Objective To investigate the effect of calcium antagonist verapamil on the function of rat?- cells and tolbutamide (D860)-induced insulin release.Methods Insulin released from isolated islets were measured in control,verapamil,D860,and verapamil+D860 groups.Furthermore,intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was conducted in acute experiments treated with verapamil and D860 respectively to assess?-cell function in rats with the same allocation as in vitro.Another IVGTT was performed in the end of 4 weeks' treatment.The insulin contents in pancreas were assayed and pancreas islets morphology were observed with immunohistochemistry.Results Verapamil could inhibit insulin release from isolated islets.Verapamil group was [(1.244?0.082)ng?ml~(-1)?islet~(-1)]and control group (2.623?0.226) ng?ml~(-1)?islet~(-1)(P0.05).Also,similar results were obtained in normal rats during acute experiments and verapamil reduce the hypoglycemic effect promoted by D860. However,above results were not observed in the end of 4 weeks experiments,and no difference for insulin content and morphological change in islets was found among four groups.Conclusion Treatment of verapamil chronically does not impair islet function and interfere with the hypoglycemic effect of D860 in rats .

OBJECTIVETo study the rehabilitation effects ergometry on COPD patients.

METHODSThirty COPD out-patients in our Hospital were randomly divided into 2 groups. Rehabilitation group, 15 patients, performed leg ergometry exercise of 80% peak Watt x 30min/d x 3d/w x 12w. Another 15 patients were control group without exercise. All patients received conventional therapy. Pulmonary function testing (PFT), cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), arterial blood gas analysis (ABG), Borg and CAT sores were done at both baseline and 12 w.

RESULTSThere was no statistically difference in lung function testing, blood gas analysis and cardiopulmonary exercise test when pre- exercises between 2 sub-groups. The IC, peak VO2 and peak, W of rehabilitation group significantly increased (P < 0.05); and Borg and CAT.scores significantly decreased (P < 0.05) from baseline; and other PFT and ABG did not change (P > 0.05). While there was no difference in control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLeg submaximal ergometry rehabilitation improves health condition and ameliorate dyspnea symptoms in COPD patients.

Blood Gas Analysis ; Dyspnea ; therapy ; Exercise Test ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; therapy ; Respiratory Function Tests

AIMTo observe the effects of Ca2+ -activated K+ channel of primary cultured fetal SD rat cortex neurons in the veratridine triggered neuronal damage.

METHODSThe patch clamp technique of cell-attach and inside-out mode for these two kinds of single channel recordings were used.

RESULTSExtracellular veratridine activated the Kca. In Ca2+ bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp + 30 mV, when the concentration (micromol/L) of veratridine were 15,25,50 and 75, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.014 +/- 0.003, 0.085 +/- 0.010, 0.132 +/- 0.016 and 0.059 +/- 0.006 (P < 0.01) respectively. It appeared concentration-dependent within 50 micromol/L veratridine. In Ca2+ free bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp = +50 mV, when the concentration (micromol/L) of veratridine were 15, 40,60 and 100, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.014 +/- 0.010, 0.113 +/- 0.006, 0.141 +/- 0.004 and 0.295 +/- 0.009 (P < 0.05) respectively. In the 6 cases of inside-out mode patch clamp, Vp = +40 mV, when the concentration of veratridine were 0, 25 micromol/L and 50 micromol/L, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.011 +/- 0.008, 0.010 +/- 0.010 and 0.012 +/- 0.007 (P > 0.05) respectively. There were no significant difference on open probabilities, average open/close times and amplitudes at different intracellular veratridine concentration.

CONCLUSIONVeratridine can affect the activation of the Kca channel through regulating the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+. The opening of Kca activated by increase of intracellular Ca2+ during the early stage of anoxia may be a protection reaction of ischemic neurons.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Veratridine ; pharmacology

A rapid, sensitive and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of clevidipine butyrate and its primary metabolite clevidipine acid in dog blood. After one-step protein precipitation with methanol, the chromatographic separation was carried out on an Ecosil C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol and 5 mmol · L(-1) ammonium formate. A chromatographic total run time of 13.0 min was achieved. The quantitation analysis was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) at the specific ion transitions of m/z 454.1 [M-H]- --> m/z 234.1 for clevidipine butyrate, m/z 354.0 [M-H]- --> m/z 208.0 for clevidipine acid and m/z 256.1 [M-H]- --> m/z 227.1 for elofesalamide (internal standard, IS) in the negative ion mode with electrospray ionization (ESI) source. The linear calibration curves for clevidipine butyrate and clevidipine acid were obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.5-100 ng · mL and 1-200 ng · mL(-1), separately. The lower limit of quantification of clevidipine butyrate and clevidipine acid were 0.5 ng · mL(-1) and 1 ng · mL(-1). The intra and inter-assay precisions were all below 12.9%, the accuracies were all in standard ranges. Stability testing indicated that clevidipine butyrate and clevidipine acid in dog blood with the addition of denaturant methanol was stable under various processing and/or handling conditions. The validated method has been successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of clevidipine butyrate injection to 8 healthy Beagle dogs following intravenous infusion at a flow rate of 5 mg · h(-1) for 0.5 h.
Animals ; Butyrates ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Calibration ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Dogs ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Pyridines ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The purpose of this study is to identify the electrical activity of neuron, the existence of the transition from bursting pattern to spiking pattern and the ion mechanism of the bursting pattern. The intracellular electrical activity patterns of single neurons in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of crayfish were recorded when the extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](o)) or calcium-dependent potassium channel blocker tetraethylammonium concentration ([TEA](o)) were changed, using intracellular recording method. These single neurons were also functionally isolated from the ganglion by application of atropine and picrotoxin which could block the inhibitory acetylcholine synapses and glutamatergic synapses respectively. When [Ca(2+)](o) was decreased by increasing EGTA, the membrane potential of the neuron was increased, and the electrical activity patterns were changed from the resting state with lower potential value (resting state of polarization) to the bursting pattern firstly, and then to the spiking pattern, at last to the resting state with higher potential value (resting state of depolarization). When [TEA](o) was increased, the membrane potential of the neuron was increased, and the electrical activity pattern was changed from the resting state with lower potential value (resting state of polarization) to the bursting pattern firstly, and then to the spiking pattern. The duration of the burst of the bursting pattern was increased. When [Ca(2+)](o) was increased or [TEA](o) was decreased, an inverse procedure of the electrical activity pattern was exhibited. On one hand, the results indicate that a single neuron can generate various electrical activity patterns corresponding to different physiological conditions, and the regularity of the transitions between different electrical activity patterns. On the other hand, the results identify that the initiation and termination of the burst in bursting pattern are determined by calcium-activated potassium conductance, which is adjusted by intracellular calcium concentration influenced by inward calcium current. It may be the ionic mechanism of generation of the bursting pattern in a single neuron.
Action Potentials ; physiology ; Animals ; Astacoidea ; physiology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channels ; metabolism ; Ganglia, Invertebrate ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism

Objective To explore the possible correlation between serum highly sensitive C reactive protein (hs CRP) and blood glucose, insulin, lipids ,insulin sensitivity index (SI),acute insulin response(AIR), and adiponectin in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM). Methods SI and AIR were assessed by the reduced sample number of Bergman′s minimal model method by intravenous glucose tolerance test in subjects. Meanwhile body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), the serum lipid profile, hs CRP, adiponectin levels were measured. Results Compared with normal control (NC) group[SI(6.6?2.4) 10 -4 (min?mU/L) -1 ,adiponectin7.77(6.35 10.70 mg/L),hs CRP0.40(0.21 1.67mg/L)], the SI and serum adiponectin in IGT group [(1.5?1.1) 10 -4 (min?mU/L) -1 , 4.29(3.59 6.22 mg/L) respectively] and type 2 DM group [(1.5?1.0)?10 -4 (min?mU/L) -1 , 3.46(2.37 4.72 mg/L) respectively] were significantly decreased (all P

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of curcumin on the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the expression level of c-fos protein following hypoxia ischemia brain damage (HIBD) in rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dauley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups as the following: sham group, hypoxia ischemia brain damage group, curcumin group and solvent control group. The content of MDA in the brain was measured by colorimetry. The expression level of c-fos protein in the cortex tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Morphologic and structural changes of neuron cells of the cortex were observed by electron microscopy. RESULTS: The content of MDA was clearly lower in curcumin group than that in the other groups at the same time after HIBD. The expression level of c-fos protein was higher in the curcumin group than that in the other groups (P<0.05). Electron microscopy showed that the morphologic and structural changes of neuron cells of cortex in the curcumin group were reduced. CONCLUSION Curcumin could significantly decrease the content of MDA, increase the expression level of c-fos protein and reduce the damage of the neuron cells.
Animals ; Curcumin/pharmacology* ; Forensic Pathology ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/pathology* ; Male ; Malondialdehyde/metabolism* ; Neurons/pathology* ; Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism* ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

ObjectiveTo compare the clinical results between minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar(mini-TLIF) and posterior open surgery in treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis.MethodsFrom March 2008 to August 2010,a total of 49 cases with lumbar spondylolisthesis underwent surgical intervention were retrospectively analyzed,including 23 cases with mini-TLIF and 26 with open surgery.Operation time,intra-operative bleeding,and radiation exposure times were recorded.Pre- and postoperative back pain was assessed by visual analogue scale(VAS),and lumbar function was evaluated by Oswestry disability index (ODI).The clinical results were assessed by Macnab criterion,and the pre and postoperative radiologic parameters were compared.ResultsThe mean follow-up time was 11 months(ranged,9-22).Both groups got good clinical results and satisfactory radiologic parameters.The group of mini-TLIF was superior to the group of open surgery in intra-operative bleeding,VAS of the second day postoperatively and the willingness of reoperation(P＜0.05).The ODI in the patients with open surgery were decreased from 31.2％±8.2％ to 16.1％±6.8％ corresponding to the pre-oporation and the final follow-up.The ODI in the patients with mini-TLIF were decreased from 34.4％±11.7％ to 15.3％±4.3％ corresponding to the pre-operation and the final follow-up.There is no significant difference of the change of ODI between two groups (t=0.673,P=0.412).The group of mini-TLIF need more operation time and were exposed to more X-ray when compared to the open surgery group(P＜0.05).ConclusionMini-TLIF and open surgery can both get satisfactory clinical outcomes in treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis.Mini-TLIF was superior to open surgery in intra-operative bleeding and VAS of the second day postoperatively,but it needs more operation time and radiation exposure.

The characteristics of purinoceptors in the membrane of rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons were studied by using whole- cell patch clamp technique. The results showed that most of neurons examined (78.9%, 142/180) were responsive to ATP in a concentration-dependent manner; the others (21.1%, 38/180) were ATP insensitive. Of the ATP-sensitive cells, the majority (95.1%, 135/142) responded to ATP with an inward current, a few (2.1%, 3/142) with an outward current, and the rest (2.8%, 4/142) with biphasic current. Small sized cells (<30 mum) responded to ATP with a rapid desensitizing inward current and were highly sensitive to vanilloid; the medium sized cells (30~40 mum) responded to ATP with slow desensitizing inward current and were not sensitive to vanilloid; while the majority of large sized cells (>40 mum) did not respond to ATP and vanilloid. The waveform of ATP-activated inward currents was related to the cell diameter. The I-V curves for both small and medium sized cells manifested obvious inward rectification. Furthermore, we studied the kinetic features of ATP-activated currents and the effects of P2 purinoceptor agonists and antagonists on I(ATP). The findings suggest that ATP receptor-ion channels are expressed differently among different types of rat TG neurons.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Neurons ; metabolism ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X ; physiology ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the metabolic difference of body influenced by active stress and passive stress under special events.

METHODSTo detect serum multiple biochemistry index of 57 earthquake rescue medical team and 13 victims of a natural calamity in Wenchuan earthquake by using Hitachi 7600 automatic analyzer.

RESULTSStress affected biochemistry index deeply. To compared with rescue medical team, the serum ADA, ALP and TG of victims increased obviously and TP, ALB, MAO, Cr, UA, K, Na, Cl, Ca, ApoA1 and HDL decreased obviously.

CONCLUSIONMany biochemistry index have been changed under stress and it relate with stress extent. The human body function status was better in active stress than in passive stress.

Blood Chemical Analysis ; China ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Humans ; Metabolism ; physiology ; Rescue Work ; Stress, Physiological ; physiology