Academic journal of the first medical college of PLA 

About: Academic journal of the first medical college of PLA is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Apoptosis & Gene. It has an ISSN identifier of 1000-2588. Over the lifetime, 939 publications have been published receiving 3417 citations.

Changes of the new gaseous transmitter H2S in patients with coronary heart disease

Abstract: Objective To investigate the changes of plasma hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods Plasma H2S levels were measured in 40 patients with CHD and 17 angiographically normal patients by sulfide-sensitive electrodes, and the variation of plasma H2S levels was analyzed in different clinical types of CHD and in different types of coronary artery lesions. The association of plasma H2S levels with the risk factors of CHD was also analyzed. Results Plasma H2S levels were significantly lowered in CHD patients in comparison with that in angiographically normal control subjects (26.10±14.27 μmol/L vs 51.74±11.94 μmol/L, P0.001). In CHD patients, plasma H2S levels in unstable angina patients (UAP, 23.60±14.41 μmol/L) and acute myocardial infarction patients (AMI, 19.98±7.516 μmol/L) were significantly lower than that in stable angina patients (SAP, 38.41±14.53 μmol/L, P0.05). No significant difference in plasma H2S levels was found between CHD patients with double-vessel and multi-vessel lesions (16.91±7.98 vs 18.39±7.78 μmol/L, P0.05), but the two groups of patients had significantly lower plasma H2S levels than patients with single-vessel involve- ment (33.04±15.01 μmol/L, P0.05 and P0.01, respectively). Plasma H2S level was significantly lower in CHD patients with coronary artery occlusion than in patients with simple stenosis (19.04±9.55 vs 28.24±14.85 μmol/L, P0.05). Among the CHD patients, H2S levels were significantly lower in smokers than in non-smokers (27.54±10.37 vs 32.24±15.77 μmol/L, P0.05), also lower in hypertensive patients than in normotensive patients (20.36±8.69 vs 33.77±15.86 μmol/L, P0.01). Plasma H2S levels showed a significant inverse correlation with blood glucose (r=-0.493 6, P=0.001 6), but there were no significant correlations with sex, age, cholesterol, triglyeride, TC, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, or body mass index. Conclusion Decreased plasma H2S levels may correlate with the severity of CHD and changes of the coronary artery, and may implicate the risk factors of CHD such as smoking, hypertension, and high blood glucose.

[Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus RNA in autopsy tissues with in situ hybridization].

Abstract: Objective To explore the distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in SARS autopsy tissues at the molecular level. Methods In situ hybridization was used to detect the expression and location of SARS-CoV RNA polymerase gene in autopsy tissues from SARS-Cov-infected subjects, including the lung, spleen, lymph nodes, pituitary, pancreas, parathyroid, adrenal glands, gastrointestinal tract, skin, brain, liver, kidney, blood vessels, striated muscles of the limbs, bone marrow, heart, ovary, uterus and testicles. Result SARS-CoV RNA was detected in the cytoplasm of the alveolar epithelia, infiltrating mononuclear phagocytes in the lungs, serous gland epithelium of the trachea/bronchus, monocytes in the spleen and lymph nodes, acinar cells in the pancreas, acidophilic cells in the parathyroid and pituitary, adrenal cortical cells, epithelia of the alimentary tracts, gastric parietal cells, sweat gland cells, brain neurons, hepatocytes near the central vein, epithelia of the distal renal tubules, bone marrow promyelocytes, and endothelia of the small veins. Conclusions SARS-CoV invades various organs of the body and distributes in a similar fashion to CD13, the receptor of human coronavirus 229E. The detection of SARS-CoV in the sweat glands, alimentary tracts and epithelia of the distal convoluted tubules of the kidney may help identify the transmission routes of SARS-CoV.

[Effect of clozapine and risperidone on serum cytokine levels in patients with first-episode paranoid schizophrenia].

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To study the effects of clozapine and risperidone on serum cytokine levels in patients with first-episode paranoid schizophrenia, and explore the role of the cytokines in the psychopathological basis of the illness. METHOD Fifty-eight patients with first-episode paranoid schizophrenia were treated with either clozapine or risperidone, and before and at the end of the 4th, 8th weeks and 6th months after the medication respectively, the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, 2, 18,and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the psychotic symptoms. RESULT In patients treated with risperidone, the levels of serum IL-6 and IL-2 after 4 weeks, TNFalpha after 8 weeks, and IL-18 after 6 months were all significantly lowered in comparison with the pretreatment levels (P<0.01 or 0.05). In clozapine group, the levels of IL-2 after 4 weeks and IL-6 and IL-18 after 6 months were lowered significantly (P<0.01 or 0.05). Before the medication, serum IL-6 level was positively correlated with Positive Syndrome scores (r=0.386, P<0.01), IL-2 with the total score and Positive Syndrome scores (r=0.338, 0.305; P<0.01, 0.05), and TNFalpha with the total score (r=0.283, P<0.05). The changes of IL-2 and IL-6 after 8 weeks was positively correlated with the change of Positive Syndrome scores (r=0.268, 0.375; P<0.05, 0.01). Six months after the medication, the change in IL-6 and TNFalpha levels was positively correlated with the change of total score (r=0.365, 0.362; P<0.05). Before treatment, IL-6 was positively correlated with IL-2 levels (r=0.356, P<0.01), and TNFalpha with IL-18 levels (r=0.291, P<0.05). TNFalpha was positively correlated with IL-6 levels (r=0.332, P<0.01) 8 weeks after the medication. The changes in IL-6 was positively correlated with the those in IL-2 levels 6 months after the medication (r=0.391, P< 0.05). CONCLUSION Clozapine and risperidone have similar immunosuppression actions and may affect serum IL-6 levels in patients with paranoid schizophrenia, in the psychopathology of which the cytokines play their roles of various importance.

Mechanism of quercetin as an antidiarrheal agent

Abstract: Objective To investigate the antidiarrheal mechanism of quercetin extracted from Psidium guajava L. Methods The effects of quercetin on the contractility of guinea pig ileum in vitro and on the peristaltic motion of mouse small intestine in vivo were observed, and the peak value of contractility and peristaltic distance recorded. The inhibitory effect of quercetin on the permeability of the abdominal capillaries was also observed. Results Quercetin inhibited the contraction of guinea pig ileum in vitro and the peristaltic motion of mouse small intestine, and reduced the permeability of abdominal capillaries. Conclusion Quercetin can inhibit the intestinal movement and reduce capillary permeability in the abdominal cavity, which may be the antidiarrheal mechanism of Psidium guajava L extract.

Effects of Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb against dengue virus in vitro

Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb extracts against dengue virus in vitro. Methods MTT assay and observation of cytopathic effect (CPE) were carried out to determine the cytotoxicity of Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb on C6/36 cell lines and its effects on dengue virus. Results None of the 4 kinds of Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb extracts exhibited obvious cytotoxicity on the cells at different concentrations with the exception of that over 320 microg/ml. The 4 extracts all showed inhibitory effects on dengue virus. Statistical analysis of TD(50) and ED(50) by Probit regression method suggested that extracts from coumarin had the lowest toxicity on the cells (TD(50)=535.91), whereas extracts from petroleum ether showed the strongest inhibitory effects on dengue virus (ED(50)=47.43) among the 4 extracts. Conclusion Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb possesses antiviral effects on dengue virus in vitro.