Objective To investigate the correlation between mineral elements in soil and quality of Angelica sinensis.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical significance of nitric oxide (NO) and 8-isoprostane (8-isoPG) changes in exhaled breath condensate ( EBC) of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients after treated by Qingfei Decoction (QD).

METHODSTotally 48 ARDS patients receiving mechanical ventilation were equally assigned to the QD treatment group and the control group by random digit table. EBC specimens were collected by modified Ecoscreen breath condensate collector (German JAEGER Company) on the first day and the fifth day after confirmed diagnosis of ARDS. Concentrations of NO and 8-isoPG in EBC were measured by ELISA. The oxygenation index and APACHE II scores were recorded at the same time.

RESULTS(1) The fatality rate in the QD treatment group was lower than that in the control group (8.3% vs 37.5%, P < 0.05). (2) After treatment NO and 8-isoPG concentrations in EBC were lower in the QD treatment group (34.49 ± 5.67 µmol/L, 30.09 ± 7.89 ng/L) than in the control group (39.78 ± 9.27 µmol/L, 35.65 ± 8.90 ng/L; P < 0.05). (3) After treatment improved oxygenation index value was higher in the QD treatment group than in the control group (120.88 ± 35.16 vs 101.50 ± 37.70, P < 0.05). After treatment APACHEII scores was lower in the QD treatment group than in the control group (6.21 ± 3.51 vs 10. 26 ± 4.33, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of ARDS patients by QD was favorable in controlling inflammation, alleviating lung injury, and improving clinical efficacy.

Breath Tests ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; drug therapy

Objective To study the clinical features and prevention means of the infection caused by the highly dathogenic avian influenza A(H_5N_1).Method The clinical data which were confirmed to be an H_5N_1 infected case were analyzed retrospectively.Results The patient,16-year-old male,had no unambi guous history of direct contact with diseased or dead poultry before the onset of the disease.After the onset of the disease,chest X-ray showed flake shadow of the right lower lung quickly spread to the whole lung,associated with mediastinum,subcutaneous emphysema,acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)was occurred on the fifth day.Mechanical ventilation is the primary measure in the comprehensive treatment.On the sixth day,Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention detected the pharyngeal specimen of the patient by RT - PCR,Real- time PCR method and suggested positive for the A/H5/N1 virus nucleic acid andis01ated the avian flu(H_5N_1) virus.The disease course was 10 days from onset of illness to death.Conclusions Human infection by the highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H_5N_1)is a deadly infectious disease.If the lesions is widespread and associated with ARDS,prognosis is poor.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and analyze the relationship between AR and HBx expressions.

METHODSTumor tissues and peritumoral tissues of 83 HBV-associated HCC cases were investigated in this study. Fourteen cases of HBV-negative HCC and 13 cases of hemangioma peritumoral tissues were considered as control. AR and HBx mRNA levels were determined by quantitative fluorescence real-time RT-PCR and their protein levels were assayed by Western blot. The expression of AR and HBx proteins in tissues were examined with EnVision immunohistochemical staining. The methylation status of AR promoter was determined using methylation-specific PCR (MSP).

RESULTSBoth expression levels of AR mRNA and protein of the peritumoral tissues were significantly higher (0.17) than that of tumor tissues (0.09) in HBV-associated HCC (P < 0.01), but such a difference was not found in HBV-negative HCC (0.06 vs. 0.07, P > 0.05). The level of AR expression in peritumoral tissues was associated with tumor differentiation in HBV-associated HCC. AR mRNA and protein levels of peritumoral tissues in HBV-associated HCC were significantly higher than that in HBV-negative HCC and hemangioma (all P < 0.05). In the tumor tissues, HBV-associated HCC had significantly higher AR expression than HBV-negative HCC at mRNA level (P < 0.05), but not at protein level. Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the AR mRNA or AR protein levels were positively correlated with HBx in both tumor and peritumoral tissues in HBV-associated HCC, but the expressions of AR and HBx were not associated with AR promoter methylation status. The relative expression levels of AR mRNA and protein in the HBV-associated peritumoral tissues were negatively correlated with tumor differentiation (r = -0.213, P < 0.05; r = -0.313, P < 0.05), the higher the AR expression, the poorer differentiation. But this correlation of AR mRNA and protein was not shown in the hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

CONCLUSIONSHBx may enhance AR expression in HBV-associated HCC, but AR promoter demethylation maybe not been involved in its main mechanism. An increased AR expression is probably an early event during the development and progression of HBV-associated HCC, and AR expression in the peritumoral tissue is correlated with HBV-associated HCC differentiation. AR may play different roles in HBV-associated HCC and HBV-negative HCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Cell Differentiation ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Hemangioma ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B virus ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the association of human epidermal growth factor receptor family molecules expression in gastric cancer tissues with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

METHODSClinical data of 161 patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital between January 2006 and January 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. The expression of HER1, HER2, HER3 and HER4 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Association of the expression of HER family with the prognosis of patients was examined. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival.

RESULTSHigh expression rates of HER1, HER2, HER3 and HER4 were 46.0% (74/161), 10.6% (17/161),55.9% (90/161) and 68.3% (110/161) respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that high expression of HER3 was associated with tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, stage, neurovascular invasion, and overall 4-year survival. High expression of HER4 was associated with tumor distant metastasis and stage. High co-expression of HER2 and HER3 was associated with overall 4-year survival (P=0.023). Multivariate analysis revealed that high expression of HER3 and stage were prognostic independent factors.

CONCLUSIONUp-regulated expression of HER3 is associated with the poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-3 ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-4 ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate protective effects of Rheum tanguticum polysaccharides (RTP) on traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats.

METHODThe polysaccharides (RTP) were extracted from Tanguficum Maxim. 120 rats were divided into 15 groups, with 8 rats in each group. RTP at 100, 200 and 400 mg x kg(-1) were administrated orally once a day for five days, and model of brain injury was made by dropping weight method.

RESULTRTP reduced water content and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and increased total SOD activity and Na+-K+ ATPase activity after injuried.

CONCLUSIONThe polysaccharides may be one of the effective comptents in Rheum tanguticum, showing significant neuroprotective effects.

Animals ; Brain Injuries ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIIC) and postoperative nutritional support on the intestinal permeability and the cellular immunity function in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSAll the patients diagnosed as advanced gastric cancer in the Gastric Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital were randomly divided into three groups using random digit table:(1)EN group treated with enteral nutrition during postoperative period; (2)HIIC+EN group treated with HIIC combined with postoperative enteral nutrition;(3)HIIC+PN group treated with HIIC combined with postoperative parenteral nutrition. Index of lactulose/mannitol(L/M) ratio was used to evaluate the permeability of intestinal mucosa. The percentage of CD4(+), CD8(+) and NK cell, the ratio of CD4/CD8 T cell in peripheral blood were tested by flow cytometry. The time points of these measurements were the day before surgery, postoperative days (POD) 3, 7, and 12.

RESULTSCompared with the day before surgery(POD-1), the ratio of L/M on POD+3 increased significantly in all the three groups(0.1235±0.0611 vs. 0.0280±0.0183, 0.1648±0.0571 vs. 0.0305±0.0208, 0.1702±0.0628 vs. 0.0298±0.0229)(P<0.05) and then decreased gradually. The L/M ratio of EN(0.0278±0.0217) and HIIC+EN(0.0336±0.0235) groups recovered to the baseline on POD+12, however HIIC+PN group still had elevated L/M ratio(0.0616±0.0430). The percentage of CD4(+)T cell and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in HIIC+EN group and HIIC+PN group were significantly lower than those in EN group(P=0.033, P=0.002, respectively). Compared with the POD-1,the percentage of CD4(+)T cell and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in HIIC+EN group and EN group on POD+12 were increased significantly(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHIIC may cause significant increase in intestinal permeability and inhibit cellular immunity in patients undergoing radical resection for advanced gastric cancer. Mucosal permeability can be reversed by enteral nutrition.

Abdominal Cavity ; Adult ; Aged ; Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion ; Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Intestinal Mucosa ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Intraoperative Care ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutritional Support ; methods ; Permeability ; Postoperative Period ; Stomach Neoplasms ; immunology ; physiopathology ; therapy

Objective To investigate the association between ten single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the peroxisome proliferator-aetivated receptor (PPAR) α/δ/γ and essential hypertension (EH).Methods Participants were recruited within the framework of a cohort populations survey from the PMMJS (Prevention of Multiple Metabolic Disorders and MS in Jiangsu Province) which was conducted in the urban community of Jiangsu province from 1999 to 2007.Eight handred and twenty subjects (551 non-hypertensive subjects,269 hypertensive subjects) were randomly selected but were not related to each other.Ten SN P ( rs 135539,rs1800206,rs4253778 of PPAR αt; rs2016520,rs9794 of PPARδ ; rs10865710,rs1805192,rs4684847,rs709158 and rs3856806 of PPARγ ) were selected from the HapMap database.x2 test was used to determine whether the whole population was in H-W genetic equilibrium.SHEsis software was used to examine the relations of SNP and linkage equilibrium.Logistic regression model was used to examine the association between ten SNP in the PPAR and EH.Results Difference on the distribution of four SNP genotypes including rs1800206,rs9794,rsl0865710 and rs4684847 between high blood pressure and non-high blood pressure group,high systolic blood pressure(SBP) and normal SBP group,high diastolic blood pressure(DBP) and normal DBP group was significant (P＜0.05).After adjusting factors as age,sex,body mass index,fasting plasma glucose,high density lipoprotein cholesterol-C,high-fat diet and compared with wildtype gene carriers,the OR(95％ CI) of objects with rs1800206 V allele appeared in high blood pressure,high SBP and high DBP were 0.60 (0A1-0.89),0.57 (0.37-0.88) and 0.61 (0.39-0.96),respectively.The OR(95％CI) of objects with G allele of rs9794 were 0.63 (0.46-0.87),0.51 (0.36-0.73) and 0.68(0.47-1.01).The OR (95％CI) of objects with G allele of rs10865710 were 1.62 (1.19-2.20),1.59(1.14-2.22) and 1.53 ( 1.07-2.18),respectively.While the OR (95％ CI) of objects with rs4684847 T allele were 1.42 ( 1.04-1.94),1.38 (1.03-1.92) and 1.37 ( 1.00-1.88),respectively.Conclusion The four SNPs including rs1800206 of PPARα,rs9794 of PPARδ and rs4684847,rs10865710 of PPARγ influenced high blood pressure,high SBP and high DBP to different degrees.

Aim To investigate the effect of Aesculus hippocastanum seed extract(AH) on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced acute liver injury in mice,and to ex-plore whether the mechanism was related to the inhibi-tory effect of AH on oxidative stress and c-Jun N-termi-nal kinase (JNK). Methods ConA(20 mg·kg-1) was administered via tail vein injecting to induce he-patic damage in mice. The groups of AH were given at 12.5,25,50 mg·kg-1by oral gavage separately for 20 days. The serum levels of AST,ALT,TP,and Alb were determined by automatic biochemical analyzer and the A/G ratio was calculated. TNF-α and IFN-γ levels were assayed by ELISA. The liver tissue was attained by HE and the histopathological changes were calculat-ed. The MDA, SOD, GSH contents of liver tissues were assayed by related kits. The activity of caspase-3 was detected by spectrophotometry. The expressions of cytochrome C and Bax, Bcl-2, p-JNK and p-Akt were detected by Western blot. Results The serum levels of ALT, AST, IFN-γ and TNF-α in AH groups were significantly lower than those in ConA-injured group, while the levels of TP,Alb and A/G were significantly higher. The SOD and GSH levels of liver tissues signif-icantly increased and MDA level decreased; liver his-topathological changes were consistent with those of the serological indicators, and AH treatment significantly reduced the pathological damage induced by ConA. In AH group,the expression of cytochrome C,caspase-3, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and p-JNK markedly decreased, while the expression of p-Akt protein increased compared with ConA model group. Conclusion AH could sig-nificantly protect the ConA-induced acute liver injury in mice via inhibition of ROS and JNK pathway.

Objective To explore the relationship between the volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions of Gansu Province and its growing environment with metabolomics based on GC-MS. Methods The GC-MS method was used for detecting the volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from 31 different regions in Gansu province, and principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) methods were used for analyzing and evaluating its relationship with the growing environment. Results The results of PCA showed that the volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions in Gansu province were related to the altitude and the soil types. The PLS method could divide 31 samples of Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions in Gansu Province into three groups according to the difference of altitude. There were significant differences in the volatile components in the samples taken at different altitude regions. After analyzing linear loading plots from PCA and PLS, 11 charateristic components were screened out, including 7 compounds were identified by the retrieval of NIST11 database. Conclusion The volatile components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from different regions in Gansu Province are closely related to the altitude and the soil type.