Benzene ; toxicity ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans

Objective To establish an HPLC method for the determination of Aloeemodin,Rhein,Chrysophanol,Emodin and Physcione in Huangxiong Kangshuan Capsule.Methods The determination was performed on Kromasil-C18 column(250 mm?4.6 mm,5 ?m) with mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid(85:15) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.Column temperature was 25 ℃.The UV detection wavelength was set at 254 nm.Results The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.230～3.68 ?g(r=0.999 8) for Aloeemodin,0.224～3.584 ?g(r=0.999 9) for Rhein,0.223～3.568 ?g(r= 0.999 8) for Emodin,0.257～4.112 ?g(r=0.999 9) for Chrysophanol and 0.287～4.592 ?g(r=0.999 8) for Physcion.The average recovery was 98.48%,98.10%,99.08%,100.34%,97.52% and RSD was 1.39%,1.54%,1.44%,2.40%,2.03% respectively.Conclusion The determination method is simple,reliable,accurate,and it can be used for quality control of Huangxiong Kangshuan Capsule.

Objective: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on cognitive function in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging rats, and the correlation between the effect and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-ASC-Caspase-1 signaling pathway. Methods: Forty-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=10), a model group (n=12), an EA-7 d group (n=12) and an EA-21 d group (n=12). Except the control group, the other three groups received 42 consecutive days of intraperitoneal injection of D-gal to establish aging rat models with cognitive dysfunction. The control group received the same amount of normal saline via intraperitoneal injection. Two EA groups were given EA therapy for 21 consecutive days (began from the 22nd day of modeling) or 7 consecutive days (began from the 36th day of modeling) accordingly at Dazhui (GV 14), Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36). After modeling/ intervention, all four groups received behavioral evaluations by Morris water maze (MWM) test, novel object recognition (NOR) test and step-down passive avoidance (SDPA) test followed by the Western blot (WB) detection of the expression levels of hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1. Results: MWM (place navigation test, PNT) results showed that the escape latency in the model group was significantly longer than that in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among the other three groups on the 1st day of the test (P>0.05). From the 2nd day to the 4th day of the test, there was no significant difference between the EA-21 d group and the control group (P>0.05) in the escape latency; the escape latency was significantly shorter in the EA-21 d group than in the model group and the EA-7 d group (P<0.05). MWM (spatial probe test, SPT) results showed that the time spent in the target quadrant was significantly shorter and platform crossover number was significantly lower in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05). The time spent in the target quadrant was longer in the EA-7 d group than in the model group (P<0.05), but was shorter than that in the control group and the EA-21 d group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the swimming speed among the four groups (P>0.05). NOR results showed that there was no significant difference in the recognition ratio between the EA-7 d group and the EA-21 d group (P>0.05), and the recognition ratio was significantly higher in the two EA groups than in the model group (P<0.05), but was lower than in the control group (P<0.05). SDPA results showed that the electric shock number was higher in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05), and the differences among the other three groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The model group had the shortest step-down latency, followed by the EA-7 d group, the EA-21 d group and the control group in order (P<0.05). The WB results indicated that the expression level of NLRP3 was significantly lower in the control group and the EA-21 d group than in the model group and the EA-7 d group (P<0.05). The expression levels of ASC and Caspase-1 were significantly higher in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among these three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: NLRP3 inflammasome may be involved in the development of cognitive decline in aging rats; 7 consecutive days of EA intervention can partially improve the cognitive impairment in aging rats though the effect is rather limited; 21 consecutive days of EA intervention may improve the learning and memory abilities in aging rats via downregulating the expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins in hippocampus.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of sildenafil in the treatment of high altitude heart disease associated with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in children.

METHODSFifty children (aged 2 months to 2 years) with high altitude heart disease associated with severe PAH, who were continuously transferred to the Intensive Care Unit between January 2011 and October 2013, were randomly assigned to observation and control groups. The control group was given conventional treatment, while the observation group received oral sildenafil [1 mg/(kg . d)] three times daily for 7-10 days in addition to the conventional treatment. Before and after treatment, hemodynamics, blood gas, routine blood parameters, and blood biochemical parameters were recorded.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the observation group had a significantly higher decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure and significantly higher increases in arterial partial pressure of oxygen, cardiac output, cardiac index, and oxygenation index compared with the control group (P<0.05). In the observation group, there were no significant changes in mean arterial pressure, routine blood parameters and blood biochemical parameters (P>0.05), and no obvious adverse reactions were found.

CONCLUSIONSFor children with high altitude heart disease associated with severe PAH, sildenafil can effectively reduce pulmonary artery pressure and improve cardiac function and does not cause adverse reactions. This therapy has good safety according to the preliminary evaluation.

Altitude ; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; complications ; physiopathology ; Infant ; Male ; Piperazines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Purines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Sildenafil Citrate ; Sulfones ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Vasodilator Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness and safety of manual acupuncture for memory loss and sleep quality in chronic insomniacs.Methods:A total of 60 eligible participants were enrolled and randomized into either a treatment group or a control group,with 30 cases in each group.The treatment group was intervened by manual acupuncture whereas the control group was given sham acupuncture.In the two groups,the interventions were offered once every other day and three times a week,for 8 weeks in total.Before and after the treatment,Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and eventrelated potentials (ERPs) were used to assess the patients' sleep quality and memory,respectively.Meanwhile,adverse events were monitored and recorded.Results:After 8-week treatment,both the treatment group and the control group showed a significant decrease in the PSQI global score (P＜0.001,P＜0.01),and the decrease in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P＜0.001).The intra-group comparisons of ERPs indicated that,the latencies of N1 and P3 were shortened and the amplitudes of N1 and P3 were increased in the treatment group after the intervention,and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05,P＜0.001);in the control group,there were no significant changes in the latency and amplitude after the treatment (P＞0.05).The between-group comparisons of ERPs showed that the treatment group was more effective than the control group in shortening the latency of P3 (P＜0.01).Conclusion:Acupuncture can be a safe and effective treatment option for chronic insomnia coupled with memory impairment.

Objective To investigate etiology and clinical features of acute pancreatitis (AP) in young patients. Methods In total, 423 patients with AP admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei province during January 2006 to December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed, 55 cases aged 34 years or less as young group and another 55 cases aged more than 34 years as middle- and elderly-age group. Their etiology, clinical features and illness scores based on some standard criteria were assessed. Results Proportion of varied etiologies of AP in young group was different from that in middle- and elderly-age one (x2 = 17. 107, P = 0. 009) , mainly as biliary and idiopathic pancreatitis in young group and as biliary and alcoholic pancreatitis in middle- and elderly-age one. Incidence of diet-related and idiopathic pancreatitis were higher in young group than that in middle- and elderly-age one ( x2 =4. 853, P = 0. 028 and x2=4. 274, P = 0. 039 ). Scores of the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II ( APACHE II ) , Ranson criteria and the bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis ( BISAP) were all lower in young group than those in middle- and elderly-age one (t = 5. 381 , P = 0. 000; t = 4. 388 , P = 0. 000 and t=3. 083, P = 0. 003 ) . There was no statistically significant difference in scores of computed tomography severity index ( CTSI) between young group and middle- and elderly-age one (t = ±0. 750, P > 0. 05 ) . Recurrence rate of AP was lower in young group than that in middle- and elderly-age one ( x2 =4. 251, P = 0. 039). Cholecystitis was more complicated in young group, pregnancy was more complicated in young group (x2 =4. 151 , P =0. 042) , and elevated blood glucose was more complicated in middle- and elderly-age one (x2 = 13. 285 , P = 0. 000 ) . Conclusions Etiology of AP varies in young patients with more dietary factors, occurrence of systemic complications and risks for death are lower in young group than those in middle- and elderly-age one, and there was no statistically significant difference in local complications and severity of illness between the two groups.

Objective To investigate the effect of nifedipine on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) in rats and the possible mechanism. Methods Forty-two male SD rats weighing 220-250 g were randomly divided into 3 groups with 14 animals in each group: sham operation group (group S); I/R group and I/R + nifedipine group (group N). The renal ischemia was induced by occlusion of bilateral renal arteries and veins for 45 min followed by reperfusion. In group S the renal arteries and veins were only exposed but not occluded. In group N, nifedipine 0.1 mg/kg was injected via the tail vein 15 min before ischemia and 15 min before reperfusion, while the equal volume of solvent was given in group I/R. The urine was collected to detect the N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide (NAG) activities at 6 and 24 h of reperfusion. Arterial blood samples were taken at 6 and 24 h reperfusion for determination of concentrations of serum creatinine (Cr), malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO. The rats were then sacrificed and the kidney was removed to detect the apoptotic cells in renal cortex and expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and endothelin- 1 (ET-1). Results The concentrations of serum Cr and MDA, NAG activity, expression of HSP70 and ET-1 and apoptosis rate were significantly increased in group I/R compared with group S (P ＜0.05). The concentrations of serum Cr and MDA, NAG activity, ET-1 expression and apoptosis rate were significantly decreased, while the serum NO concentration was significantly increased in group N compared with group I/R (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Nifedipine can attenuate renal I/R injury and the underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of ET-1 expression.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with scissors knife in difficult cases.Methods A total of 36 sessions of ESD in 34 patients were performed from May 2010 to May 2012 with application of new scissors knife.The complications and followup outcomes were recorded.Results All lesions were removed successfully with an en bloc resection rate at 91.7％.Delayed bleeding occurred in 2 patients (5.6％),and both of them were cured sucessfully with endoscopy.No perforation happened and the average hospitalization time was 5 days.Follow-up endoscopy performed 6 or 12 months after ESD in 6 patients revealed no recurrence or residual lesions.Other patients are under follow-up now.Conclusion The scissors knife is easy to manipulate,which can ensure the safety and efficiency of ESD.

Objective To investigate the expression and chnical significance of β tubulin Ⅲ in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).Methods The expression of β tubulin Ⅲ in tumor tissue of 47 patients with LACC was detected by immunohistochemical SP method.The relationship between expression of β tubulin Ⅲ and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with paclitaxel,clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.Results The response rate of NACT was 72.3％ (34/47).The β tubulin Ⅲ positive expression rate was 72.3％(34/47),(+) expression rate was 40.4％(19/47),(++) expression rate was 12.8％(6/47),(+++) expression rate was 19.1％(9/47).The response rate of NACT in patients with (++) and (+++) expression was significantly lower than that in patients with (-) and (+) expression [46.7％(7/15)vs.84.4％ (27/32),P =0.007].The expression of β tubulin Ⅲ was related to pathological grade (P =0.021),it was not related to pathological type,clinical stage,status of lymph node metastasis (P =0.822,0.336,0.839).Conclusions The NACT of paclitaxel combined with cisplatin is effective to LACC.The abnormality expression of β tubulin Ⅲ in LACC tissue relates to drug resistance of paclitaxel and biological behavior of cervical cancer,it may be an index to predict prognosis of cervical cancer.