Objective To study protective effects of Wuzi Yanzong Fang on DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) in mice, and explore its mechanism. Methods BalB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, Wuzi Yanzong Fang low dose group and Wuzi Yanzong Fang high dose group. Mice in Wuzi Yanzong Fang groups were pretreated with Wuzi Yanzong Fang for 7 days, then the mice in Wuzi Yanzong Fang groups and model group were intraperitoneally injected with CTX (100 mg/kg) every other day for three times, and mice in Wuzi Yanzong Fang groups were continued administered with Wuzi Yanzong Fang. Animals were sacrificed in twelve hours after the final treatment of CTX. ELISA was used to detect 8-OHdG content in serum, and single cell gel electrophoresis to detect DNA damage in bone marrow cells. Results Wuzi Yanzong Fang low dose group and high dose group reduced the level of 8-OHdG in serum. Wuzi Yanzong Fang significantly decreased Olive tail moment, tail moment, tail length and tail DNA%in mouse bone marrow cells. Conclusion Wuzi Yanzong Fang has good protective effects on DNA damage caused by CTX.

Objective: To explore the effect of exercise preconditioning (EP) on pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (HF) in pressure over-loaded experimental rats.
Methods:A total of 60 SD rats at the age of 6 weeks were randomly divided into 3 groups, n=20 in each group. Sham-operation group, Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) group and EP + TAC group. The cardiac function and structure were evaluated by echocardiography, patholgical changes and HF biomarkers were examined for EP effect at 4 and 8 weeks after TAC.
Results:Compared with Sham-operation group, the cardiac function and structure had obvious changes in the other 2 groups. Compared with TAC group, the ejection fraction in EP+ TAC group increased 15%, the heart weight index and left ventricular weight index decrease 15.7%and 20%respectively at 8 weeks after TAC, all P<0.05. Compared with Sham-operation group, the mRNA and protein expressions of ANP and BNP increased in TAC group at 4 and 8 weeks after TAC, increased in EP+TAC group at 8 week after TAC. Compared with TAC group, the mRNA expressions of ANP and BNP in EP+TAC group decreased 47%and 62%at 4 weeks after TAC, decreased 44%and 28.1%at 8 weeks after TAC, all P<0.05;the protein expression of ANP and BNP in EP+TAC group decreased 22.3%and 48%at 4 weeks after TAC, decreased 21.5%and 38.3%at 8 weeks after TAC, all P<0.01.
Conclusion: EP may improve cardiac pathological hypertrophy in pressure over-loaded rats at the early stage, and delay the heart failure process.

Objective To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of interventional transcatheter destruction of the aortic valve to establish an animal model with acute aortic valve regurgitation. Methods Eight healthy goats were used for this study. A limited sternotomy approach was used to access the apex of the heart. Puncturing of the apex of the heart was performed to establish a wire track, then, under fluoroscopic guidance a 10 F sheath was inserted along this track of hard wire until to the ascending aorta above the aortic valve. The internal sheath was removed. Via the 10 F sheath a 10 mm occluder of ventricular septal defect (VSD) was introduced into the ascending aorta above the aortic valve. The sheath was pulled back to the left ventricle, while the occluder remained in the ascending aorta above the aortic valve. Then the occluder was quickly pulled back into the left ventricle in order to make some certain damage to the aortic valve. And an acute aortic valve regurgitation model was thus established. Angiography of ascending aorta above the aortic Among the 8 animals, two died of acute left ventricular failure on the spot due to excessive regurgitation blood flow after the operation. Macroscopically, damage of the aortic valve was seen. In the six survivors, angiography of ascending aorta above the aortic valve and Doppler echocardiography showed that moderate degree of regurgitation was detected in 5 and small amount of regurgitation in one. Two experimental goats with moderate degree of regurgitation died of heart failure separately at seven days and fifteen days after the operation. The remaining four experimental goats survived for more than three months. Follow- up checkups with echocardiography suggested the presence of mild- moderate degree of regurgitation. Conclusion Acute aortic valve regurgitation model in experimental goats can be established through transapical transcatheter damage of aortic valve by quickly pulling back a VSD occluder which has been placed in the ascending aorta above the aortic valve. This method is clinically feasible, technically simple and repeatable, the result is reliable, and the degree of regurgitation is controllable.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of different nutrition therapies on abnormal glucose metabolism during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.

METHODSThe 83 cases of pregnant women with abnormal glucose metabolism who came to nutrition clinic were randomly divided into two groups before 30 weeks pregnancy: 42 cases in traditional food exchange serving group (FES) and 41 cases in food exchange serving based on glycemic load group (FES + GL). Traditional food exchange serving and food exchange serving based on glycemic load were used as the different nutrition therapies for two groups respectively until the time of delivery. The influence of two nutrition therapies on the blood glucose and pregnancy outcomes were observed.

RESULTSThe daily food glucose load (GL) after nutrition therapy in the FES + GL group (145.9 ± 26.3) were significantly decreased than that of the FES group (179.9 ± 28.9, t = 5.602, P < 0.01). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2 h postprandial glucose (2 h PG) ((4.63 ± 0.97) and (6.15 ± 1.07) mmol/L, respectively) after nutrition therapy in the FES + GL group were significantly lower than that in pre-nutrition therapy ((4.96 ± 0.81) and (9.13 ± 1.61) mmol/L, t = 2.237, 11.202, respectively, all P values < 0.05). The 2 h PG in the FES + GL group ((6.15 ± 1.07) mmol/L) after nutrition therapy was significantly lower than that of the FES group ((6.86 ± 1.26) mmol/L, t = 2.760, P < 0.05). 19.51% (8/41) of the total incidence of complications in the FES + GL group was lower than that (11/42, 26.19%) in the FES group, but the difference was not significant (χ² = 0.524, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFES based on GL was much easier to reduce blood glucose compared with FES. Two nutrition therapies can improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with abnormal glucose metabolism.

Adult ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes, Gestational ; diet therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Glucose Metabolism Disorders ; diet therapy ; metabolism ; Humans ; Nutritional Support ; methods ; Pregnancy

Objective: To investigate whether diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) can be used as biomarkers to assess the degree of motor dysfunction of stroke survivors. Methods: Sixty partially-paralyzed stroke survivors were given Fugl-Meyer assessments (FMAs) and MEP tests and assessed using DTI seeking any correlations among the results. The receiver operating characteristics curves (ROCs) were prepared to determine the tests′ efficacy in assessing severe motor dysfunction. Results: ① Asymmetry in the fractional anisotropy (aFA) of the peduncles cerebra as measured by DTI was negatively correlated with the FMA scores of the upper and lower limbs on the affected side. The aFA values of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) were negatively correlated with the FMA scores of the affected upper limb, but not with the FMA scores of the affected lower limbs. The abnormalities in central motor conduction time and motor threshold, which are MEP parameters, were negatively correlated with the FMA scores of the affected limbs. ② The ROCs showed that the aFA value of the PLIC was the best indicator for assessing severe upper limb motor dysfunction, with a cut-off value of 0.167 giving the best discrimination. MEP waveform loss could also be used. It has high sensitivity but low specificity. ③ A combination of DTI and MEP can improve specificity in assessing severe motor dysfunction in the upper limbs. Conclusion DTI and MEP can both be used to evaluate motor dysfunction in stroke survivors. They have high clinical value for assessing severe motor dysfunction of the upper limbs.

The study established an HPLC-MS/MS method for determining the concentrations of sodium cromoglycate in human plasma and evaluated the pharmacokinetics of nasal drops and nasal spray. A C18 column was used to separate sodium cromoglycate in plasma with a mobile phase of a mixture of ammonium-methanol (involves 50% acetonitrile) (15:85) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL x min(-1). Electronic spray ionization (ESI) and multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) were used for the determination of sodium cromoglycate in human plasma. The linear range of the standard curve of sodium cromoglycate was from 0.3 to 20 ng x mL(-1), and the minimum concentration of detection was 0.3 ng x mL(-1). The extraction recovery was more than 94.1%, intra-day and inter-day RSD were less than 14.3%. After a single dose of sodium cromoglycate, the main pharmacokinetic parameters of nasal spray and nasal drops were as follows, T(1/2)(1.82 +/- 0.54) h, (1.59 +/- 0.52) h; Tmax (0.47 +/- 0.12) h, (0.44 +/- 0.15) h; Cmax, (9.79 +/- 4.66) ng x mL(-1), (10.88 +/- 4.05) ng x mL(-1); AUC(0-5 h)(11.52 +/- 3.46) ng x mL(-1) x h x h, (12.63 +/- 4.23) ng x mL(-1) x h, Fr(93.6 +/- 13.8)%. The method is sensitive, rapid and accurate. It is suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring and human pharmacokinetic study of sodium cromoglycate.
Administration, Intranasal ; Anti-Allergic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cromolyn Sodium ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Monitoring ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Quality Control ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of betamethasone in human plasma. The analyte was isocratically eluted on a Venusil XBP C8 column (200 mm x 3.9 mm ID, 5 microm) with methanol-water mol x L(-1) ammonium formate) (80:20) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL x min(-1), and detected (containing 5 mmol x L(-1) ammonium formate) (80:20) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL x min(-1), and detected with a triple quad LC-MS/MS using ESI with positive ionization. Ions monitored in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode were m/z 393.3-->355.2 for betamethasone and m/z 361.3-->343.2 for prednisolone (IS). Betamethasone was extracted from 0.5 mL human plasma with ethyl acetate. The average recovery is 88.24% and the low limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 0.5 ng x mL(-1). The 3-day validation study demonstrated excellent precision and accuracy across the calibration range of 0.5-80.0 ng x mL(-1). The method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of compound betamethason injection in healthy Chinese volunteers.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Betamethasone ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Male ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Young Adult

AIM To observe the effects of Taxilli Herba from six different hosts (Morus alba L.,Salix babylonica L.,Camellia oleifera Abel.,Castanea mollissima B1.,Liquidambar formosana Hance and Nerium indicum Mill.) on lowering blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS SHR were randomly divided into 14 groups,captopril positive group (20 mg/kg),model group,and Taxilli Herba groups of 6 different hosts,and each Taxilli Herba group was further divided into high-dose group (5.9 g/kg) and low-dose group (1.48 g/kg);WKY,in addition,was the blank control.And the 20-day consective correspondence medication was applied to the groups,each with eight rats.The caudal arterial systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured by tail-cuff method before the administration,and on the 10th day and 20th day of the administration.Anaesthesia was performed at the blood collection 12 h after the last administration;and thus final serum contents of nitric oxide (NO) and changes of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity,plasmatic contents of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were determined.RESULTS From the data before and after administration,an SBP drop among all SHR groups was observed on the 10th day of administration,among which the blood pressure lowering effect by high-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.was very obvious (P ＜ 0.01);remarkable SBP decrease on the 20th day of administration induced by Taxilli Herba from Salix babylonica L,Liquidambarformosana Hance and Camellia oleifera Abel,and high-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L,low-dose Taxilli Herba from Castanea mollissima B1 were detected (P ＜ 0.01).No significant SBP variation was available between the model group and Taxilli Herba groups after10-day administration;all the Taxilli Herba groups exhibited obvious effect in lowering SBP except Taxilli Herba from Nerium indicum Mill,low-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.and high-dose Taxilli Herba from Castanea mollissimaBl.after 20-day administration,compared to the model group (P ＜ 0.05).Highdose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.and Salix babylonica L significantly decreased plasmatic Ang Ⅱ and ET-1 contents of SHR groups in comparison with the model group (P ＜0.01).High-dose Taxilli Herba from Morus alba L.,Salix babylonica L.and Liquidambarformosana Hance significantly increased serum NO release and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION Taxilli Herba from the five different hosts,except Nerium indicum Mill,can lower blood pressure,and there exists an effect difference due to the host variation.

OBJECTIVEThe aims of this study were to evaluate whether the presence of -2518A/G polymorphism in the distal regulatory region of the monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) was associated with tuberculosis (TB) in Chongqing Han population and to find whether it has a significant impact on the pediatric patient.

METHODOne hundred children [ < or = 15 years old, mean age (7.3+/-4.6) years, 53 male, 47 female] and one hundred adults [51 male, 49 female, age (44.6+/-13.5) years with TB] and 200 healthy controls of comparable age were screened for genotype by PCR-sequence-specific primer (SSP) method. MCP-1 levels in the sera were detected by ELISA.

RESULT(1) TB patients and controls showed different single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) distribution patterns (58%, 36%). MCP-1 alleles -2518G was associated with increased TB susceptibility (P<0.01). (2) The -2518 GG genotypes was associated with increased TB susceptibility (32% in TB patients and 13% in non-TB controls respectively, P<0.01). (3) The odds of developing TB in genotypes GG were higher than those in homozygous AA, and the risk was higher in children than in adult (7.0-fold in children and 5.1-fold in adults, respectively). (4) Cases of homozygous GG had the highest plasma levels of MCP-1, which increased the likelihood of developing TB. Furthermore, higher levels were observed in children than in adults.

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that persons bearing the MCP-1 genotype GG produce high concentrations of MCP-1, which increases the risk of active TB infection in Chongqing Han people. These findings are more significant in child patients than in adult patients with TB.

Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Chemokine CCL2 ; blood ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Tuberculosis ; ethnology ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of forensic identification cases involved with peripheral nerve injury, and to discuss how to apply the clinical information, forensic examination and neurophysiological testing. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight cases which were diagnosed peripheral nerve injury in clinic, were collected. Then the individual characteristics, injuries, identification results, exaggeration or camouflage were analysed. RESULTS: The male, the unemployed, and the young and middle-aged were common in our cases. The main reasons of "peripheral nerve injury" were traffic accidents and sharp injuries. Most wounded parts were in limbs. Also the exaggeration and camouflage accounted for a considerable proportion in our cases. CONCLUSION The forensic identification of "peripheral nerve injury" cases should be evaluated with clinical information, forensic examination and electrophysiological testing comprehensively.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Disability Evaluation ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction/physiology* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peripheral Nerves/physiopathology* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Trauma Severity Indices ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating/physiopathology* ; Young Adult