Objective To investigate the role of p38MAPK in the differentiation of murine osteoblasts, and to observe the expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG). Methods The calvarial osteoblasts of newborn BALB/c mice were cultured in MEM medium containing 10% NCS. Raloxifene (10~(-7) mol/L) and 17β-estradiol (10~(-8) mol/L) were added respectively when cells reached 70%-80% confluence combined with or without 5 μmol/L SB202190, an inhibitor of p38MAPK. The osteoblasts alkaline phosphatase activity assays were performed 72 hours later using PNPP method, and mRNA levels of alkaliphosphatase (ALP), OPG and RANKL were determined by RT-PCR. Results 17β-estradiol and raloxifene increased ALP activity and ALP mRNA level in osteoblasts in vitro which were blocked by p38MAPK inhibitor.The mRNA levels of RANKL and OPG were up-regulated by 17β-estradiol and raloxifene while the ratio of OPG/RANKL kept constant. SB202190 (5 μmol/L) inhibited the highly expressed RANKL and OPG in osteoblasts, and obviously decreased the ratio of OPG/RANKL. Conclusions p38MAPK inhibition blocked the differentiation of osteoblasts and decreased the up-regulated OPG and RANKL expressions in osteoblasts significantly (P<0.05).

Central Nervous System ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; pathology ; Transplantation ; adverse effects

DNA ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Neonatology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; alpha-Thalassemia ; diagnosis ; genetics

Child ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; Myocarditis ; diagnosis ; virology

Objective 　To investigate the effect of risperidone on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and the relationship between efficacy and rCBF ratio. Methods　Twenty four naive schizophrenic patients (diagnosed according to the ICD 10) completed 8 weeks treatment with risperidone. Ten patients were male and 14 were female. Twenty six healthy controls were enrolled as control group. The treatment dose of risperidone was 3～6 mg/d. After 8 weeks treatment, brain imaging was conducted again. Results　Before treatment with risperidone, compared to the control group, the baseline rCBF ratios of left and right inferior posterior temporal of patients were higher and the cognitive activated rCBF ratios of left mid-lateral frontal was lower. After treatment, the baseline state rCBF ratios of right lateral temporal, left and right superior posterior temporal were significantly decreased. The cognitive activated rCBF ratios of left and right inferior medial frontal, left inferior lateral frontal, left superior fronto temporal and left superior lateral fronal significantly increased. The efficacy was correlated with changes of the baseline rCBF ratio in some RIOs. Conclusions　Risperidone could change the blood perfusion in some ROIs. It suggested that the perfusion in these ROIs could be useful for predicting treatment efficacy.

Animals ; Cytokines ; blood ; Endotoxemia ; blood ; therapy ; Endotoxins ; blood ; toxicity ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hemofiltration ; Interleukin-1 ; blood ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Models, Animal ; Swine ; Time Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVEThe efficiency network is a complicated network for revealing the efficient mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and relations among efficiencies. The efficiency-property relations were used to establish a warm-pungent-liver efficiency network to explain the principle of treating hepatoma with medicines invigorating blood circulation and eliminating blood stasis. Safflower, a warm-pungent medicine distributing along the live meridian, was taken for example to discuss the efficiency network' s application in the identification of active ingredients of TCMs and the combination.

METHODIn the early stage of this study, combined warm-pungent-liver medicines distributed along the liver meridian and invigorating blood circulation and eliminating blood stasis were taken as the study objects to collect the pharmacological effect data of warm-pungent-liver medicines and obtain the pharmacological effect combinations with the highest blood circulation-invigorating association by the association rules and the chi-square test. The pharmacological target data recorded in the DrugBank database is used to establish the warm-pungent-liver efficiency network according to the principle line of "efficiency-property-pharmacology-target-protein interaction" under the background of the protein interaction network.

RESULTThe blood circulation-invigorating medicines could directly treat hepatoma by impacting protooncogene, cancer suppressor gene, cell apoptosis and anti-inflammation, and indirectly treat hepatoma by resisting coagulation and adhesion, regulating local blood circulation, preventing cancer cell metastasis and enhancing the tissues' sensitivity to the anticancer drugs. Among the active ingredients of safflower screened based on the blood circulation-invigorating network targets, carthamin yellow, quercetin and luteolin have been proved to have the anti-hepatoma effect in literatures, which indicated the reliability of this study's results and the purpose of the efficiency network.

CONCLUSIONThe efficiency network is an effective method for revealing the TCM's mechanism, and lays a foundation for discovering key active ingredients of TCMs for treating specific diseases.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liver ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo study topiramate's new functions according to the medicinal property combinations, in order to apply the traditional Chinese medicinal theory in discovering new purposes of old drugs.

METHODAccording to New Traditional Chinese Medicinal Families--Chemical Traditional Chinese Medicines, the authors found out topiramate's property. Then based on the therapeutic principle of diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy and lung cancer, as well as the relations of efficacies and medicinal property combinations, they summarized the corresponding medicinal property combination modes, compared topiramate's medicinal property combination mode with corresponding medicinal property combination modes of these diseases, and predict topiramate's new functions.

RESULTAccording to the comparison, the corresponding medicinal property combinations were consistent with topiramate's medicinal property combinations as evidenced by corresponding literatures, whereas other medicinal property combinations were not.

CONCLUSIONBased on medicinal property combination modes, the authors screened topiramate's new functions according to e of TCM clinical experience, discovered topiramate's therapeutic effects on diabetes, hypertension and lung cancer in addition to epilepsy, and explore new drug function according to medicinal property combination modes, which could help greatly shorten the new drug R&D period.

Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Fructose ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy

Objective To observe the formation of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA)and the expression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 (DDAH-2) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated by uric acid (UA), and to explore the role of ADMADDAH axis in the vascular endothelial dysfunction induced by uric acid. Methods HUVECs were cultured in M199 medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Cells were exposed to different concentrations of UA (0, 60, 120 mg/L) for 6 h and 24 h. Under different concentrations and times, the level of ADMA in cell suspension was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique; the gene and protein expressions of DDAH-2 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting; the fluorescence intensity of intracellular 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) which represented the productions of ROS was detected by the flow cytometry (FCM). The activity of DDAH-2 in HUVCEs which were exposed to different concentrations of UA (0, 60, 120mg/L) or UA (120 mg/L) +NAC (10 mmol/L) for 24 h was estimated by directly measuring the amount of ADMA metabolized by the enzyme and the role of NAC in the activity was studied.Results The expression of ADMA induced by urid acid was dose-depent and higher at 24 h than that at 6 h in the same dosage (all P＜0.05). The dosage and stimulation time of UA did not have any influence on the expression of intracellular DDAH-2 (all P＞0.05). When HUVECs exposed to UA (120 mg/L) for 24 h, the production of intracellular ROS was significantly increased while the activity of DDAH-2 was decreasesd (all P＜0.05) as compared to 60 mg/L stimulation. This effect could be inhibited by the intervention of anti-oxidant NAC. Conclusions The high UA stimulation on HUVECs can increase the expression of intracellular ROS and inhibit the activity of DDAH-2 which increases the concentration of ADMA by decreasing the degradation of ADMA as well as the formation of NO. DDAH-ADMA axis may participate in the vascular endothelial dysfunction induced by UA.

Objective To explore operation method,skills,and curative effect of orthophofia microscope discectomy(OMD)for the treatment of lumber disc herniation.Method Retrospective analysis of the 64 patients(74 herniated discs)of lumbar disc herniation heated by OMD,which included 38 segments posterior-lateral extrusion,32 segments central type herniated,and 4 segments extra-lateral extrusion.Resuits All patients were followed-up 6 to 8 months,average 7 months,54 cases were good and 4 cases were fair and no case was bad according to the Nakai scale.The choiceness rate was 93.75%,and no serious complications.Conclusions Orthophoria microscope discectomy has a better third dimension,good operation field of vision,less invasion and best clinical curative effect.Orthophoria microscope discectomy may be the best way of discectomy for the treatment of lumber disc hemiation.