Acute Disease ; Humans ; Paraquat ; poisoning

Objective To investigate the apoptotic effects of hypertrophic scar fibroblast (HSF) induced by HMME-PDT.Methods Fibroblasts were cultured from nontreated hypertrophic scars,and cells at passages 4-6 were used for the experiments (photosensitizer dose 4 μg/ml,λ630 nm,pow er density 10 mw/cm2,energy fluence 2.5 J/cm2).Morphological and biochemical changes in fibroblasts were assessed by Hoechst 33258 staining and fluorescence microscopy.The rate of apoptotic or necrotic cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) through double staining of Annexin V -FITC and popodium iodide (PI),respectively.Results Marked morphological features of cell apoptosis were viewed under the fluorescent microscope through Hoechst 33258 staining.The analysis of FCM indica ted that the apoptotic rate was significantly increased after HMME PDT [(34.82 ± I.42) ％ vs (3.12±0.28) ％,P＜0.05],and apoptotic rate was higher than necrosis rate [(14.65±1.02) ％ vs (34.82±1.42) ％,P＜0.05].Conclusions Low level exposure to 630 nm PDT mediated by HMME appears to induce fibroblast apoptosis.

Objective:To understand the basic situation of pharmacy staff in the hospitals in Beijing Xicheng district. Methods:Totally 12 hospitals in Xicheng district were investigated by a questionnaire( including the age,educational degree and professional title of phama-cists) , and the obtained information was classified, gathered and counted, and the evaluation and recommendation were also performed after the combination with regulations and actual work. Results:There were 385 persons working in the pharmacies of the 12 hospitals, which accounted for 7. 56 % of the total health professionals. Among them, 67. 02% were under the age of 40, 83. 11%were undergraduates or specialists, 84. 93% had primary or intermediate titles, 3. 38% had finished standardized training, and 4. 68%were clinical pharmacists. Conclusion:The composition of pharmacy staff can not match the national requirements. It is necessary to optimize the structure of pharmacy staff, improve the level of education, and strengthen the standardized training and clinical pharma-cist training in order to promote the career competence of pharmacists.

This study is to investigate the anti-allergic effect of anthocyanidin and to explore its possible mechanism. The experiments of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction (PCA) and colorimetry were used to determine the effect of anthocyanidin on degranulation of mast cells in vivo. For in vitro study, various concentrations of anthocyanidin (100, 50 and 25 micromol x L(-1)) were added to the culture medium of mast cells cultured with 100 microg x L(-1) of dinitrophenyl (DNP) specific IgE overnight. The azelastine (100 micromol x L(-1)) was selected as the positive control. The antigen (DNP-human serum albumin, DNP-HAS)-induced release of degranulation was measured by enzymatic assay, histamine was determined by EIA, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured by Western blotting, separately. In addition, the effects of anthocyanidin on phosphorylation of NF-kappaB, p38MAPK and Akt were observed by Western blotting. The results showed that treatments with anthocyanidin (100 and 50 mg x kg(-1)) were followed by a decrease in PCA of rats. Anthocyanidin (100 and 50 micromol x L(-1)) obviously suppressed the degranulation from mast cells, whereas results from anthocyanidin (100 and 50 micromol x L(-1)) group indicated significant inhibitory effect on histamine, the calcium uptake, TNF-alpha, IL-6, phosphorylation of NF-kappaB, p38MAPK and Akt of mast cells induced by antigen. Anthocyanidin may suppress the anaphylactic reaction by inhibiting the action of mast cells. NF-kappaB, p38MAPK and Akt at least in part contribute to this event.
Animals ; Anthocyanins ; pharmacology ; Anti-Allergic Agents ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Degranulation ; drug effects ; Histamine Release ; drug effects ; Immunoglobulin E ; immunology ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Male ; Mast Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the relationship between changes in B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP) and cardiac troponin I(cTnI)levels and prognosis of critically ill patients with sepsis. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 75 patients with severe sepsis and septic shock admitted into Emergency Intensive Care Unit(EICU)of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Zhejiang Province. According to the severity of the cases,they were divided into two groups:severe sepsis group(34 cases)and septic shock group(41 cases),and based on the difference in prognosis,they were divide into survivor group(32 cases) and non-survivor group(43 cases). Electrocardiogram(ECG)was performed within 24 hours after admission in all the patients. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)score and biochemical markers showing organ dysfunctions as BNP, cTnI, creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB mass(CK-MB), and lactate were compared between severe sepsis and septic shock groups and between survivor and non-survivor groups. Results The septic shock group had significantly higher baseline BNP,cTnI,lactate and APACHE Ⅱscore and mortality rate than those in severe sepsis group〔BNP(μg/L):1.90(1.08,2.79)vs. 0.41(0.31,0.75),cTnI (μg/L):1.15(0.92,1.28)vs. 0.58(0.40,0.79),lactate(mmol/L):6.63±3.72 vs. 3.28±1.66,APACHEⅡscore:26.00(24.00,28.00)vs. 21.50(20.00,29.25),mortality rate:70.73%vs. 41.18%,P<0.05 or P<0.01〕. Compared with survivor group,the ages of non-survivor group were older with more males and higher BNP,cTnI,lactate and APACHEⅡscore〔males(cases):30 vs. 13,age(years old):66.49±14.97 vs. 58.19±17.05,BNP:1.60(0.62, 2.51)vs. 0.57(0.37,1.79),lactate:4.10(3.00,9.00)vs. 3.10(2.13,4.18),cTnI:1.02±0.49 vs. 0.62±0.37, APACHE Ⅱ score:28.00(25.00,30.00)vs. 21.00(20.00,25.75),P<0.05 or P<0.01〕. However,there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of CK and CK-MB between the above compared groups(both P>0.05). The patients' ECGs had no obvious changes. Conclusions High plasma BNP and cTnI levels in patients with sepsis may suggest myocardial damage and relatively bad prognosis. The examination of BNP and cTnI levels may help clinicians to early detect the high-risk patients with septic cardiac dysfunction and assess their prognoses.

Objective To investigate the factors which may affect the secretions of human leptin and free fatty acids (FFA) by measuring plasma glucose, serum insulin, leptin and FFA levels during reduced sample number intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) in the subjects with different status of insulin resistance and ? cell function. Methods According to oral glucose tolerance test, 7 normal, 10 overweight/obese individuals, 12 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 11 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were recruited. During IVGTT, serum insulin, leptin and FFA levels at 12 time points were simultaneously measured. Results Compared to the stable secretion of leptin, during 180 min in the IVGTT, the FFA secretion showed a "U" shape profile. The correlation analysis showed that the average serum leptin and FFA levels in 3 h were independent to fasting plasma glucose concentration. The partial correlation coefficient of leptin and insulin decreased after being adjusted for FFA (before r=0.77, P0.05). Conclusion The changes of serum FFA levels in IVGTT are more significant than those of leptin after glucose loading. Fasting plasma glucose levels do not significantly affect the average serum levels of leptin and FFA. On the contrary, insulin manifests such action but does not affect the secretion profile of these parameters.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum leptin level and the hypothalamuspituitary-gonad ( HPG) axis in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa ( AN). Methods Sixteen newly diagnosed female adolescents with AN in Shanghai and Zhejiang province were investigated, and their serum leptin, FSH, LH and body composition were measured before and after 18 weeks treatment, and their menorrhea cycles were observed. The rhythm of 24 h serum leptin secretion was studied in 4 patients with AN. Twenty-six, healthy females with normal weight and without contraceptive medication were studied as controls. Results (1) All of 16 patients had amenorrhea, 3 primary amenorrhea and 13 secondary amenorrhea. At admission LH in 14 patients and FSH in 12 patients were below the low limit of the normal reference range (1.5 U/L and 4. 6 U/L respectively), and among them 5 patiend had both 15% weight gain and significantly increased serum leptin level (P

Objective To explore the difference of four calculating methods used to determine the obesity. Methods Two thousand four hundred and forty six (2446) men and three hundred and seventy nine (379) women were measured height and body mass, Standard body mass, BMI, body fat ratio and obesity index(OI) were calculated with formula. According to the BMI≥ 25 kg/m2 , BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 and BMI≥28 kg/m2, the obese adults were 1419,680 and 435 respectively;there were 649 adults that their body mass was over 20％standard body mass; there were 639 adults that their body fat ratio was over 25％(male)and 33％(female). Results For obesity determination, the adults who were 20％overweight and over standard body fat ratio were significantly different from those whose BMI were over 25 kg/m2 ( P＜0. 05 ) ;Those who were 20％overweight and over standard body fat ratio were not significantly different from those whose BMI were over 27 kg/m2 ( P＞0.05 ) ; Those who were 20％overweight and over standard body fat ratio were significantly different from those whose BMI were over 28 kg/m2 ( P＜0. 05 ). Conclusion Determining obesity with BMI≥27 kg/m2 is feasible and rational.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism

For screening the potential drugs as anti-liver fibrosis candidates, we established a high- throughput drug screening cell model based on COL1A1 promoter. The activity of COL1A1 promoter and luciferase reporter gene can be elevated by TGF-β1, and inhibited by candidate drugs. We constructed a recombined plasmid with COL1A1 promoter and luciferase reporter gene pGL4.17, the activity of COL1A1 promoter was reflected by fluorescence intensity. COL1A1 promoter activity was detected by Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System, it came that the relative luciferase activity of COL1A1 promoter was 15.98 times higher than that of control group induced by TGF-β1, showing the recombined plasmid could be used in cell model. The recombined plasmid was transfected into human hepatic stellate cells LX2, detected the effect of potential drugs, and obtained a stable expression system through stable transfection and monoclonal cell culture. A sample which could reduce COL1A1 promoter activity signally by our cell model, decreased collagen I mRNA and protein expression detected by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. It indicates this novel cell model can be used in high-throughput drug screening of potential anti-liver fibrosis drugs.
Collagen Type I ; genetics ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; methods ; Genes, Reporter ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; Luciferases ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; RNA, Messenger ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology