Effects of Apelin-13/putative receptor protein related to AT1 homodimer on behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effects of putative receptor protein related to ATI (APJ) homodimer on the behaviors-the proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HU-VECs). Methods HUVECs at logarithmic growth stage were randomly divided into PBS, Apelin-13 + TM1 (APJ monomer group) and Apelin-13 + PBS group (APJ homodimer group). Western blot and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Fligh Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to detect the expression of APJ and APJ homodimer in HUVECs, respectively. Real-Time Cell Analyzers (RT-CA) was used to detect the concentration of the maximum effect of Apelin-13. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8. The cell migration ability was detected by scratch test, and the number of tubes formed on matri-gel that made artificial basement membrane was counted. Results Western blot and MALDI-TOF MS showed that APJ and APJ homodimer were expressed in HUVECs. The EC50 of Apelin-13 was 2.26 x 10

Randomized Trial of Immediate Postoperative Pain Following Single-incision Versus Traditional Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>We undertook a randomized controlled trial to ascertain if single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) was more beneficial for reducing postoperative pain than traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (TLC). Moreover, the influencing factors of SILC were analyzed.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 552 patients with symptomatic gallstones or polyps were allocated randomly to undergo SILC (n = 138) or TLC (n = 414). Data on postoperative pain score, operative time, complications, procedure conversion, and hospital costs were collected. After a 6-month follow-up, all data were analyzed using the intention-to-treat principle.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among SILC group, 4 (2.9%) cases required conversion to TLC. Mean operative time of SILC was significantly longer than that of TLC (58.97 ± 21.56 vs. 43.38 ± 19.02 min, P < 0.001). The two groups showed no significant differences in analgesic dose, duration of hospital stay, or cost. Median pain scores were similar between the two groups 7 days after surgery, but SILC-treated patients had a significantly lower median pain score 6 h after surgery (10-point scale: 3 [2, 4] vs. 4 [3, 5], P = 0.009). Importantly, subgroup analyses of operative time for SILC showed that a longer operative time was associated with greater prevalence of pain score >5 (≥100 min: 5/7 patients vs. <40 min, 3/16 patients, P = 0.015).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The primary benefit of SILC appears to be slightly less pain immediately after surgery. Surgeon training seems to be important because the shorter operative time for SILC may elicit less pain immediately after surgery.</p>

Association study of val66Met functional polymorphism in brain-derived neurotrophic factor with creativity and personality traits of college students / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the associations of Val66Met functional polymorphism in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)with creativity and personality traits in a healthy college student population.MethodThe creativity performance and personality traits of the 830 healthy college students (272 males and 558females) were assessed with Williams Creativity Scale (CAP) and adult Eysenek Personality Questionnaire (EPQ),then study was performed on the association Val66Met in BDNF with creativity and personality traits.ResultsThe results indicated that Val66Met was significantly associated with the curiosity of CAP (F=0.519,P=0.036).The numbers of Val allele showed a positive correlation to the performance of curiosity.Val66Val genotype individuals had the best performance (31.924 ± 4.010 ) while the Met66Met ones showed the worst performante(30.889 ± 3.478).However,the association of Val66Met with the personality traits of EPQ was uot significant in the study (P＞ 0.05).Furthermore,there was no a significant effect of the interaction between the genetic variant and Extraversion/Introversion on the curiosity of CAP (P =0.747 ).ConclusionThe present study suggests that Val66Met in BDNF contributes to creativity,but not to personality traits in the population.

Survey of natural foci of plague in Xiji county, Ningxia in 2007 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To learn the plague's host animals and parasitic flea composition, and to investigate the natural foci of plague in Xiji county in order to provide basic information for plague prevention and control. Methods The Citellus alaschanicus density, nocturnal rodents, the body flea, the burrow track flea, the nest flea were investigated in 8 townships (town) of Xiji county from June 11 2007 to July 25 2007. Specimens of small mammalian, fleas were collected for bacteriological and serological testing. Results The average density of the main host Citellus alaschanicus was 0.85 per hectare. The nocturnal mouse capture rate was 0.80%(24/2987).The survey found 16 species of small mammals that belonging to 3 orders, 9 families and 16 species with Citellus alaschanicus the dominant species. The Citellus alaschanicus had 2.84 fleas per body. Four families and 16 species of fleas were identified in the areas. The Citellus alaschanicus and Citellophilus Tesquorum Mongolicus were the dominant species. Plague bacteriology and serology tests were negative. Conclusions The study shows that the area is suitable for the formation of natural foci of Citellus alaschanicus plague. Surveillance is an important measure for prevention and control of the plague.

FSH, LH, PRL, E2 and T in 8-17 year old males: investigation and analysis / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) in male adolescents of different ages by determining their levels in 8-17 years old boys.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We included in this study 627 male adolescents aged 8-17 years and qualified through physical examinations. All the subjects underwent determination of FSH, LH, PRL, E2 and T with an automatic ACCESS microparticle chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer and detection of liquid quality control by immunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FSH remained at a low level in the 8-10 years old male adolescents and increased at 11 years; the levels of LH and T were low before the age of 12 years and began to increase at 13 years; and that of E2 was low before the age of 13 years and began to rise after that, all with statistically significant differences (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the male adolescents, FSH, LH and T significantly increased at 11, 12 and 13 years old, respectively, which marked the beginning of sexual development.</p>

A clinical comparison of two strategies for minimal invasive treatment of secondary common bile duct stone / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the clinical efficiency of two strategy in the treatment of secondary common bile duct stones: laparoscopic cholecystectomy with transcytotic common bile duct exploration (LC + LTCBDE), or laparoscopic cholecystectomy after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST + LC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the screening standard, 88 patients with secondary bile duct stones (43 cases in LC + LTCBDE group, 45 cases in EST + LC group) who were treated from June 2005 to November 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. The achievement ratio, complications, average hospital stay and cost between two groups were compared. And all patients were followed up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no significant differences on achievement ratio and complications between two groups (P > 0.05). The LC + LTCBDE group has significantly shorter hospital stay and lower cost (P < 0.05). There were no recurrence in 1 year.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>LTCBDE is a promising strategy which has more advantages in the minimal invasive treatment of secondary common bile duct stones.</p>

Clinical and pathological features of operable breast cancer in women over 65 years / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical and pathological characteristics of operable breast cancer in women over 65 years.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of 95 patients treated from February 2003 to February 2005 were collected, and the clinicopathological characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>These 95 patients accounted for 26.1% of all female breast cancer patients registered in our hospital in the mean time. Local advanced breast cancer accounted for 74.5% of the patients. The median time from symptom presentation to treatment seeking was 1.2 years. Curative resection was performed in 96 breasts of 94 patients, 71 patients received chemotherapy and 67 received endocrine therapy. Sixty-four cases (67.3%) were confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma. Positive expression of estrogen or progesterone receptor was found in 65 cases (68.4%); overexpression of C-erbB-2 was found in 23.5% of the patients and low level expression of Ki-67 (<30%) was found in 54.1% of the cases, respectively. The 3-year overall survival rate and disease free survival rate was 87.4% and 71.4%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Of the breast cancer in aged women, most are local advanced breast cancer. Breast cancer in the elderly women has distinctive clinicopathological characteristics. Less radical surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy and(or) endocrine therapy is feasible treatment.</p>

Effects of hepatotrophic factors on the liver after portacaval shunt in rats with portal hypertension / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Portacaval shunt (PCS) prevent hepatotrophic factors from flowing into the liver, but they enter directly the systemic circulation and worsen liver injury. This study was designed to investigate the effects of hepatotrophic factors through the portal vein on the liver in rats with portal hypertension after portacaval shunt.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Intrahepatic portal hypertension (IHPH) was induced by intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride, and end-to-side PCS was performed. Eight normal rats served as controls, and eight rats with IHPH served as IHPH model (IHPH group). Another 32 rats with IHPH-PCS were randomly subdivided into 4 groups: normal saline (NS) given to 8 rats, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) 8, insulin (INS) 8, hepatocyte growth factor and insulin (HGF + INS) 8. Hepatotrophic factors were infused into the portal vein through an intravenous catheter. Portal venous pressure (PVP) was measured. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were tested biochemically and those of hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminin (LN) were measured by radioimmunoassay. Hepatic fibrosis was assessed histologically and the expression of collagens type I and III were detected immunohistochemically. Ultrastructural change of hepatocytes and the number of mitochondria were observed under an electron microscope. The data were compared between groups and subgroups by Student-Newman-Keuls procedure with SPSS10.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PVP was significantly higher in the IHPH rats than in the control rats (P < 0.05). The levels of serum ALT, AST, HA, and LN, hepatic fibrosis score, the amount of collagen deposition, collagens type I and III increased more significantly in the IHPH group than in the control rats (P < 0.05). The number of mitochondria decreased more significantly in the IHPH rats than in the control rats (P < 0.05). The levels of serum ALT, AST, HA and LN as well as hepatic fibrosis score, the amount of collagen deposition, and the amount of collagens type I and III in the HGF and HGF + INS rats were significantly lower than those in the NS rats (P < 0.05). The damage to hepatocyte ultrastructure was markedly alleviated and the number of mitochondria was increased more significantly in the HGF and HGF + INS rats than in the NS rats under an electron microscope.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Perfusion of exogenous hepatotrophic factors through the portal vein can alleviate liver injury, minimize the damage to the ultrastructure of hepatocyte, protect liver function, and lessen hepatic fibrosis in rats with portal hypertension after PCS.</p>

Studies on lignan glycosides from the roots of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the lignan glycosides from the roots of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium. Chromatography methods was used to isolate compounds and chemical and spectral methods were used to identify the structures of isolated compounds.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two lignan glycosides were isolated from the roots of B. scorzonerifolium and their structures were identified as 2, 3-E-2,3-dihydro-2-(3'-methoxy-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-phenyl)-3-hydroxymethyl-5-(3"-hydroxypropenyl )-7-methoxy-1-benzo [b] furan (1) and 2, 3-E-2, 3-dihydro-2-( 3'-methoxy-4'-hydroxy-phenyl)-3-hydroxymethyl-5-( 3"-hydroxypropenyl)-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-1-benzo[b]furan (2), both of them which were the mixture of (+)2S,3R- and (-)2R,3S-type diastereoisomer and in both of them the amount of (+)2S,3R-type was a little more than that of the (-)2R,3S-type.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from B. scorzonerifolium for the first time. (+)2S, 3R-2, 3-Dihydro-2-(3'-methoxy-4'-hydroxy-phenyl)-3-hydroxymethyl-5-(3"-hydroxypropenyl)-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-1-benzo[b] furan is a new compound.</p>

Effect of endothelin-1 and its antagonists on the expression of endothelin receptors mRNA in HSC-T6 cells / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its antagonists on the expression of endothelin and its receptors mRNA in HSC-T6 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cultured HSC-T6 cells were randomly divided into 7 groups: Sham control group, ET-1 group (10 nmol/L ET-1), BQ-123 group [1 micromol/L BQ-123, a selective endothelin receptor A (ETRA) antagonist], BQ-788 group [1 micromol/L BQ-788, a selective endothelin receptor B (ETRB) antagonist], ET-1 + BQ123 group (10 nmol/L ET-1 + 1 micromol/L BQ-123), ET-1 + BQ-788 group (10 nmol/L ET-1 + 1 micromol/L BQ-788) and ET-1 + BQ-788 group (10 nmol/L ET-1 + 1 micromol/L BQ-123 + 1 micromol/L BQ-788). The expression of endothelin receptor mRNA of HSC-T6 cells was determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of ETRA mRNA in ET-1 + BQ123 + BQ788 and ET-1 + BQ788 group was significantly lower than ET-1 group (0.329 +/- 0.044 and 0.292 +/- 0.023 vs. 0.440 +/- 0.030 P < 0.05). Compared with ET-1 group, the expression of ETRB mRNA in ET-1 + BQ788 group was down regulated obviously (0.499 +/- 0.136 vs. 0.153 +/- 0.071, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in ET-1 + BQ123 group and ET-1 + BQ123 + BQ788 group when compared with ET-1 group (0.499 +/- 0.136 vs. 0.496 +/- 0.103 and 0.299 +/- 0.129, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ET-1 has no obvious effect on the expression of ETRA mRNA in HSC-T6. ET-1 may up-regulate the expression of ETRB mRNA. Act on ETRA receptor, ET-1 can inhibit the expression of ETRB mRNA.</p>