BACKGROUND: Drug therapy can improve the clinical symptoms and extend the gestational age through the maternal way to treat intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), however, fetal hypoxia and meconium-stained amniotic fluid can not clearly improved. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of replacement of amniotic fluid that contains high concentrations of bile acids by artificial amniotic fluid through amniocentesis in the rat model of ICP. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Random control animal experiments were completed in the Laboratory (first-degree laboratory) of Animal Experimental Center in Chongqing Medical University from March to September 2008. MATERIALS: Forty SD pregnant rats with 15 days of pregnancy were randomly divided into intracavitary injection of S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) (IUS), intracavitary injection of sodium chloride (IUN), intravenous injection of SAMe (IVS) and blank control (IC) groups, with 10 rats in each group. METHODS: On day 15 of pregnancy, ICP rat models were induced by daily injection of estradiol benzoate. On day 17 of pregnancy, 1 mg SAMe and 0.3 mL sodium chloride were injected into amniotic cavity of in the IUS and IUN groups through amniocentasis. Meanwhile, 30 mg SAMe were injected though tail veins in IVS group. No treatment was performed in the IC group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The meconium-stained amniotic fluid rate and the still birth rate were calculated. Total bile acid (TBA) level in amniotic fluid was measured. In addition, the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 ?(HIF-1?) mRNA in the placenta of rats were examined by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription PCR at the days 20 of pregnancy. RESULTS: The meconium-stained amniotic fluid rate in the experimental group was lower than that of the IC group (P

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy is a non-invasive optical brain function detection technology,which can do multi-point measurement of changes on cerebral cortical area corresponding to the oxygenation of the blood hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration,and then reflect the state of brain cortex function.Its greatest advantage is to allow the subjects head moving in a certain range,especially suitable for children.At present this technology could be applied to clinical pediatric,such as epilepsy,autism,attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,neonatal disease,neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery,etc.Functional near-infrared spectroscopy technology will have more applications in the field of research on brain function.

[Objective]To assess the clinical outcome of the clinical application of TSRH hook screw fixation after direct repair of lumbar spondylolysis in young patients.[Method]From 2002.7～2003.10,12 young male patients suffered from lumbarspondylolysis were selected to be treated with TSRH hook screw fixation after direct repair of the defect.MacNab criteria was used to assess their pre-and postoperative status.Postoperatively,radiographic finding and clinical results were observed.[Result]All patients were followed-up after surgery,ranging from 6 months to 19 months.Radiographs showed all patients having bilateral union;a11 patients with low back pain or radicular pain experienced significantly relieved.Neither complications nor instrumentation failure were observed.[Conclusion]This technique proves to be well-designed and easy to handle,and is considered useful and recommended for direct repair of the defects found in lumbar spondylolysis in young patients.

In 2002, a research report about toxic warfare launched by the United States Air Force attracted the attentionof the U.S.military and civilian disaster emergency rescue organizations .By reviewing historical events related to the malicioususe of toxic industrial chemicals in the war , this report proposed the concept of Toxic Warfare , and discussed itsimpact on the United States military and homeland security .In this paper, the concept and history of toxic warfare and itsinfluence on American military and homeland security are reviewed , the threats of toxic warfare facing China and counter -measures against toxic warfare are analyzed.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between the intestinal motility alterations and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( ICAM-1 ) expression within the rat intestinal muscularis after ischemia reperfusion. Methods Thirty Wistar rats were divided randomly into IIR, monoclanal anti-ICAM-1 and sham group (n = 10), HR models were established by clamping-releasing the superior mesenteric artery. Gut transit was measured in vivo and intestinal circular muscle contractions were measured in an organ bath. The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemisty. Leukocyte infiltration and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were quantified in sham and ischemia/reperfusion rats with and without monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibody treatment. Results The gut transit of monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 group was improved obviously as compared with IIR group. Circular smooth muscle contractility stimulated by ICAM-1 mRNA expression was 1.69 ± 0. 57 and 1.76 ± 0. 32 within the muscularis; Leukocyte infiltration into the muscularis was (5.6 ±2. 2) c/f and ( 18. 2 ±3. 1 ) c/f. MPO activity was (2. 03 ±0. 56) U/g and (6. 41 ± 1.25 ) U/g respectively. The differences were all statistically significant between IIR and treatment groups ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). The expression of ICAM-1 protein in IIR and anti-ICAM-1 groups was not significantly different (P ＞ 0. 05). Conclusions The up-regulated expression of ICAM-1 after ⅡR injury calls forth local infiltration of PMN within the intestinal muscularis, leading to intestinal motility dysfunction.

0.05), but after 21 days of different estrogen treatment when the different estrogen levels were stabilized there were significant differences in PWL among the 3 groups ( P

Objective To observe the change of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation function and to explore its mechanism in insulin-resistant (IR) rats induced by high fat feed. Methods (1) IR rat model was established by high fat feed for 4 weeks and IR was evaluated by glucose infusion rate (GIR) of euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique. (2) Acetylcholine (Ach)-dependent vasodilation response and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP function status were observed in isolated aorta of rats. Results (1) GIR was obviously lower in high fat feed group than that in routine feed group (P

Stem cells transplantation has shown bright prospect in clinic myocardial infarction therapy.The researchon its mechanisms has experienced several stages,such as: cell differentiation,angiogenesis et al,which offered us a new clue for therapy.This review focuses on mechanisms of stem cells transplantation.

Objective To identify stent fracture by revision of coronary artery angiography and intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) images.Methods Stent fracture has been implicated as a cause of drug-eluting stent failure.IVUS is more likely to identify stent failure(including stent fracture) when compared with angiography.We analysed retrospectively 2 021 cases of angiography and 183 cases of IVUS.Results Six fractures were found in 3 patients by angiography and five of these fractures were confirmed by IVUS in 2 patients.All stent fractures occurred in sirolimus-eluting stents in less than one year after implantation.Angiography analysis showed that 4 stent fractures were complete transverse linear fracture with stent displacement.IVUS analysis showed that 3 stent fractures were complete and 2 were partial fracture.One fracture site was found at the overlapping point of stents and one was found with coronary aneurysm.Conclusion Angiography and IVUS are helpful to identify stent fracture.IVUS can help to understand the possible mechanisms of stent fracture.

Objective To observe the influence of Yishen Huoxue prescription on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor-2 (VEGF-2) and Notch4 in rats with unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO).Methods Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, UUO model group, losartan group, and Yishen Huoxue group, with 24 rats in each group. The rat models of renal fibrosis were reproduced by using UUO method, and they were treated by Yishen Huoxue herb prescription or losartan intra-gastric administration respectively for therapeutic interference. In the sham operation group, simply the unilateral ureter was separated from the near-by tissues and then the abdomen incision was stitched. The blood was collected on 7, 14 and 21 days after operation for determination of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr). Kidney tissues specimens were harvested, and microvessed desity (MVD), the protein expression levels of VEGF-2 and Notch4 in the kidney were detected. Results Compared with UUO model group, BUN and SCr in both treatment groups were significantly decreased with significant difference (allP < 0.01). BUN and SCr in Yishen Huoxue group were slightly lower than those in losartan group without significant difference (bothP >0.05). The expression levels of VEGF-2 and Notch4 in sham operation group at each time point were in normal range; with the time extension, the expressions of VEGF-2 and Notch 4 protein were slightly increased, and the descent degree of MVD in kidney was aggravated gradually in UUO model group. The VEGF-2 and Notch4 protein expressions in kidney tissues of the two treatment groups were significantly increased compared with those in model group, the expression of VEGF-2 (A value) reached the highest level on the 14th day after operation (VEGF-2 levels in sham operation, model, Yishen Huoxue Herb prescription and losartan groups were 0.18±0.09, 4.73±0.72, 7.27±1.35, 8.11±1.64 on the 14th day, and they were 0.19±0.07, 4.05±0.88, 7.10±1.12,7.79±1.53 on 21th day, respectively), later representing a tendency of slight decrease, and Notch4 protein expression (A value) peaked on the 21st day (0.62±0.35, 9.08±1.52, 14.48±3.14, 15.54±3.38 in above four groups, allP < 0.05). The degrees of decrease in renal MVD (microvessel/mm2) in the both treament groups was significantly less than that in model group (45.20±6.25, 25.34±4.67, 30.23±4.20, 32.26±4.36 on the 7th day, 46.07±6.22, 20.06±3.98, 26.88±4.36, 26.95±4.11 on the 14th day, 45.18±6.10, 17.79±3.72, 21.71±4.25, 21.68±4.41 on the 21st day in above four groups,P < 0.05 orP < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the above values between Yishen Huoxue herb group and losartan group.Conclusion Traditional Chinese medicine benefiting qi for activating blood circulation therapy (Yishen Huoxue herb prescription) has obvious improving effect on the microvascular injury in the process of renal fibrosis that possibly is related closely to the drug regulation on VEGF/Notch signaling cascade.