OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Zhimu and Huangqi on increasing heart rate and cardiac hypertrophy, and its bradycardia effect, to evaluate the exercise capacity and response to stimulation and to discuss the use of Zhimu in treating heart failure.

METHOD1. Rats were treated with isoproterenol 1.25 micrograms.kg-1 i.p., and then the increasing of heart rate and the bradycardia effect were measured after administrated with Zhimu or Huangqi for 3 days. 2. Mice cardiac hypertrophy model was established by s.c. ISO 1 mg.kg-1, 2 times per day for 14 days and heart-weight-index was measured after Zhimu and Huangqi was given orally alone or jointly for 14 days. 3. Abdominal aorta banding operation was done in mice and 3 weeks after operation, they were administrated for 2 weeks, and then run-time(exercise capacity), quiet heart rate, ISO response heart rate after i.p. isoproterenol and heart-weight-index were measured. 4. Cardiac hypertrophy model (inject ISO 14 days) mice were administrated for 12 days, and the mortality and dying time of mice in cold (-20 degrees C) and heat(45 degrees C) stimulative condition were observed.

RESULTZhimu could cut down the increasing of heart rate induced by ISO, decrease significantly heart-weight-index in cardiac hypertrophy mice, reduce the quiet heart rate and prolong the run time in abdominal banding model. Zhimu combined with Huangqi could also improve the ISO response in abdominal banding model mice, reduce the mortality and delay dying time of mice in stimulative condition.

CONCLUSIONZhimu combined with Huangqi can slow down heart rate, enhance the reserve force of the heart, and improve the response capacity of cardiac hypertrophy mice in stimulative condition.

Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Cardiomegaly ; physiopathology ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cold Temperature ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Hot Temperature ; Isoproterenol ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Male ; Mice ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Physical Stimulation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Zhimu and Huangqi used singly or combinatively on improving experimental cardiac dysfunction, and mainly to observe zhimu's effect on restraining sympathetic nerve and blocking beta-adrenergic-recepter and huangqi's effect of improving hemodynamics on heart failure.

METHODTwo-clib one kidney operation was done to make renal hypertension rat model, 8 weeks after operation, rats were divided into groups and medicated for 6 weeks, and then their heart rate and blood pressure were measured, left ventricle was cannulated to estimate heart function, and heart-weight-index and left-ventricle-weight-index were measured.

RESULTZhimu could slow rats heart rate obviously, prevent cardiac remodeling, but did not affect cardiac function remarkably; Huangqi could reduce blood pressure, heighten +dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax remarkably; the combined use of the two drugs could decrease plasma catecholamine concentration, adjust myocardium cAMP content, and improve heart function obviously.

CONCLUSIONZhimu and Huangqi can protect experimental cardiac dysfunction, and the combined use is better than the single use, which shows it better to use the two drugs combinatively in treating heart dysfunction.

Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Drug Synergism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Heart Failure ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; complications ; physiopathology ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To establish and maintain the life cycle of Clonorchis sinensis in laboratory.Methods Adult worms and eggs of Clonorchis sinensis were collected from naturally infected cats.Eggs were ingested by freshwater snails in aquarium.When the cercariae were released from infected snails, they invaded into freshwater fishes.From the 30th day on after the release of cercariae, the infection rate and metacercariae density in freshwater fishes were determined.Results After 95 days the infected snails began shedding cercariae in a temperature range of 24.3-37.2 ℃, and no cercariae were found under 20 ℃.The infection rate in the snails Parafossarulus striatulus and Alocinma longicornis was 12.5% and 18.0%, respectively.Metacercariae were found in fish at 30 days after cercariae infection, and matured metacercariae were detected in 45 days.The number of metacercariae per gram of fish meat in Pseudorasbora parva, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Rhodeus sinensis, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Cirrhinus molitorella, Carassius auratus, Cyprinus carpio and Oreochromis niloticus was 1 792, 16, 8, 6, 5, 4, 4, and 2, respectively.Rats and cats were fed with metacercariae from fish to receive adult worms.Conclusion Life cycle of Clonorchis sinensis has been established and maintained in the laboratory.

BACKGROUND:Prefabricated customized bone flaps have the advantages of few trauma, good vascularization, ossification with predetermined shape, and can be used to restore bone defects with compromised blood bed.
OBJECTIVE:To establish animal models of mandibular reconstruction with prefabricated, customized bone flaps.
METHODS:After computed tomography scanning of nine rhesus’ head, customized meshes were made. After loading with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-incorporated demineralized freeze-dried bone al ograft (DFDBA) or coral ine hydroxyapatite (CHA), the constructs were implanted in latissimus dorsi muscle. Meanwhile, segmental mandibular defects were created, and the customized meshes loaded with DFDBA, CHA, or recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-incooperated DFDBA and CHA were implanted in situ. At 13 weeks, prefabricated bone flaps with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-incorporated DFDBA or CHA were transferred to repair segmental mandibular defects. Clinical and histological analyses were used to evaluate the ossification and vascularization of the prefabricated implants in ectopic and orthotopic sites.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Segmental mandibular defects were successful y restored with prefabricated bone flaps and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-incorporated CHA in situ, but other segmental mandibular defects remained with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-incorporated DFDBA, DFDBA and CHA in situ. Moreover, mandibles reconstructed with prefabricated bone flaps revealed more regenerated and homogeneous bone formation than other reconstructions. These findings suggest that the animal model of mandibular reconstruction with prefabricated, customized bone in rhesus monkey is applicable.

Objective To investigate the effectiveness,safety of the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting(PTAS) in the management of the vertebrobasilar stenosis.Methods From April 2003 to June 2004,the PTAS was performed in 28 patients with the vertebrobasilar stenosis.Results Among the 28 patients,the unilateral significant stenosis of the dominant vertebral artery was found in 18 patients,the bilateral stenosis of the vertebral artery in 4 patients,the tandem stenosis of the vertebral artery in 1 patient,the stenosis of the basilar artery in 2 patients.According to Mori's division,the type A occurred in 24 patients,the type B in 3 patients,the type C in 1 patient.The successful rate of stent implantation was 100% without any serious complication.Twenty-eight patients underwent PTAS with a mean pre-procedural vertebrobasilar stenosis of 81.3% and the residual stenosis was less than 10%.Over a mean 6-month follow-up in 17 patients,according to Malek's scale,the scale 1 was in 15 patients,the scale 2 in 2 patients.No restenosis was in 3 patients by the cerebral angiography.Conclusion PTAS in the management of the vertebrobasilar stenosis is a safe and effective method.Meanwhile,PTAS may alleviate the vertebrobasilar ischemia and prevent stroke of the vertebrobasilar system.

Differentiation, the stepwise specialization of cells, and transdifferentiation, the apparent switching of one cell type into another, capture much of the stem cell spotlight. But dedifferentiation, the developmental reversal of a cell before it reinvents itself, is an important process too. In multicellular organisms, cellular dedifferentiation is the major process underlying totipotency, regeneration and formation of new stem cell lineages. In humans, dedifferentiation is often associated with carcinogenesis. The study of cellular dedifferentiation in animals, particularly early events related to cell fate-switch and determination, is limited by the lack of a suitable, convenient experimental system. The classic example of dedifferentiation is limb and tail regeneration in urodele amphibians, such as salamanders. Recently, several investigators have shown that certain mammalian cell types can be induced to dedifferentiate to progenitor cells when stimulated with the appropriate signals or materials. These discoveries open the possibility that researchers might enhance the endogenous regenerative capacity of mammals by inducing cellular dedifferentiation in vivo.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; physiology ; Humans ; Regeneration ; Salamandridae ; physiology ; Serum ; physiology ; Thrombin ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDCurrent knowledge about clinical and genetic risk factors for aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury is not sufficient to prevent these gastric mucosal lesions.

METHODSWe recruited aspirin takers as the exposed group and healthy volunteers as the control group. The exposed group was categorized into two subgroups such as subgroup A as gastric mucosal injury diagnosed by gastroscopy, including erosion, ulcer or bleeding of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum; subgroup B as no injury of the gastric mucosa was detected by gastroscopy. Clinical information was collected, and 53 single nucleotide polymorphisms were evaluated.

RESULTSAmong 385 participants, 234 were in the aspirin-exposed group. According to gastroscopy, 82 belonged to subgroup A, 91 belonged to subgroup B, and gastroscopic results of 61 participants were not available. Using the Chi-square test and logistic regression, we found that peptic ulcer history (odds ratio [OR] = 5.924, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.115-16.592), dual anti-platelet medication (OR = 3.443, 95% CI: 1.154-10.271), current Helicobacter pylori infection (OR = 2.242, 95% CI: 1.032-4.870), male gender (OR = 2.211, 95% CI: 1.027-4.760), GG genotype of rs2243086 (OR = 4.516, 95% CI: 1.180-17.278), and AA genotype of rs1330344 (OR = 2.178, 95% CI: 1.016-4.669) were more frequent in subgroup A than subgroup B. In aspirin users who suffered from upper gastrointestinal bleeding, the frequency of the TT genotype of rs2238631 and TT genotype of rs2243100 was higher than in those without upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

CONCLUSIONSPeptic ulcer history, dual anti-platelet medication, H. pylori current infection, and male gender were possible clinical risk factors for aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury. GG genotype of rs2243086 and AA genotype of rs1330344 were possible genetic risk factors. TT genotype of rs2238631 and TT genotype of rs2243100 may be risk factors for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in aspirin users.

Aged ; Aspirin ; adverse effects ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; drug effects ; injuries ; Genotype ; Helicobacter Infections ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptic Ulcer ; physiopathology ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of lycopene on red blood cell and the level of blood lipid.

METHODSAccording to the level of serum total cholesterol and weight, forty-eight adult male SD rats were divided randomly into six groups: normal control (group A), fed by normal feed; hyperlipidemia group (group B): fed by high fat diet; positive control group (group C): fed by high fat diet plus 10 mg * kg(-1) * d(-1) fluvastatin sodium; lycopene groups: fed by high fat diet plus 11 (group D), 22 (group E), 44 mg * kg(-1) * d(-1) (group F) lycopene through gavage, respectively. For all six groups, the level of serum total cholesterol (TC) and total triglyceride (TG) were measured at the end of 0, 1, 3 weeks of the study by taking samples from tail vein. At the end of the experiment, RBC and HGB were measured.

RESULTSAfter the rats were fed with high-fat feed for a week, models of hyperlipidemia rats were established. At the end of 3 weeks, TC of group A, B, C, D, E and F were (1.31 +/- 0.05), (19.40 +/- 0.54), (4.66 +/- 0.07), (7.18 +/- 0.06), (5.30 +/- 0.28), (4.49 +/- 0.23) mmol/L (F = 4395.72, P = 0.00), respectively;and TG were (0.42 +/- 0.01), (2.29 +/- 0.42), (0.69 +/- 0.03), (1.10 +/- 0.05), (0.63 +/- 0.02), (0.62 +/- 0.04) mmol/L (F = 127.26, P = 0.00), respectively; HGB were (143.13 +/- 6.33), (112.63 +/- 2.56), (124.75 +/- 3.62), (124.63 +/- 7.78), (132.38 +/- 6.41), (142.13 +/- 5.54) g/L (F = 34.14, P = 0.00), respectively; RBC were (6.75 +/- 0.60) x 10(12)/L, (5.08 +/- 0.75) x 10(12)/L, (7.14 +/- 0.82) x 10(12)/L, (5.94 +/- 1.09) x 10(12)/L, (6.18 +/- 0.36) x 10(12)/L and (7.31 +/- 0.58) x 10(12)/L (F = 10.35, P = 0.00), respectively.

CONCLUSIONLycopene have some protective effects on red blood cells of the hyperlipidemic rats by regulating the blood lipid and antioxidant.

Animals ; Carotenoids ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; Hypercholesterolemia ; blood ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of RhoA/Rho kinase signal pathway on TGF-beta1-induced phenotypic differentiation of human dermal fibroblasts.

METHODSThe 4th generation of primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts were stimulated with TGF-beta1, (10 ng/ml). The expression of alpha-SMA was detected after treatment with TGF-beta1, for 0, 3, 6, and 24 h. The expression of alpha-SMA was also detected after treatment with different concentration of TGF-beta1 (0, 2, 10, 50 ng/ml). Then the human dermal fibroblasts (4th generation) were stimulated with TGF-beta1, (10 ng/ml) after being treated with the RhoA/Rho kinase signaling pathway inhibitor Y-27632 (10 umol/ml). The fibroblasts were treated with nothing as sham control, or with Y-27632 (10 umol/L) only as negative control group, or with TGF-beta1 (10 ng/ml) only as positive control group. The expression of alpha-SMA was detected in all the groups. Protein expression was analyzed with ANOVA statistical method.

RESULTSalpha-SMA expression in fibroblasts with 10 ng/ml TGF-beta1 stimulation for 0, 3, 6, 24 h was 1.0, 1.9 0.2, 2.1 +/- 0. 1, 3. 1 +/- 0.1, respectively. Alpha-SMA expression in 24 h group was significantly higher than that in other three groups (n = 4, P < 0.05). alpha-SMA expression in human dermal fibroblasts after stimulation with different concentration of TGF-beta1 (0, 2, 10, 50 ng/ml) was 1.0, 1.4 +/- 0.2, 3.2 + 0.1, 3.1 +/- 0.2, respectively. alpha-SMA expression in 10 ng/ ml group was significantly higher than that in 2 ng/ml group and control group (n = 4, P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in alpha-SMA expression between 10 ng/ml group and 50 ng/ml group (n = 4, P > 0.05). With both Y-27632 (10 micromol/L) and TGF-beta1 stimulation, the cell phenotype differentiation was inhibited. Alpha-SMA expression in experimental group (1.2 +/- 0.2) was significantly reduced, when compared with that in positive control group (2.9 +/- 0.1) (n = 5, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference (n = 5, P > 0.05) in alpha-SMA expression between control group (1.0) and negative control group (1.1 +/- 0.1).

CONCLUSIONSRhoA/Rho kinase signaling pathway should be involved in TGF-beta1-induced phenotypic differentiation of human dermal fibroblasts.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adolescent ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Humans ; Male ; Signal Transduction ; Skin ; cytology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the osteoblastic differentiation and compare the difference in the gene expression of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) affected by a single period of mechanical strain.

METHODSBone marrow MSCs were harvested from the femurs and tibiae of SD rats and cultured in vitro. A four-point bending apparatus were used to perform a single 40-minute period of 2,000 microepsilon mechanical strain on these MSCs. The proliferation of the MSCs was tested by MTT on scheduled date, and the osteoblastic differentiation of the MSCs was measured by testing the expression of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity of these cells. In addition, we have investigated the possible mechanisms underlying the action of the single 40-minute period of 2,000 microepsilon mechanical strain on these MSCs, after profile blotted and handled by bioinformation, the gene expressions of these two periods of MSCs were examined.

RESULTSThe MSCs have grown well in vitro. Our experiment showed that mechanical environment did not weaken the proliferation of the MSCs. However, the ALP activity and the expression of osteocalcin were significantly up-regulated by the 2,000 microepsilon mechanical strain. Using the 27 K Rat Genome Array, 416 different expressions were found. The rate of different genes was 2.8%, of which the expressions of 247 genes increased (61 genes remarkably increased) and 169 genes decreased (74 genes remarkably decreased) in these two periods of MSCs.

CONCLUSIONMechanical strain induced the osteoblastic differentiation of the MSCs, which may be attributed to the different gene levels.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcriptome