OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Bushen Huayu Qutan Recipe (BHQR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on local ovarian factors in androgen-sterilized rats (ASR). METHODS: One hundred and five 9-day-old SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (15 rats) and ASR group (90 rats). ASR was induced by subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate, and the rat model of ASR was established successfully in 30 rats in the ASR group. Thirty ASR rats were randomly divided into untreated group and BHQR-treated group. There were 15 rats in each group. The rats in BHQR-treated group were intragastrically administered with BHQR. The rats in the normal control and untreated groups were intragastrically administered with distilled water. They were all treated for 30 days. The levels of serum testosterone and insulin (INS) were measured by radioimmunoassay. The inhibin (INH) level, and the expressions of insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ovary were determined by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: None of the ASR ovulated and all the rats in the normal control group ovulated. The rate of ovulation in BHQR-treated group was 66.67%. The serum concentrations of testosterone and INS in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P<0.05), and the serum concentrations of testosterone and INS in BHQR-treated group were decreased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.05). The levels of ovarian INH, IGF-I and VEGF in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P<0.01), and the levels of ovarian INH, IGF-I and VEGF in BHQR-treated group were decreased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: BHQR is an effective recipe in promoting ovulation, and the effects of BHQR on balancing the internal environment of ovary may be due to the reduction of serum INS level and decrease in the expressions of ovarian INH, IGF-I and VEGF.

ObjectiveTo delineate the anatomy of left gastric artery (LGA) by CT imaging before radical gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients to facilitate intraoperative N07 lymph node dissection.MethodsPreoperative 64 spiral CT angiography (CTA) was applied to observe the origin and course of LGA in gastric cancer patients.ResultsThere were 731 gastric cancer patients undergoing preoperative image evaluation with LGA origin identified from celiac axis in 635 cases. Among those, LGA originated respectively at the crotch of splenic artery and common hepatic artery in 176 cases, from the proximal 1/3 in 292 cases, middle 1/3 in 135 cases and distal 1/3 in 32 cases. There were 9, 28, 27, 4, 4, 1, 4 and 1 cases in whom LGA originates respectively at the angle between celiac trunk and abdominal aorta, from the abdominal aorta, arteria gastrolienalis, splenic artery, common hepatic artery, left hepatic artery, artery gastrohepatica and superior mensentaric artery. LGA has not been observed in 15 cases and the origination of LGA could not be delineated in 3 cases. ConclusionsBeing familiar with the anatomy of LGA as visualized by preoperative CTA in gastric cancer patient, facilitates lymph node dissection around the LGA and decreases iatrogenic injury to vital blood vessels.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and phosphorylation of tyrosine in androgen sterilized rats (ASRs) and the effects of Bushen Huoxue Huayu Recipe (BHHR), a compound Chinese herbal medicine for tonifying kidney and activating blood, on the ASRs, and to analyze the possible mechanism. METHODS: ASR models were established by means of testosterone injected subcutaneously at the age of 9 days. The model rats were randomly divided into BHHR group (n=15) and untreated group (n=15); the rats in normal group (n=15) were injected with oil. The rats in the BHHR group were treated with BHHR for 30 days, and the rats in model group and normal group were treated with distilled water for 30 days. Body weight and area under the curve (AUC) of insulin were measured after treatment. Expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in ASRs were analysed by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The body weight and insulin AUC in the untreated group were increased and more than those in the BHHR group and the normal control group (P<0.05). Expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in normal group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group (P<0.05), and those in BHHR group were improved and significantly different from those in the untreated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BHHR can increase the expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in IR rats, which may be one of its mechanisms in improving insulin sensitivity of the target tissues.

ObjectiveTo study the feasibility of abdominal aortic CT angiography with low dose contrast medium.MethodsThe patients who took the examinations were divided into three groups.In 34 patients of group A,the injection flow rate was 4 ml/s,and the contrast medium volume was 90 ml and 20 ml of saline was applied.The contrast medium dose and injection flow rate of the other 64 patients were determined according to the formula,injection tlow rate = patients' body mass × ratio of contrast medium dose to the body mass / (5 + exposure time).In B and C group with 32 cases each,the ratio of contrast medium dose to body mass were 0.8 to 0.9 and 0.6 to 0.7 ml/kg.The depiction and the measured intraarterial concentration of contrast medium of the abdominal aorta and the renal arteries as well as their branches were compared and evaluated on the source images and MIP images generated among three groups respectively.CT values of the abdominal aorta and its branches in each group were analyzed using singlefactor analysis of variance,while renal artery and its branches were analyzed using x2 test score.Results The abdominal aorta,the celiac trunk,the splenic artery,the superior mesenteric artery,the renal arteries and their branches were all well shown in three groups.The CT value within the abdominal aorta were (363 ±28),(362 ±28) and (334 ± 14) HU for the three groups respectively,the CT values within the celiac were (368 ±28),(367 ±28) and (338 ± 15)HU,the CT value within the renal artery were (365 ±27),(364 ± 29) and (336 ± 15) HU respectively,the CT value within the splenic artery were (373 ±28),(372 ± 28) and (343 ± 15) HU respectively,and the CT value within the superior mesenteric artery were ( 374 ± 28 ),( 372 ± 28 ) and ( 344 ± 16 ) HU respectively.There were significant differences among the three groups ( P = 0.000).There were significant differences between A group and C group,B group and C group ( P ＜ 0.01 ),while no significant difference existed between A group and B group( P ＞0.05 ).The amount of contrast agent for each patient in group A was 90 ml,while the amount of contrast agent in group B and C was (51 ± 9) and (40 ± 9) ml respectively.There were significant differences of the contrast medium volume among the three groups ( F = 537.091,P = 0.000).Results of pairwise comparisons were statistically significant(P =0.000).Image quality of renal artery in group A was rated as excellent,good,and generally for 26,7 and 1 cases,24,7 and 1 for group B,and 22,8 and 2 for group C.There were no significant differences in image quality of the renal arteries among the three groups ( x2 = 0.561,P = 0.755 ).ConclusionThe individualization of injection method in abdominal aortic CT angiography can minimize the amount of contrast agent but to meet the clinical requirements.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method of primary culture for endometriotic cells and to find out the differences in morphological manifestations among endometriotic cells and eutopic endometrial cells sampled from patients with endometriosis and endometriosis-free women. METHODS: Endometriotic and eutopic endometrial cells were cultured by modified method of primary culture. The endometriotic cell types were observed and differentiated under optical and electron microscopes. RESULTS: The success rates for culture of eutopic endometrial cells from endometriosis-free women and patients with endometriosis were 91.67% and 93.75% respectively. The success rate for culture of endometriotic cells was 75.00%. The size of endometriotic glandular cells was similar to those of eutopic endometrial glandular cells from endometriosis-free women and patients with endometriosis. The chromatin was manifold and the nucleus was augmented in the endometriotic glandular cells. The endometriotic stromal cells were smaller than the eutopic endometrial stromal cells from endometriosis-free women and patients with endometriosis. Many tiny villi and protuberances on plasma membrane could be seen in the endometriotic stromal cells. CONCLUSION: The success rate for culture of endometriotic cells can be elevated through improving the method of primary culture. The ultrastructures of endometriotic glandular and stromal cells are obviously different from those of eutopic endometrial glandular and stromal cells from endometriosis-free women and patients with endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether non-linear blending technique for arterial-phase dual-energy abdominal CT angiography (CTA) could improve image quality compared to the linear blending technique and conventional 120 kVp imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 118 patients who had accepted dual-energy abdominal CTA in the arterial phase. They were assigned to Sn140/80 kVp protocol (protocol A, n = 40) if body mass index (BMI) < 25 or Sn140/100 kVp protocol (protocol B, n = 41) if BMI > or = 25. Non-linear blending images and linear blending images with a weighting factor of 0.5 in each protocol were generated and compared with the conventional 120 kVp images (protocol C, n = 37). The abdominal vascular enhancements, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and radiation dose were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance test, independent t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Mean vascular attenuation, CNR, SNR and subjective image quality score for the non-linear blending images in each protocol were all higher compared to the corresponding linear blending images and 120 kVp images (p values ranging from < 0.001 to 0.007) except for when compared to non-linear blending images for protocol B and 120 kVp images in CNR and SNR. No significant differences were found in image noise among the three kinds of images and the same kind of images in different protocols, but the lowest radiation dose was shown in protocol A. CONCLUSION: Non-linear blending technique of dual-energy CT can improve the image quality of arterial-phase abdominal CTA, especially with the Sn140/80 kVp scanning.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiography/*methods ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Observer Variation ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiographic Image Enhancement/methods ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/*methods ; Radiography, Abdominal/*methods ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods

OBJECTIVETo determine the plasma protein binding rates of brucine and strychnine in total alkaloids from the seed of Strychnou nux-vomica, and make comparison with the single components at the same concentration.

METHODUltrafiltration was employed to determine the rat the plasma protein binding rate of the alkaloids from the seed of S. nux-vomica. The plasma concentrations were measured by RP-HPLC.

RESULTThe protein binding rates of brucine were (65.60 3.01)%, (68.20 +/- 7.80)%, (59.58 +/- 3.78)% when the plasma concentrations was 0.520, 1.300, 2.600 mg x L(-1), respectively. The protein binding rates of strychnine was (66.17 +/- 6.36)%, (67.10 +/- 2.52)%, (57.21 +/- 0.79)% when the plasma concentrations were 0.936, 2.340, 4.680 mg x L(-1) respectively. As to the total alkaloids from the seed of S. nux-vomica, The protein binding rate of brucine was (62.19 +/- 2.45)%, (69.55 +/- 5.84)%, (61.76 +/- 3.68)% when the plasma concentrations were 0.519, 1.288, 2.607 mg x L(-1), respectively. And the protein binding rates of strychnine were (54.79 +/- 3.55)%, (57.13 +/- 4.49)%, (59.31 +/- 3.65)% when the plasma concentrations were 0.940, 2.338, 4.674 mg x L(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONBrucine and strychnine have medium capacity in binding to plasma protein. In comparison with the single component of the same concentration, the protein binding rate of brucine in total alkaloids shows little difference, while there seems to be an obvious decrease for strychnine.

Alkaloids ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Animals ; Blood Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Protein Binding ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Strychnos ; chemistry

Objective:To investigate the effects of different frequency sling exercise therapy (SET) on the balance of trunk control and walking ability in stroke patients.Methods:A total of 90 patients with stroke who were admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, from January 2018 to December 2018, received sling exercise therapy on a routine basis and were divided into 1 time/Day low frequency group, 2 time/Day medium frequency group, 3 time/Day high frequency group, 20 min/time, for a total of 3 months.After 1, 2 and 3 months, trunk control test (TCT), Berg balance scale(BBS), functional ambulation classification (FAC) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) were used to evaluate the three groups of patients.Results:There were significant differences in TCT, BBS, FAC and MBI between the low, middle and high frequency groups (all P < 0.05). The scores of TCT in the low, middle and high frequency groups were (36.21±6.31), (42.51±4.33), (49.52±4.90) and (41.23±6.31), (50.32±8.32), (58.12±7.23) respectively, and the scores of BBS were (15.11±4.31), (19.69±5.86), (24.56±8.74) and (21.43±5.37), (27.61 ± 7.50), (33.81±6.99) respectively, compared with those before treatment )The scores of (24.69±9.33), (22.84 ± 10.11) and (9.32 ± 3.11), (9.504.10), (9.47 ± 3.73) were significantly improved, and the differences between the high frequency group and the low frequency group and the medium frequency group were statistically significant (all P< 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the three groups after three months of training ( P> 0.05). There was no significant difference between fAC and MBI in the low, medium and high frequency group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups after training for 2 and 3 months There were significant differences between fAC ((1.84±0.41), (2.39±0.44), (3.29 ± 0.33) and MBI ((27.32 ± 9.33), (34.45 ± 9.21), (44.77 ± 10.27) and (41.33±11.21), (52.73±12.31), (75.94±13.22)). There was significant difference between the high frequency group and the low frequency group ( P< 0.05). Conclusion:Multiple sling exercise therapy in one day can further improve the balance of trunk control and walking ability of stroke patients, and shorten the course of disease.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between histone deacetylase (HDAC) gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Bai and Han populations in Dali of Yunnan province.Methods:A total of 148 patients with T2DM of Bai and Han nationalities who received treatment in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital from May 2019 to March 2021 were included in the T2DM group. An additional 100 healthy controls of Bai and Han nationalities who concurrently received physical examination in the same hospital from May 2019 to December 2020 were included in the normal control group. The susceptibility genes of T2DM were detected using the Taqman MGB probe method. The susceptibility gene loci were amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The whole sequence of susceptibility gene was sequenced.Results:There were no significant differences in the distribution frequencies of rs2530223 genotype, rs11741808 genotype, rs2547547 genotype, and rs1741981 genotype between Bai and Han populations (all P > 0.05). There was a significant difference in blood lipid level between four loci ( t = -1.06, -0.19, 0.39, -2.12, -2.04, 0.16, 1.47, < 0.01, -0.16, -3.17, -2.93, 0.69, -2.58, -2.33, all P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance between different states (all P < 0.05). The frequency distributions of each genotype and each allele did not differ significantly between healthy control people of Bai nationality and T2DM patients of Bai nationality and between healthy control people of Han nationality and T2DM patients of Han nationality (all P > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the polymorphism was not an independent risk factor for T2DM. Conclusion:The relationships between HDAC gene polymorphism and T2DM, obesity and dyslipidemia differ between Bai and Han populations.

Objective:To investigate the safety and curative effect of transumbilical single-incision laparoscopy with fascial platform for ovarian cystectomy.Methods:The clinical data of 105 patients underwent laparoscopy ovarian cystectomy in Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital from June 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 45 patients underwent transumbilical single-incision laparoscopy with fascial platform for ovarian cystectomy (observation group), and 60 patients underwent multi-port laparoscopy for ovarian cystectomy (control group). The operative time, intraoperative bleeding, conversion to open surgery, cyst rupture, surgical collateral injury, postoperative exhaust time, postoperative hospital stays, hospitalization cost and postoperative infection, etc were recorded. The face rating scale (FRS) was used to evaluate the pain at 6 and 24 h after operation; the incision satisfaction was evaluated by the Kiyak satisfaction scale at 2 months after operation.Results:The operation was carried out successfully in both groups without surgical collateral injury or conversion to open surgery. There were no significant differences in operative time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stays, hospitalization cost, cyst rupture rate and postoperative infection rate between 2 groups ( P>0.05); the postoperative exhaust time and FRS 6 and 24 h after operation in observation group were significantly less than those in control group: (22.1 ± 3.5) h vs. (23.9 ± 3.8) h, 1 (0, 2) scores vs. 2 (1, 4) scores and 1 (0, 1) scores vs. 1 (0, 2) scores, the incision satisfaction score was significantly higher than that in control group: 5 (4, 5) scores vs. 4 (3, 4) scores, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05 or <0.01). Conclusions:Transumbilical single-incision laparoscopy with fascial platform for ovarian cystectomy is safe and feasible, with concealed incision and high patient satisfaction, and has good clinical application value.