Cerebral vasospasm is a common complication after subarachnoid hemorrhage, and its pathophysiological mechanism is poorly understood. A growing body of research suggests that free radicals play an important role in inducing cerebral vasospasm. In recent years, the research about free radical scavengers in the prevention and treatment of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage is continuing to increase, This article reviews the roles of many types of free radical scavengers in the prevention and treatment of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objective To study the relationship between the expression of ICAM-1,HLA-DR in the renal allograft of chronic rejection. Methods The expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-DR was assessed in 20 cadaveric renal allografts with chronic rejection using immunohistological techniqu(ABC method). Results In the renal allograft with chronic rejection,the expression of ICAM-1 was increased on the tubular epithelial cells and interstitial microvascullar endothelium,whereas the expression of HLA-DR was up-regulated,especially on the distal tubules. In addition, the expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-DR was associated with lymphcytes infiltration in the local perivascullar and intertubular structure. Conclusions It is suggested that the increased ICAM-1 and HLA-DR expressions might mediate allograft injury and have a role in the augmentation of the response,either in its induction,especially in the interstitial lymphocytes infiltration and antigen presenting or as a target for the effector arm of the reaction.

Objective: To observe the main pharmacodynamic effects of Yinaoning (YNN) on acute blood stasis rats and cerebral ischemia rats. Methods: Rats were prevented by the oral administration of YNN (0.4375～ 1.75g/kg once daily for 7 days. The acute blood stasis model and cerebral ischemaed model were used. Results: YNN could decrease the blood viscosity and plasma viscosity, shorten the length of in vitro thrombus, abate the wet and dry weights of thrombus in the acute blood stasis model group. It decreased the brain index significantly in the cerebral ischemia model group. The high dose of YNN could decrease the level of Evans blue obviously and reduce the degeneration of cranial nerve cells. These effects were similar to those of YNN Tablets and were dose dependent. Conclusion: YNN is effective for acute blood stasis rats and cerebral ischemaed rats.

Objective To express Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) E protein in Escherichia coli. Methods The gene coding for JEV E protein was amplified by using RT-PCR, and cloned into plasmid pET-28a. The constructed plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3). Expression of E protein by the transformants was induced by IPTG and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Results Five nucleotide changes leading to amino substitutions were identify in the E protein gene of our laboratory strain of JEV when compared to a published gene sequence of JEV E protein. The yield of expressed JEV E protein with relative molecular mass approximately 52?10 3 was 35% of total bacterial proteins. Conclusions JEV E protein was expressed successfully in E.coli, which should be useful for the production of diagnostic reagents and the analysis of gene structure/function of the E protein.

Objective To evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine on the development of perioperative cardiovascular events in elderly patients.Methods Forty-eight patients of both sexes,aged 65-85 yr,with body mass index of 19.5-25.3 kg/m2,of American Society Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅱ or Ⅲ,scheduled for elective abdomninal or lower limb surgery under general anesthesia,were divided into 2 groups (n =24 each) using a random number table:general anesthesia group (group G) and dexmedetomidine plus general anesthesia group (group D).In group D,dexmedetomidine was intravenously infused in a loading dose of 0.25 μg/kg over 10 min and then continuously infused at 0.2 μg · kg-1 · h-1 until 30 min before the end of surgery.The equal volume of normal saline was intravenously infused instead in group G.At 1 day before surgery and 1 and 2 days after surgery,dynamic electrocardiogram was used to monitor heart rate variability including standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals,standard deviation of the average 5-min normal-to-normal intervals,and root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent normal-to-normal intervals.The development of intraoperative cardiovascular events and requirement for vasoactive drugs were recorded,and the development of cardiovascular events within 2 days after surgery was also recorded.Results Compared with group G,standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals and standard deviation of the average 5-min normal-to-normal intervals at 1 and 2 days after surgery and root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent normal-to-normal intervals at 2 days after surgery were significantly increased,the total incidence of intraoperative cardiovascular events and requirement for vasoactive drugs were decreased,and the total incidence of cardiovascular events within 2 days after surgery was decreased in group D (P ＜0.05).Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can reduce the development of perioperative cardiovascular events in elderly patients.

AIM: To evaluate the influence of radiofrequency (RF) hyperthermia on immunity function in mice. METHODS: The expression pattern of T helper type 1 (Th1) and T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines in splenocyte culture supernatants, mainly the expression levels of IFN-?, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in splenocyte culture supernatants of mice in tumor-bearing group, surgical resection group, RF therapy group and normal control group were detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: IL-2 concentration in two weeks after RF therapy group was higher than that in two weeks after surgical resection and normal control groups (P0.05). CONCLUSION: RF hyperthermia may activate the transformation from Th2 to Th1 and facilitate the excretion of Th1 type cytokines that play an important role in the anti-tumor immunity.

BACKGROUND: Besides being a basic growth factor crucial to maintain and promote the development, differentiation and survival of the central nervous system, nerve growth factor(NGF) also plays an important role in the repair of injured peripheral nerves.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the muscular injection of NGF on the regeneration and functional recovery of rat sciatic nerve after crush injury.DESIGN: A randomized controlled pilot study in rats with repeated observation and measurement.SETTING: Center for new drug evaluation in a military medical university.MATERIALS: This study was performed in the Center for New Drug Evaluation, Department of Basic Medicine, Second Military Medical University during the period from July 1999 to March 2000, using 40 SD rats weighing 200 to 250 g(of either sex of half number) provided by the Sino-British SIPPR/BK Lab Aninal Ltd (Shanghai).METHODS: Forty rats were randomized into high-, mid- and low-dose NGF treatment groups, normal control group and model control group. The sciatic nerves were clamped at 6 nm distal to the sciatic notch to induce a 4-mm-wide area of crush injury. In the high-, mid-; and low-dose NGF groups, the rats were given NGF at 8, 4 and 2 μg/kg per day(corresponding to 1.6 × 10 3, 8 × 10 2 and 4 × 10 2 IU/kg per day) respectively via the muscular injection for 56 consecutive days.(NCVs) and sciatic function index(SFI) at different time points after the RESULTS: Compared with that of the model control group, the NCVs significantly increased in the high-dose NGF group 35 and 56 days after the injury,and in the mid-dose NGFgroup at 35 days(t=2.32-5.14, P ＜0.05-0.01 ). The SFIs significantly increased in all NGF-treated groups at 14 days ( t = 2. 29-6.28, P ＜ 0.05-0.01 ), with the recovery most conspicuous in high-dose NGF group; No significant difference in the SFIs was found between the NGF-treated groups on the 56th day. Morphological examination of the tissues identified no significant difference in the nerve myelin sheaths and axons in NGF-treated groups as compared with the normal control group,while in the model control group, myelin sheath dislocation with unclear microstructure was observed, accompanied by Schwann cell degeneration and necrosis.CONCLUSION: NGF promotes the repair of the damaged nerve myelin sheath and axon and stimulates nerve fiber regeneration and function recovery of the crushed rat sciatic nerves.

Objective To investigate the states of psychological condition and the quality of life in patients with functional constipation (FC) by comparing with those of healthy controls.Methods Symptom Checklist-90(SCL-90)and Patient Assessment Constipation-Quality of Life(PAC-QOL)were tested by self-report questionnaire in sixty patients with FC and thirty healthy controls with corresponding age and gender.Results (1)There was no difierence in age,body mass index and sex ratio between the FC patients and healthy controls,but the scores of stool form and frequency of defecation were significantly different between the two groups.(2)The following items of SCL-90 i.e.total scores,total symptomatic index.the number of positive items and positive symptom distress level were obviously higher in the FC patients than in controls (P＜0.05).The scores of the nine factors of SCL-90 except terror were also higher in the FC patients than in controls.(3)The average total score and scores of four sections (physical discomfort,psychological discomfort,anxiety,satisfaction) of PAC-QOL in FC patients were higher than those in basal level.(4)The average score of PAC-QOL was significantly correlated with the scores of SCL-90,especially in anxiety and depression.(5)The severity of symptoms in the FC patients was significantly correlated with the average score of PAC-QOL and the total score of SCL-90.Conclusioils FC patients have obviously psychological abnormality,which affects the quality of life significantly.The scores of quality of life is a better parameter to reflect the healthy status of the FC patients than the laboratory tests and the clinical symptoms.

Objective To investigate the sleep features in the patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and compare the sleep quality between those IBS patients who were with and without anxiety and depression.Methods Pittsburgh sleep quality index questionnaire (PSQI), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were measured in the 145 IBS patients and 59 regular physical examination volunteers.IBS patients were also divided into two subgroups-patients with or without anxiety and depression based on cutoff scores of SAS and SDS.Comparisons of sleep quality were made between subgroups, and between IBS patients and volunteer controls.Results Compared with the controls,the SAS raw score, SDS raw score and SAS positive incidence in IBS patients were shown statistically significant differences (P ＜ 0.05 ), while the SDS positive incidence had no statistically significant difference(P ＞ 0.05 ).PSQI total scores were significantly higher in the IBS patients without anxiety and depression (P ＜ 0.05), 3 domains (sleep quality, sleep disturbances and daytime function disorder) were also found statistically significant differences ( P ＜ 0.05 ), compared with the controls.The IBS patients with anxiety and depression were statistically significantly different from the controls ( P ＜ 0.05 ) in 6 domains (sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, sleep time and daytime function disorder) and significantly higher PSQI total scores( P ＜ 0.05 ).Statistically significant differences (P ＜0.05) were also found in all 7 domains and with higher PSQI total scores in IBS patients with anxiety and depression, compared with IBS patients without anxiety and depression.Conclusions IBS patients were more likely to have sleep abnormality, mainly in sleep quality, sleep disturbances and daytime function disorder and PSQI total scores.The abnormalities of these factors were independent of emotional disorder.However, emotional disorder worsened the sleep disorder in IBS patients.

Objective To investigate precise and regulable animal model of benign bile duct strictures.Methods Mini pigs were divided into four groups as sham surgery group, conventional surgery group, small caliber group and large caliber group according to random number table, with 6 pigs in each group.For the small caliber group, outside diameter 3.0mm catheter were inserted into bile duct and partial sutured.For the large caliber group, outside diameter 6.0mm catheter were inserted into bile duct and partial sutured.Conventional surgery group were treated with 5-0 absorbable suture on distal bile duct and controlled stricture severity visually.For sham surgery group, bile duct were exposed without suture.Observe the general condition of four groups.Test liver function on 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day postoperative.Perform cholangiography on 30th day postoperative.All four groups were put to death to observe the histological changes of liver and bile duct.Results Liver function of sham surgery group showed no obvious change during observation.On 28th day postoperative, compared to conventional surgery group, the liver enzymes ALT, AST, γ-GT, ALP, bilirubin level of small caliber group elevated(P<0.05)and the liver enzymes ALT, AST, γ-GT, bilirubin level of large caliber group elevated(P<0.05),while ALP level lowered(P<0.05).Cholangiography showed bile duct stenosis of different degree on 6 pigs of small caliber group with average diameter 2.7mm (from 2mm to 4mm).As for large caliber group, 5 pigs showed stenosis with average diameter 5.5mm (from 5mm to 7mm).3 pigs of conventional surgery group showed no obvious bile duct stenosis.The 6 pigs of sham surgery group showed no bile duct stenosis.According to designed stenosis standard, the success rate of small caliber group and large caliber group are both higher than conventional surgery group.(P<0.05).30 days after surgery, all 6 pigs of small caliber group had postoperative intraperitoneal adhesion, hepatomegaly, obvious expansion of intrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder expanded by 4~5 times.5 pigs of large caliber group had hepatomegaly, slight dilation of intrahepatic bile duct, obvious expansion of gallbladder, clear choledochal edema, sutured tissue thickening and visible bile duct stenosis.HE staining with the small caliber group showed hepatocyte spotty degenerative necrosis, expanded cholestatic intrahepatic small bile duct, swelling hepatocyte and fibrous septa.HE staining with the large caliber group showed intrahepatic small bile duct slightly expanded and hepatocyte arranged basically normal.VG staining with the small caliber group showed excessive accumulaton of collagen fibers outside bile duct mucous cells, randomly and densely arranged and irregularly shaped.VG staining with the large caliber group showed increased collagen fibers in bile duct submucosa, densely and banded arranged.Conclusion This animal model of mini pig is an relatively ideal large animal model of biliary stricture with high surgical success rate and few postoperative complications.