The antibody against AT1-EC2 plays a role in some kinds of inflammatory vascular diseases including malignant hypertension, preeclampsia, and renal-allograft rejection, but the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. In order to investigate the changes of NADPH oxidase and reactive oxygen species in the aorta in a mouse model which can produce AT1-EC2 antibody by active immunization with AT1-EC2 peptide, 15 mice were divided into three groups: control group, AT1-EC2-immunized group, and AT1-EC2-immunized and valsartan-treated group. In AT1-EC2-immunized group and AT1-EC2-immunized and valsartan-treated group, the mice were immunized by 50 μg peptide subcutaneously at multiple points for 4 times: 0, 5, 10, and 15 days after the experiment. In AT1-EC2-immunized and valsartan-treated group, valsartan was given at a dose of 100 mg/kg every day for 20 days. After the experiment, the mice were sacrificed under anesthesia and the aortas were obtained and frozen in liquid nitrogen for the preparation of frozen section slides and other experiments. The titer of AT1-EC2 was assayed by using ELISA. The level of NOX1 mRNA in the aorta was determined by using RT-PCR. The expression of NOX1 was detected by using Western blotting. Confocal scanning microscopy was used to assay the α-actin and NOX1 expression in the aortic tissue. The O(2)∸ production was detected in situ after DHE staining. The mice produced high level antibody against AT1-EC2 in AT1-EC2-immunized group and AT1-EC2-immunized and valsartan-treated group, and the level of NOX1 mRNA in the aortic tissues was 1.6±0.4 times higher and the NOX1 protein expression was higher in AT1-EC2-immunized group than in control group. There were no significant differences in the level of NOX1 mRNA and protein expression between control group and AT1-EC2-immunized and valsartan-treated group. The expression and co-localization of α-actin and NOX1 in AT1-EC2-immunized group increased significantly as compared with those in control group, and the O(2)∸ production increased about 2.7 times as compared with control group. There were no significant differences between control group and AT1-EC2-immunized and valsartan-treated group. It is concluded that active immunization with AT1-EC2 can activate NOX1-ROS, and increase vascular inflammation, which can be inhibited by AT1 receptor blocker valsartan. This may partially explain the mechanism of the pathogenesis of inflammatory vascular diseases related to antibody against AT1-EC2.

The high production inulase strain was screened from the soil sample where burdock planted in Qin Village,Bayou Town,Pei County,Xuzhou.Inulase activity were determined which produced by 40 strains separated from soil.Three mold stains,C122803、D081506 and D081513,which had higher ability of producing inulase were obtained by using transparent circle method as initial screening and rocker method as re-screening.Enzyme activity of the three strains were 1.411U/ml,1.895U/ml,1.792U/ml,separately.Enzyme activity of D081506,1.895U/ml,was the highest.The fermentation conditions of D081506 were studied and the optimized conditions were lappa juice 2.0%,yeast extraction 1.6%,(NH4)2SO4 0.5%,NaCl 0.5%,K2HPO4 0.5% and pH 5.0.Inulase activity of D081506 was 2.9578U/ml which increased 56.09% under the condition of 27℃,140r/min,24h.

OBJECTIVETo explore the approaches and techniques for synthetic evaluation of the clinical therapeutic effect of new Chinese herbal medicine in clinical trials.

METHODSIn a double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trail, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect of Shengmai capsule in the treatment of chronic congestive heart failure.

RESULTSShengmai capsule produced positive therapeutic effect on chronic congestive heart failure.

CONCLUSIONA feasible method is established for evaluating and grading the clinical therapeutic effect of Chinese herbal medicine.

Double-Blind Method ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Theoretical ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; methods ; standards ; Phytotherapy

AIM:To explore the molecular mechanism of panaxadiol saponin(PDS)by observing Toll like receptor(TLR)2 and TLR9 mRNA expression induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS).METHODS:Rats were divided into LPS,LPS+PDSL,LPS+PDSM and control group,respectively.Nitric oxide synthase(NOS)activity,nitric oxide(NO)content,LPO content,SOD activity and TLR2 and TLR9 mRNA expression were assayed 4 h after intravenous injection of LPS.RESULTS:NOS activity,NO content,LPO content of LPS+PDSL group and LPS+PDSM group were significantly lower than those in LPS group.TLR2 mRNA expression in the liver tissue of LPS+PDSL group and LPS+PDSM group was decreased compared with LPS group.CONCLUSION:PDS has a protective effect on liver tissues by triggering the down-regulation of TLR2 expression,reducing NOS activity,and NO content.

OBJECTIVETo assess the reaction of cytokines induced killer (CIK) cells treatment in hematopoietic injury at different levels on patients with benzene poisoning and seek a novel, safe and effective immunotherapy for benzene poisoning.

METHODSCIK cells were in vitro activated by interleukin-2 (IL-2) and granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Thirty-two patients with benzene poisoning were treated with CIK cells. Nineteen patients with mild or moderate benzene poisoning in the control group were treated with VitB4, batilol, leucogen, inosine and stanozolol. The results for treatment of 12 patients with aplastic anemia induced by severe benzene poisoning (the efficacy rate and the case fatality rate) were analyzed. The change of T-lymphocyte subset analyzed by flow cytometry was also observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSFor mild or moderate benzene poisoning, the increase of WBC and RLT in CIK group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The CD(4)/CD(8) levels were significantly increased after CIK treatment. And for severe benzene poisoning, the effective rate of the CIK group was 91.7% and the mortality rate was 0%.

