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AIM: To assess the effect of curcumin in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and mean arterial pressure so as to explore the central mechanism of hypertension. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats which body weights between 170 and 190 grams fed with a normal salt (0.3% NaCl) or a high salt (8% NaCl) diet for 6 weeks. Meanwhile half of each team received curcumin administration or vehicle by intragastric administration. Mean Arterial pressure was measured noninvasively via tail-cuff instrument and their recording system. The PVN tissue samPles were collected and stored at −80 °C for later analyses. We performed the following experimental procedures: Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, immunofluorescence and statistical analysis. RESULTS:The average arterial blood Pressure of rats in the high-salt diet group was significantly reduced after 6 weeks of curcumin intervention. The levels of NOX2, NOX4, TLR4, MyD88, IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1 and ROS in the long-term high-salt diet grouP were significantly higher after curcumin intervention. CONCLUSION:Curcumin can improve blood pressure in hypertensive rats induced by long-term high salt, the mechanism may be related to the imProvement of oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.
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Objective:To study the clinical effect and safety of ubenimex capsules and SOX chemotherapy on the advanced gastric cancer.Methods:90 patients with advanced gastric cancer who were treated in our hospital from September 2013 to September 2015 were selected and randomly divided into the observation group (n=45) and the control group (n=45).The patients in the control group were treated with SOX chemotherapy,while the patients in the observation group were treated with ubenimex capsules on the basis of control group.Then the serum levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9,the immune functions,the clinical efficacy,the adverse reactions and survival rate of two groups were observed and compared before and after the treatment.Results:After treatment,the CD4+,CD4+/CD8+ in the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P＜0.05);The levels of MMP2 and MMP-9 in the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P＜0.05);The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group [68.89％(31/45) vs 48.89％(22/45)] (P＜0.05);The incidence of thrombocytopenia,leukopenia,nausea and vomiting and abnormal liver functions in the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P＜0.05);The survival rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group at 6 months and 12 months [93.33％ (42/45) vs 77.78％ (35/45),82.22％ (37/45) vs 57.78％ (26/45)](P＜0.05).Conclusion:Compared with SOX chemotherapy alone,ubenimex capsules and SOX chemotherapy could effectively improve the immune function,enhance the long-term survival rate with high safety of patients with advanced gastric cancer.
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Objective To assess the expression and significance of proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Sixty-five RA patients and forty-seven healthy controls were recruited in this study.The body mass index (BMI) and serum total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),high density lipoprotein (HDL),lipoprotein a,low density lipoprotein (LDL),very low density lipoprotein(VLDL),apolipoprotein A (ApoA),apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C were tested.Other parameters included disease activity score 28 (DAS28),rheumatoid factor (RF),anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody,erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),c-reactive protein (CRP).Serum PCSK9 level was measured by ELISA and compared between RA patients and healthy controls.Results (1) The serum PCSK9 levels in RA patients were higher than those in healthy controls [(409.36 ±223.52) μg/L vs (292.19 ± 109.79) μg/L,P ＜ 0.05].(2) Compared with subgroup of moderate and low active disease and patients in remission,PCSK9 was significantly higher in patients with highly active disease (P ＜ 0.05).(3) The serum PCSK9 levels were positively correlated with RF,TC,TG,LDL,very low density lipoprotein (VLDL),ApoB,with r values as 0.303,0.490,0.320,0.451,0.319,0.463,respectively (P ＜ 0.05).(4) Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that DAS28,RF,TC and LDL-C/HDL-C were relevant factors for PCSK9 in RA patients.Conclusions The serum PCSK9 level is elevated in RA patients,which is related to RF,disease activity,TC,TG,LDL,VLDL,ApoB.This suggests that PCSK9 is potentially linked to inflammatory reaction and lipid metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis.
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Objective To identify the effect of both high glucose and high insulin on miR-145 level.Methods The human vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs) were cultured and the proliferation of VSMCs was induced by high glucose and high insulin medium.The samples were divided into 4 groups: normal group, high glu-cose group (25 mmol/L), high insulin group (300 mU/L), high glucose and high insulin group.The ex-pression of miR-145 in VSMCs was assayed by real-time PCR.Proliferation of VSMCs was determined by MTT method After 72 h cultivation.The migration of VSMCs was analyzed by cell scratch test .VSMCs in each group was transfected by miR-145 virus ( lentiviral vector ) .Proliferation and migration were assayed after 48 h transfection.Results The expression of miR-145 in VSMCs of other three groups was decreased ( P<0.05 ) , especially the expression in the high glucose and insulin group was the lowest ( P<0.01 ) .Prolifera-tion and migration of VSMCs was promoted by high glucose and/or high insulin medium.Under fluorescent, transfection rate of VSMCs was about 80%after 48 h transfection.Proliferation and migration of VSMCs in each group after transfection were significantly lower than before ( P<0.05 ) .Conclusions High glucose and high in-sulin could decrease the expression of miR-145 in VSMCs, The overexpression of miR-145 may inhibit the prolif-eration and migration of VSMCs .
