Churg-Strauss Syndrome ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Giant Cell Arteritis ; pathology ; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis ; pathology ; Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; pathology ; Polyarteritis Nodosa ; pathology ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; pathology ; Takayasu Arteritis ; pathology ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans ; pathology ; Vasculitis ; classification ; pathology

Cyclin E ; metabolism ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibrosarcoma ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Liposarcoma ; pathology ; Myxoma ; pathology ; Myxosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the clinical value of prenatal ultrasound in fetal meningocele and encephalocele.Methods Thirty nine fetuses with meningocele and encephalocele confirmed by prenatal ultrasound and abortion were acquired and their clinical data and sonographic features were retrospectively analyzed.Results Ultrasound screening in 111 620 cases showed 39 fetuses were with meningocele and encephalocele,accounting for 0.35％.Among them,16 cases were diagnosed with meningocele (including 1 case with two bulging parts) and 23 cases with encephalocele.Prenatal ultrasound could clearly detect the location and size fetal skull defect,and bulging features.According to their sonographic features,meningocele or encephalocele was determined.Conclusion Ultrasound could be a reliable prenatal screening method,provide an important basis for clinical intervention and have a significant clinical value in fetal meningocele and encephalocele.

Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CCL4 ; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte ; drug effects ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Homocysteine ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Monocytes ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of 3-(4-~(18)F-fluorobenzyl)-8,9-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochromeno [3,4-c]pyridin-5-one ( is F-FDTP) as a potential dopamine D4 receptor PET imaging agent.Methods ~(18)F-FDTP solution in ethanol-physiological saline was incubated with calf serum to test its in vitro stability through the determination of radiochemical purity.Normal rats were injected intravenously with ~(18)F-FDTP and then sacrificed at 2,5,10,15,30,60 and 120 min after anesthesia.Blood,organs and brain tissue samples were collected.All samples were weighed and measured for radioactivity.The uptake of samples was expressed as percentage activity of injection dose per gram of tissue ( % ID/g).Results The stability of ~(18)F-FDTP was satisfactory and its radiochemical purity was above 95% after incubation 120 min at 37℃ in calf serum.The biodistribution showed that ~(18)F-FDTP could penetrate through the blood-brain barrier and selectively accumulate in striatum,hypothalamus,frontal certex,hippocampus,cerebellum,where the D_4 receptor was reportedly located.The radioactivities in hippocampus,hypothalamus,striatum,frontal cortex,cerebellum,pons were (0.42±0.03),(0.46±0.05),(0.54±0.04),(0.39±0.04),(0.45±0.06),(0.35±0.04) %ID/g,respectively,2 min post injection.And there was difference between the normal biodistribution results and the blocking experimental results:(0.36 ±0.05),( 0.33±0.05 ),(0.55±0.05 ),(0.30±0.07 ),(0.34±0.07 ) and (0.32±0.04) % ID/g in hippocampus,hypothalamus,striatum,frontal cortex,cerebellum and pons,respectively.Conclusions ~(18)F-FDTP can penetrate through the blood-brain barrier and selectively accumulate in striatum,hypothalamus,frontal cortex,hippocampus,cerebellum,where the D_4 receptor was known to concentrate.These preliminary results suggest that ~(18)F-FDTP is a potential dopamine D_4 receptor imaging agent and further studies are needed.

Altitude ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Oxygen Consumption

A liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of budesonide in dog plasma. Budesonide and the internal standard triamcinolone acetonide were separated from plasma by alkalinized liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Capcell Pak C18 MG column with the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile -5 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate (60:40, v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.50 mL x min(-1). A tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization source was used as detector and operated in the negative ion mode. Quantification was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of the transitions m/z 489 --> m/z 357 and m/z 493 --> m/z 413 for budesonide and the internal standard, respectively. The linear calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range of 25.0-2000 pg x mL(-1). The lower limit of quantification was 25.0 pg x mL(-1). The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation over the entire concentration range was less than 15%. The accuracy was in the range of -8.1% to -1.7% in terms of relative error. The method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study of budesonide controlled-release capsules in Beagle dogs. Maximal budesonide plasma level was observed after (3.5 +/- 3.3) h and the Cmax was (786 +/- 498) pg x mL(-1) after a single oral administration of 9 mg budesonide capsules, Cmax was increased to (2142 +/- 1515) pg x mL(-1) after multiple oral administration (9 mg x 5 d) of budesonide capsules. This method was selective and rapid, and the sensitivity was sufficient for the purpose of the pharmacokinetic study of budesonide controlled-release formulation.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Budesonide ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Dogs ; Male ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of homocysteine (HCY) on activation of nuclear factor (NF-kappaB) and inhibitory factor IkappaB-alpha in human monocyte cell line THP-1, as well as its association with macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-1alpha) upregulation.

METHODSTHP-1 monocytes were incubated with HCY, with and without NF-kappaB inhibitor pyrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) pretreatment. Northern blot analysis and flow cytometry were used to detect MIP-1alpha mRNA and protein respectively. The nuclear protein NF-kappaB P65 subunit and the inhibitory protein IkappaB-alpha were analyzed by Western blotting.

RESULTSCompared with controls, HCY, at a concentration of 0.1 mmol/L, was able to enhance the expression of MIP-1alpha mRNA (up to 3.69-fold) and protein (1.16-fold) in THP-1 monocytes, as well as enhance NF-kappaB P65 transcription to nuclear proteins. These actions were significantly suppressed after pretreatment with 100 micromol/L PDTC for 30 minutes before HCY incubation; whereas incubation of THP-1 monocytes with PDTC only had no effect on both the expression of MIP-1alpha and nuclear transcription of NF-kappaB P65. Moreover, the level of IkappaB-alpha protein in THP-1 monocytes decreased after a 30-minute incubation with HCY, which gradually increased after 120 minutes.

CONCLUSIONSHomocysteine at a pathologic concentration stimulates MIP-1alpha expression in THP-1 monocytes, probably via NF-kappaB activation. Such activation may be caused by enhanced phosphorylation and degradation of the inhibitor protein IkappaB-alpha.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Chemokine CCL3 ; Chemokine CCL4 ; Homocysteine ; pharmacology ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Monocytes ; metabolism ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Phosphorylation ; Proline ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Thiocarbamates ; pharmacology ; Transcription Factor RelA ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo understand whether endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is able to induce the expression of macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) mRNA and protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

METHODSThe expression of MIP-1alpha mRNA was determined by dot blotting analysis and by in situ hybridization using a digoxigenin-labeled MIP-1alpha cDNA probe after exposure of the cultured HUVECs to LPS at different concentrations. The expression of MIP-1alpha mRNA was determined by RT-PCR as well. In addition, the expression of MIP-1alpha protein was tested by cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a goat anti-human monoclonal MIP-1alpha antibody.

RESULTSDot blotting showed that the absorbance values of the dots on the nitrocellulose membrane were 1.490 and 3.310 when exposed to LPS at the concentrations of 1 micro g/ml and 10 micro g/ml which were 1.97- and 4.38-fold over that of the control group (0.775), respectively. In situ hybridization revealed that exposure to LPS at a concentration of 1 micro g/ml led to a significant increase in the MIP-1alpha mRNA expression in HUVECs as compared to the control group (F = 142.83, P < 0.01), whereas the MIP-1alpha mRNA in HUVECs was somewhat decreased when exposed to LPS at a concentration of 10 micro g/ml. RT-PCR revealed that the expression of MIP-1alpha mRNA in HUVECs were 1.65-, 2.86- and 1.26-fold over that of the control group when exposed to LPS at the concentrations of 1 micro g/ml, 5 micro g/ml and 10 micro g/ml respectively. Cell ELISA showed that after exposure of the HUVECs to LPS at the concentrations mentioned above, the expression of MIP-1alpha protein was strongly increased, especially in the 5 micro g/ml LPS group. Analysis of variance showed that there was a significant difference between groups (F = 15.36, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLPS may induce a high level of MIP-1alpha mRNA and protein expression in HUVECs, and it might, hereby, play an important role in the recruitment of the monocytes/macrophages into the arterial intima.

Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CCL3 ; Chemokine CCL4 ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Umbilical Veins ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of anisodamine in treating infectious shock through studying effect of anisodamine on endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced expression of tissue factor (TF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in vascular endothelial cells (EC).

METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured by trypsin digestion method. PAI-1 was measured in the conditioned medium of HUVEC by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), whereas TF activity was measured in the lysates of these cells by using a single step clotting assay. Specific mRNA expressions were determined by Northern blotting. In order to evaluate a possible contribution of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) pathway on the transductive effects observed, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) were performed using nuclear extracts from HUVEC and NF-kappa B binding oligonucleotides.

RESULTSLPS could significantly strengthen the expression of HUVEC PAI-1 protein and TF activity and its mRNA, this effect of LPS could be markedly weakened after adding Anisodamine dose-dependently. Anisodamine could also completely block the LPS induced NF-kappa B DNA binding activity in nuclear extracts from HUVEC.

CONCLUSIONThe possible mechanism of anisodamine in treating infectious shock may be through antagonizing LPS induced HUVEC TF and PAI-1 expression, and the antagonism might be, at least partially, transduced by path of NF-kappa B.

Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Solanaceous Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Thromboplastin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology