Aim To study the biliary excretion characteristics of berberine,palmatine and jateorhizine in rat hepatocytes.Methods Berberine,palmatine and jateorhizine were incubated with the sandwich-cultured rat hepatocytes (SCRH) in standard Ca2+ buffer or Ca2+ free buffer.The accumulation of the three compounds under different conditions were measured by UPLC-MS/MS.The biliary excretion index and biliary clearance were calculated,and the effect of P-gp or Mrp2 inhibitor on the transport of three compounds was also investigated.Results While the incubation time increased,the accumulation of the three compounds also increased.There were obvious differences in accumulation of berberine,palmatine and jateorhizine in incubations treated with standard buffer and calcium-free buffer.The P-gp inhibitors ciclosporin A and verapamil could inhibit the biliary excretion of berberine,palmatine and jateorhizine.However,the Mrp2 inhibitors MK571 and probenecid had no effect on biliary excretion of the three compounds.Conclusions The biliary excretion of berberine,palmatine and jateorhizine is mainly through an active process.They are all the P-gp substrates other than Mrp2 substrates.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the T2 values and knee thickness in healthy young adults using 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) .

METHODSTotally 40 volunteers(18-30 years old) with body mass index between 18.5-24.0 kg/m(2) were divided into two groups(22 men and 18 women) according to their gender. Also in addition, each group was divided into two subgroups(right knee and left knee) . The T2 values and the thickness of the areas on the medial condyle of femur, the lateral condyle of femur, the medial tibial plateau, the lateral tibial plateau, and the patella of the knee cartilage were measured.

RESULTSThe T2 values and the thickness of the right and left knee cartilages showed no significant differences between men and women (P>0.05) . Also, the T2 values in the five parts of the knee cartilage also were not significantly different between men and women (P>0.05) . However, the thickness of the 5 parts of the knee cartilage significantly differed between men and women(P<0.05) .

CONCLUSIONSThe thickness of the knee cartilage may different between male and female young adults. The T2 values of the cartilage may be not affected by the gender.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cartilage, Articular ; anatomy & histology ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; anatomy & histology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the methodology as well as the features, quantificational index, and reference standard of 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on the normal rabbit's liver.

METHODSTwenty New Zealand white rabbits were enrolled and DWI was performed after anesthetics with multi-b values at 3.0 T MR scanner. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values as well as the difference between maximum and minimum ADC values, signal strength (SH), noise signal (SD), signal to noise ratio (SNR), and quality index (QI) were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTSWith b value increased, the ADC values decreased accordingly (P < 0.001). The difference between maximum and minimum ADC values with b = 1000 s/mm2 was the least (good stability), b = 600 s/mm2 was the second least, and b = 300 s/mm2 was greatest (bad stability). The SH decreased at the same time (P < 0.001), but the difference among DWI with b =600, 800, and 1000 s/mm2 was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The SD decreased at the same time (P < 0.001), but the difference between DWI with b = 800 s/mm2 and b = 1000 s/mm2 was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The SNR decreased at the same time (P < 0.001), but there were no significant differences between DWI with b = 600 s/mm2 and b = 800 s/mm2 or b = 600 s/mm2 and b = 1000 s/mm2 (P > 0.05). The SNR of DWI with b = 800 s/mm2 and b = 1000 s/mm2 was lower. The QI decreased at the same time (P < 0. 001) , but the difference between DWI with b = 800 s/mm2 and b = 1000 s/mm was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWhen 3.0 T MR DWI is applied for rabbit liver, it is better to use b = 600 s/mm2 for reducing scanning time and assuring better diffusion weights, quantity of images, and stability of ADC measurement.

Animals ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Liver ; Male ; Rabbits

Background Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON)is a common inherited eye disease,which generally affects young adults with bilateral loss of central vision.Mutation frequency of Leber hereditary has not been fully clarified. Objective This study was to investigate the mutation frequency of mitochondrial NDI gene associated with LHON in Chinese population. Methods The proposal of the study was approved by Ethic Committee of Wenzhou Medical College.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject initial of this trial.Eight hundred and ninety-four LHON patients and 134 normal subjects were collected.Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes of the all participants.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify and sequence analysis of the mitochondrial ND1 gene was performed and aligned with revised Cambridge Reference Sequence(rCRS) of mitochondrial DNA.Then mutated gene frequency was screened and analyzed. Results Mutational analysis of mitochondrial ND1 gene in 894 LHON patients revealed the presence of G3316A,T3394C,G3460A,C3497T,G3635A,G3733A,and T4216C.11.19％ LHON patients (100/894 ) were found to be associated with the gene mutations mentioned above,and 3.24％ patients (29/894) showed the co-occurrence of three primary mutations.Mutation frequencies in LHON patients were 2.57％,2.23％,1.45％,3.80％,0.67％,0.11％,0.34％,respectively,and G3316A,T3394C,C3497T and T4216C also were detected in 134 normal controls with the mutation frequencies of 4.48％,2.99％,4.48％ and 1.49％,respectively.Mutation frequency analysis showed an insignificant difference in the mutations of G3316A,T3394C,C3497T and T4216C between LHON patients and normal controls (x2 =0.926,P=0.336;x2 =0.052,P=0.820; x2 =0.142,P=0.707;P=0.129).G3376A,G3496T,G3700A,A4136G,T4160C and C4171A were absent in Chinese LHON patients. Conclusions Mitoehondrial ND1 gene in LHON is a mutational hotspot in Chinese population,11.19％ (100/894)associated with LHON was caused by ND1 gene mutation.G3635A,G3733A may be rare pathological mutation in Chinese population.However,G3316A,T3394C,C3497T and T4216C are insufficient to produce the clinical phenotype,but they may play a synergic role for penetrance and phenotypic manifestation in LHON.

Objective To analyze the risk factors related to in-hospital bleeding for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Methods Clinical and therapeutic data of 3807 patients who were registered with acute coronary syndrome in SINO-GRACE in China from March 2001 to December 2007 were reviewed.A total of 57 patients were grouped to bleeding group and 234 out of the remaining 3750 patients without bleeding were randomly chosen and served as non-bleeding group.Hemorrhage-related factors were screened and compared between the two groups.Unitary logistic regression analysis was performed to detect the possible factors related to hemorrhage.Factors with P ＜ 0.1 were further analyzed by stepwise regression method and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses.Results (1) Age,history of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG),previous hemorrhage,renal failure and heart failure as well incidence of acute coronary syndrome were significantly higher in bleeding group than in non-bleeding group (all P ≤0.05).Patients were more often treated with clopidogrel and glycoprotein (GP) Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a receptor antagonist in bleeding group than in non-bleeding group.(2) Single factor logistic regression analysis showed that age ＞70 years,history of previous bleeding,renal failure,heart failure,clopidogrel and GP Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a receptor antagonists use,non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction,inferior wall,lateral myocardial infarction,CABG were risk factors for bleeding (all P ＜ 0.05).(3) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that history of renal failure (OR =19.77,95％ CI 4.38-89.18,P ＜ 0.01) and clopidogrel (OR =19.77,95％ CI 4.38-89.18,P ＜ 0.01) and GP Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a receptor antagonist (OR =343.57,95％ CI 40.39-999.99,P ＜ 0.01) use were the independent risk factors for bleeding.Conclusion Our results show that renal failure history and clopidogrel and GP Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a receptor antagonist use are independent risk factors for in-hospital bleeding in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Meckel diverticulum (MD), a congenital gastrointestinal anomaly, is often involved in pediatrics, but less in the adult population. The patient in this report was a 69-year-old female presented with massive gastrointestinal bleeding causing hemorrhagic shock due to MD containing ectopic pancreatic tissue. A review of the literature revealed that gastrointestinal bleeding from MD containing ectopic pancreatic tissue is rare in adults and difficult to be identified preoperation. MD should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis for lower gastrointestinal bleeding, although scarce in adults, especially when the patient has massive painless bleeding.
Aged ; Choristoma ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Meckel Diverticulum ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Pancreas ; pathology

BACKGROUNDThere are numerous articles on the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in different disease conditions. However, the functional properties of EPCs in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are still uncertain. Here we aimed to study the number and functions of EPCs in ACS patients.

METHODSPatients were enrolled with admitted ACS (n = 25) and another 25 gender-, age-, atherosclerotic risk factors-matched stable coronary artery disease (CAD) controls. EPCs were defined as CD34(+)/CD133(+)/VEGFR-2(+) and quantified by flow cytometry. Moreover, functional properties of EPCs including colony-forming unit (CFU), proliferation, migration as well as apoptosis were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was detected in all patients as well.

RESULTSThe two groups had similar medication and clinical characteristics on admission. The EPCs in ACS patients were more than 2.6 times that in stable CAD subjects (15.6 ± 2.7 vs. 6.0 ± 0.8/100 000 events, P < 0.01). CFU was not statistically different between the two groups (10.8 ± 2.9 vs. 8.2 ± 1.8, number/well, P > 0.05). Furthermore, EPCs isolated from ACS patients were significantly impaired in their proliferation (0.498 ± 0.035 vs. 0.895 ± 0.067, OD value, P < 0.01) and migration capacity (20.5 ± 3.4 vs. 30.7 ± 4.3, number/well, P < 0.01) compared with controls. Moreover, the apoptosis cell in cultured EPCs was drastically increased in ACS group ((18.3 ± 2.1)% vs. (7.8 ± 0.4)%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSPatients with ACS exhibited apparently increased circulating EPCs as well as cultured apoptosis percentage together with a remarkable impairment of proliferation and migration activities compared with stable CAD subjects.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; metabolism ; pathology ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Movement ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

Objective To analyze the results of detection on influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus in Beijing from May 2009 to December 2009 and to understand the epidemiologic characteristics during the pandemic period. Methods The study was conducted from the May 1 to December 27,2009. A total of 101 852 throat swab samples were detected with the real-time RT-PCR assay by the Beijing Network Laboratory. Data was statistically analyzed. Results 9843 samples showed influenza A (H1N1) 2009 positive, with an overall positive rate as 9.66%. In terms of the positive rates, they were 2.85% from May to June, 3.32% from July to August and 8.35% from September to October. The peak month fell in November (29.67%) and December (24.33%). The positive rates among the following subpopulations were: 8.40% among the suspected cases, 4.75% among close contact cases, 11.46% among the influenza-like illness cases and 7.33% among the cluster cases with fever. Positive cases mainly fell in age groups 5-14 and 15-24. The ratio of male to female was 1.5:1.Conclusion During the pandemic period of influenza A (H1N1) 2009, positive cases gradually increased during May to November but slowly decreasing in December.

Objective Novel stents loaded with antibody against CD105 were analyzed for their potential to limit coronary neointima formation and to accelerate endothelialization by attracting activated endothelial cell. Methods Thirty Stents coated with antibody against CD105, thirty unloaded polymer, and thirty bare metal stents were deployed in 90 coronary arteries of 30 minipigs. Oral aspirin (300 mg before operation and 100 mg post operation) and clopidogrel (300 mg before operation and 75 mg post operation) were orally administrated. Coronary artery quantitative analysis was completed by coronary arteriography,the vascular endothelium changes were observed under scanning electron microscope and the vascular morphological changes were observed under light microscope 7 and 14 days after operation. Results Complete procedural and angiographic success was achieved in all 30 minipigs. There were no major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. At 7 days, there was no difference for mean neointimal area and percent rea stenosis among various groups. At 14 days, endothelialization scores were significantly higher in the CD10S antibody-loaded stents and bare metal stents group than in sirolimus-eluting stents group (1.78 ± 0.49, 1. 50±0. 67 vs. 1. 08±0. 29, all P < 0. 05 ), mean percent area stenosis in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [ (23. 8± 4) % , (24. 2±2)% vs. (38.0 ±3)% , all P <0.05] ,mean angiographic late luminal loss in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [ (0. 29±0. 28) mm, (0. 28±0. 02) mm vs. (0.41±0. 01) mm, all P < 0. 05 ]. There was no difference for mean percent area stenosis in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and sirolimus-eluting stents group. The mean neointimal area in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents,and sirolimus-elutingstents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(0.88±0.08) mm2, (0. 89 ±0. 12mm)2 vs. ( 1. 00 ±0. 14) mm2 , all P<0.05] and there was no difference for the mean neointimal area in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and sirolimus-eluting stents group. At 7 and 14 days, there was no difference for the injury score and the inflammation score among various groups, scanning electron microscopy evidenced enhanced endothelial coverage on CD105 antibody-loaded stents compared to sirolimus-eluting stents group. Conclusion Stent coated with antibody against CD105 could effectively reduce in-stent restenosis and accelerate endothelialization in th eminipigs.

BACKGROUNDCathepsin S and its endogenous inhibitor cystatin C are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, especially in the plaque destabilization and rupture leading to acute coronary syndrome. However, whether circulating cathepsin S and cystatin C also change in association with coronary plaque morphology is unknown yet.

METHODSWe recruited 98 patients with unstable angina (UA, n = 6) or stable angina (SA, n = 2) who had a segmental stenosis resulting in > 20% and < 70% diameter reduction in one major coronary artery on coronary angiography. Thirty-one healthy subjects served as controls. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was used to evaluate plaque morphology. Plasma cathepsin S and cystatin C were measured as well.

RESULTSAt the culprit lesion site, plaque area ((7.85 +/- 2.83) mm(2) vs (6.53 +/- 2.92) mm(2), P = 0.027), plaque burden ((60.92 +/- 11.04)% vs (53.87 +/- 17.52)%, P = 0.025), remodeling index (0.93 +/- 0.16 vs 0.86 +/- 0.10, P = 0.004) and eccentricity index (0.74 +/- 0.17 vs 0.66 +/- 0.21, P = 0.038) were bigger in UA group than in SA group. Plasma cathepsin S and cystatin C were significantly higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.01). Plasma cathepsin S was higher in UA group ((0.411 +/- 0.121) nmol/L) than in SA group ((0.355 +/- 0.099) nmol/L, P = 0.007), so did the plasma cystatin C ((0.95 +/- 0.23) mg/L in UA group, (0.84 +/- 0.22) mg/L in SA group; P = 0.009). Plasma cathepsin S positively correlated with remodeling index (r = 0.402, P = 0.002) and eccentricity index (r = 0.441, P = 0.001), and plasma cystatin C positively correlated with plaque area (r = 0.467, P < 0.001) and plaque burden (r = 0.395, P = 0.003) in UA group but not in SA group.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma cathepsin S and cystatin C increased significantly in UA patients. In angina patients, higher plasma cathepsin S may suggest the presence of vulnerable plaque, and higher plasma cystatin C may be a clue for larger atherosclerotic coronary plaque.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cathepsins ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Cystatin C ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods