Objective To investigate clinical significance of computed tomography (CT) scan in diagnosis of bronchial foreign body in children.Methods Twenty-one suspected children with bronchial foreign body were studied with spiral CT cross-section scan and coronal reconstruction and diagnosis was confirmed with bronchoscopy.Results The foreign body was displayed in all of 21 cases. CT scan showed foreign body was located in right main bronchial 12 cases, right middle bronchial 1 case, right inferior lobar bronchial 2 cases and left main bronchial 6 cases. Foreign bodies were extracted with bronchoscopy.Conclusion CT scan can display and locate accurately foreign body in bronchial of children,and has very important diagnostic value in patients having atypical histories, clinical and radiological findings.

A rapid screening model for biosurfactant-producing strains is described in this paper, according as biosurfac-tant can make the blood-plate hemolysis and produce the blue cycles in blue-glue-plate. 12 microorganisms have been got from soil and water samples sampled from oil field and refinery using this model, and one of them can produce the glyco-lipid biosurfactant, which can depress the interfacial tension of water from 71. 3mN/m to 30. 5mN/m, and yield is 6.5 g/L.

A series of cycloberberine derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their anti-cancer activities in vitro. Among these analogs, compounds 6c, 6e and 6g showed strong inhibition on human HepG2 cells. They afforded a potent effect against DOX-resistant MCF-7 breast cells as well. The primary mechanism showed that cell cycle was blocked at G2/M phase of HepG2 cells treated with 6g using flow cytometry assay. It significantly inhibited the activity of DNA Top I at the concentration of 0.1 mg mL-1. Our results provided a basis for the development of this kind of compounds as novel anti-cancer agents.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Berberine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type I ; metabolism ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Molecular Structure ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective To introduce the clinical experience and investigate venous drainage of distal- ly-based dorsal digital neurocutaneous flap for finger-pulp reconstruction.Methods From Mar.2004 to Oct.2005,18 patients with traumatic finger-pulp defect (＞2cm) were treated by distally based dorsal ho- modigital neurocutaneous flaps.The flap measured 2 cm?2cm～3cm?4cm with the neuro-veno-adipal ped- icle 1cm wide and 2～3cm long.The pivot points were proximal to the PIP joints.The dorsal digital nerve was neurorrhaphied with the proper digital nerve of the recipient site.The dorsal digital vein was ligated at 1cm distal to the pivot point to prevent venous ingress.No venous anastomosis was performed.Results All the flaps survived but had some degrees of venous congestion and swelling,and 8 flaps developed tension blisters. In 13 flaps with follow-up more than 6 months,protective sensation was restored.Conclusion Dorsal digit- al neurocutaneous flap is simple and effective for finger-pulp reconstruction.Ligating the big superficial vein at the distal base to interrupt venous ingress,and allowing the proximal vein open and venous egress,can reduce flap congestion and swelling.

Objective To study the three-dimensional topography of the hepatic vein(HV),the inferior vena cava(IVC)and the inferior right hepatic vein(IRHV)in the retrohepatic and pre-IVC tunnel in human beings,and to provide an anatomic reference for liver surgery.Methods One hundred and ten volunteers underwent CT scanning at 60 to 75 s after injection of contrast medium,and their HV,IVC and IRHV were reconstructed into MPR and 3D-MIP images.The hepatic veins were grouped according to the way by which the hepatic vein enters IVC.The angle between the right hepatic vein and the middle hepatic vein or the trunk of hepatic vein was measured,and the width from right hepatic vein to middle hepatic vein or to the trunk of hepatic vein on IVC was recorded.The frequency of IRHV was observed,and the length of the tunnel was measured.Results Among the 110 volunteers,there were 6 cases(5.45%)with three hepatic veins respectively entering IVC,98 cases(89.10%)with right hepatic vein and a common trunk of the middle hepatic vein and the left hepatic vein entering IVC,and 6 cases(5.45%)with left hepatic vein and a common trunk of the right hepatic vein and the middle hepatic vein entering IVC.The mean value of the angles between the right hepatic vein and the middle hepatic vein or the trunk of hepatic vein was(55? 18)?.The width from the fight hepatic vein to the middle hepatic vein or to the trunk of hepatic vein was (21?7)mm.The IRHV was observed in 30 cases(27.27%).The mean value of the tunnel length was (53?11)mm.Conclusion The parameters of the retrohepatic and pre-IVC tunnel in human beings can be measured accurately by the imaging of MPR,which can provide an anatomic reference for the liver surgery.

AIMTo investigate the mechanism of the interaction between montmorillonite and bacteria by studying the reactions of different charges of montmorillonites with bacteria.

METHODSBacteriostatic test: one loop of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus at the concentration of 1 x 10(6).mL-1 was incubated to the plate culture medium containing different concentrations of montmorillonite, and incubated 24 h to observe the growth of bacteria. Bacterial adsorptive test: different amounts of montmorillonite were added into the artificially simulated intestinal solution (containing bacteria 1 x 10(7).mL-1). After the culture, the bacterial colonies were counted.

RESULTSThe results showed that montmorillonite per se showed no bacteriostatic or bactericidal effect, but after exchange with metal ion and functional groups which inhibits bacteria, then it showed these activities. Adsorption was the main way between montmorillonite and bacteria. The special way of fixing bacteria into the "carriage" of montmorillonite gel which carry this structure was its pharmacological basis of curing diarrhea. The adsorption effect was related to layer charge density of the montmorillonites.

CONCLUSIONMontmorillonite showed adsorption ability of bacteria with minus related to its layer charge, but has no bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect.

Adsorption ; Anti-Ulcer Agents ; pharmacology ; Bentonite ; pharmacology ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects

Case-Control Studies ; Creatine ; urine ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; urine ; Infant, Newborn ; Lactic Acid ; urine ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Siwu decoction on protein expression of blood deficiency mice induced by cyclophosphamide (CIX) and discuss the possible molecular mechanism on blood enriching function of Siwu decoction.

METHODBlood deficiency mice were established by injecting ip with 250 mg x kg(-1) CTX. Proteomic technologies were applied to identify the different protein.

RESULTSiwu decoction could restore the changes of 12 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated proteins in bone marrow of blood deficiency mice induced by cyclosphosphamide.

CONCLUSIONSiwu decoction could effect expression of proteins which functions including apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation of the haematopoietic stem/progenitor cell. The regulation in the molecular level might be the mechanism of stimulating hematopoiesis in bone marrow fo siwu decocetion.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors ; metabolism ; Anemia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Annexin A1 ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carbonic Anhydrases ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclophosphamide ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fatigue ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Peroxidases ; metabolism ; Peroxiredoxins ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proteome ; metabolism ; Proteomics ; methods

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of 5-azacytidine (5-AZA) on XAF1 expression in myeloma cells and efficacy of 5-AZA treatment for myeloma in vitro. XAF1 expression was analyzed by semi-quantitative PCR. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was used to detect the methylation status of XAF1 promoter CpG islands. RPMI 8226 and XG-7 cells were treated with 0-5 micromol/L of 5-AZA. Expression of XAF1 mRNA variants was confirmed by gel electrophoresis. The results indicated that the untreated RPMI 8226 cell expressed XAF1 mRNA transcript 1 and transcript 2, untreated XG-7 cells did not express XAF1 mRNA. Hypermethylation of XAF1 promoter CpG islands could be detected in both cell lines. Both cell lines expressed full-length XAF1 transcript after being treated with 2.5 micromol/L of 5-AZA for 72 hours. 5-AZA treatment led XAF1 promoter CpG island to hypomethylation in both cell lines. 5-AZA exerted anti-myeloma activity in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The IC(50) value of XG-7 cells treated with 5-AZA for 48 hours was 2.6 micromol/L. 1.0, 2.0, 2.5 and 5.0 micromol/L of 5-AZA treatment for 48 hours induced (34.3 +/- 8.0)%, (54.8 +/- 3.1)%, (64.1 +/- 3.4)%, (81.0 +/- 4.1)% apoptosis in XG-7 cell line respectively. The combination of 1.0 - 4.0 micromol/L of 5-AZA with 1.0 - 4.0 micromol/L of arsenic trioxide (ATO) exhibited synergistic toxicity in myeloma cells with all CI values less than 1.0. It is concluded that lack of XAF1 expression and abnormal expression of XAF1 in myeloma cell lines are associated with the hypermethylation of XAF1 gene promoter CpG island. 5-AZA treatment can induce the expression of XAF1 mRNA and protein in myeloma. 5-AZA exerts anti-myeloma activity via apoptosis at clinically achievable concentrations. The findings suggested that 5-AZA and ATO may be an effective combination in the therapy of patients with multiple myeloma.
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Azacitidine ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

To study the effect of Siwu decoction on the function and expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in Caco-2 cells. The Real-time quantitative poly-merase chain reaction (Q-PCR) was used to analyze the mRNA expression of MDR1 gene in Caco-2 cells. Flow cytometer was used to study the effect of Siwu decoction on the uptake of Rhodamine 123 in Caco-2 cells, in order to evaluate the efflux function of P-gp. Western blotting method was used to detect the effect of Siwu decoction on the P-gp protein expression of Caco-2 cells. Compared with the blank control group, after Caco-2 incubation with Siwu decoction at concentrations of 3.3, 5.0, 10.0 g x L(-1) for 24, 48, 72 h, the mRNA expression of MDR1 was up-regulated, suggesting the effect of Siwu decoction in inducing the expression of MDR1. After the administration with Siwu decoction in Caco-2 cells for 48 h, the uptake of Rhodamine 123 in Caco-2 cells decreased by respectively 16.6%, 22.1% (P < 0.05) and 45.4% (P < 0.01), indicating that the long-term administration of Siwu decoction can enhance the P-gp efflux function of Caco-2 cells. After the incubation of Caco-2 cells with Siwu decoction for 48 h, the P-gp protein expression on Caco-2 cell emebranes, demonstrating the effect of Siwu decoction in inducing the protein expression of P-gp.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; genetics ; metabolism ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Caco-2 Cells ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects