The structure of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber was introduced, and the application of automatic control system to the chamber was discussed from the aspects of the function and information system. The automatic control system can be used for monitoring and control of equipment condition, operation flow and performance data during hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which enhances the efficiency and safety of hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

Objective To evaluate the diagnosis of proximal vas deferens and epididymis with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in healthy adult canines. Methods Six healthy male adult dogs were dissected to expose unilateral vas deferens. CEUS was performed after injecting ultrasound contrast agents into vas deferens by catheter. X ray angiography was taken after injecting compound meglumine diatrizoate. The image features of CEUS and X ray angiography were displayed by CEUS. Results Under CEUS, inguinal segment of proximal vas deferens were straight and symmetrical in diameter, scrotal segment of vas deferens were tortuous,and the tail of epididymis were speckled which enhanced shaped as a comma. The inguinal and scrotal segment of vas deferens section was display well by X-ray angiography.Conclusions CEUS is a new method in proximal vas deferens and tail of epididymis examination. It can provide guidance for the disease diagnosis of seminal vesicle and ductal system.

Objective To explore the effects on dogs' testis by microbubbles excitated by ultrasound.Methods Sixteen male dogs were divided into 3 groups randomly.Pulsed ultrasound irradiation and intravenous microbubbles injection were both applied in the microbubble enhanced ultrasound group (MEUS),pulsed ultrasound irradiation and intravenous microbubbles injection were individually applied in the ultrasound group (TUS) and the simple microbubbles group (MB).Results In MEUS group,the layers of seminiferous tubules decreased and the germ cells were arranged disorderly and bubbles appeared in the cells.The appearances of focal ultra-structural damage such as intercellular space widening,baseline broken and tight-connection of sustentacular cells disappearing were observed by transmission electron microscope,which were slightly or hardly demonstrated in other groups.Conclusions Microbubbles excitated by ultrasound can affect testicular germ cells and the integrity of bloold-testis harrier,which providing new train of thought of target treatments of testis diseases.

ObjectiveTo investigate the haemostatic effect of combining pulsed therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) and microbubble (MB) on splenic trauma.MethodsForteen healthy dogs were divided into 3 groups.Six animals were treated by microbubble-enhanced therapeutic ultrasound (MEUS),the other eight animals were treated with TUS only ( n =4) and the MB only ( n =4) served aS the controls.The spleens of all animals were surgically exposed and a 20 mm long,5 mm deep incision was created on the spleens using scalpel.Human prothrombin complex (HPC) was slowly injected prior to the treatment.During the procedure,the initial bleeding rate and the bleeding rate after the treatment were calculated using gauze weighing.Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed to assess the blocking effects of splenic circulation.The targeted spleens were harvested for pathological examination.ResultsThere were no differences in initial bleeding rate before treatment.After treatment,in the MEUS group oozed blood was found and the bleeding rate were lower than that of the TUS and the MB groups ( P ＜0.05).A nonenhanced or perfusion defect region was formed within the treated area.The histological results showed splenic sinus hyperemia,platelet aggregation and intravascular thrombosis.Conclusions Microbubbles enhanced pulsed therapeutic ultrasound can arrest the regional blood circulation of spleen by disrupting the microvasculature and this can be used in splenic heamostasis for treating spleen trauma.

Purpose To explore the significance of stomach full acoustic imaging in the diagnosis of congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (CHPS). Materials and Methods 44 cases of CHPS children underwent gastrointestinal filling acoustic contrast imaging, diameter and mucous layer thickness of the front and rear walls of the pyloric tube were measured, the contrast agent flow between the pyloric lumen gaps was observed. Results With the backdrop of the ultrasound contrast agent, delicate structure of the stomach and pyloric mucosa could be more clearly observed, it was shown that muscular layer in the middle of pyloric tube was thickest and mucosal layer edema and thickening was more obvious near the antrum;internal diameter of pyloric tube was (1.95±0.35) mm;first pass time of the contrast agent through the pyloric tube:within 5 min in 16 cases, 5-10 min in 19 cases, while clear pass through still could not be observed by 20 minutes in 9 cases;during the 20 minutes observation, contrast agent passed through the pyloric tube for 5 times or more in 13 cases, 1 to 5 times in 22 cases, while 9 cases showed no obvious pass. Conclusion Stomach full acoustic imaging enables clearly and detailed observation of the structural characteristics of the pyloric tube and hydrodynamic manifestation of the stomach liquid when passing through the tube, thus is significantly important for surgical treatment and efficacy evaluation.

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI/CLA-1) are the key proteins in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). The high expression of ABCA1 and SR-BI/CLA-1 can decrease the danger of atherosclerosis. The purpose of the study is to find ABCA1 and CLA-1up-regulators for treating atherosclerosis by using cell-based high throughput screening models. Among 20 000 compounds screened, E0869 [1-(3, 4-dimethylphenyl)-1-oxopropan-2-yll4-((methylsulfonyl)methyl)benzoate] was found as the positive hit. The up-regulated activities of E0869 in ABCAl1-LUC and bCA-l1-LUC HepG2 cell were 160% and 175%, respectively. The EC50 values of E0869 in ABCAl1-LUC and CLA-l1-LUC HepG2 cell were 3.79 and 1.42 pμol- x ,(-1) respectively. E0869 could upregulate the mRNA and protein levels of ABCA1, SR-BI/CLA-1 and ABCGJ1genes in HepG2 and RAW264.7 cells by Real-Time Quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis, but could not influence the expression of FAS, SREBP-l1 and CD36. Foam cell assay showed that E0869 could inhibit lipids accumulation in mouse peritoneal macrophages RAW264.7. Cholesterol efflux assay showed that E0869 could induce HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux in mouse peritoneal macrophages RAW264.7. In conclusion, E0869 could up-regulate ABCA1 and CLA-1 activity, and had good anti-atherosclerotic activity in vitro.

Objective To investigate early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia (VD)using FDG-PET scan. Methods Clinical data was collected from AD,VD and normal control(NC). 18F-2-fluo-ro-deoxy-D-glucose(18F-FDG)PET scan was conducted to detect the cerebral FDG metabolism. The average standard uptake value (SUV) of cerebral regions was expressed as semiquantitative index relative to ipsilateral cerebellum. Re-sults There were no differences in age and the mean total scores of the mini mental status examination (MMSE) between patients with VD and those with AD.The AD group showed that the SUV was significantly decreased in the right frontal, parietal,temporal lobe,hippocampus,temporo-parietal junction,and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex compared to the VD and in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex,temporo-parietal junction,frontal and temporal lobe comparing to the NC(P≤0.01). SUV was significantly increased in the right parietal,posterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus whereas was significantly decreased in the left frontal lobe,temporo-parietal junction and thalamus in the VD compared with NC group(P≤0.01). Conclusion AD patients have typical features of 18F-FDG PET which may be helpful for the diagnosis of AD in the early stage.

Objectives To study the correlations between stroke-preventive knowledge,health belief and health behaviors in community hypertensive patients.Methods The questionnaire of SPKQ,CHBMS and HPLPⅡwere used to take the investigation among 94 hypertensive patients from a community hospital in Guangzhou.Results The total score on SPKQ was 62.70±18.39 and the average scores on CHBMS and HPLPⅡwere 3.51±0.24 and 2.48±0.37,respectively.The stroke-preventive knowledge was positively correlated with health belief,health motivation and self-efficacy(r=0.289,P<0.01;r=0.246,P<0.05;r=0.350 (P<0.01,respectively).The health motivation was positively correlated with health behaviors(r=0.304,P<0.01)and the seriousness negatively correlated with health behaviors(r=-0.279,P<0.01).Conclusion Medical staff should provide much more stroke education with community hypertensive patients and promote patients’health motivation and self-efficacy of health belief in stroke prevention,help patients understand stroke seriousness,establish and sustain healthy lifestyles.

In the previous study, a high-throughput screening method was established to find the antagonists of CD36. In the present study, a new compound named IMB-1680 was found using this method. The anti-atherosclerotic activities of IMB-1680 were then evaluated. Dose-dependent activities of IMB-1680 were detected by using Sf9 [hCD36] and CHO [hCD36] models. Fluorescence microscopic photography and flow cytometry were used to analyze uptake of mLDL. Foam cell test with RAW264.7 macrophages was used to examine lipid accumulation. The results showed that IMB-1680 inhibited CD36 activity with IC50 of 2.80 and 8.79 micromol x L(-1) in Sf9[hCD36] and CHO [hCD36] cells, respectively. Fluorescence microscopic photography and flow cytometry revealed that IMB-1680 could significantly reduce DiI-AcLDL uptake. Meanwhile, IMB-1680 also could reduce lipids accumulation in RAW264.7 macrophages. In all, the data indicated that IMB-1680 might be a potent effective anti-atherosclerotic leading compound.

Objective To evaluate the effect of a vasoactive substance urotensin Ⅱ on the expression of type Ⅰ collagen and migration of human skin fibroblasts,and to explore the underlying mechanisms of signal transduction.Methods Fibroblasts were isolated from human foreskin tissues and subjected to primary culture.After a series of subculture,fibroblasts were classified into several groups to be treated with different concentrations (10-10 to 10-6 mol/L) of urotensin lⅡ for 24 hours,urotensin Ⅱ of 10-s mol/L for different durations (0,4,12,24 hours),or pretreated with PD98059 (a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor),nicardipine (a calcium channel blocker) and ciclosporin (a calcineurin inhibitor) of 10-5 mol/L respectively for 30 minutes followed by treatment with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 24 hours.The cells receiving no treatment served as the control.Subsequently,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the level of urotensin Ⅱ in the supernatant of fibroblasts,and Transwell assay to estimate the migration activity of fibroblasts.Statistical analysis was carried out by t test and analysis of variance.Results Urotensin Ⅱ promoted the expression of type Ⅰ collagen in a time-and concentrationdependent manner.The level of type Ⅰ collagen was increased by 21.2％ (P ＞ 0.05),52.2％ (P ＜ 0.05),84.4％ (P ＜0.05),83.6％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 77.1％ (P ＜ 0.05) in the supernatant of fibroblasts treated with 10-10,10-9,10-8,10-7 and 10-6 mol/L of urotensin Ⅱ for 24 hours respectively,by 23.2％ (P ＞ 0.05),69.5％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 84.1％ (P ＜0.05) in the supernatant of fibroblasts treated with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 4,12 and 24 hours respectively,compared with the untreated control fibroblasts.The migration activity was markedly enhanced in fibroblasts treated with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 24 hours compared with the control fibroblasts (P ＜ 0.05).PD98059,nicardipine and cyclosporin A inhibited the secretion of type Ⅰ collagen by 18.2％,15.9％ and 19.7％ respectively,and suppressed the migration of fibroblasts by 38.3％ (P ＜ 0.05),20.7％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 81.4％ (P ＜ 0.05) respectively in the groups receiving pretreatment compared with those treated with urotensin Ⅱ alone.Conclusions Urotensin Ⅱ can promote the secretion of type Ⅰ collagen by and migration of fibroblasts,which may be realized through the Ca2+,calmodulin kinase,and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.