OBJECTIVETo observe the analgesic effect of Zhitong Capsule (ZTC) and study its mechanism in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats.

METHODSForty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups with 8 rats in each group. On the first day, except to those in the normal group that were treated with normal saline, the same amount of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) was given through intradermal injection into the right hind paw to all the rats in the other groups. From the 17th day of the modeling on, the rats in groups of ZTC were administered daily through gastrogavage with a dose of 1000, 500, 250 mg/kg respectively, while equal volume of normal saline was given to those in the normal group and model group, and an equal volume of aspirin (ASA) solution was given to rats in the ASA group through gastrogavage for 10 days, once per day, and on the 27th day, the analgesic effect of ZTC was measured with heat withdraw method. The activities and contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid peroxides (LPO) in serum were observed by spectrophotometry, and the level of beta-endorphin (beta-EP) in hypothalamus were determined by the assay of immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSZTC showed significant effects on enhancing the pain threshold and at the same time it increased the activities of SOD and reduced the contents of LPO in serum. ZTC could also increase the level of beta-EP in hypothalamus.

CONCLUSIONZTC has analgesic effect and its mechanism is probably related with its effect in inhibiting the level of oxygen free radicals in serum and increasing the level of beta-EP of hypothalamus in rats.

Analgesia ; methods ; Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxides ; blood ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Pain Threshold ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Preparations ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Tissue Distribution ; beta-Endorphin ; metabolism

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized clinically by rigidity, akinesia, resting tremor and postural instability. It has recently been suggested that low frequency stimulation of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) has a role in the therapy for Parkinsonism, particularly in gait disorder and postural instability. However, there is limited information about the mechanism of low frequency stimulation of the PPN on Parkinson's disease. The present study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of low frequency stimulation of the PPN on the firing rate of the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus (VL) in a rat model with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning of the substantia nigra pars compacta. In vivo extracellular recording and microiontophoresis were adopted. The results showed that the firing rate of 60.71% VL neurons in normal rats and 59.57% VL neurons in 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats increased with low frequency stimulation of the PPN. Using microiontophoresis to VL neurons, we found the firing rate in VL neurons responded with either an increase or decrease in application of acetylcholine (ACh) in normal rats, whereas with a predominant decrease in M receptor antagonist atropine. Furthermore, the VL neurons were mainly inhibited by application of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and excited by GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline. Importantly, the VL neurons responding to ACh were also inhibited by application of GABA. We also found that the excitatory response of the VL neurons to the low frequency stimulation of the PPN was significantly reversed by microiontophoresis of atropine. These results demonstrate that cholinergic and GABAergic afferent nerve fibers may converge on the same VL neurons and they are involved in the effects of low frequency stimulation of the PPN, with ACh combining M(2) receptors on the presynaptic membrane of GABAergic afferents, which will inhibit the release of GABA in the VL and then improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Action Potentials ; Animals ; Cholinergic Fibers ; physiology ; Electric Stimulation ; Male ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinson Disease, Secondary ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventral Thalamic Nuclei ; physiology

AIMTo explore new agents of quinolone derivatives with high activity against Gram-positive organisms.

METHODSdl-7-(4,4-Dimethyl-3- aminomethylpyrrolidinyl)-quinolones were designed and synthesized, and their activity against Gram-positive organisms was tested in vitro.

RESULTSTen target compounds were obtained. The structures of these compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, MS. The target compounds with dl-4,4-dimethyl-3-( methyl) aminomethylpyrrolidine side chains had high activity against Gram-positive organisms. Especially the MIC values of compound 22 for 4 strains of Gram-positive resistant bacteria (two strains of MRSA and two of MRSE) were 0.015 -0.5 mg x L(-), which exhibited more potent activities than gatifloxacin (4 - 128 times). Its MIC value for Pseudomonas aeruginosa 03-5 (0.008 mg x L(-1)) was 4 times as that of gatifloxacin (0.03 mg x L(-1)).

CONCLUSIONThe compound 22 showed high activity against Gram-positive organisms in vitro and it is worth of more investigation.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria ; drug effects ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; drug effects ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Molecular Structure ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; Quinolones ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; drug effects

Objective: To analyze the stress difference of alveolar bone around the abutment and alveolar ridge of edentulous of three different kinds of root-attachment-supported overdenture under different load conditions, in order to provide a reference for the choice of clinical root attachment. Methods : The occlusal force of overdenture was simulated by electrical resistance strain measurement in vitro. The stress of the alveolar bone, the central part of the mandibular arch and the first molar correspond to the alveolar ridge were measured. The stress difference of 3 kinds of attachment overdenture under different loading conditions were compared and analyzed. Results: Under the same loading condition, all three kinds of overdentures had a certain degree of slip of the denture (magnetic attachment denture) or rotation (3 kinds of attachment dentures). The abutment neck in different parts of the dental arch and alveolar bone, anterior free end edentulous alveolar ridge stress distribution was significantly different. Conclusion ERA attachment overdenture was the most preferable, followed by the magnetic attachment overdenture. Suitable attachment should be selected based on specific clinical cases.

To study the condensation mechanism of sodium new houttuyfonate, and determinate the chemical structure of condensation products, dimer was prepared, and LC-DAD-MS/MS multiple techniques were employed to investigate the ultraviolet absorption feature and mass spectrum of transformation solution of dimer, and the transformation kinetics and half-life were studied by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The pure substance of stable condensation product was obtained by extracting with organic solvent and purifying with column chromatography, the chemical structure of this substance was identified by assaying of IR, HR-ESI-MS and NMR, and the data of LC-MS/MS were compared with that of transformation products of dimer. The results indicated that the dimer is unstable, it will be rapidly dissociated in aqueous solution to form free new houttuyfonate and then cycloaddition reaction will occur and followed by an in situ dehydration to generate 1, 3, 5-tri (dodecanoyl) benzene (trimer) with a six-ring which is stable in aqueous solution. The transformation process may fit second-order kinetics, and the half-times were found to be 3.17 hours at 25 degrees C (298 K) and 6.39 min at 100 degrees C (373 K), separately. It suggests that dimer is an intermediate in condensation reaction, and the end condensation product of sodium new houttuyfonate injection may exist as trimer.
Alkanes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Molecular Structure ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; analysis ; Sulfites ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVEHenoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) and IgA nephropathy are very similar in immunopathological changes, and therefore some nephrologists considered that they are substantially one disease entity caused by IgA immune abnormalities, and IgA nephropathy is, in fact, a kind of HSPN without rashes. The present study aimed to characterize their relationship through clinico-pathological comparison between IgA nephropathy and HSPN.

METHODSThirty-one children with IgA nephropathy aged from 3 to 15 years and 120 children with HSPN aged between 4 to 15 years were enrolled in this study. Their clinical manifestations, blood biochemical test, serum immunology and follow-up data were collected and analyzed. Renal pathological findings in light microscopy, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy were analyzed and also compared between 31 children with IgA nephropathy and 32 children with HSPN.

RESULTSThe age of onset was over 12 years in 25.8% children with IgA nephropathy, but only in 10% with HSPN, and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). The clinical patterns of IgA nephropathy and HSPN were similar, but extra-renal manifestations were seen more often in HSPN, all of them had skin purpura, 59% had gastrointestinal symptoms and 47% suffered from arthralgia. While the abdominal pain occurred only in 3.2% children with IgA nephropathy. The renal pathological investigation showed global sclerosis in 35.5% of IgA nephropathy and 3.1% of HSPN, mesangial sclerosis in 41.9% of IgA nephropathy and 6.3% of HSPN, but endothelial proliferation in 65.6% of HSPN and 29% of IgA nephropathy. The differences were extremely significant (P < 0.01). Thin basement membrane nephropathy were only found in 6.5% children with IgA nephropathy, but in none with HSPN. The electronic dense deposits in HSPN were sparse, loose and widely spread in glomerular mesangium, subendothelial area and even intra basement membrane. While the deposits were dense, lumpy and mostly limited in mesangium and paramesangium in IgA nephropathy. IgG was found in glomerular immune deposits in 71.9% of HSPN, but only 19.4% of IgA nephropathy. No IgG deposit was observed in 81.6% of IgA nephropathy, among them most showed IgA and IgM and/or C(3) deposit. Predominant IgG deposits were found in 12.5% of HSPN with relatively weak IgA deposit, moreover 6.3% of HSPN showed linear IgG deposits in glomerular capillary wall, which couldn't be found in IgA nephropathy. The follow-up data of average 20 months showed complete remission in 72.5% of HSPN and 19.4% in IgA nephropathy after 34 months follow-up. Moreover, 64.5% of IgA nephropathy had consistent hematuria and proteinuria, 16.1% had active nephritides, the difference was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSignificant clinico-pathological differences were found between HSPN and IgA nephropathy, which does not support the one disease entity hypothesis. HSPN and IgA nephropathy are probably two diseases with similar immune abnormalities.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Immunologic Tests ; Male ; Nephritis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Prognosis ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; complications

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of the temporary and permanent sensory disturbance of the inferorbital nerve (ION) after Le Fort I osteotomy.

METHODSThirty patients with 60 inferorbital nerves were examined preoperatively, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6-months after the operation of the Le Fort I osteotomy by using sharp-blunt testing, 2-point discrimination, electric pain response test (ZGK-1 electrometer).

RESULTSThe incidence of the temporary nerve impairment was 75% (45 of 60) and the obvious recovery was found after 1 to 3 months after the operation. No permanent sensory disturbance was found in the patients.

CONCLUSIONSThe inferorbital nerve injury after Le Fort I osteotomy is usually temporary and the sensory recovery was in 1 to 3 months after the operation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cranial Nerve Injuries ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Osteotomy, Le Fort ; adverse effects ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Time Factors

Objective:To find out the difference between children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and normal control,and the difference between boys and girls with ADHD in resting-state.Methods:There were 38 children with ADHD in this study including 31 boys and 7 girls,meanwhile,42 normal controls whose age and gen der were matched with children with ADHD were involved too,including 29 boys and 13 girls.Total scores of ADHD rating scale (ADHD-RS) were used to measure the severity of symptom for both ADHD and normal control.Magnetic resonance imaging was used to collect the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data,and the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) was measured for each child.Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to find out the difference between the group and the sex.Results:Children with ADHD showed a higher fALFF in the right medial superior frontal gyrus and right supplementary motor area,and a lower fALFF in the left putamen,bilateral cerebellum and bilateral precuneus than controls (all corrected P ＜0.05).ADHD boys showed a lower fALFF in the left cerebellum and a higher fALFF in the bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus than boys without ADHD (all corrected P ＜0.05).ADHD girls showed a higher fALFF in the bilateral cerebellum and in the thalamus than girls without ADHD,and a lower fALFF in the insula than girls without ADHD (all corrected P ＜ 0.05).There was a negative relationship between the fALFF of the left cerebellum of ADHD girls and the scores of inattention symptoms.Conclusion:The fALFF difference exist between ADHD and normal controls,and between boys and girls with ADHD.

FEM combined with modern computer technology is a mathematical method for stress analysis. It has gradually become a significant experimental tool to explore the functions of biomechanically simulated human body structure and mechanism of craniocerebral injuries. This paper reviewed the features and biomechanical materials of the FEM human head models, materials assignment and their applications in blunt injury, fall, traffic accident. It also explore their merits and values in forensic head injury cases.
Accidents, Traffic ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Computer Simulation ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Finite Element Analysis ; Forensic Pathology ; Head/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Models, Anatomic ; Models, Biological ; Skull Fractures/physiopathology*

A 45-year-old male car driver died in a traffic accident of four cars rear-end collision on the highway. He was found to have died after a respiratory and cardiac arrest at the scene. No sign of skin injuries was observed from the external inspection. The autopsy was not permitted by the family members because of the local culture. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) was applied to the current case, showing dislocation of C3-4 cervical vertebrae with II degree, C4 vertebral plate fractures, and spinal stenosis. Post-mortem MSCT confirmed the diagnosis as whiplash injuries. MSCT was verified to be effective in showing the severity of whiplash injuries, thus providing certain objective evidence for medicolegal expertise.
Accidents, Traffic ; Autopsy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Spinal Fractures ; Whiplash Injuries/diagnostic imaging*