Objective To establish the model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with selective motor neuron disorder by organotypic spinal cord cultures, and analyze the role of astrocyte in the pathagenisis of ALS.Methods Organotypic spinal cord cultures were prepared using lumbar spinal cord slices from 8-day-old SD rat pups. The threohydroxyaspartate (THA) was applied into culture medium to establish ALS organotypic spinal cord cultures model. Motor neurons survival was evaluated by monoclonal SMI-32 immunohistochemical staining and glial fibrillary acidic protein staining to show astrocyte survival.Results Compared with the control group, there was significantly astrogliosis in the anterior horn and surrounding white matter in THA 100 μmol/L group, and the level of gliosis was increased followed the elongation of THA interference time. With the increasing of the number of astrocyte, the morphology of astrocyte was changed.Conclusion There is significantly astrogliosis in the anterior horn and the time of astrogliosis is markedly earlier than the time of motor neuron loss in the ALS model intervented with THA.

Capillary Electrochromatography ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Hexanones ; urine ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intra-arterial thrombolysis in patients with acute cerebral ischemic stroke.Methods Twenty-one patients with acute internal carotid circulation infraction(internal carotid 3,MCA 12,ACA 5,lenticulostriate in 1) were treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator(rt-PA) which was performed within 2-6 hours of symptom onset.Recanalization was observed during the operation.Intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) was monitored immediately and 24 h after the treatment by CT or MRI scanning.Chinese stroke scale was used to evaluate the recovery of neurological functions pre-operatively and 30 d after the treatment.Results All the 21 patients were 100% success in receiving intra-arterial thrombolysis technique and revealed 16 having the degree of recanalization of 2 to 3 grade as regards to TMI,16 patients' degree of recanalization reached 2 to 3 grade according to TMI;5 patients showed 1 to 2 grade.Symptomatic ICH was observed in 3 patients,with two dead.Arterial dissection was found in one patient.Thirty days after the operation,17 patients' cerebral function reduced over 50 percent;2 less than 50 percent;and 2 died.The patients achieved 2 to 3 grade of recanalization were obviously getting better than those achieving 0 to 1 grade.Conclusions It is adapt to have intra-arterial thrombolysis with six hours from onset;but still have the danger of severe ICH.The treatment should be started as early as possible.

Chlorzoxazone ; blood ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; blood ; Humans

Catechols ; urine ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Electrochemistry ; methods ; Humans ; Hydroquinones ; urine

Objective: To investigate, purify, and characterize the active ingredients in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum (the dry heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan). Methods: HPLC-MS/MS was used in the analysis of the chemical constituents in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum. Then the inhibitory effect of the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum on human bladder tumor cell line T24 in vitro was studied. The main chemical constituents were purified by column chromatography and their structures were characterized by NMR. Results: In the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum, 16 compounds were separated and detected well by HPLC-MS/MS and 14 were identified. The main compounds were quercetin, brazilin, isoliquiritigeni, protosappanin B, brazil A, 3'-deoxysappanol, 4-O-hydroxybrazilin, sappanchalcone, and (αS)-α, 2', 4, 4'-tetrahydroxy dihydrochalcone. The killing rate of cancer cells was positively correlated to the concentration of the main component which was brazilin. At last, according to the purification by column chromatography and the structural characterization by NMR, we obtained the pure brazilin in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum. Conclusion: The research offers a new method for the identification of the components in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum and provides a basis for the medicinal functions of Sappan Lignum for future study.

Objective To establish the in vivo models of adriamycin(ADR)-induced cardiotoxicity in rabbits, investigate the protective effect of oxymatrine (OMT) on ADR-induced cardiotoxicity, and explore the possible mechanism. Methods Twenty-six rabbits were randomly divided into ADR group (n=8, 2 mg/kg ADR), OMT group (n=5, 10 mg/kg OMT), ADR + OMT group (n=8, 10 mg/kg OMT was injected 30 min before ADR injection) and saline group (n=5, same quantity of normal saline), and rabbits in each group were infused with medicine or normal saline through ear marginal vein once a week for 8 weeks. The apoptosis of myocardial cells was detected by TUNEL methods, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was determined. Results After treatment, the body weight of ADR group was significantly lower than that of the other groups(P < 0.05), the activity of SOD and GSH-Px significantly decreased and the apoptosis index (AI) was significantly higher than that of the other groups(P <0.01). There were similar while minor changes in ADR + OMT group. There was no significant adverse effects in OMT group. Conclusion OMT protects heart from adriamycin-induced injury in rabbits, which may relate to the decrease in level of antioxidant and apoptosis of myocardial cells.

Objective To review the experience of modified sternal elevation in management of pectus excavatum deformities. Methods A retrospective study was carried out on 268 children with pectus excavatum deformities from January 2002 to December 2005.Of these patients,213 were boys and 55 were girls.Their age ranged from 2 to 16 years and 2 months[mean,(4.48?2.74) years)].Among then,69 cases were aged from 2 to 3 years,130 cases from 3 to 6 years and 69 cases over 6 years.268 patients with PE underwent modified sternal elevation and fixation with the home made stainless steel strut.The lung cysts,esophageal hatal hernia and congenital heart diseases were surgical treated simultaneously.Results There was no death postoperative.Postoperative compli- cations included pneumonia in 1 case,subcutaneous fluid in 2.the foUow-up period was 1-5 years.One patient was found having light notch in sternum.All patients had satisfactory results.In 165 cases stainless steel strut have been taken off postoperatively and no recurrence occurred.Conclusion The modified sternal elevation procedure for pectus excavatum results in an excellent cosmetic outcome.

Traditional mineral Chinese medicine is a characteristic part of Chinese medicine, in the development of traditional Chinese medicine has its unique role. With the development of science and technology and the increase of the medical level, traditional mineral medicine research is gradually thorough and wide-ranging. In recent years, traditional mineral Chinese medicine research mainly includes the physical properties of mineral medicine, structure, chemical composition, pharmacology and treatment mechanism research. The above several aspects of research in the mineral medicine has important practical and theoretical significance. The above several aspects of research status and the problems existing in the research were briefly summarized and reviewed in this paper, and its development were discussed, to provide reference for further studies in the future.
Animals ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Minerals ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Physical Phenomena

Objective To preliminarily explore the expresssion of the Hedgehog signaling pathway (HH) after different liver trauma, and provide basis for the blockaded effection of HH and the potentiality of new traditional Chinese medicine exploition. Methods After adaptive breeding for one week, a cohort of 140 male SPF Fisher 344 rats were randomly divided into Retrorsine injection (R) indicated the toxical of chemical damage of liver, partial hepatectomy (PH) indicated the acute liver trauma, retrorsine/partial hepatectomy (R/PH) for the hepatic stem cells regeneration, and normal control (N) groups. The administering of retrorsine or placebo, and PH or sham operation were performed as Gordon’s matheds. RT-PCR, real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect the expression of the constituents related to HH after liver damage. Results RT-PCR demonstrated that the mRNA expression of IHH, PTCH, Smo, Gli1, Gli2, Gli3 were all activated in primary liver cells after different kinds of liver damage. The results of real-time PCR analysis indicated an interaction effect existing between the treatment and the time in 3 Hedgehog-related constituents (signaling molecule IHH, indicators of the HH activation Ptc, Gli1) (all P<0.001). The protein expression of PTCH in liver tissue section was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, which differed in the duration in PH and R/PH groups. Conclusion The HH was abnormally activated during the different liver trauma. It’s maybe an important signaling pathway during the liver’s reaction after damage.