Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; Humans ; Serine Proteinase Inhibitors ; Serpins

Objective To evaluate the damage to the brochial plexus produced by pulsed radiofrequency (PRF)and radiofrequency thermocoagulation(RFTC).Methods Fifty-five male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were randomly divided into 3 groups:groupⅠPRF(n=25):groupⅡRFTC(n=25)and groupⅢnormal control(n=5).The animals were anesthetized with intraperitoneal chloral hydrate.The left brochial plexus was exposed and PRF or RFTC was applied to the left brochial plexus.The voltage and current of the minimal stimulation which elecited muscle twitching and the impedance before and after operation were recorded in group PRF and RFTC.The nerve function was scored according to Tarloo(0=flaccid paresis,5=normal gait)before and at 3d after operation.The animals were killed and the left brachial plexus was removed immediately and at 1, 7,14,30 d after operation(n=5 at each time point)for determination of histopathological changes using microscope.Results The impedance and Tarlov score were significantly decreased after operation as compared to the baseline values before operation in group RFTC and were also significantly lower than in group PRF. Microscopic examination showed that the myelinated nerve fibers exhibited Wallerian degeneration and axon regeneration and the cytochondria in cylindraxile were severely injured or disappeared in group RFTC.The myelinated nerve fibers and the cytochondria in cylindraxile were significantly less injured after operation in group PRF than in group RFTC and returned to normal at 7 d and 30 d respectively.Conclusion The injury to brachial plexus produced by PRF is slighter than that produced by RFTC.

Objective To prepare the supersaturation self-emulsifying drug delivery system(S-SEDDS) containing silymarin and to evaluate its basic properties.Methods With the time of self-emulsifying,the consequence of color visual examination and particle size as parameters,the optimum formulations of silymarin SSEDDS were screened by solubility test,compatibility tests and pseudo ternary phase diagrams.The silymarin concentration was determined by HPLC.The in vitro dissolution characteristics of silymarin S-SEDDS were investigated with silymarin SEDDS as control.Results The optimum silymarin S-SEDDS was composed of medium chain triglycerides(MCT) 40%,Cremophor RH40(ethoxylated hydrogenatedcastor oil) 48%,Labrasol 12%.The time of self-emulsifying was less than 3 min,the average particle diameter was 49.6 nm,the adding amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC) was 50 mg/g,and the average content of silymarin was 39.3 mg/g.The in vitro dissolution test of silymarin S-SEDDS showed that the presence of a small amount of cellulosic polymer effectively sustained a metastable supersaturated state by retarding precipitation kinetics.Conclusion The designed formulation of silymarin S-SEDDS is reasonable and provides a strong foundation for further development of new preparations.

Critical Care ; Critical Illness ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Transportation of Patients

OBJECTIVETo observe the impact of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) osteogenesis in vitro and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) expression in bone osteoporotic to prevent and treat the osteoporosis.

METHODSTwenty 6-month-old female SD rats weighted (300±20) g underwent bilateral ovariectomized. At 3 months after operation, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure bone mineral density of rats,the values were compared with preoperative to ensure the model successfully, and the osteoporosis rats' BMSCs were cultured by bone marrow adherent cultured and the BMSCs morphology was observed under a phase contrast microscope upside down. The osteoporosis rats' BMSCs at the 2nd generation (p2) were randomly divided into experimental and control groups and were added complete medium (containing rhBMP-2) and osteogenic induced liquid, respectively. Two weeks later, the formation of cell calcium nodules were detected by Alizarin red staining method,alkaline phosphatase activity was measured by enzyme standard instrument and the expression of VEGF was detected by RT-PCT method.

RESULTS(1)Whole body bone mineral density of rats before and after operation were (0.179±0.007), (0.158±0.006) g/cm2,there was statistically significant (t=4.180,P< 0.05). (2)Alizarin red staining at 2 weeks after osteogenesis induced by BMSCs (P2) in the experimental group had more strong dyeing effect than the control group obviously. (3)Alkaline phosphatase activity at 2 weeks after osteogenesis induced by BMSCs (P2) of the experimental group (15.62±1.27) ug/gprot was significantly higher than that of the control group (8.62±0.93) ug/gprot,there was statistically significant (t=7.709, P<0.01). (4)The expression of VEGF at 2 weeks after osteogenesis induced by BMSCs (P2) of the experimental group 3.723±0.143 was significantly higher than that of the control group 0.950±0.072, there was statistically significant (t=29.462, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONRhBMP-2 can improve the in-vitro osteogenesis ability of ovary osteoporosis rat BMSCs, promote the VEGF expression of osteogenesis factor. Regulating the VEGF expression may be one of the mechanisms of BMP-2 to participate in bone metabolism.

Animals ; Bone Density ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To improve differential diagnosis between acute disseminated encephalomyelitis ( ADEM) and classical multiple sclerosis ( CMS).Methods All 20 cases of ADEM and 24 cases of CMS were examined.Their epidemiological and clinical findings,laboratory features and magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) data were analyzed using x2 test for categorical variables,Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests for continuous variables.Results ADEM and CMS showed no sex predominance.Patients with ADEM ((27 ±15) years) were younger than CMS ((37 ±13) years,Z= -2.218,P =0.027).The following findings were more commonly seen in ADEM compared with CMS:predemyelinating infectious disease (75% vs 4%,x2 =23.652,P = 0.000),fever (65% vs 4%,x2 =18.609,P = 0.000),meningeal irritation sign (40% vs 0,x2 = 9.189,P =0.002),seizure (25% vs 0,x2 =4.514,P = 0.034),and encephalopathy.ADEM patients were more likely to present with blood leucocytosis ( (11.9 ± 5.8) ×109/L vs (8.0±3.2) ×109/L,Z= -2.030,P=0.042),high C-reactive protein (2.74 mg/L vs 0.49 mg/L,Z = - 3.028,P = 0.002),increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (11.00 mm/h vs 7.00 mm/h,Z= -2.406,P =0.016),and cerebrospinal fluid leucocytosis (9 × 106/L vs 2×106/L,Z =- 2.781,P = 0.005).There were no differences in cerebrospinal fluid protein and oligoclonal band between the two groups.The following MRI lesions were more commonly seen in ADEM patients:cortical gray matter lesions (14/20,x2=15.213,P=0.000),basal ganglia gray matter lesions (14/20,x2 =8.910,P = 0.003),and brainstem lesions ( 14/20,x2 = 5.867,P = 0.015).In contrast,lesions in subcortical white matter (21/24,x2 = 17.628,P =0.000),periventricular area (21/24,x2 =15.213,P=0.000) and corpus callosum ( 14/24,x2 = 8.640,P = 0.003 ) were more common in the MRI image of CMS patients.The lesions in spinal cord were usually centrally distributed in ADEM (83% ),while peripherally in CMS (85%,x2 = 11.542,P = 0.001).The lesions had poorly defined margins in ADEM (95%),but well defined margins in CMS (75%,x2 =21.787,P = 0.000).Conclusion There are differences in epidemiological and clinical findings,laboratory features and MRI appearances between ADEM and CMS.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of acupuncture on motor function and serum expressions of TNF-aand IL-6 contents in cerebral hemorrhage rats.MethodSeventy-two male Wistar rats were randomized into sham operation, model and acupuncture groups. A rat model of cerebral hemorrhage was made by intracerebral injection of autoblood. Baihui-to-Qubin acupuncture was performed after successful model making. The TNF-aand IL-6 contents of rat serum were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay at three time points: one, three and seven days.ResultBaihui-to-Qubin acupuncture markedly increased the neurological function score and reduced neurologic deficits in cerebral hemorrhage rats. At the same time point, serum TNF-aand IL-6 contents were significantly lower in the acupuncture group of rats thanin the model and acupuncture group; there were statistically significant differences (P<0.01).ConclusionBaihui-to-Qubin acupuncture can reduce neurologic deficits in cerebral hemorrhage rats. It may be related to decreases in serum TNF-aand IL-6 contents after acupuncture.

Objective To compare the effect of perineal cleansing with the potassium permanganate or sterile water on mid- stream urine culture. Methods Mid- stream specimens of urine were obtained from inpatients in our hospital between January 2002 and December 2006. All these patients may be diag-nosed as urinary tract infection. The urine specimens were divided into the potassium permanganate group (n=1572, the sterilization group) and the sterile water group (n=544). The change of positive and contami-nation rate of mid-stream urine culture from the specimens was observed. More than two kinds of germs in one urine specimen were defined as contamination. Results 830 patients with urinary tract infection had been enrolled. 2116 specimens were collected and 531 strains of causative organism were detected. The positive rate of the sterilization group and the sterile water group was 20.04% and 39.71%, respectively,and such difference was significant. The rate of identical causative organism from the same patient whose spec-imen was cultivated twice in the sterilization group was 0.012% and the rate was 0.105% in the sterile water group. The difference was significant. The rate of different or one kind of causative organism from the same patient whose specimen was cultivated twice in these two groups hadn't significant deviation. The contami-nation rate of the sterilization group (0.028%) was significantly higher than that of the sterile water group (0.007%). Conclusions Perineal cleansing with sterile water can reduce the false negative rate of mid-stream urine culture without increasing the contamination rate. Potassium permanganate sterilization is re-sponsible for the high false-negative in mid-stream urine culture.

The biological artificial liver(BAL) can offer reliable artificial liver support for the patients with hepatic failure.All BAL devices contain hepatocytes as their biological component,whose specific biological characteristics contribute to the function of the BAL.During the past two decades,various cells including human hepatocytes,heterogeneous hepatocytes and liver cell lines have been used and different culture methods have been studied to optimize the activity of the biological component.However,both functionality and safety of these cells should be improved before successful use in BAL. This paper summarizes the latest progress on it.

OJECTIVE: To explore the changes of serum IgE and tryptase caused by anaphylactic shock rats and discuss the relation to PMI and preservative environment of corpse and specimen. METHODS: Rats were used for establishing anaphylactic shock models and randomly divided into room temperature group, refrigeration group, frozen group, manual hemolysis group, specimen preservation group. And the control group was also established. The blood samples were collected after rats were sacrificed. The degree of hemolysis was graded according to the color of the upper layer of the serum. The mass concentration of IgE and tryptase in each group was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The levels of serum IgE and tryptase in anaphylactic shock dead rats were higher than that of the control group. Room temperature and frozen made obviously differences on the levels of serum IgE and tryptase with various PMI. The levels of serum IgE and tryptase in refrigeration group showed relatively stable. The levels of serum tryptase and IgE were elevated with differently increasing hemolysis. The levels of serum IgE and tryptase showed no obvious changes during the specimen kept under different temperature conditions for 25 days. CONCLUSION Serum IgE and tryptase obviously increased in anaphylactic shock rats. However, the levels were influenced by PMI and environmental temperature, especially under the conditions of room temperature and frozen.
Anaphylaxis/blood* ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Rats ; Temperature ; Tryptases/blood*