Objective To study the effect of exogenous prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1) on the superoxide dismutase(SOD) and nitric oxide(NO) levels in brain tissue of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD).Methods Sixty 7-day old newborn Wistar rats to establish HIBD models,intraperitoneally and subcutaneous injected PGE 1 and TMP,then the rats were killed after hypo- xia and ischemia for 48 hours.Take cerebral cortex of arteria carotis ligation side and made them into homogenate to detect SOD and NO levels in brain tissue.Results SOD level in HIBD group was lower,and NO level was higher than those of normal group(P

OBJECTIVETo examine the levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the induced sputum of children with cough variant asthma (CVA), with the aim of studying the roles of NGF and IL-4 in childhood CVA.

METHODSThirty-four children with CVA were enrolled in this study. Twenty healthy children were used as a normal control group. The induced sputum was separated into supernatant and cells. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to count differential cells. The expression of NGF and IL-4 in supernatant was measured using ELISA. The mRNA expression of NGF and IL-4 in cells was determined by Real-time PCR analysis.

RESULTSThe percentage of eosinophils in the CVA group was significantly higher than in the control group [(13.4±3.6)% vs (2.6±1.7)%; P<0.01]. The expression of NGF and IL-4 protein and mRNA in induced sputum was significantly higher in the CVA group than in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of NGF and IL-4 protein and mRNA was positively correlated with the percentage of eosinophils (P<0.01). The expression of NGF and IL-4 protein and mRNA in induced sputum was significantly reduced in the CVA group after treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSEosinophils infiltration and increased expression of NGF and IL-4 play key roles in the development of childhood CVA, suggesting that they may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood CVA.

Asthma ; complications ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cough ; etiology ; Eosinophils ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Sputum ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo summarize the histological and clinical characteristics of 40 cases with Burkitt's and Burkitt-like lymphoma in children, to evaluate the effects of treatment with international regimen, and to explore the treatment-related complications and prognostic factors.

METHODSForty patients with Burkitt's and Burkitt-like lymphoma were registered in Beijing Children Hospital from Feb 2003 to Apr 2006. The diagnosis was confirmed by histology and immunohistochemistry of biopsy, and clinical staging by the examination of imaging, cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow based on St. Jude system. Intensive, short-term chemotherapy witch was modified from LMB89 protocol was given to the patients.

RESULTSOf the 40 patients, 30 were diagnosed as Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) and 10 as Burkitt-like lymphoma (BLL). Antibody against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-Ab) was positive in 19 cases at diagnosis, only 7 of the patients were positive for EBER. Thirty-three of the cases were male and 7 female (M:F = 4.7:1); the median age was 6 years 9 months. The most frequently seen clinical characteristics were abdominal masses and surgical abdomen. Nine cases were at stage I - II and 31 cases at stage III - IV at diagnosis; CNS was involved in 4 cases and bone marrow in 2 cases. The courses of treatment were approximately 2 - 8 months. All the patients were followed up, the median follow-up period was 22.6 months. After chemotherapy, 35 patients (88.7%) were still alive during the one-year follow-up. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) rate was 81.8%. Major toxicity was myelosuppression and mucositis. Stage III to IV of myelosuppression occurred in the most patients with unresected tumor and CNS-involvement. Of 5 patients who died, 2 died of infection, 2 died of lymphoma progression during chemotherapy, and 1 died of relapse.

CONCLUSIONBurkitt's and Burkitt-like lymphoma are the most common NHL in children with rapid clinical process. Outcome was greatly improved by current intensive, short-term chemotherapy regimen, the 3-year EFS was 81.8% including the patients who were in advanced stage. Childhood lymphoma with short clinical history, stage IV and residual disease after 3 months of therapy are associated with poor prognosis.

Adolescent ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo prepare a drug-loading film using chitosan and carboxymethyl chitosan as the carrier materials for delivering matrine to oral ulcers.

METHODSMatrine-loading films using chitosan or carboxymethyl chitosan as the carrier materials were prepared by solution casting method and orthogonal experiment at room temperature. The mechanical properties, surface morphology and drug-loading capacity of the drug-loading film were characterized using tensile test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling test and in vitro drug release test.

RESULTSWhen the molecular weight of chitosan was 650 000 and the mass ratio of chitosan/glycerol was 1:1.4, the prepared film had the maximum mechanical strength and tensile modulus reaching 0.7875 MPa. SEM observation showed that matrine aggregated at the bottom of the drug-loading film with an asymmetrical distribution. The in vitro drug release test showed that the film had a high drug-loading capacity and a sustained drug release property. The duration of drug release from the drug-loading film was prolonged as the molecular weight of chitosan increased, reaching 23 h when the molecular weight of chitosan was 650 000. The duration of drug release was further increased to 108 h when the bottom of the drug-loading film was coated with a layer of 1% carboxymethyl chitosan.

CONCLUSIONThe matrix materials of the drug-loading film are natural, green, nontoxic and biodegradable, and the preparation of the film is simple without using large quantities of organic solvents. The novel drug-loading film can obviously prolong the duration of drugs release for better local drug delivery to oral ulcers in a sustained manner.

Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Chitosan ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Liberation ; Glycerol ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Quinolizines ; chemistry

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a contagious swine disease charactered by hemorrhagic fever and leukopenia,usually leading to substantial economic losses. To obtain a insight of leucopenia caused by CSFV infection, DNA microarray analyses of peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) of the infected pigs was performed. Three health pigs were inoculated with a lethal dose of CSFV Shimen strain and their PBLs were isolated when the onset of typical clinical signs and then subjected to total RNA extraction followed by microarray analysis with Affymetrix Porcine Genome Array GeneChips. The results showed that the significant differences were observed in cellular apoptotic genes expression at 7 days post-infection (p. i.). The changes of the genes expression were confirmed by real time RT-PCR of some selected apoptosis-related genes. This study provided a valuable information for further investigating the molecular mechanism of apoptosis caused by CSFV infection.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cells, Cultured ; Classical Swine Fever ; genetics ; immunology ; virology ; Classical swine fever virus ; immunology ; physiology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; immunology ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Sus scrofa

OBJECTIVETo discuss mass spectrum characterization of five valepotriates including 'monoene' type (didrovaltrate), 'diene' type (valtrate, acevaltrate) and 'four-olefinic' type (baldrinal and homobaldrinal) by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS(n)).

METHODThis study was carried out on the basis of electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method and analysis of multistage fragments.

RESULTThe fragmentation patterns and structural assignment of 'monoene' type, 'diene' type and 'four-olefinic' type valepotriates in ESI-MSn under positive mode were summarized.

CONCLUSIONThe compounds have a strong pyrolysis rules and it can provide reference date for valepotriates in rapid structural identification, quantitative analysis and pharmacokinetic study.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Iridoids ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

This study was purpose to explore whether the dysplasia of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is unspecific feature or results of the abnormal clone, and to provide the evaluation of abnormal clone changes in bone marrow cells of MDS patients. The dysplasia cells in bone marrow smears was analyzed by morphologic observation, the clonal origin and development in 16 cases of MDS with abnormality of chromosome karyotypes were investigated by FISH combined with morphologic observation. The results found that both the dysplastic and nondysplastic bone cells displayed abnormal clones in the erythroid and granulocytic cells. The dysplastic bone marrow cells displayed more abnormal clones than the nondysplastic bone marrow cells in most of the patients, and the abnormal clones displayed more dysplastic cells than the normal clones. Most of the dysplastic and nondysplastic megakaryocytes were derived from abnormal clones. The abnormal clone showed a decreasing trend from the primitive stage to the terminal stage of cell differentiation. It is concluded that there is a correlation between the dysplastic cells and the abnormal clones in MDS, but the dysplasia of bone marrow cells is not a specific feature. The abnormal clones can differentiate into mature granulocytes and erythrocytes, and can be in coexistence with cells originated from the normal clones.
Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; pathology ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Clone Cells ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; blood ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo understand the pollution rates of vibrio cholera (V. cholera) in different seafood, aquatic products and their circulatory processes, so as to help making measures for cholera control and prevention.

METHODSDifferent seafood, aquatic products and breed water specimen collected from 12 provinces of China were tested from July to September in 2005.

RESULTA total of 12 104 samples of seafood and aquatic products were tested and the average pollution rate of vibrio cholera was 0.52%. The positive isolate rate of turtle sample (1.72%) was the highest among all samples. The second higher isolated rate was 1.14% in water specimen of turtle breed pool. The positive rate of bullfrog was 0.50%. The percentage of toxin strains was 47.54% and 79.31% of them were isolated from turtle and water samples of turtle breed pool. The important sector of the pollution of vibrio cholera was in turtle breed pool (2.38%).

CONCLUSIONThe average pollution rate of vibrio cholera in seafood and aquatic products in 12 provinces of China was low. It should be very necessary to supervise the sanitation in turtle breed for controlling and preventing the vibrio cholera.

Animals ; China ; Female ; Fishes ; microbiology ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Seafood ; microbiology ; Seawater ; analysis ; Turtles ; microbiology ; Vibrio cholerae ; isolation & purification

Aim To explore the role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in high fat-induced oxidative stress injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).Methods HUVECs were exposed to different concentrations of palmitic acid(0.1,0.2,0.4,0.8 mmol · L-1) for 24 h and different time points of 0.4 mmol · L-1 palmitic acid(0,12,24,48 h).Cell viability was measured by Cell Counting Kit 8,and the protein expression of NADPH oxidase subunits such as p22phox,p47phox,p67phox and gp91phox were determined by Western blot.The expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HUVECs was detected by immunofluorescence.Results Cell proliferation rate of HUVECs stimulated by 0.4 mmol · L-1 palmitic acid for 24 h and 48 h was significantly reduced.In the next experiment,model group was accordingly set as HUVECs stimulated by 0.4 mmol · L-1 palmitic acid for 24 h.The expression of NADPH oxidase subunits such as p22phox,p47phox,p67phox and gp91phox significantly increased at 24 h and 48 h after 0.4 mmol· L-1 palmitic acid stimulation (P ＜ 0.05),and the difference.between the 24 h group and the 48 h group was not significant (P ＞ 0.05).The expression of ROS in HUVECs significantly increased at 24 h and 48 h after O.4 mmol · L-1 palmitic acid stimulation (P ＜ 0.05),and the difference between 24 h group and 48 h group was not significant (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the model group (0.4 mmol · L-1 palmitic acid stimulation for 24 h),the NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyliodonium (DPI,10 μmol · L-1) pretreatment could significantly decrease the expression of ROS in vascular endothelial cells (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Activated NADPH oxidase might play an important role in treatment of high fat-induced oxidative stress injury in vascular endothelial cells.

Aim To explore the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)signaling pathway in high fat-induced cell apoptosis in human umbilical vein endo-thelial cells(HUVECs). Methods HUVECs were ex-posed to different concentrations of palmitic acid(0. 1, 0. 2,0. 4,0. 8 mmol·L - 1 )for 24 h and different time points of 0. 4 mmol·L - 1 palmitic acid(0,12, 24,48 h). Cell viability was measured by cell count-ing kit(CCK-8),and the protein expressions of ERS signaling pathway protein such as GRP78,CHOP, PERK,IRE1,ATF6 were determined by Western blot. The level of intracellular apoptosis was detected by immunofluorescence. Results HUVECs exposed to palmitic acid at 0. 4 mmol·L - 1 for 24 h showed a de-crease in their viability and an increase in the expres-sion of ERS signaling pathway proteins (GRP78, CHOP,PERK,IRE1,ATF6)(P < 0. 05);cell ap-optotic levels significantly increased(P < 0. 05). The intracellular apoptosis levels in the vascular endothelial cells of ERS signaling pathway inhibitor 4-phenylbutyr-ic acid (4-PBA,10 mmol · L - 1 )were significantly lower than those of the PA group(P < 0. 05). Conclu-sion Activated ERS signaling pathway might play an important role in the treatment of high fat-induced cell apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells.