Objective To study the relationship between the renal hemodynamic changes and the course of the liver diseases and demonstrate weather the renal blood flow resistance index(RI)could be a useful index used to predict the hepatorenal syndrome(HRS)in the decompensated cirrhosis.Methods Select 41 patients diagnosed as decompensated cirrhosis from the patients examined by color Doppler ultrasonography at the Infectious Disease Department of Peking University First Hospital from April 2004 to July 2006.Test the serum creatinine,serum total bilirubin and INR,confirm the cause of the cirrhosis,and then calculate the MELD score.Detect by color Doppler ultrasonography to get RI.Results No correlation was found between RI and the patients's age,hemoglobin and systolic pressure.RI was found to be directly related with MELD score(r= 0.502,P

Objective To evaluate the effect of nebulized budesonide and oral prednisolone in treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF).Methods Forty-two patients with IPF were randomized to divide into two groups,nebulised budesonide groups and oral prednisolone groups.Symptoms,signs,pulmonary function,arterial blood gases analysis and the adverse effects were measured.ResultsThere were significant improvement of VC and PaO2 of nebulized budesonide and oral prednisolone groups,but there were no significant differences between of nebulized budesonide groups and oral prednisolone groups.The adverse effects in nebulised budesonide group were obviously less than those in oral prednisolone groups.Conclusion Nebulized budesonide was an effective method in treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective To investigate dynamic expressions of cortex clusterin (CLU) and intervention effect of ketogenic diet (KD) on neonatal rats with recurrent seizures.Methods Thirty-six-8-day postnatal SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:normal control group (NS + ND group,n =12),and the recurrent-seizure and normal diet group (RS + ND group,n =12),and the recurrent-seizure and KD group (RS + KD group,n =12).From 9 d,rats in RS + ND group and RS + KD group were subjected to recurrent seizures induced by volatile flurothyl 30 min each day for consecutive 8 days.Rats in NS + ND group were placed into the container for an equal amount of time to their counterpart without exposure to flurothyl.Scores on neurological behaviors at 35 days postnatally were examined.CLU protein levels in cerebral cortex were determined by Western blot at 58 days postnatally.Results Neurodevelopmental indicators analysis:in the plane righting experiment,there were significant differences between NS + ND group [(1.03 ± 0.54) s],R S + KD group [(0.89 ± 0.16) s] and RS + ND group [(0.64 ± 0.30) s] about the time of plane righting (all P ＜ 0.05) ; in the negative geotaxis reaction experiment,the rats of NS + ND group [(1.92 ± 0.90) s],and RS + KD group [(5.17 ± 0.72) s] about the time of negative geotaxis reaction were significantly different compared with RS + ND gouup [(7.33 ± 0.65) s] (all P ＜ 0.01).In the cliff avoidance test,there were significant differences between NS + ND group,R S + KD group [(4.33 ± 2.54) s,(8.75 ± 2.26) s] and R S + ND group [(16.58 ± 4.25) s] about the time of cliff avoidance (all P ＜ 0.01).Western blot showed that the expression of CLU in cerebral cortex of the RS + ND group [(2.24 ± 0.53) s] was obviously increased compared with NS + ND group [(1.44 ± 0.11) s] (P ＜0.01),and there also had significant difference between RS + KD group [(1.56 ±0.24) s] and RS + ND group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions It shows that the up-regulated expression of CLU in cerebral cortex may be associated with recurrent neonatal seizure-induced brain damage,while KD may protect them from recurrent neonatal seizure-induced brain damage by down-regulating expression of CLU.

Objective To explore neurobehavioral changes in rats with recurrent seizures and the prevention effect of melatonin.Methods 6-day-old (P6) SD rats were randomly divided into four groups of 24 (n =6):the control group (CONT),melatonin per se group (MEL),recurrent neonatal seizure group (RS) and melatonin administration prior to RS group (RS + MEL).Rats in RS group were subjected to 5 seizures with flurothyl during the first 14 days of life.In RS + MEL group,melatonin was injected at 8:00 before seizures were induced.Neurobehavioral tests including Plane righting experiment,Cliff avoidance test,the grip-strength test and negative geotaxis test were implemented on P24,while open field test on P35.Results (1) Plane righting experiment:the time of plane righting in RS group ((0.33 ± 0.51)s) was significantly shorter than that in the CONT group ((1.17 ± 0.40) s) and RS + MEL group ((0.50 ± 0.54) s) (P ＜ 0.05).(2) Cliff avoidance test:the time of cliff avoidance in RS group ((16.00 ± 6.32) s) was significantly longer than that in CONT group ((4.00 ± 2.60) s)(P ＜ 0.01),while the time of cliff avoidance in RS + MEL group ((7.67 ± 3.26) s) was shorter than that in the RS group (P ＜ 0.05).(3) The grip-strength test:compared with CONT group ((49.50 ± 28.96) s),the time needed to hold on wire in RS group((11.67 ± 7.58)s)was significantly shorter (P ＜ 0.05) and longer in RS+ MEL group ((24.83 ± 6.61) s) (P ＜ 0.05).(4) Negative geotaxis test:the time for rats to turn 180° upward in RS group((7.67 ± 1.36) s) was longer than that in the CONT group ((4.50 ± 2.66) s) and RS + MEL group ((6.17 ± 0.75) s) (P ＜ 0.05).(5) Open field test:the time for rats to begin to run in the RS group ((8.17 ± 3.86) s) was longer than that in the CONT group ((3.00 ± 1.41) s) (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The neurobehaviors are damaged following flurothyl-induced recurrent neonatal seizures,and melatonin can reduce the neurobehavioral injury.

AIM: To explore the mechanism of apoptosis in pulmonary arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) induced by nitric oxide (NO). METHODS: Wistar rat PASMCs were isolated from explants from the intrapulmonary, incubated with NO donor, sodium nitroprussid (SNP) under 12 or 24 hour normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The cell cycle progression and sub-G 1 of PASMC were analyzed via flow cytometric staining of propidium iodide, and the expression of nuclear transcription factor NF-?B and pro-apoptotic factors caspase-3 were detected using immunochemistry staining. Meanwhile gel electrophoresis of extracted DNA by PASMC was performed. RESULTS: SNP induced PASMC apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner ( P

Objective To study the phase correlation of cutaneous multichannel impedance measurements and the contractions, peristalsis of stomach and the conduction properties in space.Methods A spiral gastric body model was rotated to simulate shrinkage and creep of the stomach.In order to verify the feasibility and validity of the multichannel impedance gastric dynamic measurement, experiments with emulation of multichannel impedance gastric motility measuring principle were conducted through three-dimensional simulation on the electrical characteristics of gastric body model in saline tank simulator.Results The emulation results showed that the change of epigastric current density and potential distribution is consistent with the course of moving from top to bottom when lateral edge of model (namely the intumescent location when the stomach is full) after detecting electrodes in sequence.Meanwhile, the measurement voltage wave forms clearly showed the contraction location of stomach after the model rotating for three cycles in a row, and the phase relationship between adjacent measurement channels was also measured.The sixty seconds data acquired by the experiment device proved that voltage wave form of three measurement channels corresponded to the phase relationship of movement status of the gastric body model.Conclusions Cutaneous multichannel wave forms prove a cyclical movement of stomach, and phase difference among the multichannel signals relating to speed of peristaltic wave, position of the measuring electrodes and channel spacing, etc.This study provides simulation and experimental basis for explanation of quantitative study of conduction properties in space and phase relationship between the results of surface multichannel impedance measurements and the contractions, peristalsis of stomach.

A novel series of bis-nicotine derivatives (3a-3i) were designed, synthesized and evaluated as bivalent anti-Alzheimer's disease agents. The pharmacological results indicated that compounds 3e-3i inhibited both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in the micromolar range (IC50, 2.28-117.86 micromol x L(-1) for AChE and 1.67-125 micromol x L(-1) for BChE), which was at the same potency as rivastigmine. A Lineweaver-Burk plot and molecular modeling study showed that these derivatives targeted both the catalytic active site (CAS) and the peripheral anionic site (PAS) of AChE. Besides, these compounds could significantly inhibit the self-induced Abeta aggregation with inhibition activity (11.85%-62.14%) at the concentration of 20 micromol x L(-1).

Objective To investigate the application of high-frequency ultrasound in pre-operative evaluation of brachial artery elasticity in chronic renal failure patients planning arteriovenous fistula formation.Methods A total of 65 patients with chronic renal failure undergoing radial artery-cephalic vein fistula (chronic renal failure group) and 40 healthy adults (control group) were selected.The elastic modulus (EM) of brachial artery was calculated by ultrasound.All subjects were divided into 5 subgroups according to age (≥50 years),hypertension,diabetes and chronic glomerulonephritis.Patients in subgroup 0 (28 cases),subgroup 1 (22 cases),subgroup 2 (24 cases),subgroup 3 (20 cases),subgroup 4 (11 cases) had 0,1,2,3 and 4 risk factors respectively.Results The levels of systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure,serum creatinine,and the EM of brachial artery in chronic renal failure group were higher than those in control group:(20.65 ± 1.32) kPa vs.(16.38 ± 1.08) kPa,(8.64 ±0.51) kPa vs.(7.12 ±0.35) kPa,(637.3 ± 116.5) μ mol/L vs.(84.7 ±31.1) μmol/L,(132.96 ± 11.78) kPa vs.(102.16 ± 10.10) kPa,and there were significant differences (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05).The single factor correlation analysis showed that age in control group,serum creatinine in chronic renal failure group and systolic blood pressure in two groups were significantly positively correlated with the EM of brachial artery(r =0.636,0.548,0.703; P ＜ 0.01).With the increase of risk factors,the EM of brachial artery increased gradually:(96.21 ±9.82),(104.45 ± 10.55),(114.87 ± 11.15),(127.26 ± 12.43),(143.54 ± 12.81) kPa in subgroup 0,subgroup 1,subgroup 2,subgroup 3,subgroup 4,and there were significant differences (F=17.43,P＜ 0.05).The EM of brachial artery increased significantly in subgroup 3 and 4 with multiple risk factors.Conclusions Brachial artery elasticity measured by high-frequency ultrasound can be used as an indicator of vascular function preoperative vascular assessment.Age,systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure and serum creatinine levels are the major risk factors for brachial artery elasticity.The coexistence of multiple risk factors of hypertension,diabetes or chronic nephritis could exacerbate the decrease of brachial artery elasticity.

1 ?mol?L-1,and it was defined as "delayed" MTX elimination.Intra-patient variability in C48 was significant(P=0.000).Risk factors that correlated with increased C48 of MTX were boys,abnormal urine routine tests within 1 week before infusions,concurrent infections within 2 weeks before infusions,and co-administration of ceftriaxone(P

Objective To observe the changes in cytokines, oxygen free radicals, acidulous production in serum and to investigate the effectiveness of monitoring metabolism of cells and the method for evaluating cell injury in patients with severe trauma. Method The detailed data of 117 patients rescued and managed carefully from May 2005 to February 2007 were assessed and stratified with ISS and APACHE Ⅱ , and the serum levels of arterial blood lactate(ABL) ,base deficit(BD) ,superoxide(SOD) ,lipid peroxide(LPO) ,TNF-α and IL-6 were measured in real-time according to the condition of the patient. Results The monitoring biomarkers obviously changed with injury severity which endangered the situation of patients after trauma (P < 0.05) , especially in the patients with ischemia , hypoxia, shock, iniection, SIRS, and MODS (P < 0.01). The persistence of extremely elevated levels of biomarkers meant the organ failure and fatality of patients after trauma, and there was a obvious differece between those cases and cases without elevation of biomarkers ( P < 0.01). Conclusions The outcome of patients after trauma is closely correlated with injury severity,infection and MODS,and the levels of biomarkers including ABL, SOD, IPO, TNF-a and IL-6 are useful indicators of outcome measure.