OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of total ginsenosides (TG) on monocrotaline (MCT) induced right ventricular hypertrophy rats, and to explore its correlation with calcineurin (CaN) pathway.

METHODSFifty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, the MCT model group, and the low, middle, high dose TG treatment groups, 10 in each group. All medication was performed by peritoneal injection for 18 days. Right ventricular peak systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI), and right ventricular weight/body weight (RVW/BW) were measured. Intracellular free calcium concentrations were measured by Ca2+ fluorescence indicator Fura2/AM. The atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and CaN mRNA expression of the myocardial tissue were quantitatively analyzed by Real-time PCR. The protein expression of CaN was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the MCT model group, preventive treatment of TG at the 3 doses could significantly reduce RVSP, RVHI, RVW/BW, and ANF mRNA expression, and decrease Ca2+ concentration in myocardial cells, CaN mRNA and protein expression in the myocardial tissue.

CONCLUSIONTG could obviously improve MCT-induced right ventricular hypertrophy, which was possibly achieved through suppressing MCT-activated CaN signal transduction.

Animals ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; Calcineurin ; metabolism ; Calcineurin Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Ginsenosides ; therapeutic use ; Heart Ventricles ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Monocrotaline ; Myocardium ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction

Conventional digital video acquisition card can only collect but not process video frequency.This paper introduces the design of a digital video acquisition card based on C6000 DSP chip of TI company,which can process digital video automatically and communicate with mainframe through PCI interface.

Objective To investigate environmental risk factors associated with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods A retrospective study was carried out from Feb 2005 to Apr 2006.A total of 108 cases with PCOS and 108 patients without PCOS(control group)were interviewed using a designed questionnaire.Results Univariate analysis of environmental factors indicated that risk factors related to PCOS were:occupation,education,disposable plastic cup for drinking,cooking oil fume and indoor decoration,all of which were significantly related to PCOS(P

Objective To get a better medical image segmentation result by studing a new image segmentation method. Methods Medical images were segmented using image segmentation method based on texture character and generalized radial basis function neural networks. The texture character parameters were obtained according to gray level co-occurrence matrix. The parameters were input to the generalized radial basis function neural networks to train the network. Results Comparatively, perfect binary images were obtained by using this new image segmentation method. Conclusion The emulational results show that the method is an effective medical image segmentation method.

As a part of modern medical practice,medical treatment facility(MTF) has playing an important role in disease diagnosis and medical treatment;therefore,nowadays more attention is paid to the medical equipment management.The methods of equipment management which combine actuality and practical experience are introduced in order to make the management of medical equipment more scientific and effective.

Background The main cause of filtering surgery failure is over proliferation of fibroblasts in filtering channels,leading to excessive fibrosis and scar formation.Researches determined that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathway plays an important role in fibroblast phenotype transition. Objective The present study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of p38 MAPK inhibitor on myofibroblasts transdifferentiation and the extracellular matrix synthesis after filtration surgery in rabbit eyes. Methods Trabeculectomy was performed on 24 eyes of 12 clean New Zealand white rabbits to establish the filtering operative models.The models were randomized into model group,SB203580 group and mitomycin C ( MMC ) group.1 ml SB203580 ( 0.2 g/L) was conjunctively injected at the end of operation in the rabbits of the SB203580 group,and the cotton piece with 0.2 g/L MMC solution was placed on the operative area for 3 minutes intraoperatively in the rabbits of the MMC group.The bleb appearances were examined under the slit lamp microscope,and intraocular pressure(IOP) was measured with Icare tonometer I,3,7,10,14 days after operation.0.2 ml aqueous humor was extracted and the conjunctive tissue at the filtering area was obtained 14 days after operation for the detection of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin protein by ELISA.Expression of ACTA2 mRNA,connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) mRNA and alpha2 chain of type Ⅰ collagen( COL1A2 )mRNA in conjunctive tissue was assayed with fluorescence real-time PCR. Results Vascularization of fibrosis of filtering bleb were obvious in the eyes of the model group,and the bleb was flat and diffuse in the eyes of the SB203580 group and MMC group on 14 days following operation.No significant difference was seen in IOP before trabeculectomy among these three groups( F=0.065,P=0.937 ).IOP was gradually elevated with the increase of time after operation ( F =32.873,P =0.030 ).ELISA assay showed that α-SMA level in conjunctiva was lower in the SB203580 group and MMC group compared with the model group,and that of MMC group was significant lower than the SB203580 group( P＜0.05 ).Fibronectin level in conjunctiva was lower in the SB203580 group and MMC group compared with the model group,and that of MMC group was significant lower than the SB203580 group (P＜0.05).Fluorescence real-time PCR showed that expressions of the ACTA2 mRNA,CTGF mRNA and COL1A2 mRNA were significantly different among the three groups( P＜0.01 ),with the highest expression in model group and the lowest expression in the MMC group ( P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusions Fibrotic reaction after trabeculectomy can be suppressed by inhibiting p38 MAPK signal pathway.The mechanism of SB203580 is to reduce the synthesis of myofibroblasts transdiffercntiation and extracellular matrix.

AIM:To investigate the effect of hirsutine on hypoxia-induced migration and invasion abilities of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and its possible mechanism. METHODS:CCK-8 assay was employed to detect the cyto-toxic effect of hirsutine on the MCF-7 cells. Cell migration was observed by wound healing assay,and cell invasion ability was measured by Transwell invasion assay. Western blot was used to analyze the protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α),Snail,E-cadherin and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). The mRNA levels of HIF-1α was detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS:Hirsutine remarkably reduced the cell viability from 32 μmol/L(P<0.05),and the IC50value was 62.82 μmol/L. In hypoxia state,MCF-7 cells showed more powerful capabilities of migration and invasion (P<0.05), higher protein levels of HIF-1α,Snail and MMP-9 (P<0.05),lower protein level of E-cadherin(P<0.05),and higher mRNA level of HIF-1α (P<0.05). These hypoxia-induced effects were all inhibited by hirsutine at 16 μmol/L (P<0.05),apart from the mRNA level of HIF-1α. CONCLUSION:Hirsutine inhibits hypoxia-induced migration and inva-sion in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells most likely via down-regulation of the protein levels of HIF-1α,Snail and MMP-9,and up-regulation of the protein level of E-cadherin.

Objective To evaluate the curative effects of portal vein tumor emboli(PVTE)of hepatocellular carcinoma treated by CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI).Methods Absolute ethanol was injected into the tumor embolus of portal vein guided by CT in twenty patients with hepatocellular carcinomas.The procedure was carried out one or two times each week one to three times as a course and one to two courses for a patient.The interval between two courses was one month and the patients were followed up for 6 months-5 years.Results Among the twenty patients,17(85%)were improved in different degrees after the treatment,with disappearence of the tumor emboli in 2(10%)and size stability or even smaller in 15 (75%),and finally no response in 3(15%).Conclusions CT-guided PEI is an effective method for patient with PVTE and proper selection of patient for the procedure is the key to obtain better curative effects.

Objective To evaluate the effect of percutaneous transhepatic obliteration(PTO)of gastroesophageal varices in liver cirrhosis.Methods Fifty-six cirrhotic patients suffering from gastroesophageal varices were treated with PTO,including 35 during emergency bleeding,10 after stoppage of hemorrhage and 11 with severe gastroesophageal varices for prevention of bleeding.Results Catheterization and embolization of gastroesophageal varices were successfully performed in all 56 patients(100%).Bleeding stopped after PTO as an emergency treatment was achieved in 35 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Among them,PTO was performed in 11 patients for preventing variceal hemorrhage,gastroesophageal varices disappeared in 7 and alleviation was obtained evidently in 4.47 patients were followed up for 2-60 months with recurrent bleeding in 5,death in 4 on causes of rebleeding of alimentary tract(1 case),hepatic failure(1 case), hepatocellular carcinoma(2 cases).Conclusion PTO is a safe and effective treatment for gastroesophageal varices in cirrhotic patients and should be recommended extensively.

Anthropometry ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Breast Feeding ; Child ; Child Development ; China ; Female ; Growth Charts ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Public Health ; standards ; Reference Values ; Sex Factors ; World Health Organization