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ABSTRACT:Hypertension,the first risk factor for stroke and coronary heart disease in the Chinese population, seriously endangers people’s health.At present,China has more than 270 million people with hypertension and an annual increase rate of 1 0 million people.Then how to improve prevention and treatment of hypertension has become an urgent need to solve major medical and social problems.In the past,research on hypertension mainly focused on the peripheral area,while recent research has shown that the central regulation plays an important role in the development of hypertension. Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN ), which plays a key role in maintaining cardiovascular activity, can directly control the sympathetic preganglionic neurons and regulate peripheral sympathetic nerve activity,thus being closely related to the development of hypertension.Research in recent years shows that the comprehensive effects of proinflammatory cytokines (PIC ),reactive oxygen species (ROS),renin-angiotensin system (RAS),neurotransmitter (NT)and nuclear factorκB (NF-κB)are involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension.However,it is unclear how these neurohormones in PVN are activated,how they interact with each other and what role they play in the regulatory mechanism of hypertension.Therefore,the key focus of this research is to explore the impact of activated neurohormones in PVN on hypertension.This study will provide new content for the study on hypertension.
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Objective To investigate the effects of different wavelength (595 nm,755 nm and 1064 nm) lasers on the mRNA expression of types Ⅰ and Ⅲ procollagen in cultured fibroblasts.Methods Fibroblasts from Kunming mice were cultured in vitro.They were divided into 595 nm laser group,755 nm laser group,1064 nm laser group and no laser irradiating group.The mRNA expression of the types Ⅰ and Ⅲ procollagen was detected by RT-PCR.Results The mRNA expression level of type Ⅰ procollagen in 1064 nm group was higher than that of 755 nm group,595 nm group and control group (P＜0.05).The expression levels of 755 nm group and 595 nm group were higher than that of control group (P＜0.05).But the difference between 755 nm group and 595 nm group was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).The mRNA expression level of type Ⅲ procollagen in 1064 nm group was higher than that in 755 nm group,595 nm group and control group (P＜0.05).755 nm group had higher expression than 595 nm group and control group (P＜0.05).But the difference between 595 nm group and the control group was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Three wavelength lasers can directly promote mRNA expression of types Ⅰ and Ⅲ procollagen in fibroblasts.595 nm laser mainly promotes mRNA expression of type Ⅰ procollagen,and 755 nm laser promotes more mRNA expression of type Ⅲ procollagen than 595 nm laser.The most mRNA expression of types Ⅰ and Ⅲ procollagen is promoted by 1064 nm laser.
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Objective To investigate the expression of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in lesions of patients with psoriasis vulgaris,and to explore the relationship between MBL and psoriasis pathogenesis.Methods Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of MBL in lesional and normalappearing perilesional skin of 30 patients with progressive psoriasis vulgaris,as well as in normal skin of 30 healthy human controls.Statistical analysis was carried out by t test using SPSS13.0 software.Results Immunohistochemistry showed that MBL was expressed in lesional psoriatic skin,but weakly expressed or absent in normalappearing perilesional skin and normal control skin,with the relative expression level of MBL in lesional skin significantly higher than that in perilesional skin and normal control skin (0.636 7 ± 0.515 1 vs.0.416 3 ± 0.160 1 and 0.381 6 ± 0.310 9,t =2.24,2.32,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05).Western blot revealed a positive expression of MBL protein in all the skin specimens,and the expression intensity of MBL protein in lesional psoriatic skin was significandy increased compared with perilesional psoriatic skin and normal control skin (0.273 1 ± 0.129 4 vs.0.186 3 ± 0.193 1 and 0.149 2 ± 0.268 7,t =2.05,2.28,respectively,both P＜ 0.05).No significant difference was shown in the expression of MBL protein between perilesional psoriatic skin and normal control skin by immunohistochemistry (t =1.51,P ＞ 0.05) or Western blot (t =0.61,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion There is a high expression of MBL protein in lesions of patients with psoriasis vulgaris,which may be somewhat associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
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Objective To evaluate the correlation between intracranial hyperintense vessel sign (HVS) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) and the degree of the stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA).The effect of carotid endarterectomy(CEA) on HVS was assessed.Methods A retrospective analysis of MR FLAIR sequence and cerebral-cervical computed tomography angiography(CTA) was performed in 1 total of 491 patients.Of the 491 patients,41 treated with CEA were evaluated using their pre-and post-operative image data.Patients were divided into ICA stenosis group and non-stenosis group according to the CTA imaging findings.The ICA stenosis group was subdivided into unilateral group and bilateral stenosis group.Furthermore,we measured and graded the ICA of the unilateral stenosis group into seven stenotic degrees,they were＜50％(n=40),50％-＜60％(n=15),60％-＜70％(n=17),70％-＜80％ (n=6),80％-＜90％ (n=7),90％-＜100％ (n=23),100％ (n=24),respectively.Chi square test was used to analyze the occurrence rates of HVS between ICA stenosis and non-stenosis group,and between ICA unilateral and bilateral stenosis group,respectively.Spearman rank correlation was performed to evaluate the correlation between the presence of HVS and stenotic degrees of the ICA.For the 41 patients who underwent CEA,pre-and post-operative image data were compared,focusing on the presence or disappearance of the HVS on MR FLAIR imaging.Results HVS on FLAIR images were observed in 81 of 177 patients(45.76％) with ICA stenosis,and in 59 of 314 patients(18.79％) without ICA stenosis.The occurrence rate of HVS was significantly higher in patients with ICA stenosis than those without ICA stenosis (x2=40.40,P＜0.01).There was no statistical significance in the occurrence rates of HVS between ICA unilateral stenosis group and bilateral stenosis group(x2=0.24,P＞0.05).The occurrence rates of HVS of ICA graded as the seven stenotic degrees were 22.00％(8/40),26.67％(4/15),35.29％(6/17),33.33％ (2/6),42.86％ (3/7),69.57％ (16/23),83.33％ (20/24),respectively.There was a significant positive correlation between the occurrence rates of HVS and the degrees of ICA stenosis(r=0.964,P＜0.01).HVS disappeared in 19(86.36％) out of 22 patients with HVS on pre-operative MR images after CEA in The remaining HVS in 3(13.64％) patients was attributed to the failure of completely recanalization of ICA.Conclusions A close relationship exists between HVS and ICA stenosis.The presence of HVS indicates a high probability of the existence of severe ICA stenosis.A further assessment for ICA stenosis is warranted.HVS disappearance after successful CEA indicates that HVS can be a useful marker for the the evaluation of consequence associated with CEA.
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Objective To determine the gene polymorphism and serum concentration of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in patients with psoriasis,and to analyze the relationship between MBL and psoriasis.Methods Totally,67 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 69 healthy human controls were enrolled in this study.Venous blood samples were obtained from all the subjects.Genomic DNA was extracted,and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP) analysis was conducted to determine the polymorphism at codon 54 of the MBL gene.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the serum level of MBL.A chi-square goodness-of-fit test was carried out to evaluate Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,t test to compare the serum concentration of MBL,and chi-square test to compare the frequency of genotypes and alleles of MBL gene codon 54.Results The patients with psoriasis showed higher frequency of GGC/GAC heterozygote but lower frequency of GGC/GGC homozygote (x2 =10.36,P ＜ 0.05),together with increased frequency of GAC allele but decreased frequency of GGC allele (x2 =8.31,P ＜ 0.05),at codon 54 of the MBL gene compared with the healthy controls.The variant allele GAC at codon 54 of the MBL gene was markedly associated with psoriasis (OR =3.383,95％ CI 1.585-7.211,P ＜ 0.05).The serum concentration of MBL was (2.193 7 ± 0.816 3) mg/L in patients with psoriasis,significantly lower than that in the healthy controls ((3.269 5±1.205 8) mg/L,t=6.11,P＜ 0.05).Conclusion MBL might be associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis to some degree.
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Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of atrovastatin on the expression of the NF-κB in renal tissues of diabetic rats.Methods A total of 60 male SD rats was randomly taken out 40 rats to make diabetic model by injection of 65mg streptozotoein (STZ) into enterocoelia,the rest of 20 rats were normal control group.After the model made,atrovastatin (2 mg/kg/d) was given to the treated group,and the normal control group and diabetic rats without treatment group were given equivalent water.After 12 weeks,the rats were killed.Total RNA of the renal tissues was isolated from one kidney for each rat,and the renal tissues from the another kidney was prepared for immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis.The NF-κB mRNA expressions among three groups were determined by RT-PCR.The distribution of NF-κB in the renal tissues was observed,and compared its difference among three groups.ResultsPCR showed that NF-κB mRNA was increased in the renal tissues of diabetic rats compared to control rats ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Drug-treated rats showed significantly decreased levels of NF-κB mRNA in the renal tissues compared to the untreated diabetic group( P ＜0.05).The results were also observed in protein lelel of NF-κB expression.IHC showed that there existed positive cells in the glomerular and renal tubulointerstitum.Conclusions Atrovastatin can down-regulate the expression of NF-κB and suppress the increased level of NF-κB protein in the renal tissue of diabetic rats,and slow the progress of retinopathy.
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Objective To evaluate the relationship between 5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) gene polymorphisms and colorectal cancer(CRC).Methods Studies were selected based on the criteria for inclusion.The Meta-analysis software,REVMAN 4.2,was applied for checking the heterogeneity across the studies and calculating the pooled OR.The results were evaluated by the analyses of publication bias and sensitivity.Results A total of 9 787 cases and 12 986 controls from 18 studies for C677T and a total of 4 422 cases and 5 819 controls from 9 studies for A1 298C were included.No heterogeneity among the studies was found.For codon 677,the frequencies of CC,CT and TT genotypes were 46.48%,43.81% and 9.71% in cases,and 45.03%,43.08% and 11.89% in controls,respectively.The pooled OR of TT vs.CT+CC was 0.80(95%CI 0.74～0.87).For codon 1 298,the frequencies of AA,AC and CC genotypes were 53.60%,39.39% and 7.01% in cases,and 53.31%,38.67% and 8.03% in controls,respectively.The pooled OR of CC vs.AC+AA was 0.84(95%CI 0.72～0.97).Conclusions MTHFR 677TT is at lower risk of developing CRC and 1 298CC genotypes might be associated with the decreased risk of developing CRC.
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Objective To evaluate the clinical feature of the aldosterone-producing adenoma(APA) and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism(IHA)in primary hyperaldosteronism.Methods Retrospectively analyzed clinical feaures of 76 patients with APA and 17 patients with IHA.Results (1)Compared with the patients with IHA,the patients with APA had higher plasma and urinary aldosterone,lower serum potassium.(2)Furosemide provocation test(FPT)in 48 patients with APA and 14 patients with IHA were carried out.It was found that the plasma aldosterone after FPT was increased or no changed in 27 patients with adenoma,and increased in the others.It was increased in all IHA patients.(3)The diagnostic accuracy rate of CT was 84.2% in 88 patients with computed tomography imaging(CT).Conclusion The anomalies of laboratory in patients with APA are more evidence than those of IHA.The results of FPT are overlapped in a considerable amount of APA and IHA.Now those with elevation of serum aldosterone after the FPT can not exclude the adenoma.The diagnostic accuracy rate can be improved according to FPT and CT.
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Objective To evaluate clinical and CT features of the 4 th lumbar vertebral spondylolisthesis (L 4DS ) as well as CT value in its diagnosis. Methods CT features of 36 cases of L 4DS were observed and interarticular distance (IAD) and facet joint angle (FJA) were measured and compared with control group.Results Patients with L 4DS mostly were over 40 years old. CT features included degenaration, spondylolisthesis and spinal canal stenosis. IAD and FJA were significantly narrowed. Conclusion CT axial scans combined with plain films,CTM and MPR clearly shows basic changes of L 4DS , providing useful details for clinical management. Narrow posterior vertebral part are important factors leading to L 4DS.
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Objective To study the efficiency of oral ferric ammonium citrate solution as a negative gastrointestinal contrast agent on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Methods Sixty subjects were divided into two groups at random. Routine MRCP were performed directly for one group, and routine MRCP were performed after oral ferric ammonium citrate solution for another gruop. Contrast effect was evaluated on the basis of signal intensity in the stomach and duodenum at MRCP. Results The mean Raddit score of control group (without oral ferric ammonium citrate solution) was 0.275, and that of oral ferric ammonium citrate group was 0.725 (P