In practice of forensic medicine, potential disease can be associated with fatal asphyxia in re-straint position. Research has demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) are plentifully distributed in skeletal muscle, contributing to the regulation of contractile and relaxation. In the current study, respiratory functions, indices of diaphragmatic biomechanical functions ex vivo, as well as NO levels in serum, the expressions of diaphragmatic inducible NOS (iNOS) mRNA, and the effects of L-NNA on contractility of the diaphragm were observed in sepsis induced by cecal ligation and punc-ture (CLP) under the condition of restraint position. The results showed that in the CLP12-18 h rats, respiratory dysfunctions; indices of diaphragmatic biomechanical functions (Pt, +dT/dtmax, -dT/dtmax, CT, Po, force over the full range of the force-frequency relationship and fatigue resistance ) declined progressive-ly; the NO level in serum, and iNOS mRNA expression in the diaphragm increased progressively; force increased significantly at all stimulation frequencies after L-NNA pre-incubation. Restraint position 1 h in CLP12 h rats resulted in severe respiratory dysfunctions after relative stable respiratory functions, almost all the indices of diaphragmatic biomechanical functions declined further, whereas little change took place in NO level in serum and diaphragmatic iNOS mRNA expression; and the effects of L-NNA were lack of statistical significance compared with those of CLP12 h, but differed from CLP18 h group. These results suggest that restraint position and sepsis act together in a synergistic manner to aggravate the great reduction of diaphragmatic contractility via, at least in part, the negative modulation of NO, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of positional asphyxia.

[Objective] To study the influence on humoral immunity and ectopic endometrium by infusion of Bushen Tiaojing Decoction (BTD) with the Huoxue Sanjie Suppository (HSS) in anus. [Methods] One hundred and thirty SD rats were allocated to ten groups: normal control (A), model (B), normal dose of HSS (C), normal dose of BTD with HSS (D), 3 doses of BTD (E), 3 doses of BTD with HSS (F), 5 doses of BTD (G), 5 doses of HSS (H), 5 doses of BTD with HSS (I), and Danazol (J) groups. The endometriosis (EM) rats were modeled by endometrium implantation in all groups except those in Group A. Four weeks after the treatment, the contents of immunoglobulin (IgG、IgM、IgA), C_3, C_4 and ALT were tested, and histomorphomological analysis of the thymus, ovary, uterus, EM implants, liver and kidney were performed. [Results] Four weeks after EM implantation, the ectopic endometria were growing well, IgG and C_3 increased, but IgM decreased, and the uterus and ovary significantly enlarged. With the treatment of BTD and HSS or Danazol, the ectopic endometria were atrophied. In Groups F and G, IgG decreased; in Groups H and I, C_3 decreased, and uterus and ovary shrunk in Group I. Danazol can help to prolong the sexual cycle, while BTD and HSS can not. In all the medication groups, no obvious difference was found in ALT of the rats. [Conclusion] Oral administration of BTD with HSS can cause endometrial atrophy and improve humoral immunity in model rats.