Objective:To observe therapeutic effect of lyophilized recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (Lrh-BNP)on stress cardiomyopathy (SCM)complicated acute bump failure.Methods:A total of 23 patients with SCM complicated acute bump failure were randomly divided into routine treatment group (n=10,received routine treatment)and Lrh-BNP group (n=13,received Lrh-BNP based on routine treatment).Clinical symptoms and signs,cardiac function :left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),stroke volume (SV),cardiac index (CI),peak early diastolic velocity/peak late diastolic velocity (E/A)assessed by echocardiography before and after treatment, and total effective rate were compared between two group.Results:Total effective rate of Lrh-BNP group was sig- nificantly higher than that of routine treatment group (92.3% vs.80.0% ,P<0.05).There were no significant difference in cardiac function indexes between two groups before treatment (P>0.05 all);after treatment,com- pared with routine treatment group,there were significant rise in LVEF [(50.2±16.3)% vs.(59.4±14.1)%],SV [(39.5±10.4)ml vs.(48.3±12.5)ml],CI [(3.7±1.1)L min-1 m-2 vs.(4.6±1.4)L min-1 m-2 ]and E/A [(1.0±0.5)vs.(1.3±0.7)]in Lrh-BNP group,P<0.05 all.Conclusion:Lrh-BNP possesses significant thera- peutic effect on stress cardiomyopathy complicated acute left heart failure.

OBJECTIVE:To explore the potential correlation between clinical efficacy of pemetrexed in the treatment of ad-vanced breast cancer and TS mRNA expression. METHODS:Patients with advanced breast cancer were recruited in our study. Three cycles of pemetrexed was given to these patients,TS mRNA expression of their tumor tissues were detected. The relationship of ther-apeutic efficacies of different chemotherapy with TS mRNA expression were observed and compared during the study period. RE-SULTS:58 patients received pemetrexed chemotherapy and therapeutic efficacies of them were evaluated. One patient (1.7%) had complete response,19 patients(32.8%)had partial response,31 patients(53.4%)had stable response and 7 patients(12.1%)has progressive disease. Objective response rate was 34.5%,and disease control rate was 87.9%. TS mRNA expression level of 55 pa-tients with completed TS mRNA expression analysis varied from 0.04 to 5.11,with a median of 0.62. Mann-Whitney rank test showed that,responders had lower TS mRNA expression than nonsponders at all visits,there was statistical significance (P<0.05). Chi-square test showed that patients with low expression level of baseline(before chemotherapy)TS mRNA had significantly higher objective response rate(63.3%)than those with high expression(36.7%),there was statistical significance(P<0.05). CON-CLUSIONS:TS mRNA expression level is related to therapeutic efficacy of pemetrexed,which may be useful for predicting thera-peutic efficacy of pemetrexed therapy in patients with advanced breast cancer.

To design a new method to simulate the micro-motion of human body surface due to respiration and heartbeat, and to provide detection object and calibration signal for the bio-radar technology. Precision lin-ear module was used to transform rotational movement to linear displacement, with AC servo motor to precisely control the module's rotation. Ultimately, ultralow-frequency micro-motion was produced with its displacement being quantitatively controlled. A system simulating the micro-motion of human body surface was newly built. Compared with the old system, the new one produced micro-motion with better constancy, and realized quantitative control of the motion's dis-placement. The method lays technological foundation for simulating the micro-motion of human body surface due to respiration and heartbeat and may promote the development of bio-radar technology towards intensive and compre-hensive levels.

