Objective To analyze the influence of atrial fibrillation(AF) on N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide(NT‐proB‐NP) for the assist diagnosis of acute heart failure(AHF) .Methods Totally 457 inpatients with suspected AHF due to acute dysp‐nea and conducting blood NT‐proBNP detection and electrocardiogram(ECG) within 24 h of admission were collected and devided into groups according to whether AHF was diagnosed and complicated with AF identified by ECG on admission ,that was AHF +AF group ,AHF + non AF group ,non AHF + AF group ,non AHF + non AF group .The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was adopted to evaluate the value of NT‐proBNP for diagnosing AHF .Results Among 457 cases ,194 cases (42 .5% ) were diagnosed as AHF and 140 cases (42 .5% ) as AF .The NT‐proBNP level in the AF group was significantly higher than that in the non AF group (4 482 .0 pg/mL vs .1 302 .0 pg/mL ,P < 0 .01) .The NT‐proBNP level had no statistical difference between the AHF + AF group and the AHF + non AF group AF(6 580 .0 pg/mL vs .6 769 .0 pg/mL ,P> 0 .05) .The NT‐proBNP level in the non AHF + AF group was significantly increased compared with the non AHF + non AF group (403 .3 pg/mL vs .2 892 .0 pg/mL ,P< 0 .01) .The area under the curve(AUC) of NT‐proBNP for diagnosing AHF in the AF group and the non AF group was 0 .759(95% CI :0 .677 - 0 .841 ,P < 0 .01) and 0 .931(95% CI :0 .903 - 0 .985 ,P < 0 .01) .Conclusion The NT‐proBNP level in AF patients without AHF is significantly increased ,which might affect the value of NT‐proBNP in the diagnosis of AHF .In the clinical applica‐tion ,whether the patient has AF cardiac rhythm should be paid attention to for better interpretating the detection result of NT‐proBNP .

Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs), which can be introduced in brain tissue by the strategies of brain parenchyma, blood and neurolymph transplantation, to repair tissue injury and promote functional recovery of neural system, have been considered as the ideal seed cells for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. However, as the special structure exists in the blood-brain barrier, study on correlation between MSCs and blood-brain barrier permeability will make it possible for more MSCs to pass the barrier to perform the treatment. This paper gives a review on the latest research development in the field.

Objective To evaluate the effect of ultra-low dose naloxone on postoperative hyperalgesia caused by large-dose remifentanil.Methods Forty ASA Ⅰ-Ⅲ adult patients,scheduled for gastrointestinal surgery,were randomly assigned into 2 groups (n =20 each):large dose remifentail group (group R) and ultra-low dose naloxone group (group N).Anesthesia was induced with iv injection of remifentanil,propofol and cisatracurium and maintained with inhalation of sevoflurane and infusion of remifentanil.The patients were tracheal intubated and mechanically ventilated.In group R,remifentanil was infused at a rate of 0.25 μg· kg-1 · min-1 starting from the beginning of skin incision.The infusion rate was adjusted according to hemodynamics during operation and subsequently increased/decreased by 0.05 μg· kg-1· min-1 each time.In group N,naloxone was infused at 0.1 μg·kg-1· h-1 while infusing remifentanil,naloxone infusion was stopped at the beginning of peritoneum closure and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group R.All patients were sent to post-anesthesia care unit after surgery and stayed there for 90 min.Morphine was given when need.The patient-controlled intravenous analgesia was used for postoperative analgesia after leaving post-anesthesia care unit.The first pain time was calculated.The morphine consumption and complications such as nausea,vomiting and pruritus were recorded at 15,30,60 and 90 min and 2,6,24,48 and 72 h after surgery.Results Compared with group R,the morphine consumption was significantly reduced at each time point after surgery,the first pain time was prolonged,and incidence of nausea was decreased (P ＜ 0.05),while no significant change was found in the incidence of vomiting and prutirus in group N (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Infusing ultra-low dose naloxone (0.1μg· kg-1 ·h-1) during operation can attenuate postoperative hyperalgesia caused by large-dose remifentanil in patients.

Objective To analyze the usual death causes of cardiovascular disease and the differences in gender and age .Methods By adopting the retrospective study method ,the clinical data of death cases in cardiovascular disease were collected and analyze on the situation suffering from cardiovascular disease ,direct death causes ,gender and age difference .Results (1) among 181 cases of cardiovascular disease death ,coronary heart disease(115/181 ,64% ) and hypertension(96/181 ,53% ) were the most common dis-ease ,lung infection(104/181 ,57% ) was the most common complication ;(2)There was no significant difference in the situation suf-fering from basic diseases between male and female(P>0 .05);(3)The basic diseases in cardiovascular death cases aged over 60 years old were dominated by coronary heart disease and hypertension ;the proportion of complicating pulmonary infection was grad-ually increased with age increase ;(4) in the direct death causes ,the top 3 places were sudden cardiac death (44/181 ,24 .3% ) ,multi-ple organ dysfunction syndrome(24/181 ,13 .3% ) and cardiogenic shock(24/181 ,13 .3% ) .Conclusion Strengthening the manage-ment of diagnosis and treatment on elderly patients with coronary heart disease ,hypertension ,especially those complicating diabe-tes ,strengthening the treatment intervention of lung infection in cardiovascular disease population and conducting the emphasis pro-tection on the target organ function may reduce the mortality of cardiovascular inpatients .

Objective To summarize extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with cardiac arrest,and to evaluate the clinical efficacy comparing with literature review.Methods 5 patients of AMI with cardiac arrest who proved invalid to conventional cardio-pulmonaryresuscitation (CPR),were successfully resuscitated with ECMO support,and underwent emergency PCI with stable hemodynamic status.Results In support of ECMO,4 patients were successfully resuscitated with stable hemodynamic status,and underwent primary PCI.The duration of ECMO support ranged from 42 to 220 h (average 126.6 h).3 patients discharged with full recovery,one patient didn't wean from ECMO successfully,and one died of respiratory failure.Conclusion Although mortality of AMI with cardiac arrest is high,early ECMO-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation and secondary PCI treatment increase the possibility of cardiac recovery,and provide conditions for emergency revascularization treatment.This reduces mortality in critical patients with AMI,and is an effective short term life support method.

BACKGROUND:COX-2 gene actual y exists in the joint fibroblast-like synoviocytes, it affects osteoarthritis occurrence and development. Understanding the differences of COX-2 gene expression levels at different stages of osteoarthritis synoviocytes has important theoretical significance for the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis, as wel as the role of synoviocytes in this process.
OBJECTIVE:To analyze the difference of COX-2 mRNA at different stages of osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.
METHODS:Synovial membrane from 44 osteoarthritis patients and 12 normal cases were selected. Primary cells were cultured to passage 4 fibroblast-like synoviocytes for the use in the experiment. COX-2 mRNA expression in osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes and normal fibroblast-like synoviocytes was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. The relative quantitative analysis was performed using 2-ΔΔCt method.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Expression of COX-2 mRNA in osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes was significantly higher than that in normal fibroblast-like synoviocytes (P<0.05). The expression levels reached a peak at early osteoarthritis group, with significant differences compared with middle and late osteoarthritis groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between middle and later osteoarthritis groups (P>0.05). COX-2 mRNA might be important biological marker for the inflammation in osteoarthritis, and mainly plays a role in early osteoarthritis stage.

Objective To evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Baihui (DU 20) and Dazhui (Bill) points on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) around the area of cerebral infarction and evaluate the relation between learning and memory ability and BDNF. Methods Forty-eight male adult Wistar rats were divided randomly and equally into EA and control groups. The EA group was sub-divided into 1 week, 2 weeks and 3weeks sub-groups. EA was started 24 h after establishing a model of ischemic brain injury and continued for one, two or three weeks. The control group was reared conventionally and was not given any treatment. Morris' water maze test was used to evaluate the rats' learning and memory ability. The expression of BDNF in the CA3 region of the hippo campus was detected using immunohistochemical techniques. Results Learning and memory in the EA groups were better than in the control group, and spatial probe ability was also significantly better. Positive expression of BDNF was detected in the hippocampal CA3 region of the EA group rats, and it was significantly greater than that in the control group. Conclusion Learning and memory after cerebral infarction can be affected by EA at the Baihui and Dazhui points. The effect might be related with increased BDNF expression in the hippocampal CA3 region.

Chemical investigation was carried out to study the alkaloids from stems of Nelumbo nucifera and their cytotoxic activities. The constituents were separated by column chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analyses. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities by MTr method. Fifteen compounds were isolated from the total alkaloids extract and identified as asimilobine (1), isococlaurine (2), N-acetylnorarmepavine (3), crykonisine (4), velucryptine (5), pycnarrhine (6), liriodenine (7), nuciferine (8), nornuciferine (9), armepavine (10), N-methylasimilobine (11), coclaurine (12), N-norarmepavine (13), N-methylcoclaurine (14) and lysicamine (15). Compounds 1-7 and 12-15 were isolated from stems of this plant for the first time, and compounds 2-6 were firstly isolated from the family Nelumbonaceae. Compounds 7-10, 13 and 14 showed significant cytotoxic activities against HL-60 carcinoma cell line with inhibitory ratios of 51.36%, 59.09%, 52.51%, 53.93%, 51.43%, and 64.31% at concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), respectively.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Nelumbo ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate immunogenicity of the recombinant protein GST-p55/570 of Pneumocystis carinii.Methods The fusion protein GST-p55/570 was expressed from the prokaryotic expression plasmid pGEX-570,and purified by using glutathione-agarose.The expressed product was analyzed by SDS-PAGE.Thirty-three mice were randomly divided into three groups,immunized with GST-p55/570,GST and PBS,respectively.Each group was immunized for four times at 2 week intervals.At the 7th day after final immunization,spleen was removed to obtain single cell suspension.Proliferation ability of lymphocytes was determined by MTT.Serum samples were collected at pre-immunizaton and two weeks after each immunization.Antibody level in sera of mice was determined by ELISA.The immune response to the recombinant GST-p55/570 recognized by sera of immunized mice was examined by Western blotting.Results The expressed fusion protein GST-p55/570 showed a Mr 47 000.Compared with GST group(1.134 5?0.073 5) or PBS group(1.124 8?0.041 6),a higher stimulation index(2.063 0?0.160 2) was revealed in GST-p55/570-immunized mice(P

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of nardosinone (Nar) on neuronal injury induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in primary cortical cultures isolated from embryos at gestational day 14. MTT method was used to determine the dosage regimen of Nar in primary neuronal cultures and observe the influence of Nar on the neurons suffering OGD; Western blotting analysis was used to detect expressions of protein kinase A (PKA), Ras related protein 1 (Rap1), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) of OGD-injured or uninjured primary cultured neurons after Nar treatment. Results showed that Nar (50 and 100 micromol x L(-1)) improved the cell viability during OGD damage (P < 0.01) and increased the expression of PKA, Rap1, MEK1 and p-ERK1/2 in injured neurons. Additionally, elevations of PKA, Rapl, MEK1 and p-ERK1/2 in uninjured neurons were caused by Nar (50, 100 and 200 micromol x L(-1)) with a dose-dependent tenclency as well (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Nar could protect against the neuronal injury exposed to OGD, which may be relevant to the promotion of PKA and ERK signaling pathway.