Objective To study the effects of Wenyang Huoxue fang on patients with acute coronary syndrome in clinical presentation,inflammatory reactions,plasmin/plasminogen activators,endothelial cell injurys.Method Eighty cases of acute coronary syndrome were divided into treatment group and control group randomly,40 cases for each group.Both groups were treated with standard management(vasodilaters,cholesterol-lowering,antiplatelet) and the treatment group was given Wenyang Huoxue fang additionally for four weeks.TCM symptoms,effect of angina,TXB2,6-K-PGF,t-PA,PAI,IL-2,IL-6 were observed before and after treatment.Result Effective rate of angina in treatment group and control group was 80% and 65% respectively(P

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; injuries ; pathology ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats

Chronic Disease ; Constipation ; surgery ; Humans

Objective To explore the characteristics of executive function and the changes of executive function in schizophrenics with and without homicide behaviors during follow-up.Methods Twenty-two schizophrenics with homicide behaviors (homicide group)and twenty-one schizophrenics without homicide behaviors (without-homicide group) were examined by Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST),and followed up 3 months.All patients'clinical symptoms were evaluated by positive and negative symptom scale(PANSS)at the same time.Re-suits (1)At the baseline,homicide group showed higher score in complete lst category(R1st)than without-homicide group((28.64±32.73)vs(11.71±8.10),P=0.027)and no difference on other index.(2)No difference on WCST in homicide group between at the baseline and at three-month treatment (P>0.05).Without-homicide group at the baseline showed higher score in conceptual level responses than that of at three-menth treatment((46.80±27.04)vs.(65.02±21.32),P=0.048).(3)Homicide group at three-month treatment showed lower scores in positive scale,general psychopathology scale,PANSS total,thought disorder,activation,paranoid,aggressive than that of at the baseline(P<0.05).Without-hemicide group at three-month treatment showed lower scores in positive scale,negative scale,general psychopathology scale,PANSS total,thought disorder,activation,aggressive than that of at the haseline(P<0.01).(4)At the baseline,there was no correlation between WCST and PANSS in homicide group,only R1st score correlated with activation positively in without-homicide group(P<0.05).At three-month treatment, homicide group showed the score of failure to maintain set negatively correlated with negative scale,PANSS total, and aggressive(P<0.05).Conclusions Schizophrenics with homicide and without-homicide behaviors show executive function deficits.Homicide group shows more deficits in abstraction capacity than without-homicide group.

Objective To investigate the auditory sensory gating P50 in schizophrenia patients with homicide during three months of follow up. Methods Twenty-five patients with schizophrenia patients with homicide and 27 healthy adults matched with age and education level were recruited in the present study. P50 was recorded in twenty-seven normal controls and twenty-five schizophrenia patients at the baseline. P50 was repeatedly recorded in eleven patients who completed the follow-up at three months following antipsychotics treatment. The psychotic symptoms of patients were assessed with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at the same time. Results ①In comparison with normal controls, schizophrenia patients with homicide showed increased S2-P50 amplitude (P<0.01), increased S2/S1 ratio (P<0.01), decreased S1-S2(P<0.05), and 100(1-S2/S1) (P<0.01) at the baseline and after three months treatment. The differences in P50 amplitude, latency, and P50 suppression index between the baseline and after three-month treatment in schizophrenia patients with homicide were not significant (P>0.05). ② Schizophrenia patients with homicide after three-month treatment showed decreased PANSS total scale, positive scale, general psychopathology scale, and six symptoms scales such as lack of response, thought disorder, activation, paranoid, depression, and aggression (P<0.05). ③ No significant correlations were found between the S2/S1 ratio, S2-S1, and 100(1-S2/S1) with disease duration, PANSS scores, and six symptoms scales at either baseline or after three-month treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions Schizophrenia with homicide has sensory gating deficits and P50 suppression index might be a stable trait maker for schizophrenia with homicide.

Objective To identify the glycometabolism features ofC57BL/Ksj db/+ mice at gestational period and provide the evidence for the mice used as the animal model of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods Ten C57BL/Ksj db/+ female mice and ten wild female mice were randomly selected and mated with wild male mice respectively.Day 3 before mating,days 6,11 and 17 of pregnancy,and day 6 after delivery represented pre pregnancy,early-pregnancy,mid-pregnancy,late-pregnancy and post-pregnancy periods,respectively.The levels of glucose tolerance and fasting insulin of female mice were compared at progestation,different gestational periods and puerperium between the two groups.Days 6,11,14,17 and 20 (before labor) of pregnancy served as five time-points of pregnancy,leptin levels of female mice of the two groups were dynamically monitored during pregnancy,and analyzed at different gestational ages.The data were analyzed by Tukey test of one-way ANOVA.Results (1) Compared with the normal pregnant mice,the levels of glucose tolerance of C57BL/Ksj db/+ female mice were significantly decreased,while the levels of fasting insulin were dramatically increased with the progression of pregnancy [day 6 of pregnancy,(8.6 ± 0.6) mU/L vs (7.5 ±1.1) mU/L; day 11 of pregnancy,(9.8±0.6) mU/L vs (8.5± 1.1) mU/L; day 17 of pregnancy,(10.4±0.8) mU/L vs (9.9±0.5) mU/L; t=1.859,4.056 and 3.078,P=0.085,0.000 and 0.000] and recovered to the pre-pregnancy level after delivery.(2) The level of leptin in serum of C57BL/Ksj db/+ pregnant mice was significantly higher than that at non-pregnant period [pre-pregnancy and days 6,11,14,17 and 20 of pregnancy:(911.0±238.8) ng/L,(1 342.2± 132.3) ng/L,(1 821.9±238.2) ng/L,(1 816.3± 142.3) ng/L,(1 752.4± 126.6) ng/L,and (1 926.4±61.6) ng/L,respectively; t=3.887,8.210,8.161,7.585 and 9.153,P=0.005,0.000,0.000,0.000 and 0.000],but showed no apparent change with the gestational ages after mid-gestation.Conclusion Changes of glycometabolism and the levels of leptin and insulin of C57BL/Ksj db/+ pregnant mice during pregnancy are similar to those of GDM patients,the levels of fasting insulin are dramatically increased with the progression of pregnancy,and return to normal after delivery,the level of leptin is higher than that at non-pregnant period,but is not correlated with the gestational ages.C57BL/Ksj db/+ pregnant mice can be used as the animal model of GDM.

Development of liver fibrosis is closely associated with angiogenesis and abnormal vascular remodeling. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in fibrogenesis, the results that inhibition of angiogenesis is effective in suppression of liver fibrosis demonstrate that therapies with several molecular targets against angiogenesis, inflammation and fibrosis might be beneficial for the treatment of cirrhosis. However, there is some evidence that inhibition of angiogenesis can even worsen fibrosis. This article outlines recent advances regarding the interplay between inflammation, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis in terms of cellular and molecular mechanisms, and suggests a requirement of greater understanding to intervene in these key processes, such as liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestration and impact distinct chemokine actions driving monocyte migration and differentiation, for therapeutic benefit in the future.
Humans ; Inflammation ; therapy ; Liver Cirrhosis ; therapy ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; therapy ; Vascular Remodeling

Pneumoconiosis

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Flos Daturae alkaloids (FDA) on TGF-beta1-1uuuu;U epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human pulmonary adenocarcinoma A549 cells.

METHODSA549 cells in vitro cultured were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the blank control group, the TGF-beta1 group, the low dose FDA group, the medium dose FDA group, and the high dose FDA group. The morphologies of A549 cells were observed. Expressions of cytokeratin (CK)-19 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) were detected by Western blot and real-time PCR at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively.

RESULTSA549 cells in the TGF-beta1, group turned from cobblestone to spindle shape gradually. Those in low, medium and high dose FDA groups showed similar shapes to those of the TGF-beta1 group. There was no statistical difference in the morphology of A549 cells among the 3 dose FDA groups (P > 0.05). Western blot showed that, when compared with the blank control group, the expression of CK-19 was down-regulated, but the expression of alpha-SMA was up-regulated in the TGF-beta1 group (P < 0.01). Compared with the TGF-beta1, group, the expression of CK-19 was up-regulated, but the expression of alpha-SMA was suppressed in low, medium and high dose FDA groups (P < 0.01). The CK-19 expression obviously increased, but the alpha-SMA expression was suppressed in high dose FDA group at 72 h (P < 0.01). Real-time PCR results showed, as compared with the TGF-beta1 group, the mRNA expression of CK-19 was increased, but the mRNA expression of alpha-SMA was reduced in low, medium and high dose FDA groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSFDA had no effect on EMT morphological changes of TGF-beta1 induced A549 cells. FDA could reverse characteristic markers of A549 cells during EMT to some extent, such as expressions of CK-19 and alpha-SMA. The expression of CK-19 (as the epithelium marker) increased and the expression of alpha-SMA (as the mesenchymal marker) was reduced. Besides, they were most obviously seen in the high dose FDA group at 72 h in a dose- and time-dependent manner.

Actins ; Adenocarcinoma ; Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Datura ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Objective The CYP19 gene product enzyme aromatase mediates the conversion of the androgen testosterone to es -tradiol.The aim of this study is to investigate whether the CYP19A1 gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with the susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and serum hormone levels. Methods We conducted a case-controlled study, which included 373 PCOS patients and 313 healthy controls.We genotyped SNP rs2899470 in the subjects using the polymerase chain re-action-restriction fragment length polymorphism ( PCR-RFLP) method and analyzed the frequencies of genotypes and alleles as well as the association of different genotypes with age , menarchal age, body mass index (BMI), and serum levels of hormones. Results The gen-otypic distributions of rs2899470 GG, TG, and TT in the PCOS women were 44.5%, 49.6%, and 5.9%, respectively, significantly dif-ferent from 39.3%, 48.6%, and 12.1%in the healthy controls (P=0.013).The frequency of the G allele was 69.3%in the former, remarkably higher than 63.6%in the latter (P=0.025).The rs2899470 genotypic frequencies were associated with the serum E 2/T lev-els in the PCOS patients. Conclusion SNP rs2899470 in the CYP19A1 gene is associated with the susceptibility to PCOS , and so is the genotype of rs2899470 with serum E2/T levels, which may be attributed mainly to the reduced activity of aromatase .