Objective To investigate the relationship between baseline serum uric acid and the severity of coronary artery disease ( CAD ) in the first-degree relatives or non-first-degree relatives of men with type 2 diabetes. Methods Three hundred and eighty-one men with negative coronary angiography for the first time were divided into diabetes and non-diabetes groups and followed-up for 5 years. The primary outcome was acute coronary syndrome suspected during subsequent 5 years, and the coronary angiography was conducted simultaneously. The severity of CAD was assessed by the coronary stenosis index ( CSI) and the number of coronary lesion vessels. Results In normal blood glucose group, serum uric acid was higher in the first-degree relatives of diabetics compared with non-first-degree relatives(P<0. 01), along with higher morbidity of CAD, CSI, and coronary lesion vessels (all P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that CSI(r=0. 250, P=0. 041) and coronary lesion vessels(r=0. 252, P=0. 040) in non-diabetics group were associated with baseline levels of serum uric acid. Conclusion The elevation of serum uric acid was closely related to subsequent CAD, especially in first-degree relatives of male with type 2 diabetes, which could be used as an early indicator for CAD prediction.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of total flavonoids of Litsea Coreana (TFLC) on the gap junction (GJ) intercellular communication in TM3 testicular Leydig cells and whether TFLC can reduce the cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin (OHP) in vitro.

METHODSWe detected the effect of TFLC on the dye spread of the in vitro cultured TM3 cells by parachute assay, observed changes in the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) total protein in the TFLC-treated TM3 cells by Western blot, and determined the effects of TFLC on the expression of Cx43 on the membrane of the TM3 cells by immunofluorescence assay and on the cytotoxicity of OHP by MTT assay.

RESULTSTFLC obviously enhanced the GJ function with the increasing of the TFLC concentration in the TM3 cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence assay confirmed that TFLC significantly enhanced the expression of Cx43 total protein and Cx43 expression on the membrane of the TM3 cells. MTT assay showed that at a high cell density (confluent with GJ formation), 20 microg/ml TFLC enhanced the GJ function of the TM3 cells and reduced the cytotoxicity of OHP (P < 0.05), while at a low density (preconfluent with no GJ formation), TFLC exhibited no effect on the cytotoxicity of OHP (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTFLC increases the Cx43 expression and GJ function in normal TM3 Leydig cells, and the enhancement of GJ function reduces the cytotoxicity of OHP.

Antineoplastic Agents ; toxicity ; Cell Communication ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Count ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Litsea ; chemistry ; Male ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Proteins ; metabolism

Chemical constituents from the acetone extract of twigs of Manglietia hookeri were isolated and purified by various column chromatographic methods over silica gel and sephadex LH-20, and preparative TLC. The structures of these compounds were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis, including NMR and MS spectra. Six eudesmane sesquiterpenes were obtained and their structures were identified as trans-eudesmane-4, 11-diol(1), β-eudesmol(2), (-) -10-epi-5β-hydroxy-β-eudesmol (3), epi-carrisone (4), 6-hydroxy-eudesm-4(14) -ene(5) and gynurenol(6). All the compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Furthermore, the 13C-NMR data of compound 3 were reported for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnolia ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes, Eudesmane ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Adult ; Fatty Liver ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the tutorial system of biomedical engineering students in medical colleges and universities,and provide useful references for the implementation of undergraduate tutorial system in medical colleges and universities in China.Methods Based on the compulsory professional knowledge and skills of biomedical engineering students,the undergraduate tutorial system of biomedical engineering specialty was analyzed and summarized with thatof School of Biomedical Engineering of the Fourth Military Medical University taken as an example.Results The necessity,problems and new mode were pointed out for the undergraduate tutorial system of biomedical engineering specialty.Conclusion The implementation of undergraduate tutorial system is a new idea of deepening the reform of undergraduate education in biomedical engineering specialty,and is of important significance to improve the professional skills of students.

