ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic performance of bone SPECT and CT fusion imaging in bone metastases from pediatric neuroblastoma.MethodsTwenty-four pediatric patients with neuroblastoma were included in this retrospective study.All patients underwent planar imaging and SPECT integrated with CT.Lesion visibility,diagnostic certainty and diagnostic performance were evaluated with KolmogorovSmirnov test andx2 test.ResultsLesion visibility of SPECT alone,SPECT integrated with CT were significantly better than that of planar imaging ( both H =69.000,P ＜ 0.05 ).SPECT and CT fusion imaging,SPECT alone both detected five more bone lesions than planar bone imaging (77 vs 72).The diagnostic accuracy of SPECT imaging (62.34％,48/77 )was significantly higher than that of planar imaging (45.45％,35/77; x2 =4.416,P ＜ 0.05 ).The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of SPECT and CT fusion imaging for diagnosing malignant bone lesions were significantly higher than those of planar imaging:82.35％ (42/51) vs 53.19％ ( 25/47),88.46％ ( 23/26 ) vs 40.00％ ( 10/25 ),84.42％ ( 65/77 ) vs 45.45％ (35/77 ; x2 =12.571,14.016,25.667,all P ＜ 0.01 ).The diagnostic specificity and accuracy of SPECT and CT fusion imaging were significantly higher than those of SPECT alone ( 53.85％,14/26 ;62.34％,48/77) (x2 =7.589,9.606,both P ＜0.01 ).However,there was no significant difference of sensitivity between the two methods (x2 =2.942,P ＞ 0.05 ).Diagnostic certainty by SPECT and CT fusion imaging was significantly higher than that by SPECT alone ( H =28.000,P ＜ 0.05 ) and by planar imaging (H =21.000,P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionSPECT and CT fusion imaging can detect more bone lesions in patients with pediatric neuroblastoma.It is helpful for diagnosing bone metastases from pediatric neuroblastoma.

Objective To investigate the clinical experience and scientific theory for treating hypertension by Zhou Yixuan. Methods The clinical records of 149 patients with hypertension treated by Zhou Yixuan were input into the database, and the terms were standardized. The Chinese medical diagnosis , therapeutic principles, prescriptions and Chinese herbs were analyzed. Results The syndromes of 149 patients with hypertension appeared frequently in the phlegm dampness, qi deficiency and blood stasis, qi and yin deficiency, hyperactivity of liver-yang, liver and kidney yin deficiency. The prescriptions appeared frequently in Shenling-Baizhu powder, Buyang-Huanwu decoction Shengmai powder, Tianma-Gouteng Yin, Liuwei-Dihuang pill. The Chinese herbs appeared frequently in honey-fried milkvetch root, finger citron, Szechwan lovage rhizome, danshen root, Chinese angelica, fructus corni, white peony alba, red peony root, prepared largehead atractylodes rhizome, spine date seed, orange fruit, coix seed, tangshen, silktree albizia bark, and leech. Conclusions The syndromes of hypertension appeared in deficiency complicated with excess. Qi deficiency, qi and yin deficiency, liver and kidney yin deficiency were deficiency syndromes. Hyperactivity of liver-yang, blood stasis and phlegm were empirical syndromes. Zhou Yixuan was good at treating hypertension with the methods of benefiting vital energy, nourishing yin, regulating vital energy, promoting blood circulation, reducing phlegm and calming the nerves.

Molecular methods and fluoroscopic techniques suggest that rich microbial diversity exist in the marine environment, but less than 1% of these microbes can be cultured in the laboratory conditions, and that the cultivable dominant species were even less. This limitation has long been a barrier to the development of environmental microbiology and the utilization of marine resources. In the past decade, novel methods for culture and detection of these uncultured marine microbes have successfully applied to obtain several conventionally-uncultured microbes including those from extreme environments. Those progresses have inspired researchers greatly. Developments in the research of marine microbial resources are an important basis for the study of the micro-world and deserve increasing scientific attention.

Objective To evaluate the effect of different nebulization inhalation methods on blood oxygen degree of saturation(SaO2) in infants with asthma.Methods Sixty-two infants with asthma were randomly assigned into 3 groups: air-high-frequency flow stonized inhalation group(n=22),oxygen-high-frequency flow stonized inhalationthe group(n=20) and ultrason jet nebulization group(n=18).Three groups all were gived budesonide suspl.SaO2 was monitored during nubulization.Results There were significant differences of SaO2 levels between oxygen-high-frequency flow stonized inhalationthe group and air-high-frequency flow stonized inhalationthe group,ultrason jet ne-bulization group after 10 min and during inhalation(Pa

Objective To investigate the influence of body temperature on the recovery from vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block.Methods Sixty-eight ASA I - II patients (39 male, 29 female) aged 19-69 yr undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were randomly divided into 2 groups: group I in which patients' body temperature was maintained at 37 ℃ using warming blanket; group II in which no measures were taken to maintain the patients' body temperature. The patients were premedicated with phenobarbital 2 mg?kg-1 and atropine 0.01 mg? kg-1 intramuscularly. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 5 ?g? kg -1, propofol 2 mg? kg-1 and vecuronium 0. 1 mg?kg-1 . After tracheal intubation anesthesia was maintained with inhalation of 0.8%-2.5% isoflurane and propofol infusion at a rate of 2-4 mg ? kg-1? h-1 .Neuromuscular block was monitored using accelograph (Biometer, Denmark) .The changes in TOF and T1 were monitored. T1was maintained at 10% by vecuronium infusion during operation. At the end of operation a bolus of vecuronium 80?g ? kg-1 was given intravenously and T1 was completely depressed. The time for T1 to returned to 5% ,25% and 90% and the time required for T1 to return from 25 % to 75 % were recorded. The total amount of vecuronium given was recorded. Temperature probe was placed in the esophagus ( core temperature) . The room temperature was also recorded. Results The body temperature was lower, the total dose of vecuronium was smaller and the vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block lasted longer in group II as compared with group I . There was close correlation between body temperature and vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block. Conclusions Lower core body temperature could prolong the vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block.

OBJECTIVETo study the differences in a special region (SR) corresponding to five internal organs between the young and the elderly and to verify the effectiveness of a developed system for objectifying research in colour inspections of Chinese medicine (CICM).

METHODSAn image acquisition device imitating daylight to meet the requirement of CICM was designed. Image processing software based on CICM theory was developed. A total of 83 normal people were sampled and assigned to two groups. The first group (Group I) included 30 people with an average age of 24±2, and the second group (Group II) included 53 people with an average age of 74±4. After image processing, the chromaticity of 10 SRs corresponding to five internal organs was calculated. R, G, and B represent the chromaticity of color red, green, and blue, L indicates color brightness, whereas a and b denote red and yellow respectively. The difference between the young and the elderly was analyzed.

RESULTS(1) The chromaticity of each SR corresponding to five organs was obtained. The average R, G, B, L, a, and b of the sample were 194.4, 147.6, 119.3, 65.2, 15.5, and 22.3, respectively. (2) The R, G, B, and L of the young were greater than those of the elderly, but the a and b of the young were less than those of the elderly. (3) A statistically significant difference in each SR was found between the young and the elderly (P <0.05). The total differences for the Lung (Fei), Heart (Xin), Liver (Gan), Spleen (Pi), and Kidney (Shen) were 50% (3/6), 66.7% (4/6), 66.7% (4/6), 83.3% (5/6), and 91.7% (33/36), respectively. However, the Kidney SR had the greatest statistical discrepancy.

CONCLUSIONThe old Chinese saying that human Kidney deficiency worsens with age was verified by the results. The objectifying system used to examine CICM was effective. Thus, this system may be used as a basis for further research.

Aged ; Color ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Organ Specificity ; Probability ; Young Adult

Synthetic biology research methods which design and build a new artificial biological systems (medicinal plants or microorganisms system) with specific physiological functions through clarifying and simulating the basic law of the biosynthesis of active components of traditional Chinese medicine, is considered to be a potential method to produce an abundant resources of bioactive components. Tanshinones is a kind of diterpene quinone compounds with important pharmacological activities from traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza. This article systematically introduced the research progress of the synthetic biology of S. miltiorrhiza, in order to provide references for studies on other terpenoid bioactive components of traditional Chinese medicines, and give new research strategies for the sustainable development of traditional Chinese medicine resources.
Diterpenes, Abietane ; biosynthesis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; metabolism ; Synthetic Biology

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anemia, Aplastic ; etiology ; therapy ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and rhynchophylla alkaloids on the vascular adventitial fibroblasts (VAF) apoptosis and proliferation in thoracic aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and on the Bcl-2, Bax, c-Fos, c-Myc, laminin (LN), and fibronectin (FN).

