0.05)between the images from the two groups.Conclusion When scanning the heart with volume CT(VCT),the application of ECG modulated mA can effectively reduce the exposure dosage without sacrificing the image quality.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of 64 multidetector-row CT angiography for internal carotid artery(ICA)stenosis and the application in the follow-up of carotid endarterectomy and percutaneous transluminal stenting.Methods Forty transient ischemie attack(TIA)patients with interpretable CTA and DSA of the cervical carotid arteries were selected from May 2005 to December 2005. This yielded a total of 80 vessels.The CTA curved planar reformations(CPR)and DSA images referenced to the distal cervical internal carotid were graded by two senior neuroradiologists blindly,according to the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial(NASCET)guidelines.The paired-t test was used to verify the statistical significant difference between pre-operating and post-operating of carotid endarterectomy or percutaneous transluminal stenting in measuring the vascular diameter and area of cross section using CTA.Results When the 70% stenosis was used as the cut-off value,the seasitivity,specificity,negative predictive value,and the positive predicting value were 97%,95%,95%,and 98%,respectively.There was statistically significant difference in measuring the vascular diameter(P

Suitable pretreatment of biological samples can truly reflect the role of law of the measured components played in the body and will provide experimental evidence for the studies on metabolic process, material basis of efficacy, mechanism of action, pharmacology, toxicology and the others. Biological samples include blood, urine, hair, tears, etc. There are also many samples processing methods, such as the direct protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction and solid phase extraction and so on. These methods could be used alone or combined.
Animals ; Body Fluids ; chemistry ; Chemical Precipitation ; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical ; methods ; Humans ; Liquid-Liquid Extraction ; Proteins ; isolation & purification ; Solid Phase Extraction

Animals ; Rats ; Specimen Handling ; methods ; Spinal Cord

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between injury time and the expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit VIc (COX6C) mRNA in skeletal muscle of rat after contusion. METHODS: A total of fifty-four SD rats were divided into the control group and the contusion groups (0.5, 1, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 h after contusion), randomly. The contusion model was established by free fall drop of gravity hammer. At corresponding time point after contusion, the regular histology was examined and expression level of COX6C mRNA was tested by real-time PCR after extraction of total RNA from the tissues. RESULTS: The main pathological features of 6 h after injury included edema and hemorrhage in myocytes with no inflammatory cells found. After 6 hours, the findings included myocyte degeneration and necrosis, inflammatory cells infiltration, and fibrous connective tissue proliferation in the contused zone. The expression level of COX6C mRNA was higher than that of the control group within 6 h after contusion. The expression level was lower than that of the control group from 6-36 h after contusion. CONCLUSION The level of COX6C mRNA expresses in a regular way after contusion. It may be useful for estimating wound age in combination with the results of pathological features.
Animals ; Contusions/metabolism* ; Electron Transport Complex IV/metabolism* ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDRepeated attacks of bronchial asthma lead to different degrees of airway remodeling, the mechanism of which is not yet clear. Some evidences indicate that it is related to the excessive expression of some growth promotion factors. Angiotensin II is a polypeptide that may be involved in airway remodeling. To evaluate its role in airway remodeling in asthma, we observed the effects of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist (valsartan) on the expression of collagen III, collagen V, and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA and protein in the airway walls of sensitized rats.

METHODSForty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group, sensitized group, and valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3. The rats in the sensitized group and in valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3 were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. Rats in control group were sensitized and challenged with 0.9% NaCl. Rats from valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3 were drenched with valsartan (10 microg, 20 microg, or 30 microg, respectively) at the time of the ovalbumin challenges. The expression of collagen III, collagen V, and TGF-beta1 protein were detected using immunohistochemical method in combination with image analysis methods. The expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe expression in the airways of collagen III and collagen V was significantly higher in rats from the sensitized group (7.73 +/- 0.81, 1.34 +/- 0.28) and from valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3 (5.73 +/- 0.64, 1.13 +/- 0.15; 4.96 +/- 0.51, 0.98 +/- 0.08; 4.43 +/- 0.35, 0.93 +/- 0.06, respectively) than those in the control group (2.65 +/- 0.38, 0.67 +/- 0.08, P < 0.05). In addition, collagen levels were significantly lower in valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3 than those from the sensitized group (P < 0.05). The expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein in the airways was significantly higher in rats from the sensitized group (20.49% +/- 3.46%, 29.73% +/- 3.25%) and from valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3 (16.47% +/- 1.94%, 19.41% +/- 1.87%; 14.38% +/- 1.58%, 18.29% +/- 1.43%; 12.96% +/- 1.73%, 18.63% +/- 1.11%, respectively) than that from the control group (7.84% +/- 1.61%, 5.63% +/- 1.07%, P < 0.05). TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly lower in valsartan groups 1, 2, and 3 than that in the sensitized group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAngiotensin II receptor antagonist valsartan can suppress synthesis of collagen III and collagen V by downregulating TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein expression. Valsartan can decrease airway remodeling and could play a role in asthma therapy.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; Animals ; Asthma ; physiopathology ; Bronchi ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; analysis ; Collagen Type V ; analysis ; Immunization ; Male ; Ovalbumin ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tetrazoles ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; analysis ; Valine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Valsartan

