Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion for adjuvant treatment of depression in Parkinson disease and explore its mechanism. Methods: A total of 80 patients with Parkinson disease coupled with depression were randomized into an observation group and a control group, with 40 cases in each group. The control group was treated with levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride tablets and paroxetine tablets, while the observation group was treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion on the basis of the medications in the control group. The treatment course was 2 months. The Hamilton depression scale-17 (HAMD-17), unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) and Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) were scored before and after the treatment, and the efficacy was evaluated after treatment. Levels of patients' serum dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected before and after the treatment. Results: After treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The HAMD-17 scores in the two groups decreased significantly after treatment (both P<0.05), and the score in the observation group was obviously lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The component scores and total scores of UPDRS in both groups decreased significantly (all P<0.05), and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). The score of PDQ-39 in the observation group decreased significantly (P<0.05), and was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum DA and 5-HT levels in the observation group increased significantly (both P<0.05) and the TNF-α and IL-6 levels decreased significantly (both P<0.05), which were statistically different from those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Heat-sensitive moxibustion has certain auxiliary effect in treating depression in Parkinson disease, significantly improving clinical symptoms and the quality of life, which may be related to the up-regulation of DA and 5-HT levels and down-regulation of TNF-α and IL-6 levels.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelioid Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Immunohistochemistry ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; Mesenchymoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Uterine Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Aged ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Uveal Neoplasms ; pathology

Abdominal Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Abdominal Wall ; Antiporters ; metabolism ; Choriocarcinoma ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelioid Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Uterine Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

In handling crises in hospitals caused by natural disasters like earthquake, systemati cpractical measures of crisis management are needed, which include: early contact with top managements for support in counter disaster supplies, immediate organization of temporary first aid stations by hospital staff, logistic support by full time personnel to solve problems such as drugs and medical equipments as well as food and drinking water, and psychological consultation to patients and staff members.

Objective To investigate clinical characteristics of relapsing polychondritis(RP)and to improve early recognition for it.Methods Clinical and laboratory data of 56 patients with RP were analyzed retrospectively.Results Ratio of number of male patients to female ones was 1.2.Age at onset was(46?11)years(ranging from 27 to 71)and average interval between onset and diagnosis was(21? 35)months,(8?6),(16?31)and(29?37)months for patients initial onset with auricle,respiratory tract and joints involved,respectively.Site involved included airway in 40 patients(71.4%),auricle in 32 (57.1%),joints in 32(57.1%),eyes in 27(48.2%),nasal chondritis in 25(44.6%)and inner ear in 13(23.2%).At initial stage of the course,17 patients were misdiagnosed as respiratory infection (30.4%),nine as perichondritis(16.1%),six as pulmonary tuberculosis(10.7%),five as rheumatoid arthritis(8.9%).Seven of 40 patients with airway involvement received metallic stents for their tracheobronchial stenosis.Four patients whose condition never improved after regular therapy all had respiratory involvement.Conclusions Patients of RP with initial onset at non-auricle,non-nasal sites tended to be misdiagnosed.Prevalence of airway involvement was not so low with a poor prognosis in patients of RP.

Objective To explore the application of repeated measurement‘analysis of variance'(ANOVA)in evaluating the effectiveness of 'community-based hypertension self-management program'.Methods A community-based parallel controlled trial was conducted among 3 communities.169 patients in intervention group took part in the course on hypertension self-management program once a week and 204 patients in control group received routine hypertension management services.Data collected through questionnaire at baseline and 6 months,12 months after intervention and were compared through repeated ANOVA measurement.Results Subjects in the intervention group showed statistical significance and linear trends in health self-evaluation,distress,in lOW spirit,self-efficacy in managing symptoms(SEMS),self-efficacy to managing diseases in general(SEMDG),systolic blood pressure(SBP)and diastolic blood pressure(DBP)over time by univariate test of repeated measurement ANOVA.The score of SEMS increased from 6.84±2.53 at baseline to 8.20±1.44 at 12 months after intervention while SEMDG from 7.28±2.45 to 8.89±1.05,and SBP decreased from 137.66±7.30 inln Hg(1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa)to 130.41±7.71 mm Hg.DBP decreased from 84.13±6.70 mm Hg to 81.04±5.98 mm Hg respectively.Only tow spirit and SBP changed over time were seen in the control group.Self-evaluation,distress,in low spirit,caused by diseases,SEMS,SEMDG and SBP were statistically different between control and intervention groups,and the effect of interaction between groups and time span were statmtically significanton indicators as self-evaluation,low spirit,self-efficacy in managing symptoms,seLf-efficacy tO manage diseases and sBP etc,by multivariate test of repeated measurement ANOVA. Conclusion Repeated measurement ANOVA not only could be used to analyze group-effect,but could also explain the effect and the interaction among groups and time,to make the results more reliable.The self-management approach could improve the health status and self-efficacy of the patients,so as to reduce the blood pressure.Our result showed that it was effective for hypertensive patients to be on the chronic diseases selfmanagement program.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of the negative inotropic effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in cardiomyocytes.

METHODSThe spectrofluorometric method was used to verify the calcium handling of the single myocyte. The activities of Ca(2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the activities of Ca(2+)-ATPase and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase of plasma membrane were measured with colorimetric methods.

RESULTSTNF-alpha at 20 U/ml and 200 U/ml depressed the contractility of ventricular papillary muscle to 91% and 76% of control (P<0.01) respectively, but had no effect on the amplitude of electrically induced calcium transient in single myocyte. TNF-alpha inhibited the responsiveness of SR Ca(2+)ATPase activity to ATP (0.1 - 4 mmol/L) and Ca(2+) (1 - 40 micromol/L). TNF-alpha did not alter the activities of Ca(2+)-ATPase and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase of plasma membrane compared with control group.

CONCLUSIONTNF-alpha decreases the myocardial contractility, at least partly, by inhibiting the activity of SR Ca(2+)- ATPase.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; metabolism ; Depression, Chemical ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo establish a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatorgraphy (RP-HPLC) method for detecting the dencichine in Panax notoginseng extracts and drug preparations.

METHODDencichine was extracted with the borate buffer (pH 9. 18) and the clear supernatant was used for the derivatization. Pre-column derivatization was performed using 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC) to form derivatives. The mobile phase consisted of methanol and 0. 05 mol x L( -1) NaH2 PO4 (48: 52) (pH adjusted to 7.4 with NaOH solution) in a flow rate of 1.0 mL m min(-1). The ultraviolet (UV) detection wavelength was set at 262 nm.

RESULTThe linearity was demonstrated over a wide range of concentration from 1.76 mg L(-1) to 352 mg x L(-1) for dencichine. The detection limit was determined to be 60 microg x L(-1). The derivative was stable and the derivatization agent did not influence the measurement of dencichine. The average recovery rate was 95. 3% and the relative standard derivation (RSD) was 1. 7%. The method was used to determine dencichine in different P. notoginseng extracts and drug preparations.

CONCLUSIONThis method is simple, fast and sensitive, suitable for determining the dencichine in P. notoginseng extracts and drug preparations as well as for the study of the dencichine metabolism in vivo.

Amino Acids, Diamino ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Fluorenes ; chemistry ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo confirmed reliability and feasibility of intranasal nerve growth factor (NGF) bypassing the blood-brain barrier and its potential neuroprotective effects on acute cerebral ischemia.

METHODS(1) To assay NGF concentrations in different brain regions after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Rats were randomly divided into intranasal (i.n.) NGF, intravenous (i.v.) NGF, and untreated group (n = 4). The concentrations of NGF of different brain regions in the three groups after MCAO were measured by ELISA. (2) To observe neuroprotective action of NGF on focal cerebral ischemic damage. Rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: i.n. vehicle, i.n. NGF, i.v. vehicle, i.v. NGF (n = 8). Treatment was initiated 30 minutes after onset of MCAO and given again 24 hours later. Three neurologic behavioral tests were performed 24 and 48 hours following onset of MCAO. Corrected infarct volumes were determined 48 hours after onset of MCAO.

RESULTSThe olfactory bulb in i.n. NGF group obtained the highest concentration (3252 pg/g) of NGF among all regions, followed by the hippocampus. The NGF concentrations in the olfactory bulb and hippocampus in i.n. NGF group were markedly higher than that in i.v. NGF and control groups. The infarct volume in i.n. NGF group was markedly reduced by 38.8% compared with i.n. vehicle group. I.n. NGF group vestibulum function markedly improved compared with i.n. vehicle group at 24 and 48 hours after onset of MCAO (P24h = 0.02 and P48h = 0.04, respectively).

CONCLUSIONIntranasal NGF could pass through the blood-brain barrier, reach the central nervous system, reduce infarct volume, and improve neurologic function in rats following MCAO. Intranasal delivery of NGF may be a promising treatment for stroke.

Administration, Intranasal ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; metabolism ; pathology ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Olfactory Bulb ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley