Glutamine(Gln) is the most abundant free amino acid in the circulation. However, Gln depletion is obviously increased in critically ill patients. The liver plays a key role in glutamine metabolism since it can either generate or consume Gln. A number of studies have demonstrated that administration of Gln can protect from liver damage during sepsis or chemotherapy. The mechanism may be that glutamine can be more efficiently transported across cell membranes for glutathione synthesis. Supplement of Gln to PN has been proven to maintain intestinal integrity and reduce bacterial translocation. As a gluconeogenic amino acid, Gln can decrease the portal insulin/glucagon ratio and prevent hepatic steatosis through stimulating glucagon secretion.

Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) have been used as the first-line treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) in recent years. However, with the increased clinical application of PDE5i, the incidence rate of PDE5i-induced adverse reactions is on the rise, which may involve the cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, respiratory, and reproductive systems. Most of the adverse reactions are mild to moderate, occasionally with serious or rare complications. The probability and severity of the adverse reactions are associated with the dosage and frequency of medication as well as with individual differences. Therefore individualized medication is necessitated and, for the patients with cardiovascular disease, epilepsy, psychosis, or anaphylactic conditions, PDE5i should be cautiously given or avoided. This review provides an overview of PDE5i-induced adverse reactions and countermeasures in the treatment of ED.
Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects

Objective: To study the examination of coronary sinus (CS) and blood flow by transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography(TEE).Methods: Thirty patients with supraventricular tachycardia were studied by TTE and TEE. The CS was visualized using modified 4 chamber view. The position of the probe was optimized until the coronary sinus with its ostium into the right atrium could be visualized. CS flow recordings were performed by TEE with Doppler sample volume placed in the CS within a distance of no more than 10 mm from its ostium. Results: In all patients the angle between the doppler beam and the long axis of the CS was <30°. The CS was fully displayed in 18 patients by TTE and 28 patients by TEE. The length and width of the CS were (16.53±2.57) mm and (4.51±1.30) mm by TTE, (24.11±2.46) mm and (5.06±0.97) mm by TEE.The CS flow was characterized by biphasic flow.Its flow velocity was (39±7.8), (31±6.1) and (21±4.7) cm/s respectively. The CS flow velocity-imeintegral was(43±11.6),(43±13.0),(27±8.2) cm/s. Conclusion: Echocardiography is reliable for detecting CS and its flow. TTE is more feasible for detecting CS and its flow than TEE.

Objective To evaluate the possible factors that may influence the resting energy expenditure (REE) in patients with newly diagnosed esophageal cancer. Methods Totally, 40 patients with newly diagnosed esophageal cancer were prospectively collected from November 2008 to June 2009 in Xinhua Hospital. Nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS 2002) was performed. REE and body composition were measured using indirect calorimetry and bioeletrical impedence method, respectively. Results Twenty-seven (67.5%) patients were found with nutrition risk, and NRS score was negatively correlated with prealbumin ( r = - 0.444, P = 0.004) and albumin levels (r = - 0.386, P = 0.014). Measured REE and predicted REE values were ( 6770 ± 1360) and (6021 ± 841 ) kJ/d, respectively (P ＜ 0.001 ). Among all 40 patients, 57.5% of them were hypermetabolic,30.0% were normal, and 12.5% were hypometabolic. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that fat free mass was the only significant determinant variable for REE (P ＜ 0.001 ). Conclusion Fat free mass is a factor than can influence the energy metabolism in patients with newly diagnosed esophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of mild moxibustion and lovastatin on immunologic function in rabbits with chronic hyperlipidaemia and atherosclerosis (AS) to initially explain regulating rules of mild moxibustion on immunologic function.

METHODSAmong thirty-two Japanese male big-ear rabbits, 8 rabbits were randomly selec ted as a blank group, the rest 24 rabbits were fed with method of endothelial injury and high-fat diet to establish AS model. The blank group was raised with normal diet and free water. After ten weeks of model establishment, the rest 24 rabbits were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion group and a medicine group, eight rabbits in each one. Moxibustion was applied at "Shenque" (CV 8) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 10 min per acupoint per day in the moxibustion group, while intragastric administration of 3.6 mg/kg lovastatin capsule was applied in the medicine group. After treatment, serum was acquired. Spectrophotometry method was adapted to measure cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and evaluated atherosclerosis index (AI), while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used to measure interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4).

RESULTS(1) The serum TC and HDL-C in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group, moxibustion group and medicine group (all P < 0.01). The mean value of AI was 1.683 +/- 0.486 in the moxibustion group, which was obviously lower than 20.301 +/- 4.022 in the model group (P < 0.01). (2) The ratio of Th1/Th2 was 0.569 +/- 0.143 in the moxibustion group and 0.445 +/- 0.079 in the medicine group, which were significantly lower than 0.917 +/- 0.255 in the model group (both P < 0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference between the moxibustion group and the medicine group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe moxibustion for AS could reduce atherosclerosis index, influence drift and bias of helper T cell and regulate balance between humoral immunity and cellular immunity. As a result, status of relative balance of immunity is acquired, which could slow down the development of atherosclerosis and process of thrombus burst.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; immunology ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; immunology ; therapy ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Interleukin-4 ; immunology ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Rabbits ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the analysis of chemical compositions in Jinqiancao granule. METHODS:HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS was adopted. The chromatographic conditions:the column was Inertsil ODS-4 with mobile phase of 0.1%formic acid- methanol (gradient elution) at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min,column temperature was 30 ℃,and the injection volume was 15 μl. MS conditions:ion source was ESI(negative ion mode),endplate offset voltage was -500 V,capillary electrophore-sis was 3500 V,carrier gas was helium gas,atomization and drying gas was high purity nitrogen gas at a flow rate of 6 L/min and a pressure of 1.0 bar,drying air temperature was 180℃. Scanning range was 50-1500 m/z. ChemBioDraw Ultra13.0 and Bruk-er data analysis software 4.0 were used to analyze the chemical composition molecular formula. RESULTS:A total of 27 kinds of chemical components were identified in Jinqiancao granule,involving sucrose,uridine,gallic acid,new chlorogenic acid,(-)-epi-gallocatechin,protocatechuic acid,chlorogenic acid,schaftoside,caffeic acid,schaftoside,vanillc acid,ferulic acid,hyperin,ros-marinic acid,rutin,isoquercitrin,astragalin,quercetin-3-rhamnoside,myricetin,4-hydroxybenzoic acid,quercetin,naringenin, luteolin,kaempferol,isorhmnetin,apigenin and emodin. CONCLUSIONS:Caffeic acid,rosmarinic acid,vanillic acid,(-)-epigal-locatechin,uridine and emodin are firstly found and reported in the chemical compositions in Jinqiancao granule.

Objective: To construct eukaryotic expression vector of tumor-associated gene SNC90 and transfect it into human colorectal cancer cell lines. Methods: A 1.5 kb tumor-associate gene SNC90 full length cDNA was inserted into a mammalian expression vector pREP9 to make recombinant vector pREP9-SNC90, which was then introduced into three kinds of colorectal cancer cell lines, SW1116, COL0205 and SW620, by lipofection or electroporation. The cells resistant to G418 drug were selected. Results: Cells transfected with pREP9-SNC90 showed fewer G418-resistant colonies than those transfected with void vector, the inhibitory rates are 72.2%, 74.2% and 59.7%, respectively. Conclusion : SNC90 may play a negative role in regulating growth of colorectal cancer cell.

Objecitve To investigate the changes of chronotropic response before and after percutaneous coronary intervention ( PCI)in patients with coronary disease .Methods A total of 339 patients with coronary disease was included in this study .All sub-jects underwent treadmill exercise test and coronary angiogram , and some patients underwent PCI if necessary .The parameters of chro-notropic response were recorded and analyzed , including ratio of the highest to predicted heart rates ( rHR) ,chronotropic response in-dex ( CRI) , and heart rate reserve ( HRR) .After coronary angiogram , the score of gensin was recorded and analyzed .Results There was significant difference in the parameter of CRI between unstable angina pectoris and silent myocardial ischemia groups ( P <0.05 ) , CRI were 0.80 ±0.11 and 0.89 ±0.07 , respectively .After coronary angiogram and PCI , there were significant differences in the parameters of rHR, CRI, and HRR between pre-therapy and post-treatment ( t =2.440, 1.977, 2.529, all P <0.05).A nega-tive correlation was found between the parameters of rHR , CRI, and HRR and the score of Gensin ( r =-0.686 , -0.673 , and-0.672, all P <0.05).The significant difference in rHR, CRI, and HRR existed between the groups of <20 and >40 ( t =2.567, 2.223, 2.062, all P <0.05).Conclusions Parameters (rHR, CRI, and HRR) had important clinical values in evaluating the changes of chronotropic response before and after PCI in patients with coronary disease with a negative correlation with the score of Gensin.

Intrahepatic bile duct stones located at the upper part of the hepatic duct.The percentage of intrahepatic biliary cholesterol calculus is increasing in recent years,and the incidence of this type of bile duct stones is free from infection or obstruction.The formation of intrahepatic bile duct stones might not only related to the micro-environment changes in the biliary tract,but also related to the changes of metabolic function of hepatocytes or cholangiocytes.In this article,the mechanism of biliary hydrodynamics on the formation of intrahepatic bile duct stones was reviewed.

AIM:This study aims to screen the differentially expressed genes related to the pathogenesis of ameloblastoma by cDNA microarray.METHODS:The total RNAs were isolated from ameloblastoma and tooth germ,respectively.The RNAs were purified by oligotex.Both the mRNAs from two kinds of tissues were reversely transcribed to cDNA with the incorporation of fluorescent-labelled dUTP to prepare the hybridization probes.The mixed probes were hybridized to cDNA microarray.Tumor-related genes were screened through the analysis of fluroescent intensity.RESULTS:722 genes exhibited significant changes in expression levels in the ameloblastoma in comparison with tooth germs tissues.240 genes were overexpressed more than doubled(92 genes were more than 3-fold),and 482 genes were underexpressed to below 0.5 of the control level.CONCLUSION:Microarray technique facilitates large scale and rapid identification of potential target genes of ameloblastoma.