CONCLUSIONCIK treatment is safe and effective for hematopoietic injury caused by benzene poisoning. The mechanism may be related with the immune modulation of CIK treatment on immunodeficiency of patients with benzene poisoning.

Adult ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; immunology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the effect of self -efficacy training on hemiplegic patients after ischemic stroke. Methods Sixty cases were randomly divided into control group (n =30 )and self -efficacy training group (n =30).The self -efficacy group received rehabilitation training according to the self -efficacy theory (5 times /week, 40 min /per time,1 0 weeks of intervention).The movement and balance function were evaluated using Fugl -Meyer score (FMA)and the activities of daily living were evaluated by the task analysis scale and Barthel index.The self -efficacy level and quality of life were evaluated by the general self -efficacy scale (GSES)and medical outcomes study (SF -36).Results The scores of FMA,Barthel,SF -36 and GSES had no significant differences between the two groups before training (P >0.05 )and all indexes improved after training.Six scores of Barthel and all scores of FMA,SF -36 and GSES of self -efficacy group were significantly higher than those of control group after training (all P <0.05 ).Conclusion Self -efficacy application could improve the motor function on the rehabilitation of hemiplegic patients after ischemic stroke.

This paper was aimed to study conserved motifs of voltage sensing proteins (VSPs) and establish a voltage sensing model. All VSPs were collected from the Uniprot database using a comprehensive keyword search followed by manual curation, and the results indicated that there are only two types of known VSPs, voltage gated ion channels and voltage dependent phosphatases. All the VSPs have a common domain of four helical transmembrane segments (TMS, S1-S4), which constitute the voltage sensing module of the VSPs. The S1 segment was shown to be responsible for membrane targeting and insertion of these proteins, while S2-S4 segments, which can sense membrane potential, for protein properties. Conserved motifs/residues and their functional significance of each TMS were identified using profile-to-profile sequence alignments. Conserved motifs in these four segments are strikingly similar for all VSPs, especially, the conserved motif [RK]-X(2)-R-X(2)-R-X(2)-[RK] was presented in all the S4 segments, with positively charged arginine (R) alternating with two hydrophobic or uncharged residues. Movement of these arginines across the membrane electric field is the core mechanism by which the VSPs detect changes in membrane potential. The negatively charged aspartate (D) in the S3 segment is universally conserved in all the VSPs, suggesting that the aspartate residue may be involved in voltage sensing properties of VSPs as well as the electrostatic interactions with the positively charged residues in the S4 segment, which may enhance the thermodynamic stability of the S4 segments in plasma membrane.
Arginine ; chemistry ; Aspartic Acid ; chemistry ; Cell Membrane ; physiology ; Conserved Sequence ; Ion Channel Gating ; Ion Channels ; chemistry ; Membrane Potentials ; Protein Structure, Tertiary

OBJECTIVETo validate the previous anatomic study result about angle nerve of facial nerve through 3-dimensional (3-D) visualization technique, so as to provide theory basis for clinic treatment of nerve loss.

METHODThe full-thickness soft tissue at internal side of inner canthus was harvested from adult cadaveric head. The skin was 3 cm in length and 1 cm in width, with 2 parallel cut lines as location markers. The specimen was sliced continuously into 120 slices, with 10 microm in thickness for every slice, 0.25 mm apart. The slices underwent HE staining and 2-D digital image was gained by high resolution scanner. Then 3-D reconstruction was performed.

RESULTS(1) It showed the 3-D structures and routes of angle nerve, as well as the relationship between angle nerve and angle arteriovenous. All the reconstructed structures can be displayed together or separately, also from any angles. (2) It confirmed the accuracy of microscopic anatomy study about angle nerve. (3) The 3-D reconstruction of angle nerve, as well as the surrounding structure could be very useful for clinical application.

CONCLUSIONBased on the histologic study and computer technology, the 3-D reconstruction of angle nerve could provide accurate basis for the feasibility of clinic treatment of angle nerve loss.

Adult ; Facial Nerve ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Visible Human Projects

Currently, there are many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections for treating ischemic stroke in the market, most of them have the efficacy of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, but their reasonable applications are worth consideration. From the angles of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine, TCM injections that are commonly used in clinics were detected for their indications and pharmacological effects, compared in terms of their characteristics of clinical application, precautions, prohibition on use, caution and adverse reactions and categorized, in order to help clinicians with reasonable application of TCM injections.
Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Injections

Aim To investigate the effects of dihydromyricetin on the apoptosis in AGZY-83-a tumor cells and its relevant mechanisms.Methods The survival rate of AGZY-83-a cells was assayed by MTT dye reduction.The cellular apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL method and caspase-3 activity.The intracellular free calcium i was detected to explore the apoptotic mechanism of dihydromyricetin.Results In the MTT assay,dihydromyricetin 50?mol?L-1 significantly inhibited survival ratios of AGZY-83-a cells at dose-and time-dependent manner.It was demonstrated in TUNEL assay that dihydromyricetin could induce the apoptosis of AGZY-83-a cells in a concentration-dependent manner.The examination of Caspase-3 activity indicated that the dihydromyricetin could induce the apoptosis of AGZY-83-a cells,which was dose-dependent activation of Caspase-3 in AGZY-83-a cells.The detection of the intracellular i showed that the average FI of the i could be markedly increased to 20-fold as the basic condition.Conclusions Dihydromyricetin can induce the apoptosis in AGZY-83-a cells,which is associated with the overload of the intracellular i.