BACKGROUND: In this study, we attempted to find the relations between blood pressure (BP) measured on the brachial artery (bBP) and BP assessed on the radial artery (rBP) in the right arm. METHODS: Three hundred and fifteen patients were enrolled in this study. Those who had peripheral vascular disease, wounds of arm skin or subcutaneous tissue infection were excluded. After a 15-minute equilibration and stabilization period after inducation of anesthesia, three bBP and rBP records were obtained sequentially using an oscillometric device with an adult cuff and infant cuff, respectively. Order for each BP was randomized. RESULTS: The bBP was significantly lower than the rBP (P<0.05). The difference between the two values varied from 13 to 18 mmHg in systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MAP) respectively. And the rBP was positively correlated with the bBP (r=0.872, 0.754, 0.765; P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001; SBP, DBP, MAP, respectively). CONCLUSION: The bBP value can be evaluated by the noninvasive measurements of rBP using an appropriate cuff in clinical practice.

Objective To construct microRNA (miRNA) expression vector targeting surviving,and to investigate its effect on transfected human colorectal carcinoma (HT-29) cell apoptosis and proliferation.Methods miRNA targeting survivin was synthesized and transfected HT-29 cells by lipofectin.HT-29 cells were cultured in the 6 orifices.The cultured cells were divided into control,liposome,negative control and positive control groups.Transient transfected cells were collected and the proliferation index and apoptosis rate of HT-29 cells were detected by flow cytometry.The expressions of survivin mRNA and protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot.Results The proliferation index and apoptosis rate of the positive control group were significantly higher compared with normal group,transfection group and mock-vehicle group (17.98％ ± 2.35％ vs 38.04％ ±2.11％ vs 36.73％ ±2.51％ vs 36.57％ ±3.05％; t =20.05,P＜0.01; t =18.75,P＜0.01; t=18.59,P＜0.01; 19.54％ ±1.74％ vs 3.13％ ±0.29％ vs 3.70％ ±0.44％ vs 3.61％ ± 0.50％ ; t =16.40,P ＜ 0.01 ; t =15.84,P ＜ 0.01 ; t =15.92,P ＜ 0.01).Survivin mRNA and protein expression levels were specifically suppressed in transfected HT-29 cells (t =0.68,P ＜0.01 ; t =0.58,P ＜ 0.01; t=0.61,P＜0.01;t=0.64,P＜0.01; t=0.62,P＜0.01;t=0.67,P＜0.01).Conclusion Survivin targeted silence can effectively decrease the expression of survivin mRNA and protein,induce colorectal carcinoma HT-29 cell apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation.

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of ADAMDEC1 in glioma.Methods We prospectively observed the expression of ADAMDEC1 in 77 glioma patients,of which 28 cases were grade Ⅳ glioma,26 were grade Ⅲ glioma (high-grade glioma);of which 23 cases were Grade Ⅱ glioma,5 were grade Ⅰ glioma (low-grade glioma).For 10 cases in the control group,brain tissue samples were collected from internal decompression patients with heavy traumatic brain injury.The expression of ADAMDEC1 in glioma tissue was detected immunohistochemistry,RT-PCR,and Western blot.With follow-up survey we explored the relationship between the survival time and the expression of ADAMDEC1 in the patients with high-grade gliomas and low-grade gliomas.Results Compared with the low-grade glioma group and the control group,qPCR,immunohistochemistry and Western blotting all showed that the protein and mRNA levels of ADAMDEC1 in high-grade glioma group were significantly increased,while ADAMDEC1 was expressed little in low-grade glioma group and not expressed in control group (P ＜ 0.05).The survey results showed that the survival time of high-grade glioma patients was significantly shorter than low-grade glioma patients;however,the expression level of ADAMDEC1 in the highgrade glioma tissue was significantly higher than in low-grade glioma tissue (x2=5.031,P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression of ADAMDEC1 is closely related to the malignant degree of glioma cells and the prognosis of glioma patients.Therefore,ADAMDEC1 can be used as an index to evaluate the malignance degree of glioma and the prognosis of glioma.

Critical Care ; Critical Illness ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Transportation of Patients

Methanotrophs use methane as the sole carbon and energy source, which cause slow growth, low cell density and hinder its industrial applications. One promising solution is to heterologously express methane monooxygenase (MMO) in other host cells that can be easily cultivated at high cell density. We systematically exploited the possibility of functional expression of pMMO by choosing different promoters and different host cells. The results showed that the recombinants could oxidize methane to methanol. In particular, ethanol could also be detected in the oxidized products, but the enzyme activity was instable, implying that some changes of pMMO expressed in the host cells might have occurred. In addition, SDS-PAGE analysis showed that many recombinants could express the subunits of pMMO, but the enzyme activity could not be detected. In conclusion, correct fold of pMMO in the host cells is important for its functional expression.
Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Methane ; metabolism ; Methanococcaceae ; enzymology ; Methanol ; metabolism ; Oxygenases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Folding ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Objective: To discuss the application principle in tuina manipulation for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH) in Chinese literatures published in recent 30 years. Methods: The three major Chinese databases, Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were searched to collect the studies of tuina manipulations in treatment of LIDH published in recent 30 years. Clustering analysis was applied to analyze the top 20 tuina manipulations for LIDH. Results: The top 20 most frequently used manipulations for LIDH were Gun-rolling, Rou-kneading, Dian-digital pressing, oblique Ban-pulling, An-pressing, Tanbo-plucking, Bashen-pulling and extending, horizontal Tui-pushing, Na-grasping, Anrou-pressing and kneading, Dou-shaking, Yao-rocking, Ca-scrubbing, Pai-patting, post-extension Ban-pulling, Mo-rubbing, Zhen-vibrating, Nie-pinching, fist-back Ji-tapping, and dorsal Shen-extending methods. The involved manipulations can be divided into two categories by the treated body areas. One category is applied to the soft tissues, including Gun-rolling, Rou-kneading, Dian-digital pressing, An-pressing, Tanbo-plucking, horizontal Tui-pushing, Na-grasping, Anrou-pressing and kneading, Ca-scrubbing, Pai-patting, Mo-rubbing, Zhen-vibrating, Nie-pinching, and fist-back Ji-tapping methods. The other category is applied to bones and joints, including oblique Ban-pulling, Bashen-pulling and extending, Dou-shaking, Yao-rocking, post-extension Ban-pulling, and dorsal Shen-extending methods. Conclusion: Based on the treated body area, the tuina manipulations applied to treat LIDH are predominated by the ones performed on soft tissues, assisted by those on bones and joints. From the way of force exertion, the involved manipulations are majorly the swinging methods, followed by squeezing and pressing ones. The manipulations applied to bones and joints are predominated by the Ban-pulling ones, followed by the Bashen-pulling and extending ones.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Animals ; Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Epinephrine ; metabolism ; Female ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Synaptic Transmission

Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) is the most widespread narcotics in the 21st century. The methamphetamine's intoxication mechanism, psychological dependence, drug resistance and therapeutic drug development are the hot spots in current research. Establishment of animal model with methamphetamine poisoning is the basic for the relative studies, the normalization and standardization of the animal model settles the foundation for methamphetamine's further research. This article reviews the animal model of methamphetamine poisoning in China and abroad, the brief history of the acute, subacute and chronic animal model of methamphetamine poisoning, as well as the principles and methods of the animal model establishment and its evaluation criteria. The necessity, significance and its scientific expansion of performing experimental research on the methamphetamine poisoning animal model are also discussed.
Amphetamine-Related Disorders/psychology* ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Central Nervous System Stimulants/poisoning* ; Cerebral Cortex/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Forensic Toxicology ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Methamphetamine/poisoning* ; Stereotyped Behavior/drug effects*

BACKGROUNDEpidermic studies have suggested a pathophysiological link between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and atherosclerosis (AS); for which carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) has been considered as an early marker. The pathogenesis by which OSAHS can induce AS has not been elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate the association among plasma interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels, carotid IMT and the severity of OSAHS.

METHODSBased on the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) during sleep monitored by polysomnography, 52 male patients with OSAHS were recruited as the OSAHS group which was further divided into mild OSAHS (n = 16), moderate OSAHS (n = 18), and severe OSAHS (n = 18) subgroups. Eighteen healthy subjects were selected as the control group. Of all OSAHS patients, 20 with moderate-to-severe OSAHS underwent continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for 90 days. HDL5000 color Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure carotid IMT. Plasma IL-18 levels were measured by ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the plasma IL-18 levels in the control group ((250.27 +/- 76.48) pg/ml), there was a significant increase in the mild OSAHS subgroup ((352.08 +/- 76.32) pg/ml), the moderate subgroup ((600.17 +/- 83.91) pg/ml), and the severe OSAHS subgroup ((9797.64 +/- 109.83) pg/ml) (all P < 0.01). Moreover, there was a significant difference in plasma IL-18 levels among the three OSAHS subgroups (P < 0.01). Carotid IMT was significantly greater in the severe OSAHS subgroup than in the mild OSAHS subgroup (P < 0.01). Before CPAP treatment, plasma IL-18 levels were positively correlated with carotid IMT (r = 0.486, P < 0.001) and with AHI (r = 0.865, P < 0.001). On day 90 of CPAP treatment, plasma IL-18 levels were significantly declined but carotid IMT was not changed significantly.

CONCLUSIONSIn untreated OSAHS patients carotid IMT and plasma IL-18 were positively correlated and were significantly higher than in normal controls; the elevation of plasma IL-18 levels was correlated with the severity of OSAHS. Inflammatory response associated with OSAHS may be related to the development of AS. By improving AHI, miniSaO(2), and reducing plasma IL-18 levels, CPAP treatment may slow down or prevent the development of AS in OSAHS patients.

Adult ; Carotid Arteries ; pathology ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Tunica Intima ; pathology

Objective To observe the safety and efficacy of different periprocedural anticoagulation strategies in patients undergoing catheter ablation of atrial ifbrillation. Methods Eighty-five patients aged over 75 undergoing catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation from Jul 2011 to Nov 2013 were enrolled. They all took warfarin and transesophageal echocardiograms were performed to rule out left atrium appendage thrombus before ablation. They were divided into 3 groups. In Group 1 (30 cases), warfarin was stopped and bridged with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) 3 days before procedure and LMWH bridging followed by warfarin alone after procedure. In Group 2 (32 cases), warfarin was continued during periprocedural period. In Group 3 (23 cases), Dabigatran or Rivaroxaban alone was used 4 hours after procedure respectively. Unfractionated heparin was used during procedure in all three groups. These three anticoagulation strategies were compared in bleeding, embolism events and other complications during 3-month follow-up. Results In Group 1, there were 1 new-onset ischemic stroke during hospitalization, 7 lower extremity hematomas, 1 subdural hemorrhage during 3-month follow-up and 6 minor bleeding events. In Group 2, there were 4 lower extremity hematomas and 4 minor bleeding events during 3-month follow-up. As for Group 3, only 2 lower extremity hematomas during hospitalization was observed in each without any minor bleeding events during follow-up. Conclusions Catheter ablation in elderly atrial ifbrillation patients was safe and effective in general. Compared with traditional anticoagulation strategy, continuing warfarin or novel oral anticoagulants could reduce bleeding complications without increasing thromboembolism risk.