Objective: To evaluate the characteristic and explore the mechanism of microwave extraction (MAE) in extracting Chinese medicines by comparing with conventional extractions on Radix et Rhizoma Rhei. Methods : The sum of anthraquinone was determined by spectrophotometry and aphrostase in paraffin section was observed by microphotography. Results : Among the four methods, the efficiency of MAE was significantly the highest, which was 3.5 times of supersonic extraction and 1.5 times of Sohlex extraction and 1.5 times of decocting by water, respectively. The time of MAE was the shortest. MAE could destroy the cell organization to pick up the speed of dissolving. Conclusion : MAE is efficient, saving energy and time in extracting Chinese medicines.

AIM: To evaluate the characteristic and explore the mechanism of MAE on Semen Cassiae by comparing MAE with commonly used extraction method. METHODS : The amount of anthraquinone was determined by spectrophotometer. The surface and cross section of Semen Cassiae were observed by microphotography. RESULTS : Among the four methods,the efficiency of MAE is 16 times that of ultrasonic extraction,3 times that of Sohlex extraction and 1.1 times of decocting by water,respectively. Micrographs taken after extraction differed markedly indicated that the degree of damage varied considerably. CONCLUSION : The MAE method is more advantageous than other traditional extraction methods (Soxhlet extraction and ultrasonic extraction) with regard to the extraction yield and the time and cost of the procedure.

Objective: To investigate the high risk factors of occurring the syndrome of cerebral-internal organs in the patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage(ACH).Methods: The serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone(ACTH) were measured by electrochemical radiation in acute period of 37 cases with ACH and 24 cases with cerebral infarction,and compared to those of the 30 healthy controls.The correlations among levels of serum FSH,TSH,ACTH and condition of illness,amount of hemorrhage,critical chamber hemorrhage and the displacement of cerebral mid-line structures were observed.Results: The levels of FSH and TSH were significantly lower,and the levels of ACTH were obviously higher in cases with ACH and cerebral infarction than those of healthy volunteers,and their changes in levels were more obvious in patients with ACH than in patients with cerebral infarction (all P

Object To explore the regularity of microwave extraction (ME) on Chinese medicines in different morphological structure and different polar compositions. Methods Anthraquinone in Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (RRR), Semen Cassiae (SC), cholorogenic acid in Flos Lonicerae, baicalin in Radix Scutellariae were determined as index compositions by HPLC. The extraction rate was measured by orthogonal design. Results ME selectivity to different anthraquinone in RRR is not significant, while at the same temperature, the extraction rates of emodin, chrysophanol, physcion in RRR are higher than those in SC. Conclusion The ME selectivity to the different morphological structure of Chinese medicines is obvious, but to the different polar compositions is not distinct.

BACKGROUND: Some reports demonstrated that, autoallergic or hematopoietic stem cells transplantation combined with chemotherapy received good outcomes in treating medulloblastoma, which can prolong survival time of patients. However, whether haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells transplantation can treat medulloblastoma remains poorly understood.OBJECTIVE: To firstly report a patient receiving haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells transplantation for treating medulloblastoma.METHODS: A terminal cancer patient with bone matastases successively received six lymphocyte transfusions from an unrelated donor combined with chemotherapy and three haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantations.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The patient presented erythra, accompanied by fever, diarrhea and yellow brown liquid stools, which was considered as graft versus host disease, and treated by urbason, gammaglobulin, CellCept, Prograf, Basiliximab (anti-CD25 antibody), Infliximab (anti-tumor necrosis factor α antibody), effective antibacterial and supportive treatments. After that, the erythra and diarrhea were remised. But the patient died from cerebral hemorrhage. Allogeneic lymphocyte transfusion can kill or damage tumor cells, improve life quality, but the outcome is restrained for patient with a high tumor burden. Immunosuppressant, such as anti-CD25 antibody and anti-tumor necrosis factor α antibody should be timely used in consideration of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Tongxinluo (TXL) on myocardial inflammatory reaction and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in rats with myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODSThe rat MI model was established by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. Experimental rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the sham operated group, the MI control group and the TXL group (treated by 2.0 g/ kg/day). Conditions of inflammatory cellular infiltration in the infarcted and non-infarcted zone were observed at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after MI with histopathological methods, and the expression of TNF-alpha was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSObvious inflammatory cellular infiltration revealed in both infarcted and non-infarcted zone of model rats at 1-2 weeks after MI, it faded away gradually 4 weeks after MI, while the TNF-alpha expression increased continuously after MI. Compared with the MI control, the infiltration was milder and TNF-alpha expression was lower in the TXL group.

CONCLUSIONTXL displays its anti-inflammatory action by way of attenuating the myocardial inflammatory reaction and suppressing the expression of inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in MI rats.

Acute-Phase Reaction ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; drug therapy ; Myocarditis ; etiology ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of carvedilol on the cardiac function and autoantibodies against the cardiac beta(1), beta(2) and alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODS54 patients with CHF were divided randomly into two groups, one was regular treatment group treated with ACE inhibitor, digoxin and diuretic, another was carvedilol treatment group treated with carvedilol on the basis of above regular treatment. All the patients were followed up for six months and measured the changes of cardiac function and three autoantibodies by echocardiography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively.

RESULTS(1) After carvedilol treatment, LVEDD and LVESD (57.50 +/- 7.29) mm and (43.17 +/- 8.27) mm were smaller than that in regular treatment group [(64.09 +/- 7.40) mm and (52.93 +/- 8.35) mm], and LVEF [(50.41 +/- 10.91)%] was higher than that [(41.70 +/- 7.45)%] in regular treatment group (P < 0.01). (2) After carvedilol treatment, the positive ratios and average titers of autoantibodies against the cardiac beta(1), beta(2) and alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors all decreased significantly compared with that of pre-treatment (P < 0.05). The positive ratios of autoantibodies against the three receptors in carvedilol treatment group were lower than those in regular treatment group (P < 0.05). The average titers of autoantibodies against the cardiac beta(1), beta(2) and alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors in carvedilol treatment group (1:72.44, 1:61.66 and 1:67.30) were lower than those in regular treatment group (1:113.24, 1:110.66 and 1:113.24), P < 0.05.

CONCLUSIONSCarvedilol decreased positive ratio and average titer of autoantibodies against the beta(1), beta(2) and alpha(1) receptors accompanied with the obvious improvement of cardiac function though the blockade of beta(1), beta(2) and alpha(1) receptors. It suggests that the autoantibodies might be involved in the process of pathophysiology and development of CHF. Carvedilol can inhibit this process.

Adult ; Aged ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Carbazoles ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Propanolamines ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 ; immunology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 ; immunology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 ; immunology ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDSome studies have confirmed that the right ventricular walls of most rodents, such as canines and humans, have evident transient outward potassium current (Ito1) heterogeneity, and this heterogeneity is closely related to J point elevation, J wave formation, and some ventricular tachycardias such as ventricular fibrillations caused by Brugada syndrome. This study is designed to investigate transmural electrical heterogeneity of the canine right ventricle during repolarization (phase 1) from the viewpoint of 4-aminopyridine sensitive and calcium-independent Ito1.

METHODSAdult canine single right ventricular epicardial (Epi) cells, mid-myocardial (M) cells, and endocardial (Endo) cells were enzymatically dissociated. Whole cell voltage-clamp recordings were made to compare the Ito1 values of the three cell types.

RESULTSAt 37 degrees C and using 0.2 Hz and +70 mV depolarizing test potentials, the average peak Ito1 values of Epi cells and M cells averaged (4070 +/- 1720) pA and (3540 +/- 1840) pA, respectively. The activated and inactivated Epi and M cells kinetic processes were in accordance with the Boltzmann distribution. Compared with Ito1 in Epi cells and M cells, the average peak Ito1 in Endo cells was very low, averaged (470 +/- 130) pA.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that there are evident differences and potent gradients in Ito1 between the three cardiac cell types, especially between Epi and Endo cells. These differences are among the prominent manifestations of right ventricular electrical heterogeneity, and may form an important ionic basis and prerequisite for some malignant arrhythmias in the right ventricle, including those arising from Brugada syndrome and other diseases.

Animals ; Dogs ; Female ; Male ; Membrane Potentials ; Potassium Channels ; physiology ; Ventricular Function

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features and diagnostic approach of chronic extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA).

METHODSSeven cases of chronic EAA diagnosed by open lung biopsy or lung transplant were enrolled into the study. The clinical and pathologic features were analyzed and the literature was reviewed.

RESULTSThere were altogether 4 men and 3 women. The age of the patients ranged from 30 to 65 years (mean = 48 years). All cases represented chronic form and five cases diagnosed by open lung biopsy also showed features of recent aggravation, leading to hospitalization. Four cases had known history of exposure to inciting gases, pollens and pets, and only 2 cases were positive for allergens. High-resolution CT scan showed ground-glass attenuation and reticular pattern that often had a patchy distribution and central predominance. Bronchoalveolar lavage analysis showed marked lymphocytosis, with CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio less than 1. Lung function test demonstrated a restrictive ventilatory defect, with decreased compliance, reduced diffusion capacity and high airway obstruction. Five cases had open lung biopsy performed and two cases had undergone lung transplantation. Pathologic examination showed bronchiolocentric cellular interstitial pneumonia, interstitial fibrosis, non-caseating epithelioid granulomas, epithelioid histiocytic infiltrate in the respiratory bronchioles and intraluminal budding fibrosis. The five cases with open lung biopsy performed also showed neutrophilic infiltrate in the alveoli. The two lung transplant cases were complicated by severe fibrotic changes.

CONCLUSIONSChronic EAA demonstrates characteristic pathologic features. Definitive diagnosis requires correlation with clinical and radiologic findings due to possible morphologic mimicry of other diffuse parenchymal lung diseases.

Adult ; Aged ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Biopsy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; pathology ; Lung Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sarcoidosis ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the application of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and 40 Hz auditory event related potential (40 Hz AERP) to the diagnosis of occupational noise-induced hearing impairment and to provide the evidence for diagnosis of occupational deafness.

METHODSPure tone audiometry, ABR and 40 Hz AERP were performed in 54 workers occupationally exposed to noise. The thresholds of higher frequency band, 3 kHz and 4 kHz were compared with the threshold of ABR. The thresholds of auditory frequency ban and 0.5 kHz were compared with the threshold of 40 Hz AERP.

RESULTSA better correlation was found between thresholds of ABR and higher frequency pure tone audiometry. There was a significant difference of thresholds between 40 kHz AERP and pure tone audiometry. The correction values of thresholds between 40 kHz AERP and pure tone audiometry in the light noise-induced hearing impairment group and the moderate noise-induced hearing impairment group were (16.43 ± 1.08) and (11.80 ± 1.12) dBn HL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONIn diagnosis of occupational noise-induced hearing impairment, the threshold of ABR can be used to estimate the hearing threshold of pure noise higher frequency. Because there is the significant difference of the thresholds between pure tone audiometry and 40 Hz AERP, the response threshold can not be served as the audiometry threshold, and the behavioral hearing thresholds can only be obtained by adjusting the response threshold with respective correction value.

Adult ; Audiometry, Evoked Response ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Auditory Threshold ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noise, Occupational ; Young Adult