Objective: To observe the effects of medicinal extract for tonifying kidney to relieve asthma on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in rats with asthma, and to explore its mechanism in treating asthma. Methods: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group, dexamethasone group, and medicinal extract-prevented, medicinal extract-treated, and medicinal extract-prevented and -treated groups, with ten rats in each group. Asthma was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and forced inhalation of atomized OVA. Expression of GR in lung tissues was detected by immunohistochemical method. Pathological changes of the lung tissues were observed by HE straining. Results: Expression of GR was lower in the untreated group than in the normal control group (P<0.05). Expressions of GR in medicinal extract groups were up-regulated as compared with those in the untreated group and dexamethasone group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and there were no significant differences as compared with the normal control group (P>0.05). Conclusion: Medicinal extract for tonifying kidney to relieve asthma can increase the expression of GR in lung tissues of asthmatic rats, which may be one of its mechanisms in preventing and treating asthma.

Objective To explore the mechanism underlying the induction of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by estrogen, hydralazine and ultraviolet irradiation. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were harvested from 10 patients with SLE and 9 normal human controls, and cultured with or without the intervention with estrogen, hydralazine or ultraviolet irradiation. The DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) activity of PBMCs was quantified by using DNMT activity/inhibition assay kit. Results No statistical difference was observed in DNMT1 activity between patients with SLE and normal controls (0.36 ± 0.24 vs 0.46 ± 0.17, P ＞ 0.05). A significant decrease was noted in DNMT1 activity in PBMCs from patients with SLE after intervention with estrogen (0.32 ± 0.18 vs 0.46 ± 0.17, t = 1.725, P ＜ 0.05), hydralazine (0.33 ±0.13 vs 0.46 ± 0.17, t = 1.739, P ＜ 0.05) and ultraviolet irradiation (0.30 ± 0.14 vs 0.46 ± 0.17, t = 1.739,P ＜ 0.05 ) compared with that from normal human controls. The treatment with hydralazine also induced an attenuation of DNMT1 activity in PBMCs from normal human controls (0.38 ± 0.12 vs 0.46 ± 0.17, P＜ 0.05).Conclusion Estrogen, hydralazine and ultraviolet irradiation can inhibit the DNMT1 activity of SLE patients,indicating that they may induce the initiation of SLE by altering the activity of DNMT1.

Chondrodysplasia Punctata ; congenital ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study whether the analgesis of oxymatrine (OMT) affects N-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs).

METHODSTotally 45 mice were randomly divided into the sham-operation group, the model group [established by partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL)] , and the OMT treatment group according to random digit table, 15 in each group. The dorsal root ganglions (DRG) were separated in PSNL pain model mice. Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was determined with Fluo-3 AM immunofluorescent probe in cultured DRG neurons. Different protein expression levels of N-type (Cav2. 2) and L-type ( Cav1. 3) among VGCCs from brain and DRG tissues were detected with Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operation group, [Ca2+]i, increased in cultured DRG neurons (P <0. 05) , protein expression levels of Cav2. 2 in the brain tissue increased (P <0. 05), protein expression levels of Cav2. 2 in DRG tissues decreased in the model group (P <0. 01). Compared with the model group, [Ca2+]i, decreased in cultured DRG neurons (P < 0. 05), protein expression levels of Cav2. 2 in the brain tissue decreased (P <0. 01), protein expression levels of Cav2. 2 in DRG tissues increased in the OMT treatment group (P <0. 01). There was no statistical difference in Cav1. 3 expressions in cultured DRG neurons and the brain (P >0. 05).

CONCLUSIONAnalgesic effect of OMT might be related to Cav2. 2 channel mediated calcium ion flux.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Analgesia ; methods ; Analgesics ; pharmacology ; Aniline Compounds ; Animals ; Calcium ; Calcium Channels, N-Type ; physiology ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Mice ; Neurons ; Pain ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; Xanthenes

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of Jianpi Zengshi Granules(JZG) for children anorexia(CA),and to observe its effect on serum orexin,leptin and neuropeptide Y(NPY) levels.Methods Sixty anorexia children were equally randomized into two groups: the treatment group received JZG and the control group received Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets.The treatment lasted 4 weeks.The therapeutic effect was evaluated after treatment,and the changes of serum orexin,leptin and NPY levels were observed before and after treatment.Results The comprehensive therapeutic effect,effect on TCM syndromes,and effect on symptoms and signs such as appetite,food in-take volume and body weight in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group(P

· AIM:To determine whether the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) can be used as a clinical method to assess the patients with optic nerve disease.· METHODS: Fifteen patients with optic nerve disease were examined in this study. All patients underwent visual acuity examination, slit-lamp inspection, ophthalmoscopy, Goldmann perimeter, fundus fiuorescein angiography, visual field and mfVEP. Although these patients with unilateral optic nerve damage,data from both eyes were included in the analysis.· RESULTS:In all patients the visual fields defect was demonstrated on the mfVEP and showed good correspondence in location of the scotoma. However, we also found some slight difference between visual field and mfVEP. In some locations, when the local visual fields were normal, mfVEP showed that its amplitude reduced. In reverse, when the local mfVEP seemed normal, visual field showed abnormity.· CONCLUSION:Multifocal visual evoked potential could be used as a clinical diagnosis option in patients with optic nerve disease. Local monocular damage to the optic nerve can be measured by an interocular comparison of the mfVEP.

Objective To explore the value of video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy in the treatment of thymoma accompanied by myasthenia gravis.Methods In this study,forty-two patients who were preoperatively con-firmed to be thymoma accompanied by myasthenia gravis from 2008.1 to 2012.12 were treated using VATS,including typeⅠin 23 cases,typeⅡa in 11 cases,typeⅡb in 7 cases,and type Ⅲ in 1 case.Thymectomy and dissection of all fatty tissue anterior to the pericardium were performed in all cases.The operation time,blood loss,chest drainage time,hospital stay and outcomes were recorded and compared.Results In this group,one patient showed myasthenic crisis after surgery and recovery well after treated by ventilatory support.the patients had fewer blood loss(<35mL) , shorter operation and postoperative drainage time, and shorter postoperative hospital stay.Conclusion Extended thymectomy by VATS is safe and feasible with the advantage of less invasion,less surgical trauma and pain,lower rate of complication,and good curative effect.

AIM: To identify the effects of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor on NO production, expression of NOS and mean artery pressure (MAP) in rats with severe burns. METHODS: After administration of non-selective NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, and selective inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, aminoguanidine (AG), to rats with severe burns, levels of NO - 2/NO - 3 in blood, mRNA expression of nerve NOS (nNOS) in lung and duodenum, MAP in each group were calculated. RESULTS: Levels of NO - 2/NO - 3 in blood of rats increased significantly post burn, which could be inhibited by L-NAME and AG, especially by L-NAME. Expression of nNOS mRNA in lung and duodenum of rats increased post burn, which could be enhanced by AG and L-NAME. MAP of rats decreased gradually post burn and administration of AG could slow down this process significantly. CONCLUSION: cNOS and iNOS could play different roles in the pathophysiology of burn shock. Over-expression of iNOS could be closely related to the pathogenesis of burn shock.

AIM: To study the effect of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) on the pathogenesis of burn shock. METHODS: Confluent endothelial cells were disintegrated and centrifugated to obtain cell lysates after being treated with 10% burn serum or PKG activator 8-Br-cGMP. PKG activity of lysates was measured with radioactive isotope label method in a reaction system of phosphorylation of specific substrate H2B by PKG, and the shape and the distribution of intracellular filamentous actin were detected by specific fluorescence staining. For the control study, the PKG specific inhibitor KT5823 were used to pretreat the endothelial cells before the administration of burn serum or PKG activator 8-Br-cGMP. RESULTS: Exposures to burn serum and 8-Br-cGMP led to a rapid time-dependent increase in endothelial PKG activity and the polar distribution of intracellular filamentous actin, and preincubation with KT5823 abolished those effects. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that burn serum induces PKG activation and the stress variety of filamentous actin in the vascular endothelial cells, which probably contributes to the endothelial hyperpermeability after burn shock. [

AIM: To investigate the variation of nitric oxide(NO) and NO synthase(NOS) in rats during the early stage of severe burn and their possible relation with prognosis of severe burns.METHODS: Levels of NO - 2/NO - 3, the metabolic products of NO, nNOS and iNOS protein in brain, lung and duodenum of rats were measured before and after burns. Survival times of rats in each group were also measured.RESULTS: Levels of NO - 2/NO - 3 in rats after burn increased remarkably, selective inducible NOS( iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG), and nonselective NOS inhibitor L-NAME can inhibit this increasing. Levels of neuronal NOS(nNOS) protein in normal rats were low, and iNOS could not be detected. Levels of nNOS protein increased mildly in all observed tissues and the levels of iNOS protein increased remarkably after burn. Administration of L-NAME and AG made the increase of nNOS more apparently but could not affect the level of iNOS. Survival time of rats decreased in L-NAME group and increased in AG group compared to control group.CONCLUSION: Symptoms such as vascular ralaxation and hypotension in burn shock are connected mainly with over-increased iNOS. [