Bacterial Infections ; transmission ; Drug Resistance, Microbial

OBJECTIVETo explore the repair of Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction (XSLJZD) on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and gap junction (GJ) in the gastric muscular layer of rats of Pi-qi deficiency syn- drome (PQDS).

METHODSPQDS was established using purgative method with bitter and cold drugs in 30 healthy Wistar rats. After successful modeling they were randomly divided into the treatment group and the model group, 15 in each group. Another 15 healthy Wistar rats were recruited as the healthy control group. Rats in the treatment group were gastric administered with XSLJZD at 2 mL/100 g body weight, once daily for 14 successive days. Equal volume of normal saline was gastrically administered to those in the healthy control group and the model group. The gastric muscle tissues were taken out before modeling, before intervention, and after intervention, respectively. Ultrastructural changes of ICC and GJ were observed using transmission electron microscope (TEM). The number and distribution of Connexin43 (Cx43) were detected using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSResults of TEM indicated that compared with the healthy control group, both ICC and GJ in the model group showed obvious injury. ICC and GJ were apparently repaired after intervention in the treatment group. Compared with the same group before modeling, the integrated optical density (IOD) of the Cx43 expression significantly decreased in the model group before and after intervention (P <0.05). Compared with before intervention, the IOD of the Cx43 expression significantly increased in the treatment group (P <0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the IOD of the Cx43 expression significantly decreased in the model group before and after intervention (P <0.05). Compared with the model group, the IOD of the Cx43 expression significantly increased in the treatment group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUltrastructures of ICC and GJ in the gastric muscular layer of rats of PQDS were obviously damaged. XSLJZD could repair the structural damage of ICC and GJ in the gastric muscle tissues of rats of PQDS.

Animals ; Connexin 43 ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gap Junctions ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; drug effects ; Leydig Cells ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth ; Qi ; Rats, Wistar ; Syndrome

Objective To investigate the clinical value of transient elastography in adult after liver transplantation,by means of evaluating the correlation of liver stiffness measured by FibroScan with liver/renal functions.Method Forty-three patients received orthotopic liver transplant in our hospital during Dec.10,2013 and Mar.19,2014 were included in this study.Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was performed after transplantation.Clinical data and laboratory tests including liver function and renal function were collected and analyzed.Result Bivariate correlation showed that body mass index (BMI),MELD score,graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) and warm ischemia time had no correlation with LSM.LSM at the 1st day after transplantation (LSM-1) showed no correlation with cold ischemia time,but LSM at the 7th day after transplantation (LSM-7) did,with R =0.335,P =0.028.LSM-1 showed positive correlation with the ICU time (R =0.488,P =0.001),but LSM-7 didn't.There was significantly positive correlation between LSM and aspartate aminotransferase,bile acid and creatinine,but no significant correlations were found between LSM and alanine arninotransferase,alkaline phosphatase,cholinesterase,gamma-glutamyl transferase,total bilirubin,direct bilirubin,indirect bilirubin,urea nitrogen and uric acid.The group with higher LSM-1 had longer ICU time than the lower group (9 d vs,7 d,P =0.013),and so was the hospital stay (34 d vs.23 d,P =0.023).For the LSM-7,there was no significant difference in ICU time and hospital stay between the two groups.The group with higher LSM-1 had higher serious complication incidence than the lower group (78.57％ vs.27.59％,P =0.002),but the two groups in LSM-7 showed no significant difference in serious complication incidence.Conclusion The LSM partially correlates with the liver function and renal function of liver transplantation recipient,and may have its clinical value for assessing the early prognosis after liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Paederia scandense.

METHODThe constituents were isolated and purified by silica gel and Sephadex LH - 20 column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectral analysis.

RESULT20 compounds were obtained and identified as rubiadin-1-methylether (1), diadzein (2), cleomiscosin B (3), cleomiscosin D (4), isolariciresinol (5), linarin (6), isoscopoletin (7), caffic acid (8), coumarinic acid (9), p-hydroxyl-benzoic acid (10), oleanolic acid (11), ursolic acid (12), beta-sitosterol (13), daucosterol (14), paederoside (15), paederosidic acid (16), paederosidic acid methyl ester (17), saprosmoside E (18), paederoscandoside (19), caffeic acid 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (20).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-10, and 20 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Lignin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Naphthols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rubiaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between right ventricular (RV) mechanical delay and RV dysfunction in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH).

METHODSA total of 51 patients with PH were divided into mild, moderate and high PH groups and 30 healthy volunteers served as control group. RV mechanical delay (defined as the difference in time to peak systolic annular velocity between the RV free wall and the ventricular septum) and RV fractional area change were obtained on apical four chamber view with Quantitive Tissue Velocity Imaging (QTVI).

RESULTSRV mechanical delay increases in proportion to pulmonary pressure. RV fractional area change was similar between control and mild PH patients while significantly reduced in moderate and high PH patients compared to controls. RV mechanical delay significantly correlated to RV fractional area change in all PH groups (r = -0.79; r = -0.66; r = -0.80, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRV mechanical delay measured by QTVI can be used to evaluate RV dysfunction in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Function, Right

Esophageal Neoplasms ; complications ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Leiomyomatosis ; complications ; genetics ; Male ; Nephritis, Hereditary ; complications ; genetics

Objective To evaluate the dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI)in detecting experimentally induced testicular ischemia. Methods Thirty healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned into 6 groups. There were 5 rabbits in each of the following experimental groups: ( 1 ) Normal control, (2) Sham-operated, (3) ischemia of 3 h group, (4) ischemia of 6 h group, (5) ischemia of 12 h group, (6) ischemia of 24 h group. In all experiment groups, the right testis served as the internal control while the left testis served as the experimental side. DCE-MRI for each animal lasts about 10 minutes. Signal enhanced ratios (SERs) of ROI for both sides of each group were calculated by a computer, and parameters of SERs of 30 s, 75 s, 120 s and maximal SER were used for statistical analysis.Time intensity curves (TICs) were made for two sides of each group via Excel 2003 software and classified into 4 types. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the differences of SERs between left and right testis by two independent Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Results In group I and 2, significant enhancement was observed on both testes of 10 rabbits. The enhancement decreased gradually with the elongation of ischemia in torsion groups. Three cases of type Ⅰ and 2 cases of type Ⅱ were observed in group 1,5 cases of type Ⅰ in group two, 2 cases of type Ⅰ and 3 cases of type Ⅱ b in group three, 2 cases of type Ⅰ and 2 cases of type Ⅱ b in group four, 5 cases of type Ⅱ b in group five and 5 cases of type Ⅲ in group six were noticed in the left testes. And in TICs of right testes, all cases showed TICs of type Ⅰ except 2 cases of type Ⅱ a in group six. In four torsion groups, the values for SER75 of the left side were 0. 084%, 0. 076%, 0.164% and 0.065%, while the right side were 0.255%, 0.410%, 0.586% and 0.302% (P ＜0.05). The values for SER120 in group three, five and six were 0.221% , 0.158% and 0.059% for the left side, and 0.405%,0.522% and 0.207% for the right side(P ＜0.05). The values for MSER in group three, five and six were 0.217% ,0.164% and 0.072% for the left side, and 0.405%, 0.586% and 0.302% for the right side(P ＜0.05). Conclusion DCE-MRI technique may be useful in the diagnosis of testicular torsion, which shows potential in the clinical application.

3 mg/L was significantly worse than in those with hs-CRP≤3 mg/L (18.18%,5.45%;P=0.044,log-rank test). Higher hs-CRP concentration was an independent predictor of death or new vascular event(OR 3.609;95% CI 0.869—14.992;P=0.047).Conclusion Higher hs-CRP concentration in acute phase after ischemic stroke is an independent predictor of death or new vascular event in a year.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of the treatment for thoracolumbar fractures with transpedicular intracorporeal hydroxyapatite grafting and pedicle screw fixation via paraspinal approach.

METHODSFrom June 2007 to December 2008, 19 cases of thoracolumbar fractures were treated with transpedicular intracorporeal hydroxyapatite grafting and pedicle screw fixation via paraspinal approach. There were 7 female and 12 male, ranging from 21 to 57 years of age (mean 40.8 years) at surgery. The time from injury to surgery varied from 1 d to 5 d (mean 2.9 d). Nineteen patients all suffered from single thoracolumbar fracture with the distribution of injury level being T(11) in 1, T(12) in 5, L(1) in 9, and L(2) in 4. According to Denis fracture classification, there were 5 compression fractures and 14 burst fractures. The mean preoperative ratio of the anterior height of the body was 57.2%, kyphosis angle was 17.6° and occupation of spinal canal was 27.7%. The mean preoperative load-sharing classification of spine fractures was 5.2. Based on the ASIA neurologic grading system, preoperative neurological function was grade B in 2 cases, C in 9 and D in 8.

RESULTSMedian operating time was 83.8 min (range 60-95 min) and median blood loss was 133 ml (range 90 - 200 ml). Infection did not occur in any of the patients and the operative incisions were healing well. Average follow-up time was 19.2 months (range 12 - 36 months). At the latest follow-up, the height of the anterior border was corrected to 88.4%, the kyphosis angle was 6.1°, and the occupation of spinal canal was 8.2% on average. The postoperative neurologic function of all 19 patients was improved with grade D in 2 cases and E in 17. There were no instances of instrumentation failure and no patient had persistent postoperative back pain.

CONCLUSIONSTranspedicular intracorporeal hydroxyapatite grafting and pedicle screw fixation via paraspinal approach could provide reliable neurologic improvement in patients with incomplete neurologic deficit, and could prevent the development of kyphosis.Furthermore, it has the obvious advantages of less invasive and blood loss, and decreases the risks of postoperative lumbodorsal pain.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Bone Transplantation ; methods ; Durapatite ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo detect microsatellite instability(MSI) in colorectal cancer by fluorescence multiplex polymerase chain reaction(FM-PCR) and explore its clinical value.

METHODSMSI of 110 colorectal cancer patients undergone surgical resection in our department from 2004 to 2005 were examined by FM-PCR, and the pathological characteristics were compared between MSI and microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer patients.

RESULTSAmong 110 cases, the male were 66 and the female were 44. Mean age was 60.8 (26-94) yrs. All 5 microsatellite markers were amplified. Out of them, 10 cases (8.1%) were MSI-H, 13 cases (11.8%) were MSI-L and 87 cases (79.1%) were MSS. Instability of BAT-26 was found in 9 cases (8.2%), BAT-25 was in 11 cases (10.0%), D2S123 was in 11 cases (10.0%), D5S346 was in 6 cases (8.2%) and D17S250 was in 8 cases (7.3%). Age between MSI and MSS colorectal cancer patients was significant and other pathological characteristics were not significant.

CONCLUSIONSFM-PCR is a clinically stable method for MSI detection in colorectal cancer patients. There are no significant differences between MSI and MSS pathological characteristics of colorectal cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA Sequence, Unstable ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Instability ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA