ObjectiveIn this paper a new application of LABVIEW in neural electrophysiological simulation was applied to simulate axonal excitability.MethodsA variety of axonal excitability of the squid giant axon was modeled with LABVIEW,including action potential threshold,refractoriness,temporal summation,anode break excitation,repetitive firing and conduction velocity.ResultsThe LABVIEW program accurately described the permeability changes of Na+ and K+ and their effects on the action potential,and the membrane excitability had been well predicted.ConclusionThe graphical programming language of LABVIEW allows the user to complete the programming by dragging and dropping icons and connecting wires,the users can quickly and easily construct their own biological research systems.

ObjectiveOptic nerve stimulation with penetrating electrode.is a new method for developing visual prosthesis.A simulation system was developed with computer software MATLAB to investigate its mechanism.MethodsVolume conductor model of optic nerve and optic nerve fiber model were developed.With the stimulation of monopolar penetrating electrode,the excitation thresholds of fibers at different depth were calculated.The activating function and activation region were employed to characterize the external stimulation effect.The impact of different parameters on stimulation effects were explored by changing the fiber diameter and the stimulation pulse width.Results Excitation thresholds increased as well as the percentage of activated fibers with the increase of electrode-fiber distance.Excitation threshold of the same depth fiber decreased as the fiber diameter increased,and the longer the electrode-fiber distance was,the more significant the drop was.Excitation threshold of the same depth fiber decreased as the pulse width of monophasic rectangle wave increased.The excitation threshold of the fiber at the same depth hardly changed for pulse durations greater than 0.5 ms.ConclusionThe simulation results indicates that optical nerve stimulation can be realized with penetratingelectrode,and different stimulation parameters can produce different activation effects.The present results providetheoretical guidance for the design of experiments.

Objective：To study the toxicity mechanism(s) of ifosfamide(Ifo) in suspending cultured rat hepatocytes.Methods：Hepatocytes of adult rat were isolated using two-step perfusion method and cultured suspendingly. Cell viability,intracellular enzyme leakage, contents of sulfhydryl groups and MDA contents of hepatocytes were examined 3 hours after ifosfamide was administered at 5,10,20 mmol/L. Surface and ultrastructure of hepatocytes were also observed. Results：Cell viability and TSH,NPSH,PSH contents of hepatocytes significantly declined, and LDH,AST activities in media increased due to the leakage of intracellular enzymes. The decrease in PSH content was ascribed to depletion of TSH. The higher the dose was, the more serious these changes became. However, MDA contents of the hepatocytes were not found increased at any ifo dose groups. In pathological examination, “bulla" formation was found on the surface of the hepatocytes, deformation，swelling even vacuolation of mitochondria and dilation of rough，smooth endoplasmic reticulum were also observed. Conclusions：Ifo has toxic effect on suspending cultured rat hepatocytes. The decrease in sulfhydryl groups contributes to the hepatotoxicity induced by Ifo.

Objective To explore the significance of nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B)activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)during acute Kawasaki disease(KD).Methods Peripheral blood was collected from children with acute KD(n=30)and healthy age-matched children(n=20).PBMC were cultured in vitro and divided into 3 groups:naturally cultured blank control group,protein kinase C(PKC)activator stimulated phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA)group and PMA plus NF-?B inhibitor treated PMA plus pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC)group.Percentages of NF-?B activation were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results Under natural culturing,the percentage of cells with activated NF-?B was significantly higher in acute KD blank control group than that in healthy blank control group.The percentage of cells with activated NF-?B was significantly higher in acute KD PMA group than that in acute KD blank group and that in normal control PMA group,respectively(Pa0.05).Conclusions NF-?B activation in PBMC during acute KD is markedly increased,which suggests that NF-?B activation plays an important role in the formation of vasulitis and CAL in this disease.NF-?B activation in PBMCs in children with KD is regulated by the PKC signaling pathway and PDTC obviously inhibits the activation of NF-?B.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2009,24(1):35-37

Leaves of Chrysanthemum morifolium were potential medicinal resource. The present study aims to estimate the main bioactive components: total flavonoids (TF), galuteolin (GA), quercitrin (QU), chlorogenic acid (CA) and 3 ,5-O-caffeoylquinic acid ( CQ), which were considered to be the main effective components, in leaves of C. morfolium cultivars in China. The TF content was estimated hy UV-VIS spectrophotometry, while GA, QU, CA, and CQ were quantitatively determined by HPLC. The highest TF content (7. 13% w/w) was found in cultivar Wan Cong (Shexian county). Cultivar Da Bo ( Bozhou county) had the highest GA content (33. 45 mg - g-1); Cultivar Hong Xin (Sheyang county) contained the highest QU content (29.25 mg · g(-1)); Cultivar Chang Ban (Sheyang county) had the highest CA content (13.14 mg ·(-1)). The maximum CQ content (7.35 mg · g(-1)) was observed in culti- r Da Yang ( Tongxiang county). Different cultivars of C. morfolium had significant difference in components, but the leaf and capitulum of C. morifolium. were found to possess similar chemical compositions. The high content of bioactive components in several cultivars suggested the potential utilization of C. morifolium leaves.
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the open surgery as well as the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in octogenarians.

METHODSTwenty AAA cases aging from 80 to 90 in the past six years were reviewed. Open surgery on 12 patients and endovascular repair on the other 8 ones were performed.

RESULTSDuring peri-operation, there were 2 mortality from the surgical group among all 20 cases. The endovascular group underwent significantly better operational procedure and complication situation than the surgical one. Eighteen cases were followed up for 3-69 months (average months) except for 2 patients of surgical group. Both group suffered 2 late mortality. The accumulated survival rate were 6/10 in the surgical group and 6/8 in the endovascular group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSurgical treatment in applicable for octogenarians with AAA. The endovascular repair was preferable to suitable cases.

Aged, 80 and over ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; mortality ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; mortality ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; methods ; mortality

Adolescent ; Child ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Siblings ; Transplantation, Homologous ; immunology ; Treatment Outcome

To ascertain current situation of wild Marsdenia tenacissima resources in Honghe, Yunnan province, the distribution, habitat characteristic and resources reserves of M. tenacissima were surveyed based on interviews and investigation. The results showed that M. tenacissima was found in 7 counties such as Jinping, Mengzi etc, and distributed mainly on the mountainsides from 800 m to 1 200 m. And distribution was affected by many factors, such as light, heat, topography, soil, and vegetation. M. tenacissima grew well in distribution areas. M. tenacissima had averagely a weight of 2.8 kg per plant. Resources reserve of M. tenacissima in Honghe was estimated to 1 300 tons by now but it reduced rapidly in resent years, the wild resources reserve may not meet demand of market. Resources protection and wildlife tending would be conducted to deal with increasing medication requirements.
China ; Ecosystem ; Marsdenia ; classification ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; growth & development ; Soil ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of interventional MRI in radiofrequency ablation (RFA)of breast cancer.Methods 12 patients with breast carcinoma proven by core-needle biopsy-were enrolled in this study.Among them, 7 patients were in phase Ⅳ(6 with lung metastasis, 1 with bone metastasis),and 5 patients were in phase Ⅲ(all of them rejected the surgical operation because of various contraindications,including severe hypertension,diabetes mellitus,liver or kidney dysfunction,and advanced age).Moreover, all of the tumor size could not be further shrunk after medical treatment (such as 4-6 cycles chemotherapy, endocrine therapy or targeted therapy).Additionally,breast lesions were still remained to be confirmed by imaging examination and biopsy pathology.Then the tumor and surrounding breast tissue were ablated with radiofrequency,followed by clinical follow-up and imaging examination after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.Results All the patients completed 18 times RFA treatment.MRI showed that all the tumor lesions were necrotic, blood supply was disappeared and therewas no enhancement.Radiographic examination showed the original breast lesions were fuzzy or disappeared.All the tumors were achieved complete remission (CR) examined by imaging,and the effective rate was 100%.All the postoperative patients survived 1 year according to the follow-up data.Conclusion Interventional MRI is safe and effective method in the radiofrequency ablation of breast cancer.

Adult ; Humans ; Lateral Ventricles ; pathology ; Male ; Neurocytoma ; pathology