ObjectiveTo evaluate central nervous system function of patients with coronary cardiac diease by short latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP).MethodsThe cerebral and spinal somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded by stimulating median nerve in 43 patients with coronary cardiac disease but without apparent nervous symptoms and 14 healthy control subjects.ResultsThe lactency periods and central conductive time of N13, N20 and P25 wave were significantly prolonged in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) or angina pectoris (AP) when compared with normal controls (P<0.05～0.001). The lactency periods and central conductive time of N20 and P25 wave recorded in MI patients were longer than those recorded in AP patients (P<0.01～0.001).ConclusionThe subclinical nervous damages in the central somatosensory pathway from spinal cord to cerebral cortex is present in patients with coronary cardiac disease especially myocardial infarction.

Objective To investigate the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level in patients with acute cerebral infarction and acute massive cerebral infarction with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS),and analyze the clinical value of CRP. Methods The serum CRP level of 50 patients of control group and 50 patients of cerebral infarction admitted to hospital within 7 days (30 patients were admitted into acute cerebral infarction group and 20 patients into acute massive cerebral infarction with MODS group) were determined by immune scatter turbidimetry. Results (1)In cerebral infarction patients,serum CRP level in 48 cases(96%) was equal and over 5 mg/L.In control group,serum CRP level in 3 cases(6%) was equal and over 5 mg/L(P＜0.0 5).(2)The level of serum CRP acute in cerebral infarction group and in acute massive cerebral infarction with MODS group increased significantly than that in control group (P＜0.01).The level of serum CRP in acute massive cerebral infarction with MODS group increased significantly than that in acute cerebral infarction group.(3)When the level of CRP＜25 mg/L,the incidence of MODS in patients with acute cerebral infarction was zero.When the level of CRP≥25 mg/L,the incidence of MODS increased gradually with the rise of CRP. Conclusions There is positive correlation between the serum level of CRP and the severity of acute cerebral infarction and the incidence of MODS.CRP is a useful marker in predicting the prognosis of acute massive cerebral infarction with MODS.

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment on stroke according to the acupoint selection of "Najia method of Ziwua Liuzhu" and to investigate the mechanism.

METHODSOne hundred and ninety cases were randomly divided into a Ziwu Liuzhu group (n=95) and a routine acupuncture group (n=95). Five shu points on different meridians were selected according to the Tiangan (Heavenly Stems)-tables of "Najia method of Ziwu Liuzhu" in the Ziwu Liuzhu group, and the treatment was carried out within the period from Chen (7:00-9:00 AM) to Si (9:00-11:00 AM). In the routine acupuncture group, Fengchi (GB 20), Shuigou (GV 26), Waiguan (TE 5), etc. were selected to treat the patients immediately on first visit. The therapeutic effects of two groups were assessed by the scores of neural functial cinl deficiency, status of total living ability, blood rheological indexes and clinical comprehensive effectiveness.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 95.8% in the Ziwu Liuzhu group was significantly better than 80.0% in the routine acupuncture group. The scores of neural functional deficiency, main items of blood rheology and total living ability in the Ziwu Liuzhu group were significantly lower than those in the routine acupuncture group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture treatment in the period from Chen to Si according to the acupoint selection of "Najia method of Ziwu Liuzhu" has a significant clinical effectiveness which is related with improvement of the indexes of blood rheology.

Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hemorheology ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy

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

As an important part of Chinese medicinal materials, uncommon-territorial herbs are also the most complex parts in the herbal medicine markets. Through years of investigation on the key markets of Chinese herbal medicine, the meaning of uncommon-territorial herbs, their historical evolution, origin and characteristics were clarified in this paper, and some countermeasures were put forward for its development.
Biological Evolution ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; Herbal Medicine ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development

The preliminary metabolic profile of total diterpene acid (TDA) isolated from Pseudolarix kaempferi was investigated by using in vivo and in vitro tests. Pseudolaric acid C2 (PC2) was identified as the predominant metabolite in plasma, urine, bile and feces after both oral and intravenous administrations to rats using HPLC-UV and HPLC-ESI/MS(n), and demethoxydeacetoxypseudolaric acid B (DDPB), a metabolite proposed to be the glucoside of PC2 (PC2G), as well as pseudolaric acid C (PC), pseudolaric acid A (PA), pseudolaric acid A O-beta-D glucopyranoside (PAG), pseudolaric acid B O-beta-D glucopyranoside (PBG) and deacetylpseudolaric acid A (DPA) originated from TDA could also be detected. It was demonstrated by tests that the metabolism of TDA is independent of intestinal microflora, and neither of pepsin and trypsin is in charge of metabolism of TDA, TDA is also stable in both pH environments of gastric tract and intestinal tract. The metabolites of TDA in whole blood in vitro incubation were found to be PC2, DDPB and PC2G, which demonstrated that the metabolic reaction of TDA in vivo is mainly occurred in blood and contributed to be the hydrolysis of plasma esterase to ester bond, as well as the glucosylation reaction. These results clarified the metabolic pathway of TDA for the first time, which is of great significance to the in vivo active form and acting mechanism research of P. kaempferi.
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diterpenes ; metabolism ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Hydrolysis ; Mass Spectrometry ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; Pinaceae ; chemistry ; Rats

