OBJECTIVETo explore the neuro-protective effect and mechanism of qingkailing injection (QKL) against cerebral injury caused by E. coli-meningitis (CM).

METHODSThe CM model rabbits were treated by ampicillin with QKL as adjuvant. The leukocyte count and protein content in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), the contents of water, sodium, potassium and calcium in cerebral tissues were measured before, 16 h and 26 h after Bacillus coli injection respectively. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was determined at the same time.

RESULTSAdjunctive treatment with QKL can not only inhibit the increase of leukocyte cells, protein content in CSF, and water, sodium, calcium content in cerebral tissues, but also the decrease of potassium content revealed during simple antibiotic treatment. It also can decrease the expression of MMP-9 in cerebral tissues of rabbits with CM.

CONCLUSIONAs an adjunctive treatment, QKL can prevent transient inflammatory reaction and aggravation of brain injury in CM induced by simple antibiotic treatment, its mechanisms might relate with calcium antagonism and attenuation of MMP-9 expression in brain tissues.

Ampicillin ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Brain ; metabolism ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Injections ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; biosynthesis ; Meningitis, Escherichia coli ; drug therapy ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in serum cortisol levels in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and elevated depressive symptoms.

METHODSTwenty-eight adolescents with T1DM and 31 healthy peers were assessed for depressive symptoms using a depression self-rating scale developed by the Epidemiological Survey Center. Selected subjects were classified into four groups: T1DM with elevated depressive symptoms group (n=15), T1DM without elevated depressive symptoms group (n=13), elevated depressive symptoms without T1DM group (n=15), and normal control group (n=16). Fasting blood samples were collected in the morning, and the levels of serum cortisol were compared among the four groups. The correlations of serum levels of cortisol and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with the score of depression self-rating scale were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTSThe fasting serum cortisol levels in the 28 T1DM patients were significantly higher than in the 31 healthy peers (P<0.01). The fasting cortisol levels in the T1DM with elevated depressive symptoms group were significantly higher compared with those in the elevated depressive symptoms without T1DM group and normal control group (P<0.01). In adolescents with T1DM, serum HbA1c level was positively correlated with the score of depression self-rating scale (r=0.481, P=0.010).

CONCLUSIONSThe fasting serum cortisol levels in adolescents with T1DM and elevated depressive symptoms are significantly increased, suggesting that the patients with comorbidity of T1DM and depression develop dysfunction of the corticotropin-releasing hormone-adrenocorticotropic hormone-cortisol axis. The elevated depressive symptoms may be associated with a poor control of glucose metabolism.

Adolescent ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; physiology ; Child ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; physiology ; Depression ; blood ; etiology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; blood ; Female ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; analysis ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study the association between fluid overload and acute kidney injury (AKI) after congenital heart disease surgery in infants.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on 88 infants aged less than 6 months who underwent a radical surgery for congenital heart disease. The treatment outcomes were compared between the infants with AKI after surgery and those without. The effect of cumulative fluid overload on treatment outcomes 2 days after surgery was analyzed. The risk factors for the development of AKI after surgery were assessed by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSCompared with those without AKI after surgery, the patients with AKI had younger age, lower body weights, higher serum creatinine levels and higher vasoactive-inotropic score, as well as longer durations of intraoperative extracorporeal circulation and aortic occlusion (P<0.05). Compared with those without AKI after surgery, the patients with AKI had a higher transfusion volume, a higher incidence rate of low cardiac output syndrome, a longer duration of mechanical ventilation, a longer length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), a longer length of hospital stay, a higher application rate of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a higher 30-day mortality rate, and higher levels of cumulative fluid overload 2 and 3 days after surgery (P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that fluid overload and low cardiac output syndrome were major risk factors for the development of AKI after surgery. The children with cumulative fluid overload >5% at 2 days after surgery had a higher incidence rate of low cardiac output syndrome, a longer duration of mechanical ventilation, a longer length of stay in the ICU, a longer length of hospital stay, and a higher mortality rate (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSInfants with fluid overload after surgery for congenital heart disease tend to develop AKI, and fluid overload may be associated with poor outcomes after surgery.

Acute Kidney Injury ; etiology ; Body Fluids ; metabolism ; Cardiac Output, Low ; etiology ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies

To prepare anti-mouse uteroglobin binding protein (mUGBP) polyclonal antibody, two polypeptides were synthesized based on the bioinformatics analysis of mUGBP, and New Zealand white rabbits were immunized separately with each peptide coupled with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The data indicate that a 13-amino acid polypeptide (positions 221st-233rd) was able to generate anti-peptide antibodies. The titer of the antisera detected with ELISA was 1:10(8). The antisera were then purified with immuno-affinity chromatography to obtain antibodies. Western blot analysis of mUGBP expressed as a fusion protein with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) was performed on the cell lysates of COS-1 cells with the purified antisera, suggesting that the antisera specifically recognized UGBP. By immunohistochemistry and indirect immunofluorescence analysis, we examined the expression of UGBP in the lung tissues from a patient undergoing surgical lung resection for a tumor and from normal mouse lung tissue, and found for the first time that UGBP protein was widely expressed in both mouse and human lung tissue with the most abundant expression in bronchial epithelial cells. These results suggest that the antigen epitopes of mUGBP are well predicted by using bioinformatics analysis. We have obtained anti-mUGBP polyclonal antibody, which will be useful for further investigation.
Animals ; Antibodies ; chemistry ; COS Cells ; Carrier Proteins ; chemistry ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Computational Biology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hemocyanins ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; Uteroglobin

AIMTo investigate the influence and mechanisms of 17beta-estradiol on the CTP: phosphorylcholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) activity from cultured lung explants without serum.

METHODSWe detected the amount of [M-14C] choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine so as to reflect CCT activity by liquid scintillation.

RESULTS(1) 17beta-estradiol increased the CCT activity in dose-dependence and time-dependence. (2) Both the protein kinase C inhibitor H-7 and calmodulin antagonist W-7 abolished the stimulatory effect of 17beta-estradiol (3 x 10(-6) mol/L) on the CCT activity.

CONCLUSION17beta-estradiol can increase CCT activity in cultured lung explants, its mechanism is related to protein kinase C and calmodulin.

Animals ; Calmodulin ; metabolism ; Choline-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase ; metabolism ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lung ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Male ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

AIMTo study the influence of VIP on the expression of SP-A and its intracellular signal transduction pathway.

METHODSThe influence of VIP on the expression of SP-A was studied by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The intracellular signal transduction pathway was further investigated by using receptor antagonist, protein kinase inhibitor and antisense oligonucleotides.

RESULTS(1) VIP(10(-8) mol/L) enhanced SP-A protein expression in alveolar type II cells (ATII) and increased the content of SP-A mRNA in lung tissue. (2) VIP receptor antagonist [D-P-C1-Phe (6)-Leu (17)]-VIP (10(-6) mol/L) could suppress the VIP-induced expression of SP-A protein and SP-A mRNA. (3) c-fos antisense oligonucleotides (9 x 10(-6) mol/L) could inhibit the VIP-induced expression of SP-A protein and SP-A mRNA. (4) Protein kinase C(PKC) inhibitor H7 (10(-5) mol/L) could also depress the V1P-induced SP-A protein and SP-A mRNA.

CONCLUSIONVIP can up-regulate the expression of SP-A through its receptor. PKC and c-fos protein play important roles in the intracellular signal transduction pathway through which VIP induces the expression of SP-A.

Animals ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; cytology ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; pharmacology

Objective： To observe the effect of Qingkailing (QKL) on brain damage induced by glutamate, in order to seek for effective drugs for antagonizing neurotoxicity of glutamate. Methods：The number and morphological metrology of neurocytes in cerebral cortex and hippocampus were detected by MIAS-300 image analyser, electron microscope and immunohistochemical methods. Results：QKL could alleviate the glutamate induced accumulation of water and sodium in brain tissue，relieve the metrological and structural damage of cerebral cells in cortex and hippocampus, reduce the percentage of c-fos positive cell in brain. Conclusion： QKL could protect brain damage induced by glutamate, which might be related to the inhibition of QKL on the enhancement of c-fos gene expression induced by glutamate.

