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

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

The picornavirus family comprises many small viruses, several of which are important pathogens of humans and livestock. The 3C protease (3Cpro) of different species and genera of picornavirus contains the classic G-X-C-G motif and Cys-His-Asp/Glu catalytic triad. 3Cpro conducts maturation cleavage in the regions of VP2-VP3 and VP3-VP1 in P1, 2A-2B and 2B-2C in P2 and the whole P3. Picornavirus 3Cpro has been shown to have significant substrate preference in Q-G/S/A/V/H/R and E-S/G/R/M as well as species and genera specificity through analyses of the maturation cleavage of picornavirus polyproteins. Innate immune adaptors such as TRIF, MAVS, IRF3, IRF7 and NEMO have various potential cleavage sites in picornavirus 3Cpro (TRIF and NEMO show considerable diversity in their cleavage sites). Useful information will be provided for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral agents as well as evasion mechanisms of the innate immune system against picornavirus 3Cpro through continued research of picornavirus 3Cpro.
Cysteine Endopeptidases ; physiology ; Immunity, Innate ; Picornaviridae ; enzymology ; immunology ; Viral Proteins ; physiology ; Virus Replication

Bronchopulmonary Sequestration ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Radiography ; Respiratory System Abnormalities ; diagnosis ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo establish an HPLC fingerprint to evaluate the quality of Polygalae Radix, root xylem, and those collected in different growth ages or harvest time.

METHODSeparation was performed at 30 °C on a Kromasil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm); the mobile phases was acetonitrile and 0.05% H3PO4 water in the gradient elution; the flow rate was set at 1.0 mL · min(-1) and the detection wavelength at 314 nm; the quality discriminant analyses were accomplished by means of similarity analysis, cluster analysis, principal component analysis and neural network model.

RESULTIn 26 batches of Polygalae Radix, 24 batches fingerprint similarities were above 0.8. In 5 different growth or harvest time batches, 4 batches were above 0.8; in 8 batches root xylem samples, the similarities were all above 0.875. The similarity analysis was in accord with the quality discriminant analysis of cluster analysis, principal component analysis and neural network model.

CONCLUSIONFingerprint combined with chemical pattern recognition technique can effectively evaluate the quality of Polygalae Radix. The active substance species are all similar in cultivated, wild, different growth or harvest time Polygalae Radix and polygala root xylem, but the chromatography peak areas are different. The effective material contents are similar between wild and cultivated Polygalae Radix, but each chromatographic peak area of the root xylem is much smaller than that of Polygalae Radix. The chemical substance accumulation mainly depends on harvest month, but little growth time in Polygalae Radix.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; classification ; Polygala ; chemistry ; classification ; Quality Control

Autopsy ; Female ; Hepatoblastoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Rare Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

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