Objective To observe the sequence of fat deposit and its relationship with insulin resistance in SD rats fed by high fat diet.Methods Normal 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into normal chow (NC,n=40)and high fat diet(HF,n=40)groups.Triglyceride(TG)in serum,liver and muscle were measured;glucose infusion rate(GIR)and the mRNA level of genes related to lipid metabolism in liver and muscle were determined in different stages.GIR was detected by eugiyeemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp for evaluating the insulin sensitivity.Gene expression was determined by real-time PCR.Results(1)As compared with NC group,serum TG was not increased after high fat feeding for4 and 8 weeks,it began to increase after 12 weeks [0.52(0.15-1.00) mmol/L vs O.31(0.09-0.53)retool/L, P0.05)in skeletal muscle.After 8 weeks,the expression of ACC1 in liver in HF group was increased by 20.6%,CPT-1 was decreased by 27.1%(P

AIM:To investigate the effects of 1.8mm coaxial micro incision phacoemulsification on corneal endothelial injury and postoperative visual acuity.METHODS: Totally 145 eyes in 120 patients underwent phacoemulsification from July 2013 to July 2015 were randomly divided into observation group 60 cases (73 eyes) and control group 60 cases (72 eyes).The observation group 60 cases were given 1.8mm coaxial micro incision cataract phacoemulsification operation,while the control group were given traditional 3.2mm coaxial micro incision cataract surgery.The uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA),best corrected visual acuity (BCVA),corneal thickness of incision area,incision width,incision length,macular retinal thickness,surgically induced astigmatism,corneal endothelial cell counts and complications of the two groups were compared.RESULTS: The UCVA and BCVA on 1wk after surgery of the observation group were significantly higher than the control group (t=3.604,7.109;P<0.05);the width of incision on 1wk and 1mo after surgery of the observation group were significantly less than the control group (t=205.3,225.2;P<0.05).The length of incision in observation group was significantly greater than the control group (t=3.926,5.009;P<0.05).Macular retinal thickness 1wk after surgery of the observation group was significantly less than the control group (t=2.817,P<0.05).The surgically induced astigmatism was significantly less than the control group (t=19.43,22.16;P<0.01);the difference of corneal edema between the two groups was not significant (8.22% vs 11.11%) (x2=0.348,P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The 1.8mm micro incision phacoemulsification is helpful to improve the visual acuity of patients with cataract phacoemulsification,which may be related to the reduction of corneal cell injury,enhancement of corneal closure and decrease post-operation corneal original astigmatism.

Objective To explore the relationship between dynamic changes in ultra-micro-structural of pulmonary arteries and endogenous hydrogen sulfide in rats with left-right shunt.Methods Rats in shunt group were subjected to an abdominal aorta-inferior vena cava shunt to create an animal model of pulmonary artery structural remodeling. After 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 4 weeks and 8 weeks of experiment, the ultra-micro-morphologic changes of pulmonary arteries of rats were observed under electronic microscope and H_2S concentration in serum was evaluated by modified sulfide electrode method.Results The changes of ultra-micro-structure of pulmonary arteries were progressively exacerbated, endothelial cells became swollen and large in size on 3 days, smooth muscular cells increased in size as well as the change of endothelial cells in 1 week, and they changed from contractile phenotype to synthetic phenotype in 4 weeks.Conclusions Shunt exhibited changes of ultra-micro-structure of pulmonary arteries are accompanied by the changes of endogenous H_2S. It is suggested that endogenous H_2S might play a protective role in changes of ultra-micro-structure of pulmonary artery.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of cardiac involvement in children with mitochondriopathies.Methods The clinical data of 23 children with mitochondriopathies were reviewed.The changes of electrocardiography,echocardiography and heart enzymes were analyzed.Results In 15 cases of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy,lactic acidosis,and stroke-like episode(MELAS syndrome),electrocardiography was performed on 9 cases,6 of them showed abnormal electrocardiographic findings,including right bundle branch block,ST-T change,Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome,et al.On echocardiographic examination in 9 MELAS syndrome ca-ses,only 1 case showed hypertrophy cardiomyopathy.Six cases had increased plasma creatine kinaseMB(CK-MB) mass and only one of 12 MELAS syndrome cases had increased cardiac troponin I(cTnI) level.In 8 cases of subacute necrotizing encephalomyopathy(Leigh syndrome),electrocardiography was performed on 5 cases,4 of them showed abnormal electrocardiographic findings,including sinus tachycardia,ST-T change and low voltage.Two cases showed normal electrocardiography.Three out of 6 cases with Leigh syndrome showed increased plasma CK-MB mass.The molecular genetic examinations were performed in 13 cases of MELAS syndrome and 6 cases of Leigh syndrome.The mitochondrial DNA nt 3243 A→G mutation was found in white blood cells of 9 MELAS syndrome cases,the mutation rate being 37%-60%.The mitochondrial DNA nt 8993 T→C mutation was found in white blood cells of 2 Leigh syndrome cases.Conclusion In children with mitochondriopathies,myocardiac involvement is comparatively common,and even cardiomyopathy can occur.