The effect of dietary oils on pulmonary vasoreactivity and chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension were assessed in rats fed on soybean oil, pig oil, soybean oil plus pig oil or regular diets for two months before the start of normobaric hypoxia(10?0.5%O_2 ventilation, 8 hours per day, 14 days). Mean pulmonary arterial pressures and pulmonary vasoreactivity to acute hypoxia were higher in the chronically hypoxic rats fed on 15% soybean oil than in the rats fed on 15% pig oil, 7.50% soybean oil plus 7.5% pig oil or regular diets. Hypertrophy of the right ventricle in the rats fed on 15% soybean oil were more serious as well. Blood viscosity and hematocrit were not different among the four groups of chronic hypoxia. The findings suggest that dietary soybean oil can potentiate hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, and thereby promote the development of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.

The effects of acute intragastric administration of tea on hemodynamicsand acute hypoxic pulmonary hypertension were studied by a catheterization technique inspontaneously breathing dogs. The tea was made by adding 25g tea to 400ml boiling wa-ter and was given to each dog in a dosage of 20ml/kg. Both greentea and black-tea didnot affect the hemodynamics obviously. However hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction wasinhibited significantly by black-tea. The increase in the plasma concentration of TXA_2induced by acute exposure to hypoxia was also inhibited by black-tea. Green-tea did notshow any effect on HPV and plasma level of TXA_2 and 6-keto-PGF_1??The findings thatblack-tea can reduce the magnitude of HPV may have therapeutic significance in the pre-vention and cure of pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary heart disease and high altitudeheart disease.

Objective To study the effects of Pinacidil on Ventricular Repolarization in LQT2 Rabbit Heart.Methods 30 New Zealand white rabbits weighted from 2.5~3.0 kg were randomly divided into 3 groups:group A(control),group B(pinacidil),group C(pinacidil + glibenclamide).Left ventricular endocardium and epicardium MAPs and volume-conducted ECGs in isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were recorded simultaneously.To induce bradycardia,the AV nodes of rabbit hearts were damaged.EAD and TdP were induced by means of bradycardia in the presence of high concentration of d-sotalol(10-4M).Results In group B,pinacidil(5?mol/L)shortened the APD90 on endocardium from 445.48?54.31ms to 278.87?44.45ms after administration of pinacidil for 5 minutes(P0.05 vs.group A for all).Conclusion Pinacidil can decrease prolonged action potencial duration and TDR induced by bradycardia and high concentration of d-sotalol in rabbit hearts.Also,pinacidil could abolish the EAD and TdP related to delayed repolarization that may provide a novel and useful intervention in the clinical LQTS patients.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies designed and made titanium metal rubber cervical disc prosthesis, and performed feasible studies on its effect on movement and stress distribution by replicating intervertebral discs. OBJECTIVE:To further observe the changes in the stability of goat cervical vertebra after metal rubber cervical disc replacement. METHODS:Nine goats were randomly divided into experimental group (n=6) and normal control group (n=3). Goats in the experimental group received metal rubber cervical disc replacement at C4/5segment. Goats in the normal control group did not receive any treatment. Radiographic data at anteroposterior and lateral position, hyperextension and excessive flexion were taken to measure intervertebral height, range of motion and intervertebral angle at C4/5 segment before operation, immediately, 4, 8, 12 weeks after operation. Subsequently, slicing and embedding of hard tissue at surgical segment, picric acid-acid fuchsin staining and scanning electron microscopy were conducted.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:No significant difference in the intervertebral height and spinal range of motion at C4/5 segment at different time points was detected between postoperative results in the experimental group and preoperative results in the experimental group, normal control group. The intervertebral height at C4/5 segment was higher immediately, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery than preoperative result in the experimental group (P < 0.05). No significant difference in intervertebral angle at C4/5 segment was detectable between 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively in the experimental group and normal control group (P < 0.05). At 4 weeks after surgery, bone did not contact with the edge of the prosthesis in the experimental group. At 8 weeks, the gap between bone and the prosthesis became smal, and some new bone attached to the edge of the prosthesis. At 12 weeks, a few osteoblasts were observed on the surface of the prosthesis. New osteogenic tissue grew into the prosthesis. Results suggested that metal rubber cervical disc replacement in the intervertebral space could maintain intervertebral height and range of motion in a short period, and tightly bind to the vertebral body.

BACKGROUND: In the healing process of fracture, if the callus tissue around the location of fracture is cleared, the end of fracture is difficult to be integrated completely, and more or less there would be some bone de fect. We deduce that these callus tissues are the necessary product during the process of bone reparation, which ought to be useful. Concerning this,we observed histological content and the volume of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) with histological analysis and hybridization in situ of the frozen section of these calluses to investigate the effects of callus graft in the healing process of fracture.OBJECTIVE: To understand the salvaging value of bony callus organization around fracture in delayed operation by means of determining histological substances and contents of TGF-β1.DESIGN: Hybridization in situ of the callus tissue and randomized-grouping and controlled experiment.SETTING: Department of Orthopaedics, the Second Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Department of Orthopaedics, Central Hospital of Taizhou City PARTICHANTS: Totally 51 inpatients who received delayed fracture operations in the Department of Orthopaedics of the Second Hospital of Xi 'an Jiaotong University and Central Hospital of Taizhou City from July 1994 and October 2003 were recruited. In some cases of delayed fracture operation, callus was obtained with the consent of patients, Dig labeled kit was bought from Boehringer Mannheim Corp. CTT GCT GTA CTGTGT GTC CAA, TGF-β1 oligonucleotide probe sequence, was synthe sized by DNA synthesizer. Computer X-ray system was bought from Japan Fuji Corp. METHODS: 2,4,6,8 weeks after fracture, a small amounts of callus was obtained. Frozen section was made from undecalcified callus tissue, and noneisotope Dig labeled hybridization in situ, observe gene expression of TGF-β1 in callus. In the operation, after clearing the bone stump and fas tening the fracture, original bony callus was grafted to the bone defect and around the fracture. Simple callus graft, flank bone graft or both were adopted respectively on patients in delayed operation with follow-up obser vations were given for 1-4 years, with the average of 1 year and 9 months,at outpatient clinic for recheck.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Histological substance and TGF-β1 content of bony callus at different phases of the fracture. ② Effect of different mode of bone graft on the time of fracture healing. RESULTS: Totally 51 cases were treated, and 7 cases were not followed up for death or moving to other areas. Data of the followed-up 44 patients were collected into the stage of result analysis. ① Gene expression of TGF-β1 in bone callus: In the second week after fracture, there were a small amount of fibrous bone callus and comparatively much cartilage bone callus,and TGF-β1 was hypso-expressed in cartilage cells inside the cartilage islet; about four weeks later, TGF-β1 was notably expressed in os teoblasts; about eight weeks later, a host of calluses grew, mainly carti laginea, and the numbers of formed fibroblast, callus, osteoblasts and tra becular bone were increasing. TGF-β1 expression in all kinds of cells dis appeared after six weeks but had a tendency to rise again in bone matrix in the eighth week. ② There were no significant difference of healing time in different modes of bone graft .CONCLUSION: TGF-β1 plays an important role in balancing bone healing, and necessary connections exist between tissue change in bone callus and change in expression of TGF-β1. As callus is a product of recovery and reconstitution of organism, we regard callus graft salvage as a feasible method in reducing pain and damage to patients who need graft.

Objective To observe the effect of Shengmai Chenggu Prescription (SCP) on the damage of endothelial cells (EC) induced by endotoxin. Methods EC obtained from rabbit's aorta were cultured and were treated with endotoxin and serum containing SCP respectively. Histological changes and function of the cultured cells were observed under light microscope and electron microscope and with MTT method . Results Endotoxin could result in the pathologic injury of cultured EC and inhibit the proliferation of the cells. Serum containing SCP could increase the activity of EC and promote its proliferation. Conclusion SCP can protect endothelial cells from damage induced by endotoxin.

ts the shear stress, thus, facilitates the union of fracture and the restoration of function.

AIM: To study the effects of protein kinase C on the expression of MMPs that may play an important role in the formation of atherosclerosis and the possible mechanism of Danshen injection to treat atherosclerosis. METHODS: 50 Sprgue-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups randomly: control group (group C), model group (group M) and Denshen treatment group (group D). The serum was collected to measure the level of cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-ch). The expression of PKC and MMPs were measured by immunohistochemistry. Light microscope and electron microscope were also used. RESULTS: ① The cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-ch concentrations in group M and group D were significantly higher than those in group C (P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the different individual number of sampling on the assay results of the medicinal materials.

METHODEpimedium pubescens and E. brevicornu were used as samples. The 6 sampling levels were formulated as 1 individual, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 individuals mix, each level with 3 parallels and 1 individual level5 parallels. The contents of epimedin C and icariin, and the peak areas of epimedin A, epimedin B, rhamnosyl icarisid II and icarisid II in all samples were analyzed by HPLC.

RESULTThe variation degree varied with species and chemical constituents, but the RSD and the deviation from the true value decreased with the increase of individual number on the same chemical constituent.

CONCLUSIONThe sampling number should be more than 10 individuals in quality control of Epimedium, and 50 or more individuals would be better for representing the quality of medicinal materials.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo establish the allele-specific diagnostic PCR methods for Epimedium koreanum.

METHODITS of eight medicinal Epimedium species were sequenced and downloaded from GenBank, and aligned to find the specific sites in E. koreanum. The diagnostic primers were designed based on the sites, and used to amplify all the samples, then verified with the crude drugs and decoction pieces from market.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONTwo pairs of allele-specific diagnostic primers were successfully used to indentify E. koreanum from other medicinal species, and also can be used to identify the crude drugs and decoction pieces.

Alleles ; China ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Epimedium ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Quality Control ; Species Specificity