Unexplained syncope (UPS) is a common clinical disease.It may occur at all ages.But the pothogenisis of UPS is still unclear.There are many researches at home and abroad reporting that the cardiovascular system has endogenous circadian rhythm.And the circadian variations of autonomic nervous system,ambulatory blood pressure,and heart rate variability may contribute to the observed circadian rhythm of cardiovascular.Sudden cardiac and cerebral events are most common in the morning.The time rhythm of UPS may have potential implications for management.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of metallothionein(MTs)gene expression and explore the important significance of MTs during hepatocarcinogenesis.Methods One hundred and twenty-five SPF 5 -8-week old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group and model group.Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was given to the mice at a dose of 100 mg/kg, ip, and 50 mg/kg, ip, in the first and next week, respectively.The mice were given ethanol (53%, 5 mL/kg/day, 5 days/week) from the third week of experiment till 35 weeks.At 1, 3, 9, 13, 24 and 35 weeks of the experiment, liver samples were taken for histopathological examination of liver damages and incidence of HCC. The liver index and malondialdehyde (MDA) of liver homogenate were determined.All liver tissue samples were examined by histopathology using hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Masson and reticular fiber staining.Real-time RT-PCR was used to analyze the mRNA expression level of liver metallothionein-1 /2 (MT-1 /2) in different periods.Results Progressive liver damages in model group mice were identified in different periods.Hepatocytes abnormal tission and abnormal liver plate structure, architecture often characteristic of HCC could be seen in approximately 50% of mice at 35 weeks.In addition to these, a higher liver index also were seen at 35 weeks.Increased MDA levels in the mouse liver tissues were observed in each stage.Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that significantly increased transcription of MT-1 and MT-2 at 1, 3 and 9 weeks, then gradually declined and even below the normal level.Conclusions MTs gene expression levels in mouse liver tissues are changed from significantly increased in the early stage of injury to decreased expression combined with distinct fibrosis. Our findings further demonstrate that the down-regulation of MTs level is closely correlated with hepatocarcinogenesis.

Measurement of whole blood CL was carried out to evaluate phagocytic of function of PMNL and opsonic activity of plasma from children (22 cases), adults (31), newborn infants (umbilical cord blood, 21), patients with bacterial infection (31), viral infections (21),and mild anemia (10). The following results were obtained: first, phagocytic function of PMNL and opsonic activity of plasma from normal children was compared to adults; second, phagocytic and/or metabolic activity of PMNL and opsonic ativity of plasma from newborn infants were lower then normal, third, PMNL of the patients with bacterial infections had been preactivated in vivo, their phagocytic function being enhanced, but, blood from the patients with viral infections showed almost no abnormalities; fourth, phagocytic activity of PMNL from the patients with mild anemia was similar to normal human. The significance of the results was also discused in the paper.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture and tapping therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes of yin deficiency pattern combined with stasis in the patients.

METHODSOne hundred and twelve patients were treated with acupuncture, followed by tapping method. The reinforcing method with lifting, thrusting and rotating needle technique was used at Taixi (KI 3), Shenmen (HT 7), Taibai (SP 3), Taiyuan (LU 9), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36); and the even-needling technique was used at Taichong (LR 3), Hegu (LI 4), Xuehai (SP 10) and Fenglong (ST 40). The needles were remained for 30 min. After needle removal, the tapping method with plum-blossom needle was applied to Geshu (BL 17), Yishu (EX-B 3), Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23) and Pishu (BL 20), once every two days. The treatment of 3 months was required. The changes were observed before and after treatment in the relevant indices of fat-islet axis such as fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting leptin (FLP), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), insulin resistance (Homa IR), insulin secretion index (Homa-beta) and the indices of obesity and blood lipids in the patients.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the total effective rate was 84.8% (95/112), in which the efficacy on the stasis predominated syndrome was better than that of yin deficiency predominated syndrome [92.9% (52/56) vs 76.8% (43/56), P < 0.05]. Before treatment, FPG, FLP, FINS, Homa-IR, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), body mass, body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (F%) and obesity degree in the patients were higher obviously than those in the normal group (all P < 0.01); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and ISI were lower than those in the normal group (both P < 0.01). After treatment, FPG, FLP, FINS, Homa-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, body mass, BMI, F% and obesity degree were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.01). ISI and HDL-C were increased apparently (both P < 0.01). The efficacy on mild obesity was superior to that on moderate and severe obesity, and the efficacy in the young patients was better than that in the elderly, the efficacy in the males was better than that in the females, but the differences were not significant (all P > 0.05). The efficacy in the cases with 10 years duration of sickness was superior to those with over 10 years duration of sickness (P < 0. 01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and tapping therapy achieves the significant efficacy on type 2 diabetes of yin deficiency pattern combined with stasis and its effect mechanism is related to the positive regulation of glucose, lipid metabolism and fat-islet axis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Leptin ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Triglycerides ; metabolism ; Yin Deficiency ; metabolism ; therapy

BACKGROUND: Coronary angiography is called "the golden standard" for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CAD). Foreshortening of vessel segments in angiographic projection images usually caused by the inappropriate projection angles or positions may lead to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal angiographic views of main coronary artery and its branches in different somatotype or heart type patients and to investigate the specific relationships between the optimal angiographic views and the different somatotypes and heart types with computer-assisted techniques.DESIGN: A controlled observation.SETTING: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University.PARTICIPANTS: Altogether 1 369 patients were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University to undergo coronary angiography from January 2001 to December 2006 and recruited for this study. Written informed consents of coronary angiography were obtained from all the patients. The protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Medical College of Nanchang University.METHODS: All 1 369 inpatients were assigned into 3 groups by body mass index (BMI): fat somatotype group (n =489, BMI: 26-31 kg/m2, transverse heart type), general somatotype group (n =502, BMI: 23-25 kg/m2, general heart type), and thin somatotype group (n =378, BMI: 17-22 kg/m2 vertical heart type). In each group, all arteries including left main coronary artery (LM), proximal segment of the anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), distal-mid segment of LAD, proximal segment of circumflex branch (LCX), distal-mid segment of LCX, proximal-mid and distal segments of right coronary artery (RCA) were properly and carefully analyzed using Compart software, and then we got its optimal angiographic viewing angle. Finally, we arranged these data and induced whether different somatotype group patients have different optimal angiographic viewing angles specifically for some coronary artery or not.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Optimal angiographic viewing angles.RESULTS: All 1369 patients participated in the final analysis. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for LM: left anterior oblique (LAO)(40±5)°/ caudal (CAU)(25±5)° or right left anterior oblique (RAO) 25°/CAU35°. In the fat somatotype group, the angle should be added 10° to its optimal angle, and in the thin somatotype group, the angle should be decreased by 10°, and the differences between the general somatotype group and the fat somatotype group or the thin somatotype group were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Optimal angiographic viewing angle for proximal segment of LAD: RAO (50±8)°/ cranial (CRA)(23±8)°. In the fat somatotype group, the optimal angle should be added 10°, but in the thin somatotype group, it should be decreased by 10°. The differences between the general somatotype group and the fat somatotype group or the thin somatotype group were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Optimal angiographic viewing angle for distal-mid segment of LAD: RAO (40±5)°/CRA (45±5)° or LAO (11±5)°/CRA (45±5)°. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for proximal segment of LCX: LAO (45±5)°/CAU (35±5)° or anteroposterior (AP)/CAU36°. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for distal-mid segmental of LCX: LAO (45±5)°/CAU (35±5)° or RAO (6±4)°/CAU (30±5)°. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for proximal-mid segment of RCA: LAO (35±5)°/CAU (14±5)° or LAO (48±5)°/CRA (15±5)°. For the thin or fat somatotype group, the optimal LAO angle should be increased by 15°, the optimal RAO angle should be decreased by10° for fat somatotype group and should be increased by 10° for thin somatotype group, and the differences between the general somatotype group and the fat somatotype group or the thin somatotype group were statistically significantly (P < 0.05). Optimal angiographic viewing angle for distal segment of RCA: LAO (53±5)°/CAU (17±5)°.CONCLUSION: The message can be got clearly about the whole coronary artery and the accuracy percentage of stenosis by changing angiographic viewing angle regularly to its own optimal angle in different somatotype or heart type patients. It's very important for making the choice of diagnosis and therapy

Objective To complete the large international cooperation nursing research project Adapting a Smoking Cessation Intervention Distance Learning Program to Educate Nurses in China(CRN-HSQ) cooperating with International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC).Methods The contact team was formed,convenience sampling method was used to choose 350 clinical nurses in our hospital.They were trained and investigated by web-based education mode.Results The contact team finished the project tasks smoothly.The satisfaction degree of research object with the contact team was high.Conclusions Establishment of contact team is good for shortening the information flow path,reducing the information transmission error,increasing the research objects' confidence and reducing the research objects turnover.It is very helpful for project with long period and large number of research objects.

BACKGROUND:In recent years, there are many animal studies and osteoblast studies on the anti-osteoporotic effects of puerarin, a kind of phytoestrogen. But few of them are reported on the effects of puerarin on osteoblasts in older patients with osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of puerarin on the proliferation ofin vitro cultured osteoblasts from older female patients with osteoporosis. METHODS:The older female patients with osteoporotic femoral neck fractures who underwent artificial femoral head replacement were included in this study. The femoral neck cancelous bone removed during the operation was colected. Primary cancelous bone osteoblasts were cultured using explant culture method. The cels were sub-cultured to the required amounts. Osteoblasts from the control group were cultured with culture medium without puerarin. Osteoblasts from the 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μmol/L puerarin groups were cultured with culture medium containing the corresponding concentrations of puerarin. After in vitro co-culture with different concentrations of puerarin for 1, 3, 5 days, the proliferation of osteoblasts was observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:With the increase in the concentration of puerarin, the proliferative activity of
osteoblasts constantly increased at different time points (P < 0.05). At 3 days of culture, cel absorbance value in each group reached the peak level. These results suggest that 0.01, 0.1, 1μmol/L puerarin promotes the proliferation of osteoblasts in older patients with osteoporosis in a concentration-dependent manner.

Objective To explore the relationship of phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten ( PTEN ) expression with the positioning of AMPA recepter subunit GluR2 in hippocampal neuron after stretch injury. Methods The primary rat hippocampal neuron from neonate rats were cultured and the model of stretch injury established. Western blot and TUNEL staining were used to detect PTEN expression and the positioning of AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 in rat hippocampal neuron at different time intervals after stretch injury. Results The PTEN expression was increased obviously after stretch injury, while the expressions of AMPA receptors GluR1, GluR2 and GluR3 showed no evident differences at every time point. However, AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 located at cytomembrane was down-regulated obviously after stretch injury. Conclusion The intracellular PTEN expression and the expression of AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 located at cytomembrane are on the contrary, indicating that PTEN phosphatase may participate in the transport and reintegration process of AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 located at cytomembrane.

Objective To investigate the interventional treatment strategy for occluding the intercristal ventricular septal defect (VSD) in order to improve the surgical safety and success rate. Methods During the period from January 2012 to December 2013, a total of 31 patients with intercristal VSD were admitted to authors’ hospital to receive interventional catheter occlusion therapy. Preoperative color Doppler ultrasound echocardiography showed that on the short axis view of the aorta the VSD interrupted port was situated at 12:00 - 1:00 o’clock region. Left ventricular and above aortic valve angiography indicated that the VSD location, shape and size, the split vent size on the left ventricle side and its distance from the aortic valve could be correctly measured when the VSD shunt was visualized , which were very helpful in guiding the operator to select the suitable occluder as well as to adjust the release pattern of the occluder. Postoperative imaging findings of the left ventricular and above aortic valve angiography were compared with the preoperative ones. Results Successful occlusion of VSD was obtained in 22 patients , in 13 among them the left ventricular angiography showed that the direction of blood flow beam at the defect hole was from the left ventricle to the right ventricle in an obliquely upward direction. The basal width of the defect on the left ventricle side was (5.12 ± 1.38) mm, and(6 - 10) mm occluder was employed. In the remaining 9 patients the left ventricular angiography showed that the direction of blood flow beam at the defect hole was from the left ventricle to the right ventricle in a direction almost parallel to the aortic valve , and the basal width of the defect on the left ventricle side was (7.18 ± 1.26) mm, and (9 - 12) mm zero-bias occluder was adopted. Interventional occlusion of VSD was unsuccessful in 9 cases as the intercristal hole was rather larger, and two of them had coexisting aortic sinus aneurysm complicated by mid-to-severe degree aortic valve regurgitation. Conclusion Based on the precise analysis of angiographic images by experienced radiologists optimal treatment scheme can be worked out. If conditions permit, symmetrical occluder should be employed so far as possible in order to reduce the degree of operation difficulty and improve the surgical safety and the success rate as well.

Nanocarriers generally made of natural or artificial polymers ranging in size from about 10-1 000 nm, possess versatile properties suitable for drug delivery, including good biocompatibility and biodegradability, potential capability of targeted delivery and controlled release of incorporated drugs, and have been extensively used in the development of new drug delivery systems (DDS). These types of nano-DDS have considerable potential to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and recently have attracted increasing efforts on the TCM research and development. In this review, the recently published literature worldwide is covered to describe the latest advances in the applications as TCM delivery carriers, and to highlight the characteristics and preparation methods of some selected examples of promising nanocarriers such as nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, nanomicelles and nanoliposomes.
Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Nanostructures ; chemistry ; Nanotechnology ; methods