AIM: To study the effect of the four alkaloids of Sophora Alopecuroides On cycloxygenase(COX) activities in vitro. METHODS: The effect of matrine, oxymatrine sophocarpine and sophoridine on COX2 and COX1 activity were evaluated by the content of Prostaglandin E_2(PGE_2) and 6-Keto-PGF_~1a , respectively. The PGE_2 came from exogenous AA in cultured mouse peritoneal macrophage supernatants induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) 1 ug?mL~-1 was measured with radioimmunoassay(RIA) method using ~ 3H-labelled PGE_2. The 6-Keto-PGF_~1a from exogenous AA in cultured mouse peritoneal macrophage supernatants induced by calcium ionophore A23187 1 ?mol?L~-1 was measured with RIA method using~125 I-labelled 6-Keto-PGF_~1a . RESULTS: The COX2 activities were markedly inhibited in a dose dependent manner by oxymatrine, sophocarpine and sophoridine, Respectively. Excluding the sophoridine, all the other three alkaloids of Sophora Alopecuroids obviously suppressed the activities of COX1, respectively. CONCLUSION: The in vitro results show that oxymatrine, sophocarpine and sophoridine may have the significant specific inhibitory action for COX2, in contrase, matrine may be COX1 selective inhibitor.

Objective To investigate clinical characteristics of the multi-center breast DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), in order to improve the rate of early diagnosis. Methods Clinical data of 23 multi-center breast DCIS patients admitted and operated on from September 2003 to February 2009 at our department were retrospectively reviewed. Results There were 4 cases associated with nipple discharge,and 18 cases with preoperative negative physical examination (78%). In the preoperative examination within 6 months, the positive rate of mammography was 90% mainly characterized by the existence of diffuse and multiple small calcifications. The positive rate of MRI was 25%, B ultrasound had no positive findings. The patients that were confirmed multi-center breast DCIS by intraoperative frozen section examination received mastectomy and ipsilateral axillary L1, L2 lymph node dissection. Conclusion The diffuse and multiple small calcification is one of early clinical characteristics of multi-center breast DCIS. Although the disease has a wide range of lesion, it still is an early tumor, and has a favourite prognosis after comprehensive treatment.

Adult ; Aged ; Constipation ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Stroke ; complications

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL)guided by ultrasonography for calculi within horseshoe kidneys.Methods From September 2005 to January 2008,44 patients with calculi within horseshoe kidneys(51 sides)underwent ultrasonography-guided F24-tract PCNL in our hospital.Among the cases,single calculus was found in 24 kidneys,multiple calculi were detected in 18,and staghorn calculi in 9.The stones sized(24.4?5.8)mm in length.Results All the operations were completed in one session,single tract was established in 49 kidneys,while double tracts were used in the other 2;31 of the tracts were made through the upper calyx,20 via the middle calyx,and 2 through the lower calyx.The mean operation time was(48.4?11.9)min.The stone-free rate after one-session operation was 88.2%(45/51),3 cases received a second-session PCNL to remove the residual calculi.After the operation,the hemoglobin decreased by(11.3?3.7)% in the patients,none of them received blood transfusion.Postoperative rate of surgery-related infection was 5.9%(3/51).No pleural or abdominal injury occurred.44 patients were followed up for 11.4 months,during the period one of the 3 patients who received the second-session surgery achieved stone-free.The rate of recurrence at 6 months was 2.0%(1/51),and 6.5% at 1 year(3/46).Conclusions Ultrasonography-guided standard PCNL is effective and safe for calculi within horseshoe kidneys.

Objective To understand the proliferation of algae in Hanjiang River during low water period. Methods Identification and counting of algae was carried out in water samples collected from the locations with a depths of 0.5 m, 1.0 m and 1.5 m under the surface of water in the section of Zongguan water plant of Hanjiang River during low water period. Results The temperature of water of Hanjiang River was 19 ℃. The dominant algae was Bacillariophyta with a constetuent ratio of 72.38%, others were Chlorophyta (13.35%), Cryptophyta (9.68%), Cyanophyta (4.12%). The algal count was 1.8?10 4/L. Out countless diatom shells were found also. Conclusion The water pollution by algae of water of Hanjiang River during low water period should be paid more attention to, and its monitoring should be strengthened.

The bacterial strain CSS-4-2 isolated from the spleen of Carassius auratus of penze(♀) ? Cyprinus acutidorsalis (♂) with septicemia was proved to b e a pathogen by artificial infection. This bacteria has short rod-shaped cells , Gram negative and motile, with single polar flagellum, and with not capsule. No spore was formed , and it was resistant to 0/129. It could utilize glucose, mal t ose ,mannite, sucrose and inositol, but could not utilize malonate, lactose, xyl ose, raffinose, sorbin and adonitol. Oxidase and arginine dihydrolase was posit ive.While urease, lysine decarboxylase and ornthine decarboxylase was negative .Bacteriological identification by VITEK-AMS-60 showed the strain CSS-4-2 w as Aeromonas caviae. Drug sensitivity assay showed that this strain was sen sitive to s treptomycin, tobramycin, chloromycetin, rifampicin, norfloxacin and nitrofuranto in, but resistant to penicillin G.

