AIM: To clarify the possible mechanism of decrease in coronary flow (CF) after long-term hypothermic storage of the isolated rat hearts. METHODS: The isolated rat hearts preserved in different solutions (SDMC-1,2 S., Stanford S., Collin's S.) at 0℃ for 8 hours were reperfused with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(10 -4 mmol/L) and adenosine(Ade)(5 mmol/L) respectively, and the coronary flow(CF), coronary vascular resistance(CVR) and the weight of heart were measured before and after reperfusion. RESULTS: CF decreased while CVR increased in all groups after storage-reperfusion. When endothelium-dependent vasodilator (5-HT) was used, CF in SDMC-2 group was highly increased and CVR decreased. Whereas CF was significantly decreased and CVR increased in Collin's group( P

Objective To establish the method of the GC fingerprints for Ligusticum chuanxiong essential oil and its quality control.Methods The temperature at both feed inlet and detector was 250℃,the carrier gas was nitrogen,and the flow rate was 2 mL/min.GC of the essential oil in ten batches of L.chuanxiong was analyzed by adopting temprature programmer and the fingerprint peaks were identified by GC-MS.Results To set up the GC fingerprints for L.chuanxiong essential oil,13 peaks were marked out altogether and the GC fingerprints were analyzed by similarity analysis.Conclusion The method is of high degree of presion,reproducibility,and stability.The resolving of each component in the essential oil is good.The established fingerprints could be used as one of the quality control index for L.chuanxiong essential oil.

Network pharmacology is an emerging discipline based on the Disease-Gene-Drug multilevel network. And it has been used to forecast the drug targets and improve the efficiency of drug discovery. Its research ideas are similar to the overall efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which attracts more and more medical re-searchers to look for the joint point of TCM and network pharmacology. A series of approaches on disease-related genes, predicting the information of target and active ingredients of TCM emerge. In this paper, the network pharma-cology research tools, databases and their applications were summarized and introduced. This paper also proposed scientific strategies to separate active ingredients of TCM using network pharmacology, so as to improve the efficiency and speed of finding active ingredients of TCM.

Objective To investigate a method of repairing complex tissue defects one stage in one finger or several fingers for more fine recipient site repairing and less donor area traum. Methods From August 2007 to August 2010,eight cases of 20 fingers were reconstructed according to the state of complex tissue defects in a hand,second toes (right or left side) were split into two or three parts as complex tissue flaps that may including joints,tendons,skin,nail beds,et al.These flaps then were translated to hand to repair complex tissue defects by anastomosing vessels.Results Twenty fingers in 8 cases were successfully reconstructed.Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 36 months,external appearance were fine.According to the Trial Evaluation Standard of Reconstructed Finger Function of Handsurgery Society of China,sixteen fingers were excellent,three fingers were good,one finger was fine.And there was no effect on foot.Conclusion Spliting single second toe is a good method for repairing more complex tissue defects in a hand.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus medicine and function training in treating post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome. Method Sixty patients with post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome were randomized into a treatment group of 30 cases and a control group of 30 cases. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture plus medicine and functional training, while the control group was only by functional training. Before and after intervention, the hand swelling degree, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), shoulder joint motion scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scale were used to measure the swelling and pain of hand, motion of shoulder, and motor function of upper limb. Result After intervention, the swelling and pain of hand, motion range of shoulder and motor function of upper limb were significantly improved in both groups (P<0.01), and the improvements in the treatment group were more significant than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture plus medicine and function training can enhance the efficacy in treating post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome, superior to pure function training.

Objective To evaluate the value of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in assessment of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice feeding with western diet.Methods Sixteen ApoE knockout mice in 8 weeks age were selected,then divided into two groups.One group was fed with west diet as high-fat group,and another group was fed with normal diet as control group.Intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque area in the aortic root were assessed by UBM in two groups after 8 weeks and 16 weeks.And the measurements of UBM were compared with results of histopathology and blood-fat.ResultsThicken wall and plaque could be find in aortic root in control group and high-fat diet group byUBM.IMT and plaque area in high-fat diet group was significantly higher than those of control group ( P ＜ 0.05).The IMT and plaque area in UBM were good correlation with histopathology ( rwas 0.81 and 0.70 respectively).The triglyceride(TC) and total cholesterol in high-fat diet group was significantly higher than those of control group ( P ＜0.05),and IMT in UBM were increased with the elevated level of TC,there was a positive correlation between IMT and TC( r =0.528).ConclusionsWestern diet can accelerate the process in formation of atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE knockout mice.UBM can be used to observe this prograss noninvasively in vivo mice.

Objective To investigate a more pedect method for a nice outward appearance of a reconstructed thumb.Methods A free one-stage plasty second toe transfer for thumb reconstruction by interchanging the whole skin-nail flap from the great toe with another one from the second toe.Results There were 12 cases in this group,following-up 6-9 months in 8 cases,7 cases was excellent and 1 cases was good.The reconstructed thumb got a nice looking and more normal function while no blight to the great toe occurred.Conclusion It is an effective new procedure in ameliorating outward appearance of the reconstructed thumb by transferring the free moulded second toe.

OBJECTIVESTo compare the effects of losartan, enalapril and their combination in the prevention of left ventricular remodeling (LVRM) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the rat.

