To study the effects of alkaloids from Coptidis Rhizoma on low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) mRNA expression and antihyperlipedemic levels. The LDLR mRNA expression were detected by real time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in serum were measured at the first and last examination. The results show that, after the drug treatment, compared with the model group, each drug group showed a lipid-lowering effect. Especially, coptisine, palmatine, jatrorrhinze were significantly reduced TC, TG, LDL-c (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and increased HDL-c (P < 0.01). In addition, they also increased mRNA expression of the LDLR in liver and HepG2 cells. The results showed that alkaloids from Coptidis Rhizoma can regulate lipid metabolism disorder, and coptisine have the best lipid-lowering effect.
Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; Animals ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Cricetinae ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Lipid Metabolism ; drug effects ; Lipids ; blood ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Mesocricetus ; Receptors, Lipoprotein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Objective In patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum ( PAIVS) without right ventricular-dependent coronaries, catheter techniques including the use of a sniff wire, lasers, and radiofrequency have been the most widely used initial therapy. However, percutaneous perforation and balloon valvuloplasty were associated with higher rate of procedural failure and serious complications. Methods We report our experience with a hybrid approach for pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, combining surgery and interventional catheterization techniques. Between March 2005 and March 2010, hybrid procedure was carried out successfully in 30 newboms and infants with favorable anatomy. The age ranged from 1 day to 48 months with a mean of (4.59 ±3.21) months. The heart was exposed through median sternotomy. A pursestring suture was placed in the right ventricular outflow tract 2 cm away from the pulmonary trunk. Then a 16-gauge intravenous catheter was punctured through the right ventrical and perforated the atretic PV with the guidance of echocardiography. A guide wire was then inserted into the sheath and used to guide the balloon across the PV. Sequential dilations were performed until a full opening of the PV with the guidance of epicardial echocardiography. In patients ＜ 3 months PDA ligation was performed followed by modified Blalock-Taussig (B-T) shunt. In patients ＞ 3 months PDA ligation was not performed. A modified B-T shunt was inserted if severe systemic oxygen desaturation occurred after PDA ligation. Bidirectional Glenn shunt was performed for severe hypoplasia. Hybrid procedure was achieved in all patients. The simultaneous procedures included 25 cases of PDA ligation. 6 newborns underwent modified B-T shunt placement (3.5 to 5 mm) after pulmonary valvuloplasty and PDA ligation, and 2 patients ＞ 1 month underwent modified B-T shunt. Another 2 patients were selected for univentricular palliative surgery because of a diminutive monopartite right ventricle and bidirectional Glenn procedure was performed. No pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade was observed in all patients. Another case without PDA ligation underwent a modified B-T shunt because of hypoxemia three days after hybrid procedure, and the rest patients were discharged without any further surgical intervention.During the follow-up period of 1.5 to 62.0 months, 5 patients died. 25 (83.3%) survived and were all in New York Heart Association functional class 1. Peripheral oxygen saturation increased from 0.73 ± 0.08 to 0.94 ± 0.04 (P ＜ 0.05). One patient remains in a single-ventricle pathway, whereas 24 patients achieved a two-ventricle circulation. Results Conclusion Perventricular balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty using a hybrid approach is a safe and feasible procedure for patients with PAIVS.

Objective To investigate the injury of the brain, lung and liver of the pups after maternal infection of human eytomegalovirus (HCMV) 3 days before pregnancy. Methods Thirty kunming mice aged 10-12 weeks were mated and divided into infection group and control group. The female mice in the infection group were given intraperitonealty 1×106 50% tissue culture infective dose of HCMV suspension 0. 5 ml 3 days before pregnancy, while those in the control group were given intraperitoncally supernatant of human fibroblasts. At 19 days of gestation, cesarean sections were performed. Pathology and HCMV DNA of the brain, lung and liver tissue of the fetus were tested through microscope and PCR. Kai-square test was used to compared the positive rates of HCMV DNA and viral isolation between these two groups. Results The positive rates of HCMV viral isolation and DNA in the fetal mice of infection group were as follow: brain (73.3% and 93.3%), liver (53.3% and 93.3%)and lung (60. 0% and 86.7%), while HCMV DNA and viral isolation was not detected in the control group (P<0.05). Under microscope, viromicrosome and tissue injury including necrosis, degeneration and bleeding were found in the tissues of brain, lung and liver in the infection group. Conclusions Maternal mice HCMV infection before pregnancy might vertically transmitted to the fetus and cause multi-organ injury.

Objective To evaluate diagnostic value of X-ray computed tomography(CT) neck masses in children.Methods Clinic,pathologic diagnosis and CT scans of 26 patients from Jan.2004 to Jun.2006 with neck masses which location,density,edge and near construction were reviewed retrospectively.Results Seven cases in neck anterior area,13 cases in neck lateral area,6 cases in other areas or unconfirmed.Eight cases with lower density than cervical muscles,2 cases with same density,2 cases with higher density,14 cases with mixed density.Inflammatory masses were observed in 13 cases,congenital malformation in 11 cases,thyroiditis in 1 case,pharyngeal tumor-like proliferation in 1 case.Conclusion CT scan is the best choice of diagnosis of neck masses in children,and is valuable to diagnosis associated with history and physical examination.

Objective To provide the promoting effect of extract of leave Ginkgo biloba(EGb_(50))on nerve regeneration and the dose-effect relationship.Methods Sciatic nerve injury model was set up in 96 male Spraque-Daweiy rats and then randomly divided into four groups:normal saline (NS) group,the low dose EGb_(50) group (50mg?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)),the moderate dose EGb_(50) group (100 mg?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) ,the high dose EGb_(50) group (200 mg?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)).Electrophysiological,histological examinations and functional eval- uation were used to assess nerve regeneration and the functional recovery in 2,4,6,8 weeks of operative inter- vals respectively.Results The recovery rate of sciatic functional index(SFI),tetanic tension,motor nerve conduction velocity,muscle cell cross-section area of triceps surae and the passing rate of myelinated nerve were significantly higher in EGb_(50) group in all the time point than in control(P＜0.01).Except the recovery rate of sciatic functional index (SFI),there was significant difference between high dose group and moderate, low dose group.(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).Conclusion EGb_(50) has the effect of promoting regeneration of in- juried peripheral nerve and the high dose can get the best result.

OBJECTIVETo observe the differences of the expression of Cx43 in rats' acupoints and sham-acupoint when needled blocks, and explore the relatively specificity of acupoints.

METHODTwenty Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: an acupuncture group and a control group, ten in each group. The rats in the control group were not treated and sacrificed directly to by air embolism; the rats in the acupuncture group were needled at "Neiguan (PC 6)", "Zusanli (ST 36)", "Dazhui (GV 14)" and "Guanyuan (CV 4)", Sham-acupoints were on 1 cm next to each of the above acupoints and "Yongquan (KI 1)" were needled by hand manipulation, retented needles for 30 min, then all the rats were sacrificed by air embolism. With the rats fixed, the tissue blocks at the acupoints and sham-acupoints were collected, then quick-frozen and cut into sections. The sections were stained by immunohistochemical method (Cx43).

RESULTSThe expression of the rats' Cx43 at the acupoints was significantly higher than that at the non-points in both groups (all P < 0.01). The expression of Cx43 at the acupoints in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the control group (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of Cx43 at acupoints and non-points is significantly different, which indicates that the acupoints are actually existed and have relatively specificity.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Connexin 43 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To investigate the effects of high spermatic vessel dissection on testicular morphological alteration of SD rats in prepuberty,puberty and sexual maturity phases.Methods Thirty-day-old SD rats were divided into 2 groups underwent sham operation and left high spermatic vessel dissection as a simulation of Palomo′s maneuver.Detailed morphological investigations were made at 3 different postoperative intervals among the 3rd day,30th day and 56th day.Results High spermatic vessel dissection in prepubertal rats induced acute testicular ischemia in the operated testes on the 3rd day.Most of the operated testes on the 30th day showed testicular atrophy.And all the operated testes showed testicular atrophy and sperm disappearance in epididymis on the 56th day.Conclusion High dissection of spermatic vessel in prepubertal rats induced testicular ischemia in prepuberty and testicular growth failure in puberty,testicular atrophy completely and sperm production losing in sexual maturity phase.

BACKGROUNDAdjacent segment degeneration could seriously affect the long-term prognosis of lumbar fusion. Dynamic fixation such as the interspinous fixation, which is characterized by retaining the motion function of the spinal segment, has obtained satisfactory short-term effects in the clinical setting. But there are few reports about the biomechanical experiments on whether dynamic fixation could prevent adjacent segment degeneration.

METHODSThe surgical segments of all 23 patients were L4/5. Thirteen patients with disc herniation of L4/5 underwent Wallis implantation surgery, and 10 patients with spinal stenosis of L4/5 underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). L3-S1 segmental stiffness and displacement were measured by a spine stiffness gauge (SSG) device during surgery when the vertebral plate was exposed or during spinal decompression or internal fixation. Five fresh, frozen cadavers were used in the self control experiment, which was carried out in four steps: exposure of the vertebral plate, decompression of the spinal canal, implantation of a Wallis fixing device, and PLIF of L4/5 after removing the Wallis fixing device. Then, L3-S1 segment stiffness was measured by an SSG device.

RESULTSThe experiments showed that the average stiffness of the L4/5 segment was (37.1 ± 8.9) N/mm after exposure of the vertebral plate, while after spinal decompression, the average stiffness fell to (26.2 ± 7.1) N/mm, decreasing by 25.8% (P < 0.05). For the adjacent segments L3/4 and L5/S1, their stiffness showed no significant difference between the L4/5 segment decompression and the exposure of the vertebral plate (P > 0.05). After Wallis implantation of L4/5, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment L3/4 was (45.8 ± 10.7) N/mm, which was 20.5% more than that after the exposure of the vertebral plate (P < 0.05); after L4/5 PLIF surgery, the stiffness of L3/4 was (35.3 ± 10.7) N/mm and was decreased by 12.4% more than that after the exposure of the vertebral plate (P < 0.05). The stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment L3/4 after fixation in the Wallis group was significantly higher than that of the PLIF group (P < 0.05). Cadaver experiments showed that the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment in the Wallis group was significantly higher than that of the PLIF group after L4/5 segment fixation (P < 0.05); the stiffness of the L5/S1 segment showed no significant difference between PLIF surgery and Wallis implantation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter interspinous (Wallis) fixation, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment increased. After PLIF with pedicle screw fixation, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment decreased. An interspinous fixation system (Wallis) has a protective effect for cephalic adjacent segments for the immediate post-operative state.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of matrine (MAT) on the proliferation of human ovary malignant teratoma cell line PA-1 in vitro.

METHODSPA-1 cells allocated in different groups were treated with different concentrations (0.25 mg/mL, 0.5 mg/mL and 1.0 mg/mL) of MAT. The inhibitory effect of MAT and its dose- and time-effect relationship were detected with MTT; the apoptosis rate and cell cycle were evaluated by flow cytometry; and the changes of bcl-2/bax mRNA expression in cells were measured using semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSAfter being exposed to MAT, the PA-1 cell proliferation was decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner; cell apoptosis rate raised as the increasing concentration of MAT and acting time; cells retarded at G1 phase in the cell cycle dose-dependently; and the bcl-2/bax mRNA expression in cells dawn-regulated significantly.

CONCLUSIONMAT can dose- and time-dependently inhibit the proliferation of PA-1 cell by reducing bcl-2/bax mRNA ratio to produce a G1 phase arresting in cell cycle.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Teratoma ; pathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; GB virus C ; classification ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Homosexuality, Male ; Humans ; Male