Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens ; immunology ; Animals ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyroglyphidae ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vaccines ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Objective: To investigate the effects of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on the plasma levels of trimethylamine (TMA), trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), and flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) in rabbits with atherosclerosis (AS), as well as to explore the possible mechanism of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion in treating AS. Methods: After 1-week adaptive feeding, 28 male New Zealand rabbits were divided into a blank group, a model group, an antibiotic group, and a herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group according to the random number table method, with 7 rabbits in each group. Rabbits were fed with a basic diet in the blank group, while with a basic diet plus 1％ choline in the remaining groups to prepare the AS model. Rabbits were given drinking water with broad-spectrum antibiotics in the antibiotic group, and herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group for 12 weeks. The atherosclerotic plaques by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the blood lipid levels, the plasma TMA and TMAO levels by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were detected for rabbits in each group at the end of interventions. Liver FMO3 protein expression was detected by Western blotting. Liver FMO3 mRNA expression was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: HE staining showed that the arterial wall was rough, the intima was significantly thickened, and more foam cells and lipid deposits were seen in rabbits of the model group. Arterial wall thickening was not obvious with a few foam cells and lipid deposits in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group. Compared with the blank group, the serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) were increased (P<0.01), the plasma levels of TMA and TMAO were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the expression levels of liver FMO3 protein and mRNA were all increased (P<0.05, P<0.01); while the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was decreased in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the LDL-C and TC levels were decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05), the HDL-C levels were increased (P<0.01), the TMA and TMAO levels were decreased (P<0.05), while the protein and mRNA expression levels of FMO3 were decreased without statistical significance in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group and the antibiotic group. Conclusion: Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion can slow atherosclerotic plaque formation and regulate lipid levels in AS rabbits, and the mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of TMA and TMAO expression in the plasma.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

METHODSFasting plasma ox-LDL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and plasma LDL was measured by biochemical autoanalyser in 31 patients with coronary artery spasm (CAS group, chest pain with positive acetylcholine provocation test but without significant coronary artery stenosis), 35 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP group) and 24 healthy persons (control group).

RESULTSPlasma LDL levels were similar between CAS and SAP groups but significantly higher than that in control group. Plasma ox-LDL levels significantly increased in proportion to coronary lesion severities [SAP (575 +/- 219 microg/L) > CAS (299 +/- 117 microg/L) > control (218 +/- 35 microg/L)]. In SAP group, plasma ox-LDL level was also significantly higher in multi-vessel disease group than that in single-vessel disease group (672 +/- 92 vs. 462 +/- 72 microg/L, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPlasma ox-LDL but not LDL level is significantly correlated to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and should therefore be the focused therapy target in patients with coronary artery disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Angina Pectoris ; blood ; classification ; Coronary Vasospasm ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of 18F-FDG SPECT myocardial imaging in evaluating haemodynamic change,treatment outcome and prognosis for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH).MethodsAll 24 patients with IPAH underwent 18 F-FDG SPECT myocardial imaging.Right ventricle/left ventricle (RV/LV)-FDG uptake was calculated by ROI method drawing over the central areas of left and right ventricular free walls.All patients underwent right heart catheterization within 3 days after imaging studies.Mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were recorded.After six month pharmaceutical treatment,15 IPAH patients were re-examined with 18F-FDG SPECT myocardial imaging followed by repeated right heart catheterization within 3 days.Plasma N-terminal pro-brain naturetic peptide (NT-proBNP) and endothelin-1 ( ET-1 ) were measured in 17 patients using electrochemiluminescent immunoassay and enzyme immunoassay respectively.All patients were followed up for 12 months at least.Correlations between RV/LV-FDG uptake and mPAP and PVR were determined by simple linear regression analysis.Change of RV/LV-FDG before and after treatment was calculated using Student's t-test.Survival in groups with RV/LV FDG uptake ≥ 1.15 and RV/LV-FDG uptake ＜ 1.15 were compared using Log-rank test.ResultsSignificant correlations were found between RV/LV-FDG uptake and mPAP (r =0.562,P ＜ 0.01 ),and between RV/LV-FDG uptake and PVR ( r =0.574,P ＜ 0.01 ).There were no significant correlation between RV/LV-FDG uptake and NT-proBNP( r =0.18 1,P ＞ 0.05 ),but a significant correlation between RV/LV-FDG and ET-1 was observed (r =0.669,P ＜ 0.01 ).The RV/LV-FDG uptake in patients with positive treatment outcome ( n =6) decreased from 1.38 ± 0.52 to 0.92 ±0.26 (t =4.018,P ＜ 0.05) after 6 months treatment.In contrast,no significant change of RV/LV-FDG uptake was seen in those patients (n =9) with negative treatment outcome ( t =1.861,P ＞ 0.05 ).The mean follow-up time was (21 ±8) months.Mean survival time for the patients with RV/LV- FDG uptake ≥ 1.15was 28 months (95％ confidence interval:24-32 months),which was significantly lower than 34 months survival (95％ confidence interval:33-35 months) for the patients with RV/LV-FDG ＜ 1.15 (x2 =3.956,P ＜0.05 ).Conclusions Detection of right ventricle myocardial glucose metabolism level with 18F-FDG SPECT may be a practical method for evaluating haemodynamic change,treatment outcome and prognosis of IPAH.

Objective To investigate the distribution of critical values of adults in Beijing, to provide the evidence for the formulation of the Standardized Management Guideline in Critical Values, in order to promote the accurate management of critical values.Methods A total of 110 398 data of critical values from the tertiary and above medical institutions during January 1 to May 31 in 2015 in Beijing were collected by the way of on-site inspection, covering the disciplines of hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation and blood gas analysis.Fristly, the selected critical values were classified by the factor of admission departments and disease types,then were analyzed by using Kruskal-Wallis test, to compare the differences in each group.Secondly,the combined groups were classified by the factor of gender then were analyzed by using Mann-Whithey U test, to compare the differences in each group.Finally, the stratification thresholds of critical values were established.Results Except for the upper limits of Ca, pH, pCO2, Hb and the lower limits of Glu, pH, the rest of thresholds of critical values had significant differences due to different admission departments and disease types and/or gender.Conclusion Depending on the different admission departmentsces disease types and/or gender, hierarchical limit values on each critical value were formulated.

Objective To investigate the effect of Ulinastatin on the delivery of cytokines in patients with septic shock.Methods It was a prospective and controlled clinical study.Seventy-eight patients with septic shock were randomly divided into control group and treatment group and thirty-nine in every group.Patients in treatment group received Ulinastatin 200 000 units intravenous everyday for 3 days,while those in control group received equal volume of normal saline as placebo.At different time points (at 24 th,48 th,72 th hour after start of treatment),the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?),interleukin-1 (IL-1),interleukin-6 (IL-6 ),interleukin-8 (IL-8) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were assayed.Results In comparison with control group,the levels of TNF-?,IL-1,IL-6,IL- 8 of treatment group decreased markedly (P＜0.05,P＜0.01) at different time points,whereas the level of SOD was higher markedly (P＜0.05,P＜0.01) at various time points.Conclusion Ulinastatin has protective effect on patients with septic shock through decreasing the levels of TNF-?,IL-1,IL-6,IL-8 and increasing in the level of SOD.

Acetylcholine ; Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Vasospasm ; diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of porcine relaxin(pRLX) on NO production of human microvascular endothelial cells(HMVECs) and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODSiNOS and cNOS expression of HMVECs with or without pRLX were detected using western blotting. NO production of HMVECs with pRLX at different concentration or different time were determined by method of Griess. NO production of pRLX of HMVECs plus Non-selective NOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA), selective iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine(AG) or nuclear factors-kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC) were also analysed.

RESULTSpRLX promoted iNOS protein expression of HMVECs, but not cNOS protein expression. NO production of HMVECs was promoted by pRLX on concentration-dependent pattern instead of time-dependent one. AG, L-NMMA and PDTC were showed to block the effect of pRLX on NO production of HMVECs.

CONCLUSIONpRLX promote iNOS expression and NO production of HMVECs.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; blood supply ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; biosynthesis ; Relaxin ; pharmacology ; Swine ; Time Factors

Objective To explore the vascular architecture features of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and discuss the application of Onyx for endovascular embolization. Methods Twenty-six patients with cerebral AVMs treated in our department from March 2005 to December 2006 were enrolled in this study. Based on the angioarchitecture features of the AVMs in the hindbrain identified by cerebral angiography and ultraselective angiography, Onyx was used to for endovascular embolizations of the AVMs. Results Prior to embolization of the AVMs with Onyx, the segmentation, number of the draining veins, presence of open drainage, feeding pattern and structures associated with aneurysms were analyzed. Priority of embolization was given to the AVMs complicated by aneurysms and the thick feeding arteries at low risk. In these patients, 7 (26.9%) showed completely resolved AVMs, 10 (38.5%) had vascular mass reduction by more than 90%, 7 (26.9%) had reduction by 70%-90%, and 2 (7.7%) had reduction by less than 70%. Conclusion A comprehensive cerebral angiography may help in effective embolization of the AVMs with Onyx, and the embolization effect can be enhanced with skillful injection techniques.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of postoperative early oral feeding on humoral immune function and clinical outcome in colorectal cancer patients.

METHODSSeventy patients with colorectal carcinoma requiring elective colorectal resection were prospectively enrolled and randomized into two groups: early oral feeding group(n=35) and conventional oral feeding group(n=35). The patients in early oral feeding group were started on oral feeding within 12 hours after operation, while patients in conventional group were started on oral feeding after the postoperative first passage of flatus. Postoperative parameters of clinic and humeral immune function were compared between two groups.

RESULTSSixty-two patients eventually completed the study, including 32 cases in early oral feeding group and 30 cases in conventional oral feeding group. The average time to first passage of flatus[(2±1) d vs. (4±2) d, P<0.01], the first passage of stool [(3.8±1.6) d vs. (6.4±2.5) d, P<0.01], resumption of regular diet [(4±2) d vs. (8.2±2.2) d, P<0.01] and the postoperative hospital stay [(6±1) d vs. (11.7±3.8) d, P<0.01] were significantly shorter in early oral feeding group as compared to conventional oral feeding group. Significantly faster recovery of postoperative humoral immunity was found. Plasma levels of globulin [(24.1±2.4) g/L vs. (22.1±3.3) g/L, P<0.05], immunoglobulin G[(10.8±2.4) g/L vs. (8.7±2.1) g/L, P<0.01] and complement 4 [(0.24±0.09) g/L vs. (0.17±0.05) g/L, P<0.05] on postoperative day 3 were higher in early oral feeding group as compared to conventional oral feeding group.

CONCLUSIONApplication of postoperative early oral feeding in patients undergoing elective colorectal resection is safe and effective, which can lead to faster recovery of postoperative humoral immune function and bowel function, and shorter postoperative hospital stay.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; immunology ; surgery ; Defecation ; Elective Surgical Procedures ; Enteral Nutrition ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Length of Stay ; Postoperative Period