Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukins ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; blood ; etiology

BACKGROUND: Cardiac function of patients with hypertension is impaired to various extents. How does the impairment level of cardiac function of patients with hypertension differ at various stages?OBJECTIVE: To observe cardiac function of patients with hypertension at various stages and compare the indexes with those of healthy people.DESIGN: Case-control and comparative observation.SETTING: Department of Special Treatment, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command of the Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 100 patients with hypertension were selected from the Internal Medicine Department of General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command of the Chinese PLA between October 2002 and May 2003. Among them, 30 cases of hypertension were at stage Ⅰ , 40 at stage Ⅱ and 30 at stage Ⅲ. At the same time period another 30 healthy people were selected as the control group. All the subjects signed the informed consent.METHODS: Cardiac function of the included subjects were detected with XJS-Ⅰ cardiac function testing equipment. Patients were tested at supine position and electrode was put on the basis of four-probe method.Breath was held at the end of expiration; meanwhile, lead electrocardiograph Ⅰ, cardiophonogram, cardiac admittance differential coefficient method and beating of carotid artery were recorded. Various indexes were processed with the computer. Detected indexes were heart rate, ejection prophase, ejection time of left ventricle, ejection prophase/ejection time of left ventricle, delay time of electro-machine, isovolumetric contraction time, isovolumetric contraction time/ejection time of left ventricle, time of pulse wave transmission, stroke volume, cardiac output, cardiac index,stress index of myocardial contraction, total peripheral resistance, and vascular compliance.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of cardiac function between hypertensive patients at various stages and healthy people.RESULTS: All the 100 patients with primary hypertension and 30healthy people entered the final analysis. [1] Ejection prophase, isovolumetric contraction time, peripheral resistance, ejection prophase/ejection time of left ventricle and isovolumetric contraction time/ejection time of left ventricle: Those of hypertensive patients were obviously longer or stronger than those of the healthy subjects (P ＜ 0.01); those of patients with hypertension at stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ were obviously longer or stronger than those of patients with hypertension at stage Ⅰ (P ＜ 0.01). [2] Stroke volume, cardiac output, stress index of myocardial contraction, vascular compliance, time of pulse wave transmission and cardiac index: Those of hypertensive patients were obviously shorter or weaker than those of the healthy subjects (P ＜ 0.01); those of patients with hypertension at stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ were obviously shorter or weaker than those of patients with hypertension at stage Ⅰ (P ＜ 0.01). Among the indexes mentioned above, vascular total peripheral resistance of hypertensive patients at stage Ⅲ was obviously stronger than that of hypertensive patients at stage Ⅱ (P ＜ 0.05),but vascular compliance of the latter ones was obviously than that of the former ones (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Cardiac function of patients with hypertension is decreased as compared with that of healthy people, and tends to further decrease with the development of hypertensive condition.

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in prostate cancer (PCa) and its clinical significance.

METHODSWe collected tissue samples from 63 cases of PCa, 46 cases of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and 58 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) adjacent to PCa and determined the expression of EpCAM in the epithelial and stromal cells by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe positive expression rates of EpCAM in the epithelial cells were significantly higher in PCa and PIN than in PCa-adjacent BPH (98. 4 and 97. 8 vs 51.7%, P <0. 01), and so was that in the stromal cells of PCa than in those of PCa-adjacent PIN (89.5 vs 50.0%, P <0.01). The expression of EpCAM.was remarkably higher in the stromal cells of bone metastasis than in those of non-bone metastasis tissue (100. 0 vs 40. 0%, P <0. 01) but showed no statistically significant differences between the highly and poorly differentiated PCa tissues (88.5 vs 91.9%, P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression level of EpCAM in the stromal cells of PCa is related to the occurrence, progression, and bone metastasis of the tumor, and therefore may be used as a marker in the early diagnosis of PCa as well as a predictor of bone metastasis of the tumor.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; secondary ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Disease Progression ; Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Stromal Cells ; metabolism

Traditional medicine (herb medicine) began to prevail again over last two decades, and it is about 70% of the world population taking herb medicine as supplement or alternative medicine according to a recent survey. The consumption of herb medicine increased exponentially in Canada, Australia and Europe during last 10 years. Since concomitant administration of herbal and western medicine has become a trend, it requires paying close attention to the problem. Herb-drug interactions have been extensively investigated worldwide, and there is an increasing concern about the clinical herb-drug interaction. In this review we introduced the current progress in the herb-drug interactions including evidence-based clinical studies and establishment of levels of evidence for herb-drug interaction; and in the related mechanisms including the induction and inhibition of metabolic enzymes, inhibition and induction of transport and efflux proteins, alteration of gastrointestinal functions, and alteration in renal elimination. We also analyzed both the achievements and the challenges faced in the concomitant administration of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine.

Pediatric quality of life inventory is a tool to evaluate the quality of pediatric life,which stemmed from the abroad,so it is necessary to introduce and apply it.This paper introduced the origin and the frame of pediatric quality of life inventory,and summed up the research status with the help of experience at aboard,so as to provide reference material for assessing pediatric quality of life and increasing the level of health at home.

The bark of Cinnamomum cassia Presl can be regenerated after peeling by painting with auxin (NAA ) and 6-benzyl amido Purine and dressed with plastic films. Mechanism regener ation and its economical potential need further rescarch

Objective To explore the efficacy of arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with embolization for the treatment of giant carcinoma of the kidney.Methods Arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with embolization was performed through the renal artery in 32 cases of giant carcinoma of the kidney from April 1990 to April 2003.The chemotherapeutic agents were epirubicin(30~40 mg),mitomycin(20~30 mg),and 5-FU(500 mg).The embolization was conducted with anhydrous alcohol,sodium morrhuate,and lipiodol plus gelatin sponge.Results The arterial infusion and embolization was successfully administered in all the 32 cases.Surgical resection was accomplished in 8 cases 1~3 months after the embolization,and little or no blood supply to the tumor was seen during the surgery.Pathological findings revealed marked necrosis of tumor cells with inflammatory cell infiltration around and fibrous proliferation as well as capillary embolization.The total response rate(CR+PR) was 87.5%(28/32) and the tumor decreased in size in 90.6% of the cases(29/32).The survival rates at 6 months,1-,2-,and 3-year were 78.1%(25/32),68.8%(22/32),46.9%(15/32),and 31.2%(10/32),respectively.The mean survival time was 41.5 months,with the longest time of 84 months.Conclusions Combination of infusion chemotherapy and embolization through the renal artery for the treatment of giant carcinoma of the kidney offers good clinical effects.

Objective To discuss the efficacy and safety of sodium tanshinone ⅡA combined with edaravone in treatment of acute cerebral infarction.Methods 100 cases of acute cerebral infarction were randomly divided into two groups.The control group (50 cases) was treated with edaravone.The observation group (50 cases) was treated with sodium tanshinone ⅡA combined with edaravone.The efficacy of sodium tanshinone ⅡA combined with edaravone in treatment of acute cerebral infarction was evaluated by the efficacy at 1 month after treatment,ESS scores,SF-36 scores before and after treatment and adverse reaction during treatment.Results After treatment,the effective rate of observation group was 90.0％ and control group was 72.0％.The effective rate of observation group was higher than that of the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the value before treatment,the ESS scores of two groups were increased after treatment (P ＜ 0.05).3 d,7 d,14 d after treatment,the ESS scores of observation group was higher than that of the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Before treatment,there were no statistical significance on SF-36 between two groups.After treatment,the SF-36 scores were increased in two groups (P ＜ 0.05).During treatment,there were no statistical significance on adverse reaction between two groups.Conclusion Sodium tanshinone ⅡA combined with edaravone had a good therapeutic effect on acute cerebral infarction.It could improve the quality of life and neurological function with high safety.It was worthy of clinical application.

Objective To detect the effect of the antiphospholipid antibodies on the Schwann cells in vitro and to find if the Extract of Ginkgo biloba 761(EGb761)has any protective effects.Methods The immunoglobulins(Ig)were extracted from the serum of the patient with autoimmune polyneuropathies and those with controls.Ig only or Ig plus calf serum(served as complement)were added into the culture solutions of the Schwann cells.The density of the cell in one high power field,the cell perimeter and area were detected and compared to those blank and those controls.Results The shape of the Schwann cells in both the Ig and Ig plus calf serum solution were greatly changed.The densities of the cells in them were both lower than the blank ones,with more severe in the cells with calf serum.There was no significant different between the solutions with or without EGb761.Conclusion Ig from the patients with autoimmune polyneuropathies could attack the Schwann cells in vitro,with the existence of complements,the destruction was even more severe.No protection of EGb761 could be found in these situations.

Objective To analyze the advantages of combined analysis of allergen skin prick test(SPT)and phadiatop/specific IgE antibody on the allergen diagnosis in asthmatic children.Methods Inhalant allergen SPT and Phadiatop test were done in 57 asthmatic children.Thirty-three cases of those asthmatic children were measured serum specific IgE antibody against dermatophagoids pteronyssinus.Results Dermatophagoids,molds and pets were the main inhalant allengens in asthmatic children.The positive rates of SPT and Pha-(diatop) in 57 asthmatic children were 86% and 79%,respectively,and the consistence rate between SPT and Phadiatop was 86%.Five cases with negative Phadiatop were confirmed to have molds allergy via SPT and molds specific IgE test.The consistence rate of dermatophagoids pteronyssinus SPT and specific IgE was 97%.Conclusion It is helped to improve the sensitivity and specificity of allergen diagnosis in asthmatic children when doctors combined analyze the results of allergen skin prick test and specific IgE test.