METHODSForty 8-week old male SHR were randomly divided into five groups, i. e., the model group, the captopril group (17.5 mg/kg), the isorhynchophylline group (5.0 mg/kg), the rhynchophylline group (5.0 mg/kg), and the rhynchophylla alkaloids group (50.0 mg/kg), 8 in each group. In addition, eight 8-week old male Wistar rats were selected as the normal group. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the normal group and the model group by gastrogavage. Rats in the rest groups were perfused with isovolumic medication solution (10 mL/kg), six days per week for eight successive weeks. The dosage of drugs was adjusted according to the change of body weight. The VAF apoptosis rate of the thoracic aorta was measured by Annexin V-FITC combined with PI dyeing and flow cytometry. The protein expressions of thoracic aortic Bcl-2, Bax, c-Myc, c-Fos, FN, and LN were detected by immunohistochemical assay. The adventitial transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA expression in the thoracic aorta was detected by in situ hybridization method.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the tail arterial systolic pressure decreased, the VAF apoptosis and the protein expression of Bax increased, Bcl-2, c-Fos, FN, LN, and TGF-beta1 mRNA all decreased in the thoracic aorta of SHR in each treatment group after 4-and 8-week of intervention. Rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and rhynchophylla alkaloids could inhibit the protein expression of c-Myc with statistical difference (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the captopril group, there was no statistical difference in decreasing the tail arterial systolic pressure, the protein expression of c-Fos and the mRNA expression of TGF-beta1 among the rhynchophylline group, the isorhynchophylline group, and the rhynchophylla alkaloids group (P>0.05). There was statistical difference in increased VAF apoptosis and decreased protein expressions of Bcl-2, c-Myc, and LN (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was statistical difference in increased protein expression of Bax between the rhynchophylline group and the isorhynchophylline group (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was statistical difference in decreased protein expression of FN in the isorhynchophylline group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference among the rhynchophylline group, the isorhynchophylline group, or the rhynchophylla alkaloids group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and rhynchophylla alkaloids might promote the VAF apoptosis in the thoracic aorta of SHR by regulating the protein expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax. They might inhibit the VAF proliferation by restraining protein expressions of c-Fos, c-Myc, and TGF-beta1 mRNA. They also might improve the thoracic aorta wall reconstruction and decrease the tail arterial systolic pressure by down-regulating the protein expressions of FN and LN, and attenuating the deposition of extracellular matrix.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; cytology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Fibronectins ; metabolism ; Indole Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Laminin ; metabolism ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDHypocretin (HCRT) signaling plays an important role in the pathogenesis of narcolepsy and can be significantly influenced by Chinese herbal therapy. Our previous study showed that xingshentongqiao decoction (XSTQ) is clinically effective for the treatment of narcolepsy. To determine whether XSTQ improves narcolepsy by modulating HCRT signaling, we investigated its effects on SH-SY5Y cell proliferation, apoptosis, and HCRT receptor 1/2 (orexin receptor 1 [OX1R] and orexin receptor 2 [OX2R]) expression. The signaling pathways involved in these processes were also assessed.

METHODSThe effects of XSTQ on proliferation and apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells were assessed using cell counting kit-8 and annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate assays. OX1R and OX2R expression was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Western blotting for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway activation was performed to further assess the signaling mechanism of XSTQ.

RESULTSXSTQ reduced the proliferation and induced apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells. This effect was accompanied by the upregulation of OX1R and OX2R expression and the reduced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1/2, p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK).

CONCLUSIONSXSTQ inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. XSTQ also promotes OX1R and OX2R expression. These effects are associated with the repression of the Erk1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK signaling pathways. These results define a molecular mechanism for XSTQ in regulating HCRT and MAPK activation, which may explain its ability to treat narcolepsy.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Orexin Receptors ; metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction