the normal reference values of echocardiographic parameters and evaluate the differences of these results among different age groups. Results There were significant differences among different age groups for some of the parameters. Right atrium (RA) transverse diameter was greater in the middle-aged group than that in the young-aged group [(36.90±5.10) mm vs (33.90±5.20) mm, t=-2.79, P=0.006]. RA longitudinal diameter (RAL) and RA area (RAA) were smaller in the young-aged group than those in the middle-aged and old-aged groups [(40.10±5.10) mm vs (42.90±5.10) mm, (43.40±5.60) mm, t=-2.51 and-2.91, P=0.013 and 0.004;(11.90±3.20) mm2 vs (13.40±2.90) mm2, (13.90±3.60) mm2, t=-2.24 and-2.90, P=0.027 and 0.004]. Parasternal long-axis right ventricule outflow tract (PLAX RVOT), parasternal short-axis right ventricule outflow tract (PSAX RVOT) and pulmonary artery diameter (PAD) were smaller in the young-aged group than those in the middle-aged and old-aged groups [(24.20±3.00) mm vs (26.20±2.30) mm, (25.90±2.90) mm, t=-2.80 and-2.32, P=0.006 and 0.022;(24.70±3.00) mm vs (27.20±2.50) mm, (26.90±2.60) mm, t=-4.40 and -3.84, P=0.000 and 0.000; (20.60±2.00) mm vs (22.10±2.70) mm, (21.90±2.10) mm, t=-3.12 and-2.67, P=0.002 and 0.008]. RV lateral wall thickness was smaller in the young-aged group than that in the middle-aged and old-aged groups [(5.10±0.60) mm vs (5.60±0.60) mm, (5.40±0.70) mm, t=-3.12 and-2.22, P=0.02 and 0.028];DTI e wave was greater in the young-aged group than that in the middle-aged and old-aged groups [(14.90±3.70) cm/s vs (10.90±3.10) cm/s, (11.10±2.60) cm/s, t=5.82 and 5.49, P=0.000 and 0.000]. DTI a wave was smaller in the young-aged group than that in the middle-aged and old-aged groups [(12.50±3.90) cm/s vs (14.60±3.70) cm/s, (16.60±3.60) cm/s, t=-2.79 and -5.04, P=0.007 and 0.000] and DTI a wave was smaller in the middle-aged group than that in the old-aged group (t=-2.26, P=0.02). Tricuspid E wave was greater in the young-aged group than that in the middle-aged and old-aged groups [(0.61±0.11) m/s vs (0.51±0.11) m/s, (0.48±0.08) m/s, t=4.58 and 5.44, P=0.000 and 0.000]. E/A was greater in the young-aged group than that in the middle-aged and old-aged groups (1.45±0.30 vs 1.12±0.33, 1.10±0.27, t=4.58 and 5.44, P=0.000 and 0.000). No significant differences were found among different age groups in RV systolic function parameters, whereas a trend of decrease in RV diastolic function was detected. Conclusion Echocardiography can be useful in assessing the structure and function of right heart quantitatively.

A in vitro platelet aggregation bioassay was developed for the quality control of XST capsules. The in vitro anti-platelet aggregation effect in rats was observed to detect the bioactivity of XST capsules. Panax notoginseng saponins and Xuesaitong lyophilizedpowder for injection were taken as standard control substances to determine the potency. According to the results, XST capsules showeda significant inhibitory effect on thrombin-induced platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner. The in vitro anti-platelet activity oflyophilized powder for injection was stabler than that of Panax notoginseng saponins, and so suitable to serve as a standard control substance. The biological potency of XST capsules compared with standard control substance was detected by using parallel line assay. According to the results, the established bioassay method had a good repeatability (RSD 2.92%). The sample test results could pass thereliability test(linear deviation P > 0.05, parallel deviation P > 0.05). This bioassay method could be used as one of the complementary quality control methods for XST capsules.
Animals ; Capsules ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology

AIM:To investigate the therapeutic and preventive effects of paeoniflorin ( PF) on APP/PS1 mice, and to explore the possible mechanism. METHODS:Fifteen male 5-month-old APP/PS1 non-dominant mice were chosen as normal control group, 15 male 5-month-old APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were used as model group, and 15 male 5-month-old APP/PS1 double transgenic mice treated with 5 mg/kg PF by intraperitoneal injection were allocated in administation group. The learning and memory ability of the mice in each group was detected by Morris water maze. The apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL fluorescence staining. The protein expression of PI3K, Akt, p-PI3K, p-Akt, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bcl-2 and Bax in cerebral cortex and hippocampus was detected by Western Blot. The protein expression levels and distribution of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS:(1) Compared with nor-mal control group, the learning and memory ability declined in APP/PS1 model group. Compared with APP/PS1 model group, PF obviously improve the ability of learning and memory in mice. (2) Compared with normal control group, the ap-optosis of nerve cells in APP/PS1 model group significantly increased and distributed in wider areas, while that in PF group was reduced (P<0.05). (3) Compared with APP/PS1 model group, PF could significantly lower pro-apoptotic factors, caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax (P<0.05), and increase the expression of anti-apoptotic factors, p-PI3K, p-Akt and Bcl-2 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:PF can up-regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and down-regulate the expression levels of caspase-9, caspase-3 and Bax via the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway, thereby inhibiting the nerve cell apoptosis and pro-tecting the nerve cells, so as to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

OBJECTIVETo distinguish lingual thyroglossal duct cyst (LTDC) from laryngomalacia in newborn infants.

METHODSData of 10 newborn infants with laryngeal stridor and dyspnea, admitted to the department of neonatology in our hospital during December, 2004 to August, 2007, who were finally diagnosed with LTDC though previously diagnosed as congenital laryngeal stridor in other hospitals, were summarized and analyzed.

RESULTSInspiratory stridor with chest wall retractions was cardinal symptom of newborn with LTDC. A slightly gray and round cyst with smooth surface at the base of the tongue was found with laryngoscopy. On computed tomography examination of larynx, a well-circumscribed lesion with low intensity was detected at the base of the tongue protruding into the air passage. Pathological examination demonstrated that the cyst wall was composed of tabular and columnar epithelium.

CONCLUSIONSLTDC is a common disease in newborns, which is similar to laryngomalacia. For neonates suspected of LTDC, laryngoscopic examination should be performed first, while laryngeal CT scan is an important diagnostic basis. Cyst puncture can ameliorate the symptoms of the patients, while surgical removal is the method of radical cure.

Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroglossal Cyst ; diagnosis

Objective To study the effect of the EGF-L functional region containing human TN-R protein in prokaryocytes and anti-EGF-L serum on the cortical neuronsin vitro in rats. Methods The anti-EGF-L serum was obtained from the rabbits immunized with the protein of EGF-L, then combine with TN-R coat petri dish to prepare various culture substrate.The effect on adhere,migrate and neurite outgrowth of neuron by differ culture substrate was observed. Results High concentration of antiserum against protein of EGF-Lwas successfully obtained from the rabbits,and it has no effect on the neuron when coated on petri dish as culture substrate with PLL in vitro,but can add the adhesive to the neuron,partly neutralize the inhibitory on the neuron neurite of TN-R.The antiserum can also allow the neuron with its neurite to migrate to the area coated with TN-R. Conclusion The anti-EGF-L serum can weaken the inhibitory on the neuron of TN-R in vitro,the function in vivo need further research,

In microarray-based cancer classification, gene selection is an important issue owing to the large number of variables and small number of samples as well as its non-linearity. It is difficult to get satisfying results by using conventional linear statistical methods. Recursive feature elimination based on support vector machine (SVM RFE) is an effective algorithm for gene selection and cancer classification, which are integrated into a consistent framework. In this paper, we propose a new method to select parameters of the aforementioned algorithm implemented with Gaussian kernel SVMs as better alternatives to the common practice of selecting the apparently best parameters by using a genetic algorithm to search for a couple of optimal parameter. Fast implementation issues for this method are also discussed for pragmatic reasons. The proposed method was tested on two representative hereditary breast cancer and acute leukaemia datasets. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method performs well in selecting genes and achieves high classification accuracies with these genes.
Algorithms ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; Female ; Genes ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Models, Genetic ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Predictive Value of Tests

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from the stem bark of Trewia nudiflora.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel and sephadex LH - 20 column chromatography, and the structures were elucidated by means of spectral analysis.

RESULTTen compounds were obtained from EtOAc fraction of EtOH extract and identified as stigmast-4-en-6beta-ol-3-one (1), stigmast-4-en-6alpha-ol-3-one (2), 7beta-hydroxysitosterol (3), 7alpha-hydroxysitosterol (4), schleicheol 2 (5), taraxerone (6), abbeokutone (7), beta-hydroxypropiovanillone (8), o-vanillyl alcohol (9), glycerol monopalmitate (10).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-5 and 7-9 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Chromatography, Gel ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Mallotus Plant ; chemistry ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo prepare a novel MRI targeted contrast agent Gd-DTPA-Granzyme B monoclonal antibody (mAb) and to test its reaction conditions.

METHODSThe Granzyme B mAb was coupled with DTPA,and then conjugated with Gd. The Gd-DTPA antibody was characterized using MALDI-TOF-MS. Cytotoxicity test was performed with MTT assay, and immune activation was examined with immunohistochemistry.

RESULTMALDI-TOF-MS demonstrated that the molecular weight shifted from granzyme B mAb (133986) to Gd-DTPA-GB mAb (139736), which indicated the conjugation of the antibody with Gd-DTPA. The molar ratio of Gd per IgG molecule was about 20. MTT assay showed that Gd, DTPA, Gd-DTPA and Gd-DTPA-GB mAb groups did not make an impact on cell viability, and there were no significant differences among 4 groups (P>0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that compared with the positive control group the targeted contrast agent had a high immune activity.

CONCLUSIONThe novel contrast agent Gd-DTPA-Granzyme B mAb prepared in this study keeps a good immune activity and has no significant cytotoxicity.

Antibodies, Monoclonal ; chemistry ; Cells, Cultured ; Contrast Media ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Gadolinium DTPA ; chemistry ; Granzymes ; immunology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of guinea pig mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) culture in vitro on the immunological status in heterogeneous recipient, and to evaluate the immunomodulation of MSCs to the immune rejection of liver xenotransplantation.

METHODSThe mononuclear cell fraction obtained by centrifugation over Percoll was cultured in vitro. Cell surface epitopes were analyzed by flow cytometry technique, and MSCs were incubated at the addition of adipocyte induction media, and stained in Oil Red O. The immunoglobulin and complement in rat recipient serum were assayed after infusion of donor MSCs. Thirty guinea pigs and thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. All rat recipients undertook cyclophosphamide (CTX) infusion. Group A was MSCs infusion group, group B was saline infusion group and group C was dexamethasone (DXM) infusion group. Orthotopic guinea pig to rat liver transplantation model was established. The survival time and the immunopathology of graft were observed.

RESULTSAccording to flow cytometry assay, MSCs were positive for CD44 and CD29, while negative for CD34 and CD45. Lipid droplets were found in the MSCs cytoplasm after being incubated in adipogenic inducation media. The concentrations of IgG, IgM, C3 at all time point after MSCs infusion were significantly decreased than before (P < 0.05), while the concentrations of IgA and C4 did not changed. The survival time of group A (431 +/- 27 min) was obviously longer than group B (148 +/- 16 min) and group C (141 +/- 22 min) (P < 0.01). The intense hyperacute rejection rapidly occurred of group B and C after blood re-perfusion. The severe immunopathological injury could be observed at the grafts of group B and C. However, the hyperacute rejection of group A occurred slightly.

CONCLUSIONSMSCs can be identified by virtue of cell morphology, membrane phenotype and differential potential. MSC may play a role in the immunosuppression in hyperacute rejection in the liver xenotransplantation.

Animals ; Graft Rejection ; prevention & control ; Guinea Pigs ; Liver Transplantation ; immunology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transplantation, Heterologous