Effects of amiloride on physiological activity of stem cells of human lung cancer and possible mechanism.

Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor, the cancer stem cells (CSCs) were regarded responsible for the development of cancer tissue. The effects of amiloride on lung cancer stem cells and the possible mechanism were not much investigated. In this study, human NCI-H1975 lung CSCs were selected by flow cytometry, and the effects of amiloride at different concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L) were evaluated on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of CSCs using cell counting kit-8 and Transwell migration assays as well as flow cytometry. Wstern blot analysis was performed to investigate the effect of amiloride on the level of proteins in uPA system, NF-kB pathway, and PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway in CSCs. As a result, we found that amiloride inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of lung CSCs, and promoted apoptosis. Further, we found that amiloride decreased levels of target proteins in the uPA system, as well as the NF-kB and PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathways. These results indicated that amiloride could inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of lung CSCs, and promotes apoptosis, these effects may be related to decreased levels of proteins in the uPA system, the NF-kB pathway, and the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway.

[Study on the chemical constituents in the volatile oils of the flowers of Tibetan medicine Rhododendron anthopogon].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of the volatile oils from the flowers of Rhododendron anthopogon D. Don. METHODS: The volatile oils from the flowers of Rhododendron anthopogon D. Don were extracted by water steam distillation and its chemical constituents were separated and identified by GC-MS. The content of each constituent was determined by area normalizetion method. RESULTS: Fifty peaks were separated and forty seven components were identified, which constituted about 97.44% of the total essential oils. CONCLUSIONS: The main compounds are N-acetyl-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydro-isoquinoline (29.23%), 2-Ethoxypropane (12.47%), 3-Methyl-6-tert-butylphenol (10.83%), 3-Methyl-5-phenyl-isothiazole (6.38%), Diphenylamine (4.20%), N-ethyl-1, 2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalenamine (3.62%), Pentacosane (3.12%) and Tricosane (3.06%).

Intelligent infusion controller with a physiological information feedback function.

BACKGROUND: In hospitals, some problems still exist, such as transfusion reaction that cannot be dealt with in time, medical staff cannot observe the physiological information of the infusion patients in real time, and the infusion speed cannot be controlled smartly. OBJECTIVE: To address these problems, we propose a method for intelligent monitoring and designed a controller for dripping speed regulation. METHODS: A photoelectric sensor was used to obtain the heart rate (HR) information, and a PID parameter self-tuning controller based on the fuzzy control principle was developed to establish a multi-stage adaptive control method based on HR feedback. By controlling the rotation of the motor to drive the cam to control the drip rate smartly. Also, the infusion and physiological information are transmitted to the nurse station to monitor the possible transfusion reaction. RESULTS: The experiments show that the intelligent infusion controller can achieve HR signal detection with an average accuracy of over 94%, dripping speed detection and adjustment with an average accuracy of above 98% and adjustment time within 35 seconds. CONCLUSION: Our study proved that the intelligent infusion controller can control the infusion process intelligently and effectively, and has excellent reliability, small steady-state error and high practical value.