The growth property of pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas caviae strain CSS-4-2 which was isolated from the spleen of Carassius auratus of penze(♀) ? Cyprinus acutidorsalis (♂) that diseased septicemia was studied.The growth curve of CSS-4-2:lag phase was in 0～3h,log phase was in 3～30h, stationary phase was in 33～36h,decline phase was after 36h when CSS-4-2 was cultured shaking in tryptone liquid medium. It's optimum growth temperature ranges from 25℃ to 30℃, optimum growth pH ranges from 5 to 10, and optimum salinity ranges from 0% to 1% Nacl concentration .

Objective To study the role of P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(P38 MAPK) activation in high level glucose-induced microvascular hyperpermeability.Methods Rats were induced to diabetis by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ).The rats were divided into 5 groups,including normal,diabetes,control,MKK6b(A) and MKK6b(E) groups.The permeability coefficient to albumin(Pa) was measured in venules of in vivo mesenterium using a fluorescence ratio technique;Morphological changes of microvascular endothelial cell were monitored by observing fluorescence of F-actin stained with rhodamine-phalloidin.Results The permeability of diabetic rats was obviously increased.The activation of P38 MAPK by MKK6b(E) could increase microvascular permeability in normal rats,and the inhibition of P38 MAPK by MKK6b(A) could inhibit hyperpermeability of diabetic rats.Conclusion The activation of P38 MAPK induced by hyperglycemia may play a role in diabetic microvascular hyperpermeability.

Tumor genesis and development often result from deregulation of important biological pathways at the gene expression level. Although there has been much work focused on searching gene sets using gene expression data or other prior information, proper statistical testing of the gene sets is still an open question. Most studies have expanded the testing method of a single gene into the gene sets. Parametric statistical analysis of gene sets ( p-SAGE ) was presented for determining the significant gene sets or pathways associated with a phenotype of interest. The method was applied to brain tumor experiments to identify many gene sets. Some of the newly discovered gene sets were related to signal transduction and immunity. This simple and effective method gives useful biologically meaningful results.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and possible mechanisms of Xuebijing injection for treatment of rabbits with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE). Methods Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) group and Xuebijing group by random number table, 8 rabbits in each group. APTE model was reproduced by re-infusing autologous blood clots, and nothing was done for the normal control group. After the model was established, intravenous injection of Xuebijing 1 mL/kg from ear marginal vein was given to the rabbits in Xuebijing group, the LMWH 100 U/kg was subcutaneously injected in LMWH group, the same amount of normal saline was given intravenously to model group and normal control group, twice daily for 7 days in all the groups. The changes of plasma D-dimer and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) after modeling for 8 hours and 1, 3, 5, 7 days;after 7 days the animals were sacrificed and their lung tissues were removed for the examination of ultrastructural changes under an electron microscope. Results With the prolongation of time, the D-dimer level in the model group was gradually increased, and on the 7th day after modeling, the level was significantly higher than that of the normal control, LMWH and Xuebijing groups (g/L:3.98±1.14 vs. 0.43±0.12, 1.05±0.13, 1.04±0.15, all P<0.05). After modeling for 5 days, the ET-1 level reached its peak in the model group, and it was lowered on the 7th day after modeling, but still significantly higher than that in the normal control, LMWH and Xuebijing groups (g/L:63.8±20.9 vs. 20.0±1.4, 36.5±8.3, 34.2±6.3, all P<0.05). The D-dimer and ET-1 levels in the LMWH and Xuebijing groups were significantly higher than those of the normal control group at each time point, but still obviously lower than those of the model group (all P<0.05), and the differences between the two treatment groups were not statistically significant at each time point (all P>0.05). Electron microscopic examination of lung tissue ultra-structure showed:in the model group, there were the lung tissue basement membrane rupture, the organelle structure in vascular endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial cells typeⅠandⅡnot clear, disappearance of microvilli on cell surface, cytoplasm concentration, nuclear chromatin condensation, a lot of debris due to nuclear lysis, formation of apoptotic bodies after shedding, and mitochondrial structural damage. In LMWH group, the capillary endothelial cell swelling, a lot of necrotized blood cells oozing, blockage of lumen, the cytoplasm of typeⅡalveolar epithelial cell loose, edematous and multiple lamellar bodies vacuolized were seen. In Xuebijing group, capillary endothelial cell swelling, necrotized blood cells blocking the lumen and seeping, the link basically normal, the type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cell edematous, mitigation of lamellar bodies emptying were found. Conclusions Xuebijing can significantly reduce the plasma D-dimer and ET-1 levels, adjust the balance of coagulation and fibrinolysis, simultaneously decrease the pulmonary vascular permeability obviously in rabbits with APTE, thus it possesses certain protective effect for endothelial function leading to amelioration of lung injury and reduction of lung pathological damage in rabbits with pulmonary embolism.