Objective To confirm the immunomodulatory effect of ursolic acid on normal and immunosuppressive mice caused by cyclophosphamide.Methods We assayed the function of T lymphocyte transformation with MTT test,examined the function of B lymphocyte with hemolysis spectrophotography,determined the function of non-specific immunity with phagocytosis of macrophages,and measured the content changes of Th_(1) cytokine IL-2 and Th_(2) cytokine IL-6 in serum with ELISA.Results Ursolic acid had a suppressant effect on the function of humoral immunity and enhanced cell-mediated immune response at the low dosage but presented opposite effect at the high dosage in normal mice.Ursolic acid significantly improved immune function on immunosuppressive mice caused by cyclophosphamide(P

ObjectiveTo explore the appropriate teaching methods for medical international students.MethodsTotally 84 students in grade 2005 and 63 students in grade 2006 took part in clinical skills training in 2010 and 2011.The traditional method was employed in grade 2005 and interactive teaching and imagery training was applied in grade 2006 combined with the traditional methods.ResultsThe scores of clinical skill tests ( posterior thorax puncture test,abdomen puncture test,bone puncture,catheterization test) were significantly higher in grade 2006 than in grade 2005 with statistical differences,P ＜ 0.01.The clinical skill test scores were not statistically different between grade 2005 and 2006 before training,P ＞ 0.05,but the scores were statistically different between grade 2005and 2006 after training,P ＜ 0.05.Conclusion Using polynary teaching methods synthetically is helpful to improve the clinical skill training effect for medical international students.

Two fragments G1 and G2 of the glycoprotein G gene of bovine respiratory syncytial virus(BRSV) were selected for expression in Escherichia coli based on the analysis of glycoprotein G by DNA Star software.Then the two fragments of glycoprotein G were amplified by PCR with synthesized G gene of BRSV as the template.The amplified fragments G1 and G2 are 570bp and 308bp in length,respectively.The PCR products were cloned into pET30a vector and expressed in soluble form in E.coli after induction of cultured E.coli with IPTG.Both of the recombinant proteins G1 and G2 were purified by immobilized Ni ion affinity chromatography under native conditions.Then the purified proteins were analysed by Western blotting.The results showed that the purified recombinant protein G1 retained good antigenicity and specificity.But the purified recombinant protein G2 didn't possess biological activity.Antibodies against BRSV were detected in suspected bovine serum samples in China by using indirect ELISA and Western blotting with the purified recombinant protein G1.The purified recombinant protein G1 might be used as antigen for establishing serological methods for diagnosis of BRSV infection.And the purified recombinant protein G1 might also be used for preparing polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies for research on biological functions of glycoprotein G of BRSV.

Objective: To quantitatively compare five occupational health risk assessment models in assessing silica dust hazard risk in small open pits, so as to provide the reference for the research of occupational health risk assessment methodology Methods : Seven small open pits were selected as the evaluation sites. The models from Singapore, the United Kingdom's Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Essentials ( COSHH Essentials ), Australia, Romania, and the International Council on Mining and Metals ( ICMM ) were applied to assessing the occupational health risk of the workers exposed to silica dust. The risk ratios ( RRs ) were calculated, and the parallelism, accuracy and correlation of the evaluation results of the five models were compared. Results : The RRs of the Singaporean model, COSHH model, Romanian model, Australian model and ICMM model were 0.8, 1.0, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8, respectively. The Singaporean model and the Australian model were able to distinguish transport drivers from sprinkler drivers in the health risk exposed to silica dust, which was consistent with the actual risk of the two posts. Except for COSHH model, the RRs of the other four models were positively correlated ( P<0.05 ); the RRs were all positively correlated with concentration ratios ( CRs ) ( P<0.05 ), and the correlation coefficient between RRs and CRs of the Singaporean model was the largest (0.801). Conclusion Among the five models, the Singaporean model can more accurately evaluate the hazard risk of silica dust in posts of open pits, and has a good correlation with the other models.

Animals ; Captopril ; pharmacology ; Heart Failure ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Sini decoction (SND), a classical traditional Chinese medicine emergency formula recorded in Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Febrile Diseases), which is composed of Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Radix, Glycyrrhizae Preparata Radix and Zingiberis Rhizoma. Modern clinical and pharmacological researches have shown that SND can protect the myocardium effectively during myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MI-RI). A myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury model of H9c2 cardiomyocytes in vitro has been established. Four groups, control group, MI-RI Model group, SND group and SND without Glycyrrhizae Radix group, were arranged. The livability, the level of LDH and CK activity in H9c2 cardiomyocytes in different groups were tested. By combining with principal components analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), orthogonal partial least squares projection of latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), 17 biomarkers in extracellular fluid were identified and 15 of them were related to the pathway of biological processes. The results showed that the attenuate and synergistic mechanism between Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix for toxicity reduction was related with the glycolysis, lipid metabolism, citrate cycle and nitrogen metabolism of amino acids metabolism. The study proved the effect on H9c2 cardiomyocyte treated by MI-RI injury both SND group and SND without Glycyrrhizae Radix group, and compared with the SND without Glycyrrhizae Radix, the protective effect of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury model of H9c2 cardiomyocyte from SND was stronger.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Animals ; Drug Synergism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolomics ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

This study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on type 2 diabetic mice model and to provide mechanistic insights into its therapeutic effect. Type 2 diabetic animal model was established with high calorie fat diet and low dose streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Mice were then randomized into 5 groups: model control, FGF21 0.25 and 0.05 μmol x kg(-1) x d(-1) groups, insulin treatment group. Ten age-matched normal KM mouse administered with saline were used as normal controls. Serum glucose, insulin, lipid products and the change of serum and liver tissue inflammation factor levels between five groups of mouse were determined. The results showed that blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides, and inflammatory factor average FGF-21 of type 2 diabetes model group and normal control group were significantly higher (P < 0.01), while compared with insulin group, no difference was significant. Average blood glucose, insulin, blood lipid and inflammatory factor of FGF-21 treatment group compared with type 2 diabetes group was significantly lower (P < 0.01) and insulin group has no difference with the model control group. The results of OGTT and HOMA-IR showed that insulin resistance state was significantly relieved in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this study demonstrates that FGF-21 significantly remits type 2 diabetic mice model's insulin resistance state and participates in the regulation of inflammatory factor levels and type 2 diabetes metabolic disorders.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Diet, High-Fat ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; blood ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Mice ; Streptozocin ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of freeze-dried mouse epidermal growth factor (mEGF) on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor β (PPAR-β) in mice during wound healing.

METHODSFull-thickness skin defect with area of 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm was reproduced on both sides of the back of 70 BALB/c mice (2 wounds in each mouse). The wound on the left side in each mouse was treated with 5 µg/mL mEGF solution (experiment group), and that on the right side in each mouse was treated with saline (control group). On post injury day (PID) 7, 11, and 16, 20 mice were used for determination of wound healing rate at each time point. On PID 1, 3, 7, 11, 14, and 18, specimens of wound edge were harvested for determination of protein and gene expression of PPAR-β with immunohistochemical staining and in situ hybridization, with 10 specimens at each time point (denoted as integral absorbance value). Data were processed with t test.

RESULTS(1) Wound healing rate. The wound healing rate in experiment group on PID 7, 11, and 16 was respectively higher than that in control group (with t value respectively 3.03, 6.05, 11.9, P values all below 0.01). (2) Immunohistochemical observation. In both groups, the PPAR-β proteins highly expressed in fibroblasts of wound granulation tissues and nuclei of keratinocytes located in wound edge at early stage after injury, and they highly expressed in newly formed epidermis and their fibroblasts in the lower layer after wound epithelization. The expression of PPAR-β protein was gradually decreased after wound healing. The expression of PPAR-β protein at each time point in experiment group was respectively higher than that in control group (with t values from 2.15 to 7.37, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The expression of PPAR-β protein peaked on PID 3 in experiment group [(3.46 ± 1.33) × 10(3)], which was (2.35 ± 1.09) × 10(3) in control group. (3) In situ hybridization. The expression levels of PPAR-β mRNA in both groups were up-regulated after injury, which were mainly observed in fibroblasts of wound and cytoplasm of KC in wound edge, but they were down-regulated after wound epithelization. The expression of PPAR-β mRNA at each time point in experiment group was respectively higher than that in control group (with t values from 2.35 to 6.64, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The expression of PPAR-β mRNA in both groups peaked on PID 3 [(7.3 ± 2.6) × 10(6), (4.5 ± 3.0) × 10(6), respectively].

CONCLUSIONSmEGF can up-regulate the expression of PPAR-β in wound tissue of mice and promote wound healing.

Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Female ; Granulation Tissue ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; PPAR-beta ; metabolism ; Skin ; injuries ; metabolism ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

Objective To evaluate the relationship between plasma cystatin C concentration (PcyC) and coronary artery diseases (CAD). Method A total of 126 subjects with CAD evidenced by coronary angiography admitted from April 2007 to March 2009 were divided into three groups: stable angina pectoris (SAPs, n = 34),unstable angina pectoris (UAPs, n = 56) and acute myocardial infarction (AMIs, n = 36), according to the diag-nostic criteria of CAD set by WHO. Another 34 subjects without CAD were taken as controls. There were no statis-tical differences in demographics among four groups. Serum lipids profile, uric acid (UA), PcyC and high-sensi-tive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were determined. And in the meantime, all patients were followed up for six months and adverse cardiovascular events were recorded. Comparisons were made between groups with a number of independent-sample t -tests. Data were processed with analysis of variance to test the differences in means among four groups, and the means were compared with chi-square test. Statistical significance was established at a P val-ue of less than 0.05. Results Cystatin C levels were significantly higher in UAPs than that in SAPs and in controls (P < 0.05), but were much lower than that in AMIs (P < 0.05). And much higher concentration of hs-CRP was found in UAPs (P < 0.05) and in AMIs (P < 0.01). Cystatin C was positively and significantly corre-lated with age, hs-CRP, WBC, creatinine and UA (r > 0, P < 0.05), whereas a significantly negative correla-tion with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was found (r = - 0.227, P < 0.05). These coefficients were obvi-ously high for creatinine (r = + 0. 612), and WBC (r = + 0.459). During the period of six-month follow-up, 26 patients with adverse cardiovascular events were found, and had significantly higher cystatin C levels than 22 con-trols at admission (P < 0.01). Conclusions Cystatin C plays a pivotal role in the course of CAD, and the PcyC is a strong predictor for the risk of cardiovascular events.

AIM To observe the effects of Taxilli Herba from six different hosts (Morus alba L.,Salix babylonica L.,Camellia oleifera Abel.,Castanea mollissima B1.,Liquidambar formosana Hance and Nerium indicum Mill.) on lowering blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS SHR were randomly divided into 14 groups,captopril positive group (20 mg/kg),model group,and Taxilli Herba groups of 6 different hosts,and each Taxilli Herba group was further divided into high-dose group (5.9 g/kg) and low-dose group (1.48 g/kg);WKY,in addition,was the blank control.And the 20-day consective correspondence medication was applied to the groups,each with eight rats.The caudal arterial systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured by tail-cuff method before the administration,and on the 10th day and 20th day of the administration.Anaesthesia was performed at the blood collection 12 h after the last administration;and thus final serum contents of nitric oxide (NO) and changes of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity,plasmatic contents of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were determined.RESULTS From the data before and after administration,an SBP drop among all SHR groups was observed on the 10th day of administration,among which the blood pressure lowering effect by high-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.was very obvious (P ＜ 0.01);remarkable SBP decrease on the 20th day of administration induced by Taxilli Herba from Salix babylonica L,Liquidambarformosana Hance and Camellia oleifera Abel,and high-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L,low-dose Taxilli Herba from Castanea mollissima B1 were detected (P ＜ 0.01).No significant SBP variation was available between the model group and Taxilli Herba groups after10-day administration;all the Taxilli Herba groups exhibited obvious effect in lowering SBP except Taxilli Herba from Nerium indicum Mill,low-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.and high-dose Taxilli Herba from Castanea mollissimaBl.after 20-day administration,compared to the model group (P ＜ 0.05).Highdose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.and Salix babylonica L significantly decreased plasmatic Ang Ⅱ and ET-1 contents of SHR groups in comparison with the model group (P ＜0.01).High-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.,Salix babylonica L.and Liquidambarformosana Hance significantly increased serum NO release and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION Taxilli Herba from the five different hosts,except Nerium indicum Mill,can lower blood pressure,and there exists an effect difference due to the host variation.