Danshen is one of the traditional Chinese herbal medicines and nas a long history or being used clinically in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions such as coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. Tanshinone IIA is a derivative of phenanthrene-quinone isolated from Danshen. It has been reported to be the major bioactive compound of Danshen and has diverse biological effects. Recent studies demonstrated that tanshinone IIA had neuroprotective effects on experimental ischemic stroke through its antiinflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptosis effects and its inhibitory effect on excitatory amino acid toxicity. In this review, we summarized all the recent progresses on the protective effect of tanshinone IIA on cerebral ischemic stroke. Hopefully, this article will throw some light on further study and application of tanshinone IIA.
Antioxidants ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Stroke ; drug therapy

Objective To explore the effect of liraglutide on pressure?overload chronic heart failure in rats and related mechanisms. Methods Totally 30 SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, heart failure group and liraglutide group. The animals were anaesthetized and a Millar pressure volume conductance catheter SPR?838 ) was inserted through right carotid artery into LV to measure pressure?volume ( P?V ) loop. Body and organ weight were measured. After the end of intervention, the rats were anesthetized, and abdominal aortic blood taken from the upper serum after centrifugation. Kit method was used to measure superoxide dismutase (SOD), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), malondialdehyde ( MDA) . Results Compared with those of the sham operation group, there was a increase in absolute heart weight and (P < 0?05). During the P?V loop analyses, We found that left ventricular (LV) end?systolic volume, end?diastolic volume, end?systolic pressure, end?diastolic pressure and maximum pressure were all remarkablely lower in liraglutide group than HF group in rats ( P < 0?05 ) . Peak rate of pressure rise ( dP/dt max ) , peak rate of pressure decline ( -dP/dt min) , ejection fraction and Maximum Power were increased in liraglutide group comparable by HF group (P < 0?05). SOD activity was significantly increased and BNP concentration was significantly decreased in liraglutide group compared to HF group (P < 0?05). Conclusions These results show that liraglutide protects pressure?overload rat heart from failure possibly through reducing oxidation.

AIM:To explore the effect of aldosterone on visfatin gene expression and secretion in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes or adipocytes.METHODS:Aldosterone at concentration of 10-8 or 10-6 mol/L with or without 10-6 mol/L spironolactone was added to cultured 3T3-L1 preadipocytes or adipocytes for 24 h or 48 h.The mRNA levels of visfatin and mineralocorticoid receptor were measured using real time PCR.The concentration of visfatin in the culture medium was determined by ELISA.RESULTS:In 3T3-L1 preadipocytes treated with aldosterone,the mRNA expression of visfatin reduced and the mRNA expression of mineralocorticoid receptor(MR) increased,but the concentration of visfatin in culture medium was not regulated significantly by aldosterone.In adipocytes with aldosterone treatment,the mRNA expression of visfatin and visfatin concentration in culture medium reduced,and mRNA expression of MR increased.The effect of aldosterone was blocked by spironolactone to some extent.CONCLUSION:Aldosterone inhibits the gene expression and protein secretion of visfatin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Objective To investigate relationship between adiponectin and cardiac damage induced by aldosterone in SD rats. Methods Male SD rats were treated with aldosterone infusion for 4 weeks, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured every week. At the end of experiment, the myocardial structure was observed, the levels of adiponectin in plasma and adiponectin mRNA expression of adipose tissue in epididymal fat pad were measured. 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with 10-8 and 10-6 moL/L aldosterone for 24 and 48 h, adiponectin mRNA expressions and adiponectin concentrations in culture medium were measured. Results Aldosterone induced only a slight increase in the SBP of SD rats[(123±7)mm Hg, P<0.05]. However, aldosterone significantly induced cardiac ultrastructure changes, such as mitochondrial swelling and disordered internal structures. Furthermore, the level of plasma adiponectin decreased 22.8% after aldosterone treatment for 4 weeks ( P<0. 05 ). When 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with 10-8 and 10-6 mol/L aldosterone for 24 h, adiponectin concentrations in culture medium decreased 21.8% and 27. 2%, respectively (P < 0. 05); for 48 h, adiponctin mRNA expressions decreased 22.1% and 37.4%, respectively ( P<0. 05 ). The effect of aldosterone was reversed by spironolactone,which was partly independent of SBP. Conclusions Low level of adiponectin may be involved in cardiac damage induced by aldosterone in SD rats.

ObjectiveTo campare the quality of life of schizophrenics treated with aripiprazole or clozapine.Methods90 cases with schizophrenia were randomly divided into aripiprazole group and clozapine group.After 6 mouths of treatment,all subjects were assessed with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS),WHO QOL-100 and Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale(TESS).ResultsAripiprazole could significantly improve all aspects of quality of life except domination,and had a better result in physical,psychological,level of independence,solial relations,environment domain than clozapine did.Clozapine could only improve psyclological domain.There was no significant difference between the score of PANSS in two groups.However,aripiprazole had a better result in negative symptoms.ConclusionSchizophrenic outpatients treated with aripiprazole have a better quality of life than those with clozapine.

We have constructed an immunotoxin(Ng76-TCS),which was composed of a monoclonalantibody directed against human melanoma and trichosanthin(TCS)——a single chain ribosomeinactivating protein.The cultured human melanoma cells(M21)were inhibited effectively byNg 76-TCS.The cytotoxicity of Ng76-TCS to M21 cells was 2,000-fold higher than that of free TCS and Ng76 mixture.A conjugate,which was prepared with normal mice immunoglobulinand TCS(NIgG-TCS),was 160-fold less cytotoxic to M21 cells.Meanwhile Ng76-TCS was125-fold less cytotoxic to nontarget cells Hela.These results showed that the immunotoxinNg76-TCS was a potent and specific anti-human melanoma agent.

Objective To develop a candidate reference method for the measurement of progesterone in human serum.Methods The serum sample is mixed with the internal standard [3,4-~(13)C_2] progesterone.After extraction with n-hexane and purified by a aqueous solution of 2-Hydroxypropyl-?- cyclodextrin (HP-?-CD),the serum progesterone and labeled progesterone are converted to the 3-enol heptafluorobutyrate and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with selected ion monitoring.The concentration of serum progesterone is calculated by bracketing method.Results The results gave coefficients of variation (CVs) of 0.69% to 2.12%.The analytical recoveries ranged from 98.3% to 100.1%.The results of measuring certified reference materials of serum progesterone are agree with the target value.Conclusion The procedure for measuring progesterone in serum is a highly accurate and precise method and may be used as a candidate reference method for serum progesterone assays.

Aged ; Brain Abscess ; etiology ; Brain Neoplasms ; complications ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; complications ; secondary ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Unknown Primary ; Parietal Lobe

Objective To evaluate the value of fMRI guided brain surgery for the lesions in or around Broca's area.Methods Forty-three patients with lesions in or adjacent to the Broca's area were studied.fMRI imaging was obtained by BOLD technique with the tasks of reciting.Fiber tract imaging of white matter was obtained by DTI technique.All functional imaging and anatomic imaging were transferred to neuronavigation system.The technique of direct cortical stimulation was used to validate the language cortex in fMRI.The lesions were resected in microscope.Results Broca's area activation was detected in 38 cases..The distance between the fMRI peak and direct cortical stimulation was rated as overlapping (<1 cm diatance) in 25 cases and neighbouring (<2 cm diatance) in 11 cases.Total lesion resection was achieved in 17 cases, subtotal resection in 14 cases, and partial resection in 12 cases.Postoperative neurological functions were improved in 8 cases, unchanged in 31 cases, and temporary worsen in 4 cases.Conclusions The identification of the Broca's area by reciting task in fMRI is sensitive and precise.The fMRI is helpful to decrease the side effect injury in the brain surgery for the lesions in or around the Broca's area.

BACKGROUND: Recent researches have indicated that the generation and development of retinoblastoma(RB) might also be related with other anti-oncogenes except the known Rb1 gene.OBJECTIVE: To explore the loci of other genes which possibly participated in RB generation and development and try to find and confirm the indicators for the loss of heterozygosity(LOH) with merits in surveillance and prognosis.DESIGN: A case analysis by employing RB patients as subjects SETTING: A center of gene diagnosis and therapy of a military medical university-affiliated hospitalPARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted in the center of gene diagnosis and therapy of Xinan Hospital affiliated to Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA. Sixteen RB cases including 10 males and 6 females were the patients of the outpatient department of three-affiliated hospitals of the Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from May 1998 to October 2001.Inclusion criteria: in accordance with RB diagnostic criteria and younger than 3 years old; Exclusion criteria: family heredity history. Two eyes were involved in 12 cases and one eye was involved in 4 cases.METHODS: Fourteen micro-satellite DNA labels on the 13th chromosome in tumor or peripheral blood samples were separately amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) to analyze the incidence of LOH of each locus. Simultaneously, the genetic source of loci loss was confirmed by genealogical analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of LOH incidence on the 13th chromosome.RESULTS: In 16 RB patients,LOH occurred in one or more than one locus on the 13th chromosome of 12 cases. Thereinto, the probability of LOH occurrence on three loci including D13S265,D13S263 and D13S153(in Rb1gene) was the highest. Ten loci of LOH in 12 LOH positive samples were confirmed from agnate chromosomes. The RB confirmation of LOH-positive group or LOH-negative group needed 504 days or 1086 days,which was significantly different(t=2. 357,P<0.05).CONCLUSION: RB confirmation was earlier in LOH-positive patients than LOH-negative patients. Except the confirmed Rb1 gene, LOH on two loci including D13S263(13q14.1-14.2) and D13S265 (13q31-32) also might have certain suggestive effect on early intervention and functional surveillance of RB patients.