To investigate the influence of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on chemotaxis of bronchial epithelial cells (BECs). Rabbit chemotactic migration of primary BEC was assessed in a blind-well Boyden chamber. Radioimmunoassay and radio-ligand affinity analysis were used for determining VIP secretion and vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor (VIPR) expression. The results showed: (1) the method for determining chemotaxis of BECs by using insulin as chemotactic factor was stable and reproducible (r=0.9703, P<0.01). (2) VIP (0.001-1 micromol/L) elicited chemotaxis of BECs which was substantial and concentration-dependent. The effects of VIP were inhibited by W-7 and H-7 (P<0.01). (3) Heat stress enhanced the secretion of VIP (P<0.01) and upregulated the expression of VIPR on BECs (P<0.05). These results indicate that VIP in the lungs may play an important role in the repair of damaged epithelium, accelerating restoration of the airway to its normal state. Calmodulin and protein kinase C may be involved in the signal transduction of VIP effects.
Animals ; Bronchi ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemotaxis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Female ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; biosynthesis ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; pharmacology

The effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) at low concentration (1-100 pmol/L) on the reactive oxygen-induced inhibition of both pulmonary surfactant (PS) lipid synthesis and the activity of CTP: phosphorylcholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT), a rate-limiting enzyme in biosynthesis of phosphoatidylcholine (PC), were studied in cultured lung explants without serum. The xanthine-xanthine oxidase superoxide anion generating system decreased (3)H-choline incorporation into PC in a dose-dependent manner in cultured lung explants. ET-1 reduced both the reactive oxygen-induced decrease in (3)H-choline incorporation and the increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content of lung tissues, but did not change the levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and the total antioxidant capability in the lung explants. ET-1 enhanced microsomal CCT activity of the lung tissues, while it decreased cytosolic CCT activity of lung tissues. ET-1 also prevented the inhibitive effect of reactive oxygen on microsomal CCT activity in the lung explants. These results suggest that ET-1 at low concentration can protect the microsomal CCT activity and reduce the inhibition of PS lipid synthesis induced by oxidant lung injury. The protective mechanism of ET-1 is not relative to the pulmonary endogenous antioxidant defense system.
Animals ; Choline-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase ; metabolism ; Endothelin-1 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lung ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Male ; Phospholipids ; biosynthesis ; Pulmonary Surfactants ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

METHODSOne hundred and five patients with gastric cancer received laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy, radical total gastrectomy were performed in 7 cases, proximal gastrectomy in 27 cases, proximal gastrectomy combined with splenectomy in 3 cases and distal gastrectomy in 68 cases.

RESULTSOne hundred and five cases had laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy successfully. The mean operation time was 381 +/- 91 (300 - 435) min for total gastrectomy, 279 +/- 73 (212 - 390) min for proximal gastrectomy, 312 +/- 64 (265 - 405) min for proximal gastrectomy combined with splenectomy, 281 +/- 69 (230 - 360) min for distal gastrectomy, respectively. The mean blood loss was 260 +/- 202 (20 - 900) ml in total gastrectomy, 200 +/- 153 (20 - 400) ml in proximal gastrectomy, 333 +/- 116 (200 - 400) ml in proximal gastrectomy combined with splenectomy, 140 +/- 82 (20 - 450) ml in distal gastrectomy, respectively. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 34.2 +/- 20.5 (8 - 83). The mean time for gastrointestinal function recovery was 3.5 +/- 1.4 (2 - 5) days, 3.0 +/- 1.6 (2 - 6) days for patients' taking normal activity, 4.9 +/- 1.7 (3 - 7) days for taking liquid food. The short-term efficiency was obvious.

CONCLUSIONSLaparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy is a feasible and safe surgical procedure combined with minimal trauma and fast recovery.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Splenectomy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome