Child, Preschool ; Dexamethasone ; adverse effects ; Diaphragm ; drug effects ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male ; Spasm ; chemically induced

Objective To investigate the effects of mild hypothermia ( MH ) on the expression of my- eloperoxidase(MPO) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX 2) in rats after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (CIR). Methods Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into four control groups (n=6 in each) and four MH groups (n=6 in each).CIR models were established by suture occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery.The rats in the MH groups,but not in the control groups,were treated with MH.Rats were killed at 4 h,8 h,12 h and 16 h after CIR.MPO expression was measured,along with the expression of COX 2 as measured by Western blot- ting and immunohistochemical methods.Results Compared with the control groups,MPO activity and the COX 2 expression in the cortex and striatum were significantly lower in all the MH groups at 4 h,8 h,12 h and 16 h after CIR.Conclusion MH treatment can protect neurons by decreasing MPO activity and COX 2 expression,allevia- ting inflammation and reducing secondary injuries after CIR.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of infliximab (IFX) treatment in inducing and maintaining deep remission (DR) in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD).Methods From February 2012 to April 2014,the clinical data of 26 patients with moderate to severe CD received IFX treatment were retrospectively analyzed.Laboratory indexes (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),C-reactive protein (CRP),albumin),Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI),Crohn's disease simplified endoscopic score (SES-CD),rate of DR and side effects were observed before treatment,at week 14 and week 30.The t test was performed for normal distribution measurement data comparison between two groups.Wilcoxon signed rank test was performed for non normal distribution measurement data comparison between two groups.Chi square test and Fisher exact probability method were used for rate comparison.Results In 26 patients with CD,at week 14,the CDAI significantly decreased compared with that before treatment (225.0(124.0,265.0) vs 80.0(67.0,124.7),Z=-4.265,P＜0.01); ESR and CRP levels also significantly decreased while body mass index (BMI) and albumin levels increased.The rate of clinical remission,mucosal healing under endoscope and DR was 80.0 ％ (21/26),42.3 ％ (11/ 26) and 34.6％ (9/26),respectively.The rate of clinical remission was higher in patients with the disease course less than one year (92.3％ vs 69.2％,P=0.32).At week 30,the CDAI of patients significantly decreased compared with that before treatment (225.0(124.0,265.0) vs 81.5(67.0,111.0),Z=-4.877,P＜0.01); the ESR and CRP levels significantly decreased; while the BMI and albumin levels increased.The rate of clinical remission,mucosal healing under endoscope and DR was 88.5 ％ (23/26),57.7％(15/26) and 53.8％ (14/26),respectively.Rate of clinical remission was higher in patients with the disease course less than one year (100.0％ vs 76.9％,P=0.22).The differences in the rates of clinical remission,mucosal healing and DR between week 14 and week 30 were not statistically significant.Conclusion IFX could induce and maintain DR in patients with moderate to severe CD.

Objective To evaluate clinical remission in patients with small bowel Crohn's disease (SBCD) who have received infliximab(IFX) therapy and to evaluate capsule endoscopy combined with ileocolonoscopy for mucosal healing at 14th week of IFX therapy.Methods Clinical data of 23 SBCD patients who received IFX were retrospectively analyzed.Laboratory indices [routine blood tests,C-reactive protein (CRP)and albumin],Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI),Lewis score (LS),Crohn's disease simplified endoscopic score (SES-CD),side effects and complications were compared before IFX treatment and at 14th week of IFX therapy.Results In 23 SBCD patients,both CDAI and CRP levels significantly decreased (P＜0.01) while body mass index (BMI) and albumin levels increased at 14th week (P＜0.05),compared with those before treatment.The clinical remission rate at 14th week was 91.3％ (21/23).There were 8/23 (34.8％)SBCD patients achieving mucosal healing in small bowel,12/21 (57.1％) in terminal ileum and colon,and 7/21 (33.3％) in both small bowel and colon.Twelve patients achieved both clinical remission and biochemical remission at 14th week and all of them achieved mucosal healing in both terminal ileum and colon (SES-CD ≤ 2).However,there were 5 (41.7％) of them still with small bowel inflammation (LS＞ 135).Conclusion IFX plays a role in promoting clinical remission and mucosal healing in SBCD patients.Mucosal healing of CD patients in terminal ileum and other parts of small intestine are not synchronized.For CD patients with small bowel and colon involved,the evaluation of the whole gastrointestinal tract by capsule endoscopy combined with ileocolonoscopy is recommended on condition that they have no intestinal obstruction or severe stricture.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Salvianolate on myosin heavy chain (MHC) in cardiomyocytes of congestive heart failure (CHF) rats.

METHODSSixty male SD rats were divided into 6 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the normal control group (NCG), the model group, the Captopril group (CAG), the low dose Salvianolate group (LSG), the high dose Salvianolate group (HSG), the Captopril and high dose Salvianolate group (CSG), 10 in each group. CHF rat model was established with peritoneal injection of adriamycin in all rats except those in the NCG. Equal volume of normal saline was peritoneally injected to rats in the NCG, once per week for 6 successive weeks. Corresponding medication was started from the 5th week of injecting adriamycin. Rats in the CAG were administered with Captopril solution at the daily dose of 10 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Rats in the LSG and the HSG were administered with Salvianolate solution at the daily dose of 24.219 mg/kg and 48.438 mg/kg respectively by gastrogavage. Salvianolate was dissolved in 2 mL 5% glucose solution and administered by peritoneal injection. Rats in the CSG were peritoneally injected with high dose Salvianolate solution and administered with Captopril solution by gastrogavage. Two mL normal saline was peritoneally injected to rats in the model group, once per day for 8 successive weeks. Eight weeks later, the cardiac function and myocardial hypertrophy indices were detected by biological signal collecting and processing system. mRNA expression levels of alpha-MHC and beta-MHC in cardiac muscle were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Expressions of protein kinase C (PKC) in cardiac muscle were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, heart mass index (HMI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) obviously increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, HMI and LVMI decreased in HSG, CAG, and CSG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). It was more obviously lowered in the CSG group than in the CAG group (P < 0.05). Compared with the NCG, the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC in cardiac muscle decreased, the mRNA expression level of p-MHC and the expression of PKC in cardiac muscle increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC in cardiac muscle was increased, and the mRNA expression level of beta-MHC and the expression of PKC in cardiac muscle were decreased in HSG, CAG, and CSG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was statistical difference between the CSG group and the CAG group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSalvianolate could up-regulate the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC, and down-regulate the mRNA expression level of beta-MHC in cardiac muscle. Its mechanism might be related to decreasing the expression of PKC.

Animals ; Captopril ; Doxorubicin ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Heart Failure ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIM: To examine the expression of gap junction protein family genes, including thirteen independent genes, in normal human nasophryngeal epithelial tissue and to conjecture the possible roles of gap junction proteins in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: With synthesized primers, the expression of thirteen genes encoding different gap junction proteins in human normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissue were detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: In 18 samples of normal human nasopharyngeal epithelial tissue, 16 of them were found the expression of Cx 30, 31 1, 17 of them were found the expression of Cx 37 and Cx 43, and Cx 40 expression were detected in 15 samples. Also the expression of Cx 26, 31, 32, 36, 45, 46, 46 6, 50 were detected respectively in 10, 11, 9, 1, 9, 0, 1,3 samples of the 18 cases. CONCLUSION: In normal human nasopharyngeal tissue, Cx 30, 31, 31 1,37, 40, 43 might be the key gap junction proteins.

AIM To fit the moisture adsorption models for Astragali Radix aqueous extract.METHODS For the aqueous extract prepared by decocting,the moisture adsorption kinetics curve and adsorption/desorption isotherms were drawn by gravimetry,and then the data on moisture adsorption were fitted.The fitted models were optimized according to evaluation indices of root mean square error (RMSE),residual sum of squares (RSS) and coefficient of determination (R2).RESULTS The double exponential model for moisture adsorption kinetics curve and Peleg model for adsorption/desorption isotherms were considered as the two best models with regard to their fitting effects (R2 values were the closest to 1,RMSE and RSS values were the closest to 0).Among them,various adsorption/desorption isotherms all belonged to type Ⅱ ("S" isotherm),while the higher equilibrium moisture content of desorption isotherm than that of adsorption isotherm contributed to obvious type H3 hysteresis phenomenon.CONCLUSION Double exponential model and Peleg model can well fit the moisture adsorption kinetics curve and adsorption/desorption isotherms of Astragali Radix aqueous extract,respectively.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

METHODSFasting plasma ox-LDL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and plasma LDL was measured by biochemical autoanalyser in 31 patients with coronary artery spasm (CAS group, chest pain with positive acetylcholine provocation test but without significant coronary artery stenosis), 35 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP group) and 24 healthy persons (control group).

RESULTSPlasma LDL levels were similar between CAS and SAP groups but significantly higher than that in control group. Plasma ox-LDL levels significantly increased in proportion to coronary lesion severities [SAP (575 +/- 219 microg/L) > CAS (299 +/- 117 microg/L) > control (218 +/- 35 microg/L)]. In SAP group, plasma ox-LDL level was also significantly higher in multi-vessel disease group than that in single-vessel disease group (672 +/- 92 vs. 462 +/- 72 microg/L, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPlasma ox-LDL but not LDL level is significantly correlated to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and should therefore be the focused therapy target in patients with coronary artery disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Angina Pectoris ; blood ; classification ; Coronary Vasospasm ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of porcine relaxin(pRLX) on NO production of human microvascular endothelial cells(HMVECs) and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODSiNOS and cNOS expression of HMVECs with or without pRLX were detected using western blotting. NO production of HMVECs with pRLX at different concentration or different time were determined by method of Griess. NO production of pRLX of HMVECs plus Non-selective NOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA), selective iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine(AG) or nuclear factors-kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC) were also analysed.

RESULTSpRLX promoted iNOS protein expression of HMVECs, but not cNOS protein expression. NO production of HMVECs was promoted by pRLX on concentration-dependent pattern instead of time-dependent one. AG, L-NMMA and PDTC were showed to block the effect of pRLX on NO production of HMVECs.

CONCLUSIONpRLX promote iNOS expression and NO production of HMVECs.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; blood supply ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; biosynthesis ; Relaxin ; pharmacology ; Swine ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of transrectal real-time tissue elastography (TRTE) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSEighty-four patients with suspected PCa and scheduled for prostate biopsies underwent TRTE, digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The findings of TRTE were compared with those of other examinations and pathological findings.

RESULTSOf these 84 patients, 36 had benign lesions and 48 had PCa. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 91.7%, 72.2%, 83.3%, 81.5%, and 86.7% for TRTE and 85.4%ì63.9%ì76.2%, 75.9%, and 76.7% for TRUS (P>0.05), while its specificity (72.2%) was significantly higher than that of MRI (44.4%) (P=0.03). The TRTE findings were not significantly correlated with the pathological findings and serum total prostate specific antigen (P>0.05), and the diagnostic sensitivity of TRTE decreased along with the enlargement of prostate. However, the diagnostic specificity of TRTE was higher than MRI for nodules with soft to medium texture (P=0.04).For PCa, the diagnostic sensitivity of TRTE increased when the Gleanson scores of tumors increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTRTE can be used as a diagnostic test to supplement clinical diagnosis of PCa.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity