Objective To detect the level of nitric oxide (NO) and amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of epilepsy children in different time. Methods The level of NO and amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of epilepsy children in different time were determined with nitrate reductase and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorimetric detection. Results The level of NO2 - increased 30 min, 60 min, 120 min after seizures (P<0.01), but dropped to normal 180 min after seizures (P>0.05). The level of glutamate (Glu) significantly increased in all epilepsy groups (P<0.05). The level of glycine (Gly) dropped gradually in all epilepsy groups (P<0.05).Conclusion NO may participate in the generation of seizures and the injury process to brain. The imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory amino acids may play an important role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. The toxicity of excitatory amino acids may be the main injury to the brain.

OBJECTIVETo establish an HPLC fingerprint to evaluate the quality of Polygalae Radix, root xylem, and those collected in different growth ages or harvest time.

METHODSeparation was performed at 30 °C on a Kromasil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm); the mobile phases was acetonitrile and 0.05% H3PO4 water in the gradient elution; the flow rate was set at 1.0 mL · min(-1) and the detection wavelength at 314 nm; the quality discriminant analyses were accomplished by means of similarity analysis, cluster analysis, principal component analysis and neural network model.

RESULTIn 26 batches of Polygalae Radix, 24 batches fingerprint similarities were above 0.8. In 5 different growth or harvest time batches, 4 batches were above 0.8; in 8 batches root xylem samples, the similarities were all above 0.875. The similarity analysis was in accord with the quality discriminant analysis of cluster analysis, principal component analysis and neural network model.

CONCLUSIONFingerprint combined with chemical pattern recognition technique can effectively evaluate the quality of Polygalae Radix. The active substance species are all similar in cultivated, wild, different growth or harvest time Polygalae Radix and polygala root xylem, but the chromatography peak areas are different. The effective material contents are similar between wild and cultivated Polygalae Radix, but each chromatographic peak area of the root xylem is much smaller than that of Polygalae Radix. The chemical substance accumulation mainly depends on harvest month, but little growth time in Polygalae Radix.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; classification ; Polygala ; chemistry ; classification ; Quality Control

This paper is to build a finite element model of brain with a real brain shapeon which simulation studies of electrical impedance tomography EIT in the brain is based. A curve of a real brain shape is simulated with the curve-fitting methods and EIT in the brain is finished with finite-element methods and Equipotential Lines Back-Projection algorithm.The locationarea and amplitude of the change of the resistivity are reconstructed accurately. But the image quality has to be further improved.This paper provides a basis for clinical applications of EIT in brain.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of taurine on myocardial injury in severely scalded rats.

METHODSA total of 130 healthy adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the control group (C, without burns), the burn group (B, subjected to a 30% TBSA III degree scalding) and the treatment group (T, treated with intraperitoneal injection of taurine (400 mg/kg) immediately after scald injury). The plasma and myocardial tissue samples in B and T groups were harvested at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 postburn hours (PBH) for the determination of the contents of cardiac troponin T (cTnT), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and angiotensin II (AngII) in plasma, and the contents of TNF-alpha, AngII and calcium ion in myocardial tissue. The morphological change in the myocardial tissue was observed with transmission electronic microscope (TEM) and was compared with that in C group. The changes in the plasma TNF-alpha and AngII were analyzed in relation to that of plasma cTnT.

RESULTSThe plasma cTnT content in B group at 3 PBH was markedly higher than that in C group (0.16 +/- 0.03 microg/L) (P < 0.01), and it peaked (6.32 +/- 0.41) at 12 PBH and remained at high level at 48 PBH. While the plasma MDA content and the calcium ion level in B group were evidently higher than those in C group during 3 to 48 PBH (P < 0.01). The TNF-alpha contents in plasma and myocardial tissue during 6 to 48 PBH were significantly higher than those in C group (P < 0.01). The AngII contents in plasma and myocardial tissue during 3 to 24 PBH were obviously higher than those in C group (P < 0.01). All the indices in T group were significantly lower than those in B group (P < 0.01). Histological examination revealed that there was myocardial damage in various degrees during early postburn stage in B group, such as focal dissolution and fragmentation of myofilament, mitochondrial edema, myocyte sarcoplasmic protrusions like piano keys. But all the above changes in T group were evidently ameliorated to near normal. There was close positive correlation between the change in the concentrations of plasma content of TNF-alpha and AngII and cTnT in B group (r = 0.87 and 0.82, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe production of TNF-alpha, MDA, cTnT, AngII and high calcium ion level of myocardiocytes in severely burned rats can be inhibited by taurine, which was beneficial in the management of myocardial injury after severe burns.

Angiotensin II ; biosynthesis ; Animals ; Burns ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Taurine ; therapeutic use ; Troponin T ; biosynthesis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis

Cellular stress severely disrupts endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function, leading to the abnormal accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER and subsequent development of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). To accommodate the occurrence of ERS, cells have evolved a highly conserved, self-protecting signal transduction pathway called the unfolded protein response. Notably, ERS signaling is involved in the development of a variety of diseases and is closely related to tumor development, particularly in breast cancer. This review discusses recent research regarding associations between ERS and tumor metastasis. The information presented here will help researchers elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying ERS-mediated tumor metastasis and provide new directions for tumor therapies.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Signal Transduction ; Unfolded Protein Response

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of taurine on myocardial mitochondria and their enzyme activities in rats with severe burn.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty healthy adult Wistar rats were subjected to 30% TBSA full-thickness burn. They were randomly divided into burn group (B, with intraperitoneal injection of isotonic saline), treatment group (T, with intraperitoneal injection of taurine, 200 mg/kg),with 60 rats in each group . Ten rats with sham scald were used as control (S group). The myocardial tissue samples in B and T groups were harvested at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 postburn hours (PBH) for determination of activity respectively of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), cytochrome oxidase (CCO), the superoxide dismutase (SOD), Ca2+ -ATPase in mitochondria, and contents of cytochrome c (Cyt c), cytochrome aa3 (Cyt aa3), malondialdehyde (MDA), and Ca2+ in mitochondria and cytoplasm . The myocardial tissue samples of controls were harvested at 1 PBH for determination of above indices.

RESULTSThe activity of CCO in B group was decreased at 1 PBH , especially at 6 ,12 PBH. The activity of SDH in B group was decreased to lowest level at 6 PBH, and its value was lower than that of S group at each time point. The activity of CCO or SDH in T group was not obviously decreased, and the activity of CCO at 3, 6, 12 PBH showed significant difference compared with B group (P < 0.05). The contents of Cyt aa3 and Cyt c in B group at 3, 6, 12, 24 PBH were obviously decreased, which were significantly lower than those in T group (P < 0.05). The activity of SOD in B group at 3, 6, 12 PBH was obviously decreased, the activity of Ca2+ -ATPase at 3, 6, 12 and 24 PBH was decreased to different extent, which was significantly lower than those in T group (P < 0.05). The MDA contents in B and T groups were higher than that in S group at 3-48 PBH ,and it was highest in B group (P < 0.05). The Ca2+ content of mitochondria in B group at 1 PBH was increased (13.7 +/- 1.5), and it was (24.8 +/- 2.6), (29.7 +/- 3.1), (16.3 +/- 1.9) and (13.5 +/- 1.7) at 3, 6, 12, 24 PBH respectively,and they were all higher than that of S group (10.7 +/- 1.6, P < 0.05). The Ca2 contents of cytoplasm in group B at 3 - 24 PBH were also higher than that in S group (P < 0.05). The Ca2+ content of mitochondria in T group at 3, 6, 12, 24 PBH was (16.8 +/- 2.8), (18.7 +/- 1.9), (10.5 +/- 1.8) and (13.3 +/- 1.7)respectively, which were lower than that in B group at every time point.

CONCLUSIONTaurine have protective effect on mitochondria and their enzyme activities in myocardium in rats with severe burn, and it may be attributable to improving the ability of eradicating oxygen free radicals and alleviating Ca2+ overload in the mitochondria.

Animals ; Burns ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; metabolism ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; metabolism ; Female ; Male ; Mitochondria, Heart ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Succinate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Taurine ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the significance and safety of flexible bronchoscopy and balloon dilatation in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases in children.

METHODSA total of 438 children (236 males and 202 females) with respiratory diseases who were aged from 17 days to 15 years, were examined and/or treated by bronchoscopy (including bronchoscopic intervention) under local anesthesia.

RESULTSOf the 438 children, 311 were diagnosed with pulmonary infection, 68 with atelectasis, 36 with recurrent cough and asthma, 6 with hemoptysis of unknown origin, 6 with bronchial foreign body, 5 with congenital bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 2 with bronchiectasis, 1 with ciliary dyskinesia syndrome, 1 with lung tumor, and 2 with congenital immunodeficiency disease. After bronchoscopic examination, local flushing or bronchoalveolar lavage, and foreign body extraction, marked response was seen in 379 cases and response was seen in 46 cases. High-pressure balloon dilatation under bronchoscopy was performed in 5 cases with inflammatory stricture and achieved satisfying clinical effect. No severe complications were found in bronchoscopy.

CONCLUSIONSBronchoscopy and balloon dilatation under local anesthesia is safe and effective for the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases in children.

Adolescent ; Anesthesia, Local ; Bronchoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dilatation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate and compare the histopathology effects and mechanisms of the methods of "invigorating spleen to remove phlem & promoting blood circulation to remove meridian obstruction" and "invigorate the kidney & promoting blood circulation to remove meridian obstruction" preventing hormone induced femoral head necrosis in hens.

METHODSSixty-four healthy hens were randomly divided into 4 groups: blank control group, model group, Jianpi group (with therapeutics of invigorating spleen to remove phlem), Bushen group (with the effect of warming kidney for duresis). All hens were injected intramuscularly with Medrat once a week for 16 weeks but normal saline in blank control group. Bilateral femoral heads were dissected on 8 weeks or 16 weeks. Paraffin tissue sections were prepared to detect histopathologic change with hematoxylin and eosin, or mason staining.

RESULTSHistological analysis showed that Huogu recipe I and Huogu recipe II can promote osteogenesis and repair osteonecrosis, increase blood circulation of bone marrow, and inhibit pimelosis of bone marrow. Compared with blank control group, the areas of adipose cells increased significantly (t = -12.9, P < 0.01), the area of immature collagen increased significantly (t = -2.0, P < 0.05) and the ratio of empty lacuna in medullary cavity (t = -3.7, P < 0.05). Compared with model group, both the area of adipose cells and the ratio of empty lacuna decreased in Jianpi group and Bushen group (F = 26.8, 13.5, P < 0.01), so it was with the Bushen group immature collagen (F = 4.6, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBoth the methods of "invigorating spleen to remove phlem & promoting blood circulation to remove meridian obstruction" and "invigorate the kidney & promoting blood circulation to remove meridian obstruction" can prevent hormone induced femoral head necrosis. The time taking effect in the method of "invigorating spleen to remove phlem" was shorter.

Animals ; Chickens ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Female ; Femur Head ; pathology ; Femur Head Necrosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Glucocorticoids ; adverse effects ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Methylprednisolone and Dexamethasone on the avascular necrosis of femoral head in chickens.

METHODSThirty-six chickens were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 6): control group (group A), Methylprednisolone low dose group (group B), Methylprednisolone large dose group (group C), small dose Dexamethasone and horse serum group (group D), middle dose Dexamethasone and horse serum group (group E), and Dexamethasone large dose group (group F). On the 6th and 12th weeks, blood samples were obtained to determine the level of total cholesterol triglyeride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). On the 12th week, femoral heads were taken off. Paraffin tissue sections were prepared to detect histopathologic change with hematoxylin and eosin staining.

RESULTSOn the 6th week, compared with group A, the level of CHO increased significantly in group C and group F (P < 0.05), and TG increased in group B, C and group E, while HDL decreased in group B, C and group E. On the 12th week, the level of TG and CHO increased in group B, C, E and group F, and HDL decreased in group C, D and group E (P < 0.05). LDL was not detected in most chickens. The ratio of empty lacuna was higher in group C and group E compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMethylprednisolone is easier to induce osteonecrosis of femoral head than Dexamethasone. The condition of metabolic disorder in blood may be the basic pathomechanism of steroid-induced necrosis of femoral head.

Animals ; Chickens ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Dexamethasone ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Femur Head Necrosis ; blood ; chemically induced ; Glucocorticoids ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Methylprednisolone ; adverse effects ; Oligopeptides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effects of nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

METHODSA prospective, randomized, controlled, single-center study was performed on 67 premature infants with NRDS between March 2011 and May 2012 and selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These premature infants were randomly assigned to receive NIPPV and NCPAP. Oxygenation index (OI), pH, PaCO2, duration of respiratory support, complications, success rate, hospital mortality, and incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSSixty-two patients were finally enrolled in the study, including 32 cases in the NIPPV group and 30 cases in the NCPAP group. After one hour of non-invasive ventilation, OI in the NIPPV group was higher than the NCPAP group (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in pH and PaCO2 between the two groups (P>0.05 for both). A significantly lower proportion of infants needed mechanical ventilation via endotracheal tube (MVET) when they were treated initially with NIPPV than when they were treated initially with NCPAP (P<0.05). The NIPPV group had a significant higher success rate than the NCPAP group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in duration of respiratory support between the two groups (P>0.05). In addition, no significant differences in incidence of pneumothorax, hospital mortality and incidence of BPD were seen between the two groups (P>0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with NCPAP, NIPPV can significantly decrease the proportion of premature infants with NRDS in need of MVET. However, there is no evidence that NIPPV can significantly reduce hospital mortality and incidence of BPD in premature infants with NRDS.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intermittent Positive-Pressure Ventilation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; therapy