Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Glomerular Mesangium ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; I-kappa B Kinase ; NF-kappa B ; analysis ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effects of amiodarone and metoprolol, either alone or in combination, on chronic heart failure (CHF) complicated by ventricular arrhythmia.

METHODSA total of 110 NYHA class II-III patients with CHF complicated by ventricular arrhythmia were randomly divided into amiodarone group, metoprolol group and amiodarone + metoprolol group. The therapeutic effects was evaluated at the end of the 1-year follow-up.

RESULTSAmiodarone, metoprolol and their combination produced statistically different therapeutic effects (P<0.05). Compared with amiodarone and metoprolol used alone, amiodarone combined with metoprolol resulted in significant cardiac function improvement (P<0.05) and ventricular arrhythmia control (P<0.01). During the 1-year follow-up, the readmission rate and cardiac event rate in the amiodarone + metoprolol group were significantly lower than those in amiodarone group (P<0.01) and metoprolol group (P<0.05). The adverse reaction rates in the 3 groups were similar (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combination of amiodarone and metoprolol produces better effect than amiodarone or metoprolol alone in the treatment of CHF complicated by ventricular arrhythmia.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Amiodarone ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; therapeutic use ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Heart Failure ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; drug therapy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventricular Premature Complexes ; drug therapy ; etiology

Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Liver ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

Objective To measure the temperature sensation threshold of trunk skin in healthy adults. Methods The threshold of cold sensation, warm sensation, cold pain sensation and heat pain sensation of trunk skin key points (T3, T7 and T11) were measured with Thermal Sensory Analyzer in 123 healthy adults. Results The thresholds of cold, warm, cold pain and heat pain sensations were obtained. The standard deviation of cold and warm threshold was less than that of heat pain. The range of cold sensation threshold was the largest. The heat pain sensation threshold increased with segmental declining and the sensation threshold increased with age. Conclusion Normal reference value should be established variously with the segment and age. The threshold of cold, warm varies less, while the threshold of cold pain and heat pain varies too much.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of meatoplasty with the pedicle flap in the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 32 cases of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis treated by meato- plasty with the pedicle flap. All the patients had a history of chronic balanitis and had received meatal dilatation or simple ventral mea- totomy without significant effect. Their mean maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) was (4.3 ± 2.4) ml/s. During the operation, A "/\"-shaped incision was made in the healthy epidermis and a flap was harvested from the frenulum. After complete removal of the scar, the flap was placed into the urethral wall, followed by reconstruction of the external urethral orifice.

RESULTSThe patients were fol- lowed up for 6 to 30 months, which revealed smooth urination in all the patients with Qmax of (26.7 ± 4.5) ml/s and normal erectile function and uresiesthesis.

CONCLUSIONWith little invasiveness and few complications, meatoplasty with the pedicle flap is an ideal surgical method for the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis. However, there might be some change in the normal appearance of the balanus postoperatively, and its long-term effect needs further observation.

Balanitis ; complications ; Constriction, Pathologic ; etiology ; surgery ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Urethra ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; etiology ; surgery ; Urination

To study the effect of pulchinenoside (PULC) on the Frizzled (FZD) expression of adjuvant arthritis ( AA) rats. AA rats were prepared through the toe injection with complete Freund's adjuvant to culture fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The effect of the oral administration with PULC on the FZD8 expression was detected by the real time qPCR. The effect of FZD8 knockout on the expressions of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 were detected by MTT and ELISA. The role of miR-375 in the abnomal expression of FZD8 was detected by the real time qPCR. The results showed signfiicant decrease in the FZD8 expression among AA rats, FLS proliferation ater FZD8 knockout and IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 expressions and notable increase in miR-375 expression after the oral administration with PULC. The up-regulated miR-375 expression can inhibit the FZD8 expression. PULC may inhibit the FZD8 expression by up-regulating the miR-375 expression.
Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; administration & dosage

Adolescent ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Interleukin-12 ; genetics ; Interleukin-13 ; genetics ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