Objective To investigate the value of the imaging findings of soft tissue abnormality in the differential diagnosis between osteomyelitis and malignant bone tumor.Methods The CT and MRI findings of soft tissue changes in 57 cases of osteomyelitis and 70 cases of malignant bone tumor were retrospectively defined,observed,recorded and statistically analyzed.Results In 57 cases of osteomyelitis, 54 cases were examined with CT,and soft tissue swelling was presented in 52 cases (degree Ⅰin 19 cases, degreeⅡin 16 cases,degree Ⅲin 17 cases).Abscess-like cysts in soft tissue occurred in 6 cases,masses in 5,air in 1,fat-fluid level in 1 and sinus tract in 1.Among 14 cases examined with MR imaging,soft tissue swelling was presented in all cases (degreeⅠin 2 cases,degree Ⅱin 6 cases and degree Ⅲin 6 cases). Abscess-like cysts appeared in 3 cases and showed high signal in diffusion weighted imaging, mass in Ⅰand fat-fluid level in 1.Among 54 cases examined with CT in 70 cases of malignant bone tumor, soft tissue swelling was presented in 44 cases (degreeⅠin 29 cases,degreeⅡin 12 cases,degreeⅢin 3 cases).Soft tissue masses appeared in 49 cases,bone shell and shell-like calcification in 16 cases and neoplastic bone and neoplastic calcified cartilage within soft tissue mass in 25 cases.Among 49 cases examined with MR imaging,soft tissue swelling was presented in 46 cases (degree Ⅰin 21 cases,degreeⅡin 17 cases and degree Ⅲin 8 cases),and soft tissue masses appeared in 43 cases.The degree of soft tissue swelling and the occurrence of abscess-like cyst,mass,bone shell or shell-liked calcification in the rim of mass,neoplastic bone or neoplastic calcified cartilage in masses showed significant difference(P

Aged ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Scrub Typhus ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the synergistical killing effect of docetaxel combined with ABT-737 on human prostate cancer cell line PC-3 by inducing apoptosis and further to determine the mechanism underlying such effect.

METHODSPC-3 cells were treated with various concentrations of docetaxel or (and) ABT-737. Cell viability was determined using MTT assay. Apoptosis was assessed by fluorescence microscopy analysis of cells with condensed and segmented nuclei following staining with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Cellular DNA was stained with propidium iodide and flow cytometric analysis was performed to analyze the cell cycle distribution. Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 protein changes were detected by Western blot. The activity of caspase-3 was measured using a colorimetric assay.

RESULTSDocetaxel (20 nmol/L) combination with ABT-737 (400 nmol/L) for 48 hours, the cell viability was decreased to 19.7% ± 3.2% to compare with 44.2% ± 4.4% (t = 4.45) of docetaxel and 93.2% ± 1.8% of ABT-737 separately and there was a synergistic effect between the two drugs (CI = 0.8). Apoptosis rate of the combination group was higher than other two drugs. Docetaxel increased the cell number arrested in G(2)/M phase compared with control group (P < 0.05), but the combination treatment resulted in a significant arrest in the G(0)/G(1) phase. The combination treatment could significantly reduced the Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 expression (F = 369.53, 57.89 and 32.77, all P < 0.05) and enhanced the activity of caspase-3 (419.7% ± 15.6%) (F = 207.33, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe combination of ABT-737 with docetaxel can synergistically inhibit the proliferation of PC-3 cells through inducing apoptosis, which may be associated with cell cycle arrest, down-regulation of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 expression and activation of caspase-3.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Biphenyl Compounds ; pharmacology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Synergism ; Humans ; Male ; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein ; metabolism ; Nitrophenols ; pharmacology ; Piperazines ; pharmacology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology ; Taxoids ; pharmacology ; bcl-X Protein ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDErectile dysfunction (ED) is a common impairment among older men, and the prevalence rates increase sharply after age of 60 years. Most studies have focused on the prevalence rate or dangerous factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the basic epidemiologic data about ED patients with different ED courses. The purpose of this research was to understand the therapeutic effect of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5-I) and see how and why the ED course impact the progress of ED and the therapeutic effect of PDE5-I treatment.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to June 2009, 4252 questionnaires (Quality of Erection Questionnaire, QEQ) were gathered from 46 centers by urology or andrology doctors all around China. Patients with ED (age ≥ 20 years) filled in first half of the questionnaires when they came for the first time, and then completed the second half 4 weeks after PDE5-I therapy.

RESULTSED courses of most patients were less than 5 years (< 5 years, 74.0%; 5 - 10 years 20.8%; > 10 years, 5.2%). As ED course increasing, the incidence of the risk factors of ED, such as smoking, drinking, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and hyperlipidemia also increase (P ≤ 0.01). PDE5-I was effective in improving the quality of sexual activities (P ≤ 0.01). Administration of PDE5-I improves satisfaction, enjoyment and frequency of sexual activities. The longer the ED course, the worse the therapeutic effect (< 5 years, 96.1%; 5 - 10 years, 94.9%; > 10 years, 89.0%) (P ≤ 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe ED course greatly affected the therapeutic effect of PDE5-1, the patients with ED should consult doctor at early stage of the disease. Administration of PDE5-I effectively improves the penile erection and the quality of sexual life of the patients hence should be considered as first-line medicine in the treatment of ED.

Adult ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Surveys and Questionnaires