Objective To analyse the efficacy of microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm (HFS) caused by vertebral basilar artery compression. Methods A total of 141 patients with HFS treated by microvascular decompression in our hospital were collected in this study. The improvement of the symptoms after operation was compared between patients with HFS caused by vertebral basilar artery compression (28 cases) and patients with HFS caused by non-vertebral basilar artery compression (113 cases). Results There was no significant difference in the effective rate between the two groups of HFS (96.43%vs. 98.23%,P=0.49) with mean following-up 13.81 ± 1.57 months. And there was no significant difference in the delayed cure rate after surgery between two groups (37.04%vs. 20.72%,χ2=1.38, P>0.05). Conclusion Microvascular decompression is a safe and effective method for the treatment of HFS caused by compressed vertebral basilar artery.

Objective To analyze the characterization of cognitive function in Parkinson's disease with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Methods Cognitive function was examined in Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD) patients ( n = 30) , Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients ( n = 30) and healthy elderly control subjects ( n = 60) . Neuropsychological evaluation contained semantic fluency test, phonemic fluency test, action fluency test, objective and action naming tests. Results In PDD group , the score of semantic fluency test is 9. 33 ±2. 78, 6. 17 ± 1.67 of phonemic fluency test and 7.03 ±2. 34 of action fluency test,it is 6.90 ±2.47, 7.87±2.01,8.30±3. 17 of AD group. The score of objective and action naming tests is 36.33 ±3.39, 17.63 ±2. 17 in PDD group,while AD patients is 33.23 ±3.56 and 22.33 ±2.37. The verbal fluency tests and naming tests were impaired in PDD and AD patients compared with the healthy elderly control group (P ＜ 0. 01 ), phonemic fluency, action fluency and action naming were more impaired in PDD patients compared with the AD group , while semantic fluency and objective naming were more impaired in AD patients (P ＜ 0. 01 ). Conclusions Executive function deficit and naming impairment are found in PDD and AD patients, it shows that PDD is characterized by the addition of cortical dysfunction upon a predominant and progressive fronto-subcortical impairment. There is subcortical dysfunction in AD patients.

Objective To observe the change of capillary pericapillary cells in rats with myocardial infarction and the influence of supplementing qi and activating blood circulation herbs, and explore its mechanism of improving myocardial perfusion. Methods The rat model was established by ligaturing the left anterior descending coronary artery. On the base of ECG evaluation, successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, group treated with supplementing qi and activating blood circulation Chinese medicine (activating blood and supplementing qi group), group treated with Perindopril (Perindopril group), group treated with Tongxinluo Capsules (Tongxinluo group). The sham-operation group was taken as the control. There were totally 5 groups. The model group and the sham-operation group were treated with normal saline. The changes of myocardial capillary density (MCD) and number of pericapillary cells on the 7th, 28th day after medicinal administration were observed. Results On the 7th and 28th day, the MCD decreased significantly and the number of capillary pericapillary cells increased significantly in the model group compared with the sham-operation group (P<0.01). The MCD increased significantly in the activating blood and supplementing qi group, Perindopril group and Tongxinluo group compared with the model group (P<0.01). The number of pericapillary cells decreased significantly in the activating blood and supplementing qi group, Perindopril group and Tongxinluo group compared with the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion The supplementing qi and activating blood circulation herbs can improve regional myocardial blood supply by decreasing the number of pericytes and promoting regeneration of capillary.

Pyrrole [1,2-α] indole is a novel fused heterocyclic skeleton, which is also the basic structural unit and synthetic intermediate of many natural active products and drugs. Pyrrole [1,2-α] indole heterocyclic derivatives have attracted much attention in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry because of their extensive and marked biological activities. Plant extracts have always been an important source of active compounds. At present, the alkaloids based on the pyrrole [1,2-α] indole heterocyclic structure discovered and isolated from plant extracts include isatisine, isoborreverine, flinderoles, polyavolensin and yuremamine. This paper reviews the research progress on the biological activity of pyrrole [1,2-α] indole heterocyclic derivatives and has found that pyrrole [1,2-α] indole heterocyclic derivatives have a good development prospect in screening active compounds and developing candidate drugs.

Objective To investigate the infection of Mycoplasma in female urogenital system and the evolution of drug resistance. Methods Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and Mycoplasma hominis (MH) infections were examined by pathogen culture and fluorescence quantitative PCR in urogenital samples from 530 female patients in 2007, and drug sensitivity tests were performed in vitro. The results were compared with those in 2000. Results In 2000, there were 99 patients with Mycoplasma infections, in which 65 were of UU infections, 15 were of MH infections and 19 were of UU + MH infections. In 2007, there were 344 patients with Mycoplasma infections, in which 236 were of UU infections, 47 were of MH infections and 61 were of UU + MH infections. Patients aged 21～30 had the highest Mycoplasma infection rates both in 2000 (46.2%) and 2007 ( 50.5% ) ; while Mycoplasma infection rate in patients aged under 20 rose from 5.1% in 2000 to 12.8% in 2007 (χ2 = 4.682, P < 0.05). Both in 2000 and 2007, pathogens presented the highest drug resistance rates to tetracycline (TET) and erythromycin ( ERY ) which were all bore 80%. Compared with 2000, drug resistance rates to levofloxacin (LEV), azitromvcin (AZI) and ofloxacin (OFL) rose in 2007, and the differences were of statistical significance (P <0.05), while drug resistance rates to dmoxycycline (DOX), minocyclin (MIN) and josamycin (JOS) were still in the low level. Conclusions UU is the primary pathogen of infection in female urogenital system, and there is a tendency of Mycoplasma infection in younger age women. DOX, MIN and JOS can be the preferred medicines for Mycoplasma infections.

Objective To compare the characteristics of sleep disorder and its effect on health-related quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) between early-stage and middleand late-stages.Methods One hundred and fifty-one patients collected in our hospital from September 2014 to May 2016 were divided into PD patients at early stage (grading 1-2,n=82) and PD patients at middle-and late-stages (grading 3-5,n=69) according to Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) grading.Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE),Hamilton Anxiety Rating (HAM-A) scale and Hamilton Depression Rating (HAM-D) scale,Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Ⅲ (UPDRSⅢ),H-Y grading,Non-motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMS) and Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) were used to evaluate cognition states,emotion states,movement functions,disease severity,nonmotor symptoms and sleep disturbances of patients from the two groups.The 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39)was used to evaluate the quality of life of PD patients.Results The incidence of sleep disorder in PD patients at middle-and late-stages was significantly higher than that in PD patients at early stage (P＜0.05),and the total scores of PDSS in PD patients at middle-and late-stages were significantly lower than those in PD patients at early stage (P＜0.05).Fragmented sleep (31.7％ and 47.8％) and excessive sleepiness at daytime (38.7％ and 43.5％) were the most common problems in patients from the two groups.Sleep disorder was negatively correlated with duration,and scores of HAM-A,HAM-D,UPDRSⅢ and H-Y grading,while it was positively correlated with MMSE scores in patients from the two groups (P＜0.05).Sleep disorder was negatively correlated with NMS scores and daily levodopa equivalent dose in PD patients at middle-and late-stages (P＜0.05).Multivariate regression analysis indicated that PDSS total scores were negatively correlated with HAMD scores and positively correlated with MMSE scores in all patients (P＜0.05).PDSS total scores were negatively correlated with duration in PD patients at middle-and late-stages (P＜0.05).Sleep disorder was negatively correlated with total scores of PDQ39,mobility,activity of daily living,communication ability and body discomfort in PD patients at middle-and late-stages (P＜0.05).Conclusions The quality of sleep disorder in PD patients at middleand late-stages is worse than that in PD patients at early stage,and the quality of life is further reduced than that in PD patients at early stage.The course of disease has a great influence in sleep disorder of PD patients.

Objective:ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is an integral membrane protein that plays a key role in cellular lipid metabolism,preventing the accumulation of lipids that contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.Tiaozhi Tongmai Granules are a Chinese herbal compound that is capable of treating atherosclerosis.This study was de-signed to explore the potential pharmacological mechanism by which Tiaozhi Tongmai Gran-ules protect against atherosclerosis.Methods:Forty-nine male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into seven groups:normal control group,normal diet;model groups 1 and 2:balloon injury and high-fat diet for 6 or 12 weeks;statin groups 1 and 2:balloon injury and high-fat diet plus atorvastatin for 6 or 12 weeks;and Chinese herb groups 1 and 2:balloon injury and high-fat diet plus Tiaozhi Tongmai Granules for 6 or12 weeks.The granules were administered at a dose of 1.14 g/kg/d,with atorvastatin(1.14 mg/kg/d) serving as positive control.Serum lipid profiles and liver function indices were measured.Atherogenesis was viewed after H&rE staining and quantified by thickened intimal area percentage and maximal intimal thickness percentage.The ABCA1 protein expression in athero-sclerotic plaque macrophages of the common carotid arteries (CCA),thoracic aortae (TA),and liver tissues were observed by immunohistochemical staining and evaluated using mean optical density (OD) value in macrophages and ABCA1-positive hepatocyte number.Results:Compared with model group 1 at week 6,Chinese herb group 1 and statin group 1 dis-played significant reductions in total cholesterol (TC) (P =0.027,0.012) and low-density lipopro-tein cholesterol (LDL-C) (P =0.039,0.028) levels,as well as marked increases in ABCA1-positive hepatocyte numbers (Pall ＜0.001),and only statin group 1 displayed a markedly reduced maximal intimal thickness percentage in the CCA (P =0.018).Compared with model group 2 at week 12,Chinese herb group 2 and statin group 2 all presented significant reductions in TC (P =0.011,0.003),LDL-C (P =0.017,0.010) and thickened intimal area percentage in the CCA (P =0.001,0.022),as well as prominent increases in the ABCA1OD value of both the CCA (P =0.001,0.039) and TA (P =0.001,0.025) and positive hepatocyte number (P all ＜0.001).Chinese herb group 2 had a markedly reduced maximal intimal thickness percentage compared with model group 2 (P =0.006) and a higher positive hepatocytes number than statin group 2 (P =0.001).Conclusions:Tiaozhi Tongmai Granules appear to have an anti-atherogenic effect that is most likely mediated by simultaneously upregulating the protein expression of ABCA1 in rabbit athero-sclerotic plaque macrophages and in the liver.

Since Qian Yi stated that kidney tends to be deficient rather than excessive, a general consensus about absence of kidney excess pattern has been reached among traditional Chinese practitioners in the ancient time.However, Huangdi's Internal Classic (Huangdi Neijing) has specifically recorded the pulses, symptoms, manifestations, and treatments of kidney excess pattern.Shenqi Wan (Kidney-qi pill) for complex pattern of deficiency and excess, which was created by Zhang Zhongjing, demonstrated morbid dampness was the main cause of kidney excess pattern.Dampness-heat and phlegm-heat is now considered as the dominant cause.In clinical practice, the principle of "treating an excess pattern by purgation" should be followed.

This study was aimed to compare and evaluate the diagnostic performance of non-contrast-enhanced MR angiography (NCE-MRA) with contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) in the anatomic assessment of hepatic portal vein. Thirty people, ten patients with hepatic cirrhosis without ascites and twenty normal physical examination donors as control group were included in the NCE-MRA and CE-MRA with the same 1.5T MR scanner. Anatomic angiographic images were reconstructed and their datasets available for analysis independently performed by two radiologists. Assessment of data quality of hepatic portal vein vessels was rated with a four-point scale. After consensus reading, a total 27 images (90%) scored more than 3 point were observed in NCE-MRA and 28 (93.3%) in CE-MRA, respectively. Segmental branch vessels were visualized on MR angiography in the majority of cases. Both NCE-MRA and CE-MRA correctly characterized the hepatic portal veins with grade 5 and without false positive cases. Only 4 false negatives with grade 6 were missed in NCE-MRA group. There were no statistically significant differences between NCE-MRA and CE-MRA for characterization of hepatic vasculature (P < 0.05). Kappa value was larger than 0.75 for both reviewers. A conclusion could be drawn that NCE-MRA is a non-invasive and effective method that provides a comprehensive assessment of the hepatic portal vein.
Adult ; Aged ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the effects of cell suspension including Matrigel, normal culture medium and phosphate buffer saline (PBS) on the xenograft model establishment of human osteosarcoma. The function of Matrigel on regulating human osteosarcoma cell differentiation and proliferation was analyzed. Methods Twenty-four BALB/c-nu/nu nude mice were randomly divided into three groups with 8 animals in every group: Matrigel and RPMI 1640 suspension (group M), RPMI 1640 culture medium (group R), PBS (group P). Human osteosarcoma cell-SaOS-2 was suspended in the three groups respectively. 1×106/ml equivalent cell counts were injected into the back of each anesthetized nude mouse (400 μl per mouse). Xenograft tumors were measured at regular intervals and the tumor volume was calculated. After 5 weeks of inoculation, the tumor parts were dissected. Paraffin-embedded sections from xenograft tumor tissues were fixed in 4 % paraformaldehyde and pathological study was made after paraffin embedding and cutting under microscope by HE stains. Results Eight nude mice formed tumor lumps at 0 day in group M and were gradually increased over time. Xenograft tumors of group R and group P disappeared in 2-4 days and some appeared again after 1 week with an increase of tumor size. After 5 weeks, the tumor volume in the group M was significantly larger than that in the group P and group R [(3 185 ± 488), (598 ± 189), (512 ± 109) mm3 respectively,F=85.7,P<0.001].After 5 weeks,tumor body was dissected.The tumor weight in the group M was significantly larger than that in the group P and group R[tumor weight:(2.22 ± 0.18),(1.48 ± 0.13),(1.47 ± 0.17) g respectively, F= 37.07, P< 0.001]. There was no difference between group R and group P in tumor volume and weight(P>0.05).Histopathological analysis showed that cells in the group M could keep original degrees of pathological differentiation in osteosarcoma cells. Besides, cells suspension of culture medium or PBS in the group P and group R were poorly differentiated. Conclusions Matrigel can promote high tumor growth rate and good uniformity of human osteosarcoma cells in experimental animals. The histological state is similar to original structure,which conforms to the occurrence and development of human osteosarcoma.