Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; Atrial Fibrillation ; physiopathology ; Heart Atria ; cytology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Membrane Potentials ; Receptors, Angiotensin ; agonists

Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Autopsy ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; poisoning ; Child ; Humans ; Male ; Poisoning ; pathology ; Rodenticides ; poisoning

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy difference of electroacupuncture and auricular acupuncture in the treatment of methamphetamine withdrawal syndrome.

METHODSNinety male patients of methamphetamine addiction were randomized into an electroacupuncture group, an auricular acupuncture group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the electroacupuncture group, Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Jiaji (EX-B 2) at T5 and L2 were selected bilaterally. In the auricular acupuncture group, jiaogan (AH(6a)), shenmen (TF4), fei (CO14) and gan (CO12) were selected unilaterally. The treatment was given 3 times a week, totally 12 treatments were required. In the control group, no any intervention was applied. Separately, before treatment and after 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks treatment, the scores of methamphetamine withdrawal syndrome, Hamilton anxiety scale and Hamilton depression scale were observed in each group.

RESULTSThe total score of methamphetamine withdrawal syndrome, anxiety score and depression score were obviously reduced in 2, 3 and 4 weeks of treatment as compared with those before treatment in the electroacupuncture group and the auricular acupuncture group (all P < 0.05), and showed a trend of gradual decline as the extension of treatment. In 1,2,3,4 weeks of treatment, the total score of withdrawal syndrome, anxiety score and depression score in the electroacupuncture group and auricular acupuncture group were lower significantly than those in the control group (all P < 0.05), in which, the total score of withdrawal syndrome in the electroacupuncture group was lower significantly than that in the auricular acupuncture group in the 4th week of treatment (3.69 +/- 2.446 vs 5.73 +/- 3.169, P < 0.05); the anxiety scores were lower significantly than those in the auricular acupuncture group in 3 and 4 weeks of treatment (8.19 +/- 4.57 vs 9.65 +/- 4.24, 5.27 +/- 2.89 vs 7.38 +/- 3.10, both P < 0.05); the depression scores were lower significantly than those in the auricular acupuncture group in 2, 3 and 4 weeks of treatment (15.35 +/- 5.64 vs 19.81 +/- 5.37, 10.96 +/- 4.52 vs 15.00 +/- 4.53, 7.96 +/- 2.69 vs 12.35 +/- 3.59, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at the body points and auricular acupuncture play the therapeutic role in the treatment of methamphetamine withdrawal syndrome, anxiety and depression. The longer time the treatment is with electroacupuncture at the body points, the more obvious the efficacy will be on the above symptoms.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methamphetamine ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome ; etiology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

In order to clarify material basis of effective parts of liangxue tongyu prescription, blood-heat and blood-stasis rat model induced by dry yeast was established. The changes of rectal temperature, blood viscosity and plasma viscosity were used to evaluate the cooling-blood and activating-blood effects of liangxue tongyu prescription and its parts. Compared with the model group, the extract from liangxue tongyu prescription, its volatile oil and n-butanol part could significantly reduce rectal temperature (P<0.01), and also reduce blood viscosity and plasma viscosity to various degrees (P<0.01 or P<0.05). So volatile oil and n-butanol part were primarily identified as effective parts of liangxue tongyu prescription. By using GC-MS with normalization method of area to analyze volatile oil of liangxue tongyu prescription, 70 compounds were identified, accounting for about 92.54%, mainly as β-asarone, paeonol, α-asarone and shyobunone. 42 compounds such as peony glycosides, tannins, and iridoid glycosides were identified by HPLC-MS techniques and standard comparison. The study determined the effective parts of liangxue tongyu prescription and clarified the chemical composition providing the foundation for further studies on material basis of liangxue tongyu prescription.
Acetophenones ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anisoles ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; Rats ; Tannins ; chemistry

Objective To study the effects of curcumin mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT)on the growth and proliferation in human cervical cancer cell line H8 in vitro and in vivo,and to investigate its antitumor mechanisms.Methods The effects of curcumin mediated PDT on proliferation of human cervical cancer H8 cell by MTT assay was used to screen the optimal parameter.Changes in cell morphology were observed by May-Gr ünwald-Farbstoff Giemsa staining.The apoptosis rate was estimated by flow cytometry.The effect of PDT by curcumin on the expressions of Bcl-2,P53 and survivin in H8 cells was detected by fluorescence real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Forty BALB/C nude mice underwent subcutaneous injection of H8 cell line so as to establish animal models,and then were randomly divided into four equal groups:control group,irradiation alone group,curcumin alone group,curcumin PDT group.HE staining and pathological examination were performed.Immunohistochemical study was conducted to detect the protein expression of the apoptosis inhibiting genes of Bcl-2.Results The proliferation inhibition of H8 cells was obvious after PDT when curcumin 5μmol/L with irradiation 100 J/cm2,and with dose dependent manner.Typical morphologic features of apoptosis appeared characterizedly by marked chromatin condensation,nuclear pyknosis and fragmentation,and the appearance of apoptotic bodies.The total apoptosis rate was higher in PDT group [(47.21 ± 4.11)％]than in control group(1.71 ±0.16) ％ (P＜0.01).The mRNA expression of Bcl-2,P53 and survivin in H8 cells were suppressed significantly.HE staining showed remarkable subcutaneous necrosis in the PDT group.Immunohistochemistry showed remarkable down-regulation of protein expression of Bcl-2(P＜0.01).Conclusions Curcumin-mediated photodynamic therapy has a significant killing effect on H8 cells in vivo and in vitro.Its antitumor effect might be related to induction of Tumor cell apoptosis and suppression of Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression.

Objective To investigate the safety, feasibility and results of laparoscopic assisted distal radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Methods Twenty-three cases of gastric cancer were subjected to laparoscopic assisted distal radical gastrectomy, D_(1+α)/D_(1+β) lymphadenectomy on 3 cases and D_2 lymphadenectomy on 20 cases. All cases received Billroth I reconstruction. Results Laparoscopic assisted distal radical gastrectomy was carried out in all cases successfully. The mean operative time was (205 ±38 )min, mean blood loss was (105 ± 66) ml and mean number of lymph nodes dissected was 19.7 ± 6.2 each case. The mean postoperative time of recovery of bowel function was (3.5 ±1.2) d,mean postoperative time of liquid intake was (4.9 ±0.9) d and mean hospitalization was (10.2 ± 2.7) d. No postoperative death or anastomotic fistula was found. Postoperative upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 1 case and was cured by conservative treatment. Follow-up for 1-12 months revealed no recurrence or metastasis. Conclusions Laparoscopic assisted distal radical gastrectomy is a safe and feasible procedure with satisfactory short-term outcomes.Moreover,the short-term outcomes may be improved if the patients are treated under the notion of fast track surgery.

Objective To analyze the clinical features of pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (PDR-Ab) in a hospital and compare the efficacy of different antibiotic treatments on patients with pneumonia caused by PDR-Ab.Methods Data were ret- rospectively collected from all isolated PDR-Ab strains in our hospital from February 2004 to March 2005.The clinical features and outcomes were reviewed.Results A total of 77 strains of PDR-Ab were collected, 45 of which were pathogens causing clini- cal infections (35 strains from lower respiratory tract, 6 from bloodstream, 3 from drainage fluid, and 1 from wounds).Lower respiratory tract was the most common source of PDR-Ab.More than 90% of the isolated PDR-Ab strains produced OXA-23 type?-lactamase.Cefoperazone-sulbactam plus minocyeline showed good efficacy for patients with PDR-Ab pneumonia.The total clinical cure rate was 68.4%.Bacterial eradication rate was 42.1%.The factors influencing bacterial clearance were pro- longed mechanical ventilation prior to positive culture (17.5 d vs 5.5 d).mixed infection (100% vs 12.5%) and lower GCS score (9.1?0.7 vs 13.2?2.1).Concomitant septic shock (OR=13.8) and APACHEⅡscore (OR=2.1) were independent factors of clinical outcome.Conclusions Nosocomial infections caused by PDR-Ab are not untreatable.Our analysis suggests that cefoperazone-sulbactam plus minocycline may be an effective treatment for lower respiratory tract infections caused by PDR-Ab in our hospital.

The 1.23 kb DNA fragment encoding the early protein EP0 of pseudorabies virus (PRV) Ea strain was amplified by PCR technique and cloned into pBluescriptII sk+.Three sequencing plasmids containing the partial fragment of the EP0 gene were constructed and the sequences were obtained by Sanger's sequencing technique. Compared with PRV InFh strain, there were multipile site-mutations and a deleted-mutation in the EP0 gene of PRV strain Ea，and the diversity of amino acid residues also existed.Then, the EP0 gene was inserted into an expression vector, pET-28a, fused into the downstream of the 6ΧHis-Tag in frame, to yield the expression plasmid pETEP0. After induction by IPTG, a high expression of fusion protein was obtained, SDS-PAGE analysis and Western blotting showed that the fusion protein was 62kD and the protein was specific to antisera against PRV Ea strain. This indicated that the EP0 gene be expressed in BL21(DE3) and the expression products have immuno-genicity.

Background Growth factor-induced proliferation and migration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are the major pathological changes of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).Arsenic trioxide ( As2O3 ) is an active ingredient of Chinese traditional medicines,which has an inhibition on proliferation and migration of tumor cells.However,it is not clear whether As2O3 could inhibit growth factor-induced proliferation and migration of RPE cells. Objective This study was to explore the effects of As2O3 on epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced proliferation and migration of ARPE-19 cells. Methods RPE cell line (ARPE-19 cells) were cultured.Different concentrations of As2O3(0,0.5,1.0,2.0,5.0,10.0,20.0 μmol/L) were added in the culture plate to treat ARPE-19 cells with or without 10 mg/L EGF in serum-free group for 24 and 48 hours,respectively.The MTT colorimetric assay was used to check the cell viability and evaluate the drug toxicity.The effects of As2O3 on EGF-induced proliferation of ARPE-19 cells were analyzed to get an effective and avirulent concentrations of As2O3.The effects of As2O3 on EGF-induced migration of ARPE-19 cells were observed by scratch-wound assay and the Boyden chamber assay.Results MTT assay showed that the A values were gradually declined with the increase of As2O3 concentrations after As2O3 treatment without EGF for 24 hours and 48 hours ( Fgroup =38.269,P =0.000 ; Ftime =0.874,P =0.358 ).Compared with the control group,no significant differences were seen in the A values of ARPE-19 cells in 0.5-5.0 μmol/L groups (all P＞0.05).Meantime,As2O3 reduced the A values of ARPE-19 cell with 10 mg/L EGF in dose- and time-dependent manner ( Fgroup =152.155,P =0.000 ; Ftime =51.649,P =0.000 ).There were not significant differences in 10 mg/L EGF-induced cell growth after 0.5,1.0,2.0 μmol/L As2O3 was added for 24 and 48 hours ( Fgroup =2.215,P =0.126 ;Ftime =2.230,P =0.155).However,when 5.0-20.0 μmol/L As2O3 added,the A values of 10 mg/L EGF-induced ARPE-19 cells lowed,showing a significant difference in comparison with the control groups ( all P＜0.05),with the cellular inhibiting rate 12％,32％,37％ in 24 hours and 39％,44％ and 53％ in 48 hours.Scratch-wound assay showed that EGF-induced horizontal migration of ARPE-19 cells was slow after 0.5-2.0 μmol/L As2O3 treated,and the same results also appeared in cell lognitudinal migration by Boyden chamber assay,with the inhibitory rates 22％,33％ and 46％ respectively. Conclusions As2O3 is avirulent on ARPE-19 cells within definite concentration range.At ≤ 2.0 μmol/L concentrations,As2O3 dose not affect EGF-induced proliferation of ARPE-19 cells,but it suppresses EGF-induced cell migration.At ≥ 5.0 μmol/L concentrations,As2O3 plays an inhibitory role to EGF-induced proliferation of ARPE-19 cells.