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

AIM: To investigate whether Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription ( JAK/STAT) signaling pathway mediates high glucose-induced damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVECs ) . METHODS:The cell viability was examined by CCK-8 assay.The expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, caspase-9 and en-dothelial nitric oxide synthase ( eNOS) were detected by Western blot .The intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) were tested by DCFH-DA staining followed by photofluorography .Mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP) was measured by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography .RESULTS:Treatment of HUVECs with high glucose (40 mmol/L glucose) for 6~12 h enhanced the protein level of phosphorylated JAK 2, peaking at 9 h.Treatment of the cells with high glucose for 6~12 h also increased the protein level of p-STAT3 with the peak value at 12 h.Pretreatment with the inhibitor of JAK/STAT pathway AG490 for 1 h before exposure of the HUVECs to high glucose significantly inhibi-ted the high glucose -induced injury , as evidenced by an increase in the cell viability , decreases in the expression of caspase-9 and the intracellular ROS production , and increases in MMP and the expression of eNOS .CONCLUSION:JAK/STAT signaling pathway is involved in the high glucose-induced damage in HUVECs .

AIM: To explore whether strontium ranelate ( Sr ) promotes osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) through the Hedgehog/Gli1 signaling pathway.METHODS:BMSCs were isolated from 4-week-old rats by adherent culture and induced to differentiate into osteoblasts .According to the experimental purposes , the cells were exposed to different concentrations of Sr , cyclopamine ( Cy, an inhibitor of Hedgehog receptor ) or Gli1-siR-NA.The expression of Gli1 and Runx2 in the cells was detected by Western blotting .The activity of alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) was measured by the method of colorimetry , and the mineralized nodules were observed under microscope with aliz-arin red staining .RESULTS:Exposure to Sr at concentrations of 0.1 to 5 mmol/L for 7 d markedly increased the expres-sion of Gli1 in the BMSCs , and the increase in Gli1 expression was the most obvious following Sr exposure at concentration of 3 mmol/L.Cy at concentration of 10 μmol/L inhibited Sr-induced up-regulation of Gli1 expression.Transfection of the BMSCs with Gli1-siRNA not only obviously inhibited Sr-induced up-regulation of Gli1 and Runx2 ( a downstream protein of Gli1) expression, but also antagonized Sr-induced enhancement of ALP activity and the formation of mineralized nodules . CONCLUSION:The Hedgehog/Gli1 pathway is involved in Sr-induced osteogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs .

Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular

Purpose:To discuss the diagnosis and treatment methods for bilateral upper urinary tract stoneobstruction associated with acute renal failure. Methods :The diagnosis was obtained by using ultrasound,KUBand retrograde pyelogram maneuver. To achieve treatment goal the patients underwent ureterolithotomy, renalpuncture fistulization, ureterocatheterization draining, ESWL, etc. Results: Postoperatively most of the patientsuremic symptoms were reduced or dissolved. All patients serum BUN、Cr levels decreased in different degree orreturn to normal. Conclusions:Operation is indicated for bilateral upper urinary tract stone, but if associated withsevere infection or the patient general condition being poor, operation is contraindicaed and therefore earlyureterocatheterization draining or renal fistulization is recommended.

Atropa belladonna is a medicinal plant and main commercial source of tropane alkaloids (TAs) including scopolamine and hyoscyamine, which are anticholine drugs widely used clinically. Based on the high throughput transcriptome sequencing results, the digital expression patterns of UniGenes representing 9 structural genes (ODC, ADC, AIH, CPA, SPDS, PMT, CYP80F1, H6H, TRII) involved in TAs biosynthesis were constructed, and simultaneously expression analysis of 4 released genes in NCBI (PMT, CYP80F1, H6H, TRII) for verification was performed using qPCR, as well as the TAs contents detection in 8 different tissues. Digital expression patterns results suggested that the 4 genes including ODC, ADC, AIH and CPA involved in the upstream pathway of TAs, and the 2 branch pathway genes including SPDS and TRII were found to be expressed in all the detected tissues with high expression level in secondary root. While the 3 TAs-pathway-specific genes including PMT, CYP80F1, H6H were only expressed in secondary roots and primary roots, mainly in secondary roots. The qPCR detection results of PMT, CYP80F1 and H6H were consistent with the digital expression patterns, but their expression levels in primary root were too low to be detected. The highest content of hyoscyamine was found in tender stems (3.364 mg x g(-1)), followed by tender leaves (1.526 mg x g(-1)), roots (1.598 mg x g(-1)), young fruits (1.271 mg x g(-1)) and fruit sepals (1.413 mg x g(-1)). The highest content of scopolamine was detected in fruit sepals (1.003 mg x g(-1)), then followed by tender stems (0.600 mg x g(-1)) and tender leaves (0.601 mg x g(-1)). Both old stems and old leaves had the lowest content of hyoscyamine and scopolamine. The gene expression profile and TAs accumulation indicated that TAs in Atropa belladonna were mainly biosynthesized in secondary root, and then transported and deposited in tender aerial parts. Screening Atropa belladonna secondary root transcriptome database will facilitate unveiling the unknown enzymatic reactions and the mechanisms of transcriptional control.
Alkaloids ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Atropa belladonna ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; genetics ; Hyoscyamine ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; metabolism ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide ; metabolism ; Tropanes ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the effect of PTH gene polymorphisms on bone mineral density (BMD) at multiple skeletal sites in normal females.Methods PTH gene phenotype was determined by PCR-RFLP of restriction enzyme Bst BⅠin 596 females aged (46.3?13.7) years (20-80 years),and PCR products with or without enzymolytic site were considered as genotype B or genotype b respectively.BMDs of the anteropesterior spine (AP) and supine lateral spine (Lat) of lumbar vertebrae (L_1-L_4),femoral neck (FN),total hip (T-hip), Ward's triangle (Ward),Trochanter (Troch),forearm [radius+ulna ultradistal (RUUD) and total area of radius + ulna (RUT) ] were measured by DEXA (QDR4500A).Results (1) Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was evident for PTH polymorphisms.The frequencies of genotype were BB 0.784,Bb 0.208,bb 0.008 and frequencies of alleles B,b were 0.888 and 0.112 respectively in 596 normal females.Frequencies of BB,Bb,bb genotypes were 0.781,0.210,and 0.009 respectively in 347 postmenopausal women and their frequencies of alleles B,b were 0.886,0.114.No significant difference was found between post- and premenopausal women in genotype frequen- cy.(2) Comparing their BMDs of AP,Lat,FN,T-hip,Ward,Troch,RUUD and RUT,there was no significant difference between BB and Bb genotypes of pre- and postmenopansal women groups.(3) Logistic regression analysis failed to show any statistical difference between normal and osteoporosis women with regard to PTH phenotype.Conclusion PTH gene polymorphism has little effect on BMD in normal females.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the preventive effects of a compound Danshen preparation (DSC) on long-term gastric lipid emulsion administration-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in rats.

METHODSTwenty-seven 3-month-old SD rats were randomized equally into 3 groups and subjected to daily intragastric administration for 20 weeks of distilled water (control), lipid emulsion at 5 ml/kg (model group), and lipid emulsion plus DSC at 5.0 g/kg (DSC treatment group). After blood glucose (BG) determination, the rats were sacrificed for measurement of serum TC, TG, HDL-c, AST, and ALT, and the liver was weighed and pathologically examined.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the rats in the model group showed significantly increased BG, TC, LDL-c, arteriosclerosis index (AI), AST, ALT, liver weight, and liver index (P<0.01) and decreased HDL-c (P<0.01), while TG remained unchanged. Fatty degeneration, hydropic degeneration and necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in the liver of the rats in the model group. Compared with the model group, the rats in DSC groups showed decreased BG, AI (P<0.01), liver weight, liver index, AST, and ALT (P<0.05) and increased HDL-c, with milder pathological changes in the liver.

CONCLUSIONSLong-term gastric perfusion of lipid emulsion causes lipid metabolic disorder and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats characterized by increased TC and decreased HDL-c. DSC can significantly increase HDL-c and provide partial protection of the liver against the damages by the lipid emulsion.

Animals ; Drug Administration Routes ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Emulsions ; Fatty Liver ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Female ; Lipids ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Male ; Phenanthrolines ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Danshen root compound (DSC) on blood lipid and bone biomechanics in mice with hyperlipemia-induced osteoporosis.

METHODSForty Kunming mice were randomized into 5 equal groups, and were given intragastric administration with distilled water (control), lipid emulsion (LE) at the daily dose of 5 ml/kg, LE plus simvastatin, LE plus DSC at 5.0 g/kg (DSC-L group), and LE plus DSC at 10.0 g/kg (DSC-H group), respectively. Serum TC, TG, and HDL-c levels and left femur hydroxyproline, calcium and phosphate contents were measured in the rats, with the right femur taken for bone biomechanical test.

RESULTSCompared with those in the control group, serum TC, LDL-c and AI of the mice increased and HDL-c, Hyp and bone calcium decreased significantly (P<0.01) with lowered bone biomechanical properties. Compared with those of the LE model group, AI decreased and HDL-c increased significantly in DSC-L and DSC-H groups (P<0.01), and the bone biomechanics in DSC-H group was improved.

CONCLUSIONLong-term intragastric administration of lipid emulsion causes lipid metabolic disorder and induces osteoporosis due to hyperlipemia in mice. DSC can significantly increase HDL-c and partially prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis in mice.

Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; drug therapy ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Phenanthrolines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

METHODSTwenty healthy volunteers and fifty patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy underwent DTI in the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Ningbo University from January 2014 to April 2015. Healthy volunteers served as controls. Fifty patients were divided into three groups (group A , B, C) according to cervical MRI scan standard. Group A (17 cases) had only the dura mater spinalis compressed; Group B (23 cases) showed the cervical spinal cord compressed, but no high signal in it; Group C (10 cases) had the cervical spinal cord compressed with high signal in the same level. The average apparent diffusion coefficients(ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA)values in these examinee were analyzed and all subjects were performed fiber tracking.

RESULTSThere was no statistically significant differences in ADC and FA values in C2/C3, C3/C4, C4/C5, C5/C6, C6/C7 of control group (P>0.05). The average ADC and FA values in control group were (0.875 +/- 0.096) x10(3) mm2/s and 0.720 +/- 0.051, respectively; compared with group A,there was no statistically significant difference; compared with group B and C, there was significant difference; comparison among group A, B, C, there was significant differences.

CONCLUSIONDTI can early and accurately quantify the changes of microstructure in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Fiber tracking can show the damage range of spinal cord lesions.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Cervical Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Spondylosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Young Adult