Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Physical Examination ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; Thoracotomy

Ear Neoplasms ; Ear, Middle ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Mastoid ; pathology ; Melanoma ; Middle Aged

Object To explore the beneficial effect of phytoecdysone (EDS) on myocardial infarction and its mechanism of action Methods Rat myocardial infarction model was prepared by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery, and EDS was injected ip for seven consecutive days Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activities, infarct size(IS), coronary blood flow, capillary vessel density and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were determined Results 0 5, 5, and 50 mg/kg of phytoecdysone were able to effect the activities of serum CPK, GOT, LDH in a dose depending manner with an optimal effect for improving cardiac zymogram at the dose of 5 mg/kg ip At this dosage EDS can markedly reduce IS, increase coronary blood flow, capillary vessel density and the expression of VEGF Conclusion ESD can alleviate myocardial infarction symptoms The mechanism of such beneficial effect may due to its ability to promote VEGF expression regeneration of capillary vessels and increase coronary blood flow

0.05).Conclusion High level of Blys could be observed in serum of patients with SLE and somewhat correlated with the lupus acitivity,although the level of Blys in serum can not reflect morbility and mortality of SLE patients.

In this experiment six methods,calcium chloride(CaCl_(2)) precipitation,polyethylene glycol(PEG,pH7.0) precipitation,polyethylene glycol(PEG,pH11.5) precipitation,aluminum chloride(AlCl_(3)) precipitation,Amicon Utcra centrifugal filter devices and cellulose nitrate membrane were used to concentrate the vaccine poliovirus type 1(PV_(1)) added to water body;experimental conditions for concentration were selected and optimized.The results showed that two methods,CaCl_(2)and PEG(pH 7.0) precipitation were suitable for concentrating virus in large volumes of water while amicon utcra centrifugal filter devices for small ones.The virus recovery of the three methods reached a 100% rate.

OBJECTIVETo observe and evaluate objectively the clinical effect of Guilong Tongluo Capsule (GTC) in treating chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

METHODSSixty CIDP patients were equally randomized into two groups. The treated group was administered with GTC and prednisone, while the control group with prednisone alone. Changes before and after 3-month treatment in terms of muscle force, functional and sensory disturbance of extremities, as well as scoring by Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL) and electromyogram (EMG) for nerve conduction velocity were observed and compared.

RESULTSThe total effective rate gained in the treated group and the control group was 90.0% (27/30) and 70.0% (21/30) respectively, showing significant difference between them (chi2 = 14.82, P < 0.01). The improvement in the treated group was superior to the control group in muscle force of lower limb, motive and sensory function of extremities, ADL scores and motive function of ulnar nerve (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe curative effect of GTC combined with prednisone in treating CIDP was better than that of prednisone alone.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating ; drug therapy ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo observe protective effects of agmatine (AGM) on inflammatory response and spleen immune function in mice with trauma.Methods Forty-eight adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups (n= 16 each), including control group, model group (bilateral femoral fracture and removal of 35% of the total blood volume), and AGM group (trauma/hemorrhage & AGM 200 mg/kg). Eight mice in each group were sacrificed at 3 hours and 24 hours, respectively, after modeling, and blood samples and tissue homogenate of spleen and liver were collected. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-6, IL-1β) in serum and liver tissue were determined with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined with automatic biochemistry analyzer. Spleen proliferation response stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA) was evaluated with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium colourimetry (MTT).γ-interferon (IFN-γ) and IL-2 releases were determined with ELISA.Results Compared with control group, 3 hours after trauma/hemorrhage, the levels of serum TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in model group were significantly elevated [TNF-α (ng/L): 145.38±31.50 vs. 23.06±11.14, IL-6 (ng/L): 496.94±50.76 vs. 47.13±17.47, IL-1β (ng/L): 321.31±43.02 vs. 29.25±16.24,allP< 0.01]. It was found that AGM treatment could alleviate the increase in serum pro-inflammatory mediators induced by trauma/hemorrhage, such as TNF-α (ng/L:111.56±25.47 vs. 145.38±31.50), IL-6 (ng/L: 412.56±44.33 vs. 496.94±50.76), IL-1β (ng/L: 273.38±45.25 vs. 321.31±43.02,P< 0.05 orP< 0.01). Twenty-four hours after trauma/hemorrhage, serum pro-inflammatory mediators were recovered to the levels in control group. There was no significant difference in TNF-α and IL-6 levels at 3 hours after trauma/hemorrhage among groups. Compared with control group, the expressions of liver TNF-α and IL-6 in model group were increased at 24 hours following trauma [TNF-α (ng/mg): 32.93±4.90 vs. 26.58±2.33, IL-6 (ng/mg): 11.20±1.66 vs. 8.38±0.89,bothP< 0.01]. However, AGM inhibited the level of TNF-α (ng/mg:28.92±3.16 vs. 32.93±4.90) and IL-6 (ng/mg: 9.03±1.28 vs. 11.20±1.66) in the liver as induced by trauma/hemorrhage (P< 0.05 andP< 0.01). At 24 hours after modeling, model group and AGM group had distinctly higher serum AST, ALT, LDH levels than those of control group [AST (U/L): 405.9±31.2, 245.7±22.1 vs. 128.2±15.9; ALT (U/L): 92.1±6.3, 51.6±5.0 vs. 30.1±3.2; LDH (U/L): 606.7±36.3, 478.7±25.3 vs. 384.0±16.6, allP< 0.01]. Nevertheless,the increase in serum AST, ALT and LDH was alleviated in AGM group (allP< 0.01). Meantime, trauma/hemorrhage produced a noticeable depression of proliferation of splenic cells and IFN-γ and IL-2 release stimulated with ConA compared with control group [proliferation rate: (40.97±4.13)% vs. (89.99±7.76)%, IFN-γ(ng/L): 91.6±12.3 vs. 353.2±21.5,IL-2 (ng/L): 53.4±6.4 vs. 91.0±12.2,allP< 0.01]. In contrast, AGM notably restored the capacity of proliferation response of splenic cells [proliferation rate: (74.86±5.75)% vs. (40.97±4.13)%, P< 0.01],enhanced the release of IFN-γ and IL-2 stimulated with ConA [IFN-γ (ng/L): 327.8±23.6 vs. 91.6±12.3, IL-2 (ng/L): 74.8±10.4 vs. 53.4±6.4, bothP< 0.01].Conclusion AGM can dramatically alleviate spleen immunosuppression, excessive inflammation and organ damage induced by trauma/hemorrhage.

Objective To investigate the relationship between hypertension, depression and cognitive function in elderly. Methods General conditions and health status were surveyed in 207 individuals, which were divided into hypertension group, depression group, hypertension and depression group and controls. Patients cognitive function was assessed by the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), depression severity was detected by Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) , other relative data were collected. Results Elderly patients with depression were more inclined to live alone. Comparing with control, hypertension patients had lower attention and calculation. Depression patients had lower orientation, attention, calculation and linguistic ability ( P < 0.05). Compared with hypertension patients, patients combined with depression had significantly lower MMSE scores, orientation, recall and language ( P <0. 05). Patients with hypertension and depression had lower attention and calculation, compared with hypertension a-lone patients ( P <0. 05 ). MMSE scores of depressed patients were negatively related to HAMD scores ( r = -0. 706, P <0.01). Logistic regression revealed depression or combination of hypertension and depression were related to impairment of cognitive ability ( P < 0.01). Conclusion Both hypertension and depression in the elderly impaired cognitive function. The cognitive function impairment in elderly was closely associated with hypertension and depression. Prevention and control of hypertension and depression might be helpful in slowing down impairment of cognitive function in elderly.

Objective To study the imaging characteristics of the ligaments in craniocervical junction (CCJ), and to optimize the examination methods and scanning sequences of the ligaments in this region. Methods Two groups of 51 healthy volunteers in each were selected to undergo CT and MRI examination respectively. The CT and MRI features of the ligaments in CCJ were assessed. Two senior imaging doctors compared the results of showing the ligaments in CCJ by several MRI sequences, including T1 WI ,T2 WI, proton density weighted imaging (PDWI), T2 * WI and short time inversion recovery (STIR) ,and proton density fat saturate (PDFSAT). Standard normal rank transformation was done according to the primary data,and then analysis of variance of repeated measurement was applied. Results CT and MRI could both demonstrate the ligaments (except the anterior atlantooccipital membrane only seen on MRI) and their adjoins in CCJ, while MRI had more advantages than CT. The display ratio of the anterior atlantooccipital membrane was 100% (51/51) by MRI. The display ratio of the apical ligament was 29.4%(15/51) by CT and 43.1% (22/51) by MRI. The posterior atlantooccipital membrane-dura complex,tectorial ligament-dura complex, transverse ligament, and alar ligament could be demonstrated clearly by CT and MRI, the display ratio was 100% respectively (51/51). The results of PDWi scored by two doctors were both 5.0, there were no significant differences between them (F = 0.000, P > 0.05), which were significantly higher than T, WI (M = 3.0), T2Wi (M = 3.0), T2 * WI (M = 1.0), STIR (M = 1.0), and PDFSAT(M = 3.0)(P < 0.01). Conclusion MRI was superior to CT in demonstrating the ligaments in CCJ. PDWI was the optimal MRI sequence. Imaging research of normal ligamentous structures in CCJ could provide valuable diagnostic and therapeutic information for evaluating the ligamentous diseases.

Objective To describe the hemodynamic characteristics of normal pancreas and pancreatic tumors by 64 slices helical CT perfusion imaging, to evaluate the role of CT perfusion in the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors. Methods Perfusion CT scan was performed in 149 patients, including 36 patients with normal pancreas, 105 patients with pancreatic tumors and 8 patients with duodenal papillary carcinoma. The parameters including blood flow (BF) ,blood volume (BV) and permeability surface area product (PS) were measured. Results The mean value of BF, BV and PS of normal pancreas were (135.24±48.36) ml· min-1·kg-1, (200.55±54.96)ml/kg and (49.75±24.27) ml·min-1·kg-1, respectively. Pancreatic carcinoma has a lower BF, BV and PS,whieh were 31.77±19.36 ml·min-1· kg-1, (66.84±39.49)ml/kg and (37.64±27.14) ml·min-1·kg-1, respectively. The aforementioned parameters in pancreatic cysts were close to zero. The parameters in pancreatic carcinoma were significantly lower than those in normal pancreas(P<0.05); the BF and BV in duodenal papillary carcinoma were significantly lower than those in normal pancreas(P<0.05), while the value of PS was not significantly different from that in normal pancreas; the aforementioned parameters in pancreatic cysts were significantly different from those in normal pancreas(P <0.01). Conclusions In perfu sion CT, normal pancreas was an organ with symmetrical BF,BV and PS. Pancreatic carcinoma was a tumor with low perfusion and decreased PS. Duodenal papillary carcinoma had decreased BF and BV with no significant change in PS. Pancreatic cyst had no blood perfusion. The 64 slice helical CT peffusion imaging was invaluable in differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumors.