Objective To investigate the effect of glycated albumin on recurrent cerebral infarction in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods All of 252 elderly acute cerebral infarction patients with diabetes mellitus were chosen from clinics. They were divided into 2 groups: A group ( glycated albumin <19.0% , 117 patients) and B group ( glycated albumin ≥ 19.0%, 135 patients). The clinical characteristics and the recurrent rate of cerebral infarction were compared between two groups. Results The levels of glycated albumin, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in B group were significantly higher than those in A group:(21.00 ± 4.93)%vs. (16.75±1.72)%, (9.84 ± 2.89) mmol/L vs. (5.36 ± 1.00) mmol/L, (5.44 ± 1.30) mmol/L vs. (4.57 ± 1.00) mmol/L, (3.13±0.81) mmol/L vs. (2.58 ± 0.74) mmol/L, (2.34 ± 1.61) mmol/L vs. (1.74 ± 1.47) mmol/L, P<0.01 or<0.05. The recurrent rate of cerebral infarction in B group was significantly higher than that in A group: 53.3%(72/135) vs.36.7%(43/117), χ2 = 6.946, P = 0.008. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increase of glycated albumin was the independent risk factor of recurrent cerebral infarction in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus (P=0.048). Conclusions The recurrent rate of cerebral infarction is increased in elderly diabetes patients with high glycated albumin. The increase of glycated albumin is the independent risk factor of recurrent cerebral infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between syndrome differentiation and CT quantitative diagnosis of fatty liver. METHODS: One hundred and thirteen cases of fatty liver verified clinically accepted plain CT scan after syndrome differentiation (syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and spleen deficiency, syndrome of intermingled phlegm and blood stasis, syndrome of phlegm-dampness blocking internally, syndrome of deficiency of liver and kidney, syndrome of interior dampness-heat), and then the CT values of the liver and the spleen were measured respectively. RESULTS: It was shown that there was a correlation between the syndrome differentiation and the fatty infiltration in the liver. Significant differences of the distribution of fat and the ratio of liver-spleen were found among the five different syndromes (P<0.05). Diffused, mild fatty liver mainly displayed syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and spleen deficiency. CONCLUSION: Syndrome differentiation of fatty liver is correlated with CT quantitative diagnosis, which can be discriminated by the ratio of liver-spleen.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, and its decomposed formulas Qinggan Recipe (QGR) and Huoxue Recipe (HXR) on expressions of CD14, Toll like receptor 4 (TLR(4)) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in Kupffer cells. METHODS: The isolated primary rat Kupffer cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for a certain period of time, a series of concentrations of drug-containing serums of QGHXR and its decomposed formulas were added, the expressions of NF-kappaB, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), CD14, and TLR(4) of the Kupffer cells were detected in different culture conditions by using Western blot, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and ELISA methods respectively. RESULTS: QGR could down-regulate the expression of membrane receptor CD14, but the expression of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha were not significantly decreased after QGR treatment. HXR could down-regulate the expression of membrane receptor TLR4 and inhibit the expressions of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha. QGHXR could down regulate the expressions of membrane receptors CD14 and TLR(4) and inhibit the expressions of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha. CONCLUSION: QGHXR can protect liver cells by down regulating the expressions of CD14, TLR(4) and NF-kappaB and inhibiting TNF-alpha expression.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a model of alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF) in rats induced by complex factors. METHODS: Forty-seven healthy male rats were divided into three groups: normal control group (n=12), minor CCl4 group (n=12) and complex factors group (n=27). The rats in the complex factors group were fed a complex diet including alcohol, corn oil and pyrazole, and administered with intraperitoneal injection of minor CCl4 to induce ALF. During induction process, the histopathological changes of liver tissue and the values of liver-to-body weight ratio were both observed regularly. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) in these three groups were all examined at the 12th week of the induction process. RESULTS: At the 12th week of the induction process, the model of ALF induced by complex factors was successfully established in rats, and the histopathological presentations showed alcoholic fatty liver, hepatitis and liver fibrosis in a sequence along with the induction process. The value of liver-to-body weight ratio and the serum levels of ALT, AST and gamma-GT of rats in the complex factors group were all significantly different from those in the other two groups. CONCLUSION: It is a steady and effective way to induce ALF in rats with complex diet and minor CCI4 injection.

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture-moxibustion on the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 (SOCS2) in colonic mucosa of rat models of ulcerative colitis (UC), and explore the mechanism of acupuncture- moxibustion therapy in treating UC. Methods: The rats were randomized into a normal control (NC) group, a model control (MC) group, an herb-partitioned moxibustion (HPM) group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, 8 in each group. The rat models of UC were established by immunological methods combined with local stimulation. The rats in the HPM and EA groups were given herb-partitioned moxibustion and electroacupuncture treatments respectively, once every day, lasting for 14 d. The morphological variations of rat's colonic mucosa were observed under light microscope; the colonic mucosal mucin was detected by PAS-AB and HID-AB staining methods; the expression of IGF-1 and SOCS2 was assayed by the immunohistochemical method. Results: In the rat models of UC, ulceration and inflammation of the colon were revealed by light microscope. The concentration of colonic mucosal mucin was reduced (P<0.01), while the expression of IGF-1 had an increase (P<0.01), and the expression of SOCS2 was reduced (P<0.01). After HPM or EA treatment, the pathological injuries of colonic mucosa had improved, the concentration of mucin increased (P<0.01), the expression of IGF-1 decreased (P<0.01), and the expression of SOCS2 increased (P<0.01). Conclusion: The secretion of mucosal mucin in rat UC decreased, the expression of IGF-1 was significantly higher, while the expression of SOCS2 was remarkably lower; both HPM and EA can help improve the damage of colonic mucosa in rat UC, and modulate the secretion of mucin, as well as regulate the expression of IGF-1 and SOCS2 in the colonic mucosa.