Objective To establish a economic and stable method to induce and culture dendritic cells (DCs) from peripheral blood of human being, and compare with the magnetic activated cell sorting. Methods Monocytes were isolated from health donors peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) by density gradient separation,cultured and compared with that of cells isolated by the magnetic activated cell sorting or adherent culture,respectively. PBMC were cultured with recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and recombinant human interleukin-4(rhIL-4) for 6 days to induce the growth of DCs. Morphological changes was observed under inverted microscope. Meanwhile, cell viability was tested at the 3rd, 5th, 6th day,respectively. The phenotypes, like CD14, CDla, HLA-DR were analyzed with flow cytometry after PBMC were adherent cultured for 1, 2, 5 h. After adding human recombinant cytokines, the phenotypes of acquired cells surface markers, CD14, CD1a, CD86, CD83 and HLA-DR would be detected and compared with flow cytometry. T cells proliferating activity was determined by allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction in vitro. Results After adherent culture for 2 h, the acquired DCs showed typical morphology. Cell viability was decreased at days 5th, 6th[(53.333 ±5.774)%,(38.333 ± 7.638)%] than that at day of 3rd[(68.667 ± 3.215)%, all P ＜ 0.05] with the magnetic activated cell sorting, but with adherent culture method, the difference was not statistically significant (F = 0.737,P＞ 0.05) at days of 3rd, 5th, 6th[(92.667 ± 3.055)%,(94.000 ± 1.000)%,(94.667 ± 1.528)%]. Moreover,compared with the magnetic activated cell sorting, there were differences in cell viability of adherent culture method at days of 3rd, 5th, 6th(t = 9.374, 12.021,12.527, all P ＜ 0.05). Before and after using the magnetic activated cell sorting, the expression of CD14 were (32.457 ± 12.351) %, (41.914 ± 14.858)%, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant(t = 1.295, P ＞ 0.05). After culturing for 2 h, the expression of CD14[(35.267 ± 4.658)%]was higher than those of culturing for 1, 5 h[(15.033 ± 6.189)%, (21.233 ± 4.895)%, all P ＜ 0.05]. Compared with the 1st day[(32.328 ± 14.517)%], the CD14 expression level[(2.200 ± 1.356)%] on surface of DCs was significantly reduced(t = 5.467, P ＜ 0.05) at the 6th day of culturing, the CD1a expression level[(43.371 ±16.250)%] was remarkablely increased than that of the 1st day[(12.300 ± 6.223)%, t = 2.545, P ＜ 0.05];while the expressions of CD86, CD83, HLA-DR[(16.857 ± 5.686)%,(9.343 ± 5.230)%,(72.800 ± 17.881)%] were similar(t = 0.652,1.137,0.907, all P ＞ 0.05) compared with that of the 1st day[(12.550 ± 16.758)%, (6.250 ±1.323)%, (64.671 ± 15.588)%]. In mixed lymphocytes reactions, with increasing of lymphocytes, T lymphocytes proliferating activities were reduced. In the magnetic activated cell sorting, when the ratio of DCs and lymphocytes were 1: 50, 1: 100, cells proliferation ability(1.502 ± 0.055,1.507 ± 0.029) were lower than that of ratio of 1: 10(1.859 ± 0.049, all P ＜ 0.05);in adherent culture method, the ratio of DCs and lymphocytes was 1: 100, the cells proliferation ability(1.545 ± 0.066) was decreased than that of ratio 1: 10(2.015 ± 0.301, P ＜ 0.05). When the proportion of DCs and lymphocytes remained the same, the capacity to stimulate T lymphocyte was similar of the two methods(P ＞ 0.05). Conclusions Comparied with the magnetic activated cell sorting, after culture of PBMC for 2 h the induction of DCs can produce better formed and functional cells, and this method is stable, simple,economic, and is a suitable method for basic and clinical research of DCs in vitro.

Objective To investigate expressions of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK)and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-P38MAPK)in psoriasis vulgaris lesions. Methods Tissue specimens were obtained from lesions of 30 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and normal skin of 30 healthy human controls. An immunohistochemical study and Western-blot analysis were performed to measure protein expressions of p-JNK and p-P38MAPK in these skin specimens. Results As the immunohistochemical study showed, the expressions of p-JNK and p-P38MAPK(expressed as the average optical density [AOD]value for targeted proteins)were significantly higher in psoriasis vulgaris lesions than in normal skin tissues (p-JNK: 0.663 ± 0.016 vs. 0.333 ± 0.009, t = 44.869, P < 0.001; p-P38MAPK: 0.436 ± 0.011 vs. 0.306 ± 0.010, t = 21.913, P < 0.001). Western-blot analysis also showed increased protein expressions of p-JNK and p-P38MAPK in psoriasis vulgaris lesions compared with normal skin tissues (t = 20.477, 165.084, respectively, both P <0.05). Conclusion The activation of JNK and P38MAPK may be involved in the overproliferation of epidermal cells in psoriasis vulgaris lesions.