METHODSAMI model was induced in female SD rats by ligating left coronary artery. Forty-eight hours after the procedure, 83 surviving rats were randomized into one of the following 4 groups : 1) AMI control group (n = 19), 2) losartan group (n = 22, 3 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), 3) enalapril group (n = 20, 1 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), 4) losartan-enalapril combinative group (n = 22, 3 and 1 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) respectively). 5) Sham-operated group (n = 10) and 6) normal rats group (n = 10) were selected randomly to serve as non-infarction controls. Losartan and enalapril were delivered by direct gastric gavage. After 4 weeks of medical therapy, hemodynamic studies were performed in each group, then the rat hearts were fixed with 10% formalin and pathologic analysis on them was performed. Complete experimental data was obtained in 56 rats, comprising 1) AMI controls (n = 11), 2) losartan group (n = 10), 3) enalapril group (n = 10), 4) the combination of losartan and enalapril group (n = 11), 5) sham-operated group (n = 6) and 6) normal controls (n = 8).

RESULTSThere were no significant differences among the 4 AMI groups in MI size (41.7% to approximately 43.4%, all P > 0.05). Compared with sham group, the left ventricular (LV) end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), volume (LVV), long and short axis length (L and D), as well as LV absolute and relative weight (LVAW and LVRW) in AMI group were all significantly increased (P < 0.05 to approximately 0.001); whereas the maximum left ventricular pressure rising and dropping rates (+/- dp/dt) and their corrected values by LV systolic pressure (+/- dp/dt/LVSP) were significantly reduced (all P < 0.001), indicating LVRM occurred and LV systolic and diastolic function impaired after AMI. Compared with AMI group, LVEDP, LVV, LVAW and LVRW were all significantly decreased (P < 0.05 to approximately 0.001); while +/- dp/dt/LVSP were significantly enhanced in all 3 treatment groups (P < 0.05 to approximately 0.001) except -dp/dt/LVSP in losartan group (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the above indices among the 3 treatment groups (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth losartan and enalapril can prevent from LVRM after AMI in the rat and improve LV function with equivalent effects. There seems no additive effect when the 2 drugs are used in combination.

Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; Drug Synergism ; Enalapril ; pharmacology ; Female ; Losartan ; pharmacology ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of high, middle and low doses of enalapril in preventing left ventricular remodeling (LVRM) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats, especially evaluating the efficacy of low dose enalapril.

METHODSAMI was induced by ligating the left coronary artery in 149 female SD rats. 48 hours after the procedure, the 97 surviving rats were randomized to one of the following four groups: (1) AMI controls (n = 24), (2) high-dose (10 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), n = 25), (3) middle-dose (1 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), n = 23), and (4) low-dose (0.1 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), n = 25) enalapril groups. In addition, sham-operated (n = 13) and normal rats (n = 10) were randomly selected to serve as non-infarction controls. Enalapril was delivered by direct gastric gavage. After 4 weeks of therapy, hemodynamic studies were performed, then the rat hearts were fixed with 10% formalin and pathology analysis was performed. Exclusive of the dead rats and those with MI size < 35% or > 55%, complete experimental data were obtained from 67 rats, which were comprised of (1) AMI controls (n = 13), (2) high-dose enalapril (n = 13), (3) middle-dose enalapril (n = 12), (4) low-dose enalapril (n = 12), (5) sham-operated (n = 8) and (6) normal (n = 9) groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences among the four AMI groups in infarction size (all P > 0.05). Compared with the sham-operated group, the left ventricular (LV) end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), volume (LVV), absolute and relative weight (LVAW, LVRW) in AMI group were all significantly increased (all P < 0.001), while maximum LV pressure rising and dropping rates (+/- dp/dt) and their corrected values by LV systolic pressure (+/- dp/dt/LVSP) were all significantly reduced in the AMI control group (P < 0.01 - 0.001), indicating LVRM occurred and LV systolic and diastolic functions were impaired. Compared with the AMI group, LVEDP, LVV, LVAW and LVRW were all significantly decreased in the three enalapril groups (control P < 0.001), with the reduction of LVEDP, LVV and LVAW being more significant in high-dose than in low-dose enalapril groups (all P < 0.05), and the +/- dp/dt/LVSP were significantly increased only in the high and middle-dose enalapril groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSHigh, middle and low doses of enalapril were all effective in preventing LVRM after AMI in the rat, with low dose enalapril being effective and high dose superior. As for LV functional improvement, only high and middle-dose enalapril were effective.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Enalapril ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the expression of HOXB4 gene in patients with myelodysplastic syn-dromes(MDS)and its clinical significance in disease progression.Methods mRNA expression of HOXB4 gene in bone marrow mononuclear cells was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR),and the difference in HOXB4 expression was compared between 49 patients with MDS(MDS group)and 35 patients without MDS(group C).The relationship of mRNA expression of HOXB4 with disease characteristics and clinical prognosis was explored in MDS patients.Results mRNA expression level of HOXB4 gene was higher in MDS group than that in group C(P＜0.05).The patients were divided into a high-and a low-expression group according to the median expression level of HOXB4.Leukocyte count was lower in the high-expression group in the low-expression group at the time of initial diagnosis.The proportion of patients with subtypes of primitive cellular hyperplasia,poor prognostic staging and leukemic transformation was higher in the high-expression group than in the low-expression group.Conclusions mRNA expression level of HOXB4 gene has certain relation with AML transformation in MDS patients.