Objective To evaluate the value of cholangiography for early diagnosis of ischemic-type biliary lasions(ITBL) after liver transplantation. Methods Two hundred and fifty-three patients with liver transplantaion between Jan 2004 and Oct 2006 were recruited. Initial cholangiography was compared with terminal cholangiography to evaluate the value of initial cholangiography of ITBL. The t test, Chi-square test, sum rank test were used for statistics. Results Based on initial cholangiography, 189 patients were diagnosed with normal appearance, while 64 patients were diagnosed with abnormal appearance. The abnormal initial cholangiography appearances included poor filling in 33 patients and irregularity in 31 patients. Based on terminal cholangiogruphy, 199 patients were diagnosed with normal appearance and 54 patients with ITBL In patients with abnormal initial cholangiography, ITBL was occurred in 39 of 64 patients including 10 of 33 poor frlling patients and 29 of 31 irregularity patients. In patients with normal initial appearance, ITBL was only occurred in 15 of 189 patients. The abnormal initial cholangiography was associated with ITBL significantly (X2 = 79.999, P = 0.000, r = 0.490). Initial cholangiography had an overall sensitivity of 72.22%, and specificity of 87.44%, with positive and negative predictive values of 60.94% and 92.06%, respectively. The abnormal initial cholangiogruphy was a risk factor of ITBL by logistic regression analyses(OR=15.193, P=0.000). Conclusion The abnormal initial cholangiography is associated with ITBL Initial cholangiography, especially minimal irregular of intrabepatic biliary tract, is a sensitive and specific method for the detection of ITBL after liver transplantation.

Objective To analyse the characteristics of fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)of iatrogenic retinal vascular occlu- sion.Design Retrospective case series.Participants 9 eyes of 9 patients with iatrogenic retinal vascular occlusion and 16 eyes of 16 patients with non-iatrogenic retinal vascular occlusion in Beijing Tongren Hospital in 2002-2005.Methods All patients were examined with FFA.The difference of circulation time of retinal vessels both in iatrogenic and non-iatrogenic retinal vascular occlusion patients was compared.Main Outcome Measures The starting perfusion time and the finishing time of retinal artery or vein.Results In pa- tients with iatrogenic(4 cases)and non-iatrogenic(12 cases)central retinal artery occlusion,the finishing perfusion time was separately 79.33?87.04s and 19.20?4.61s; the finishing time of retinal vein was separately 128.07?149.11s and 33.16?15.34s.In iatrogenic(4 cas- es)and non-iatrogenic(4 cases)central retinal artery together with central retinal vein occlusion patients,the finishing perfusion time of retinal artery was separately 211.67?371.26s and 30.07?17.26s;the finishing perfusion time of retinal vein was 232.43?358.52s and 48. 81?11.64s.One patient was ocular artery occlusion.FFA showed that choroidal background fluorescence and central artery were perfused slowly,the vascular fluorescence perfusion was interrupted before it came out of optic disk and the perfusion interruption continued until late stage with extensive peripheral non-perfusion areas.Conclusion The perfusion time of the retinal artery and vein in iatrogenic reti- nal vascular occlusion may be much longer than that in non-iatrogenic retinal vascular occlusion.

Objective There is little population-based data on the prevalence and the environmental or genetic determinants of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in China. The purpose of this paper is to study LVH in relation to systolic blood pressure and the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion(I/D) polymorphism in Chinese. Methods We recorded 12-lead ECG (CardioSoft, v4.2) in 1365 residents in the Jingning County, Zhejiang Province, China. LVH was defined according to the gender-specific Sokolow-Lyon and Comell product ECG criteria. Results Regardless of whether the Sokolow-Lyon or Comell product ECG criteria was used, the prevalence of LVH (20.7% and 4.8%, respectively) significantly (P<0.0001) increased with male gender (odds ratio [OR] 2.33 and 7.15) and systolic blood pressure (per 10 mm Hg increase, OR 1.46 and 1.33). If the Sokolow-Lyon criteria was used, the prevalence of LVH was also influenced by alcohol intake (OR 1.44, P=0.03) and body mass index (OR 0.83, P=0.0005). The association between the Sokolow-Lyon voltage amplitude and the ACE I/D polymorphism was dependent on antihypertensive therapy (P=0.01). In 1262 untreated subjects, but not 103 patients on antihypertensive medication, the ACE DD compared with Ⅱ subjects had significantly higher Sokolow-Lyon voltage amplitudes (29.8±0.6 vs. 28.0±20.5 mV, P=0.02) and higher risk of LVH (OR 1.74, 95% CI: 1. 12-2.69, P=0.01). Conclusion LVH is prevalent in Chinese, and is associated with systolic blood pressure and the ACE D allele. The genetic association might be modulated by antihypertensive therapy.

Tumorous cells are characterized by distinctive metabolic reprogramming and living conditions. Understanding drug metabolizing features in tumor cells will not only favor the estimation of metabolic rate, elimination half life and the assessment of potency, but also facilitate the optimal design of anti-tumor drugs/prodrugs. This article reviewed the expression and activity features of major drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) in solid tumorous tissues, such as liver, intestine, breast and lung, and the difference from the correspondingly normal tissues, exemplified by the metabolic properties of some classic antitumor-agents in tumorous tissues. In combination with the data retrieved in vitro tumor cell lines, we discussed the similarities and differences of DMEs expression and function between tumor tissues (in vivo) and tumor cells (in vitro), and proposed the possible factors that cause the differences.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Inactivation, Metabolic ; Liver ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Prodrugs ; pharmacokinetics