The role of pulchinenoside (PULC) in the regulation of MeCP2 expression was investigated in RA model rats. Adjuvant arthritis rats were used as RA model rats, and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from the RA model rats were cultured. The effect of 100 mg x kg(-1) PULC gavage treatment on the MeCP2 expression and the effect of MeCP2 siRNA on the expression of SFRP2 and β-catenin were detected by real time qPCR and Western blotting. The role of PULC in the FLS proliferation was detected by MTT. The results showed that the MeCP2 expression was down-regulated, the SFRP2 expression was up-regulated and the FLS proliferation was inhibited in FLS after therapy. MeCP2 siRNA significantly inhibited the MeCP2 expression, up-regulated the SFRP2 expression and inhibited the β-catenin expression in FLS from RA model rats. PULC may increase the SFRP2 expression, inhibit the Wnt signaling and inhibit the FLS proliferation in FLS from the RA model rats by inhibiting the MeCP2 expression.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Synovial Membrane ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; drug effects ; beta Catenin ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To observe the distribution and metabolism of arsenic speciation in urine of rats exposed to different concentrations of dimethylaraenic acid (DMA) through drinking water.Methods Thrity six weaning Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control,low-dose group and high-dose group,12 rats in each group(6 female and 6 male); average body weight of female rats was (60 ± 5)g,and male rats was (50 ± 5)g.All rats of the 3 groups were given DMA at concentrations of 0,100,200 mg/L,respectively,corresponding to their specific groups through drinking water for 10 weeks.Inorganic arsenic(iAs),monomethylarsenic acid(MMA),DMA and trimethylarsenic compound (TMA) in urine were measured by hydride generation trapping and ultrahypothermia coupled with atomic absorption spectrometry.Results After feeding for 10 weeks,the differences of rat urinary concentrations of iAs,MMA,DMA and TMA between normal control,low-dose group and high-dose group were statistically significant(x2 =25.441,25.942,25.751,17.767,all P＜ 0.01).Urinary concentrations of iAs,MMA and DMA(2.541,4.383,24.447 mg/L) of low-dose group were significant higher than those of normal control (0.784,0.000,0.743 mg/L,all P ＜ 0.05) ; iAs,MMA,DMA and TMA(3.978,7.186,35.112,4.518 mg/L) of high-dose group were significantly higher than those of normal control(0.784,0.000,0.743,0.000 mg/L,all P ＜ 0.05).The concentrations increased along with increasing doses of DMA concentrations in drinking water(all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions After rats are exposed to DMA,most of the DMA are excreted in unchanged form in urine and a small portion of DMA is metabolized into TMA.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical effects and side-effect of mesenchymal stem cell(MSCs) transplantation on spinal cord injury(SCI),traumatic brain injury(TBI),multiple sclerosis(MS) or Parkinson's disease(PD).MethodsThe bone marrow(222～350 ml) of 11 patients with SCI(n=6),TBI(n=3),MS(n=1) or PD(n=1) were harvested from the patients' ilia and then MNCs were isolated.The MNCs were injected intravenously or into subarachnoid space by lumbar puncture.The neural function and side-effect were observed before and after MSCs transplantation and the patients were followed up.ResultsThe data demonstrated the improvement of sense and motor function in 5 patients with SCI,one had no improvement by 2 months following-up.These patients' sense and motor levels improved obviously.Their muscle strength of lower extremity increased,the muscular tone decreased and urinary bladder function improved.Changes in neurological deficits and improvements in function may appear within 2 days after transplantation,most of them within 2 weeks.There were significantly amelioration in 3 patients with TBI treated with MSCs transplantation,one of them could walk with cane independently after 3 months.One's PVS score elevated from 5 to 8 scales after transplantation.The tremor was alleviated after 1 week,and the muscular tone decreased,which lead to reduce the dose of Madopar after 3 months,in patient with PD.The patient with MS showed no improvement in short time.The side-effect included fever(7/11),headache(2/11) and abdominal dissension(1/11).1 patient feel numb in his legs while injection into subarachnoid,and appeared meningeal stimulation after injection.ConclusionThere were significantly clinical effects in treatment of SCI,TBI,MS,and PD with MSCs transplantation in short time,and with few side-effect. The long-term clinical effects need more observation with larger samples.