OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of sodium ferulate (SF) in preventing and treating ozone (O3) induced lung oxidative injury in mice.

METHODSLung oxidative injury model mice were established by making them inhale O3. The activity of anti-oxidase and membranous microviscosity in epithelial cells in the lung of mice were determined, and the ultrastructural change of lung tissues was observed with electromicroscopy.

RESULTSActivities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were reduced, while membranous lipo-microviscosity significantly increased in the pulmonary epithelial cells of model mice, revealing ultrastructural change. These abnormal changes were reversed by SF treatment, which was manifested as the significantly raised activities of SOD and GSH-Px after treatment with high and moderate doses of SF, showing a significant difference compared with those in the model group (P<0.01). Membranous lipo-microviscosity basically approached that in the control group (P>0.05); electron microscopic examination showed a basically normal morphological structure of pulmonary epithelial cells, with the change in lung injury significantly milder than that in the model group.

CONCLUSIONO3 could induce oxidative injury of lungs in mice, and SF could enhance the anti-oxidation capacity of mice and scavenge the oxygen free radicals so as to alleviate the injury.

Animals ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Lung Diseases ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Membrane Lipids ; metabolism ; Mice ; Ozone ; adverse effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Viscosity ; drug effects

Objective To evaluate the application of non-bioartificial liver support system (ALSS) combined with liver transplantation(LT) in treating mid-or end-stage chronic severe hepati- tis.Methods ALSS plus liver transplantation were employed in treating 28 patients with mid-or end- stage chronic severe hepatitis.Clinical data from the patients before and after treatment were collect- ed.The survive rate of ALSS plus LT group were compared with that of medication group 99 cases and medication plus ALSS group 30 cases.The data were analyzed with t test and X~2 test.Results After 57 times ALSS treatment,the serum total bilirubin(TBil),prothromin time(PT),bile acid, blood urea nitrogen(BUN),creatnine(Cr) and ammonia of all the 28 patients got improved(P 0.05).The clinical symptoms and signs of the patients were ameliorated at median 3 d(1～153 d). All patients were bridged to liver transplantation successfully after median 20 d(1～153 d).The 3 and 6 months post-operation survival rate of ALSS plus LT group(71.4%,71.4%) were significantly higher than those in medication group(18.2%,11.1%) and medication plus ALSS group(36.7%, 26.6%)(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between expression of Fas, bcl-2 and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in myocardial ischemia in rats.

METHODSMyocardial ischemia was experimentally induced by ligating the left coronary artery. The rate were killed from 10 minutes to 7 days after the operation. Apoptotic myocardial cells were detected by TUNEL method. The expression of Fas and bcl-2 was studied by ABC immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSCardiomyocytic apoptosis appeared from 3 to 36 hours after ischemia. This phenomenon however could not be detected by TUNEL method 7 days after ischemia. The expression of Fas could be detected by ABC immunohistochemistry from 3 hours to 7 days after ischemia, and the expression of bcl-2 from 10 minutes to 7 days. Cardiomyocytic apoptosis and Fas / bcl-2 expression appeared in different regions of myocardium: apoptosis in the ischemic regions, while Fas and bcl-2 expression in regions without obvious ischemia.

CONCLUSIONIn rats, Fas and bcl-2 may not directly regulate apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in case of myocardial ischemia.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

This study is to establish an HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for simultaneous determination of 5 flavones and saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae including neo-mangiferin, mangiferin, timosaponin B II, timosaponin B III and timosaponin A III. Samples were analyzed on a Merck Purospher STAR column(4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile( A) and 0. 1% formic acid (B) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1). The column temperature was set at 40 °C. The DAD detector wavelength was set at 254 nm. The ELSD conditions were as follows: the nebulizing gas flow rate was 2.0 L · min(-1) and temperature of drift tube was 105 °C. The volume was 10 μL. The five compounds were well separated with good linear correlations. The mean recoveries were between 102.0%-104.0%. This method was quick and reliable which provides a foundation for quality control of R. Anemarrhenae.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavones ; analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

ObjectiveTo explore the factors that delayed the diagnostic process and resulted in misdiagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),in order to look for solution. MethodsThe records of 99 cases with ALS from 1999 to 2003 in our hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical characteristics and diagnostic process on the patients were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe time needed to confirm diagnosis was (13.1±7.5) months. There was a positive correlation between the time when EMG was performed and the time the diagnosis was made. 58.6% of patients were initially misdiagnosed in other hospitals. The most common misdiagnosis was cervical spondylosis. The misdiagnosis more likely occured in the patients of 40-59 years old. The misdiagnosis rate in the patients with initial lower extremities symptoms was higher than that with initial bulbar and upper extremities symptoms. The misdiagnosis more likely occured in patients with early cervical MRI.ConclusionThe major causes of misdiagnosis are unfamiliarity of the physician with the disease,misleading findings or misinterpretation of neuro-radiological or neuro-physiological findings.

A phytochemical investigation on the stems of Garcinia bracteata collected from Xishuangbanna resulted in the isolation of a new flavone. By analysis of the HRESIMS, IR, UV, 1D and 2D NMR spectra, the structure of the new compound was determined as 7-methoxy-4',6-dihydroxy-8-isobutyryl-flavone(1). Compound 1 was also tested for its anti-tobacco mosaic virus(TMV) activity. Results suggested the 1 possessed remarkable anti-TMV activity, with an inhibition rate of 28.2%.
Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Flavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Garcinia ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Tobacco Mosaic Virus ; drug effects ; growth & development

A simple and sensitive Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method was established to provide a new alternative for clinical diagnosis of Avian influenza A H5N1 virus. The method employed a set of six specially designed primers that recognized eight distinct sequences of the target for amplification of nucleic acid under isothermal conditions. In current study, fifty-one experimentally infected animal specimens and viral cultures that had been tested were analyzed by RT-LAMP for NA gene and HA gene, respectively. The amplification process of LAMP was monitored in real-time by the addition of SYBR Green dye. Meanwhile, the result showed high correlation between nested PCR and RT-LAMP. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion analysis and sequencing of the amplified product. When the sensitivity of this assay was tested by serial 10-fold dilutions of RNA molecules from specimens, it was found that the RT-LAMP method achieved theoretically a sensitivity of 10 RNA molecules. Thus, we concluded that the RT-LAMP assay has potential usefulness for rapid detection of the Avian influenza A H5N1 virus.
Animals ; Birds ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; diagnosis ; virology ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical outcomes of semicircular decompression in treating old thoracolumbar fractures and intractable neuropathic pain.

METHODSFrom September 2009 to September 2013, 21 patients with old thoracolumbar fracture and intractable neuropathic pain were treated with semicircular decompression. Among initial surgery, posterior pedicle screw fixation was used in these patients, with or without laminectomy. All patients were male, range in age from 20 to 28 years old with an average of (25.00±2.38) years. Vertebral body residual bone block resulted in intra-spinal placeholder more than 50%. All patients were complete spinal cord injury (ASIA grade) or cauda equina injury. VAS scores was from 6 to 10 points with the mean of 7.14±0.91. In these patients, MRI, CT, X-rays were performed; denomination and dosage of analgesics were recorded; nerve function and pain status were respectively evaluated by ASIA grade and VAS score before and after operation.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 8 to 32 months with an average of (17.29±6.02) months. All bone fragments of spinal canal were removed and spinal cord decompressions were achieved. At final follow-up, VAS scores were from 0 to 8 points with an average of (2.43±2.46) points, and were obviously reduced than peroperative data (P<0.05). Eleven cases of them stopped analgesic intake and 7 cases reduced using. Three patients' symptoms and VAS scores were not improved.

CONCLUSIONOld thoracolumbar fractures and intractable neuropathic pain need receive imaging examination as soon as possible and consider semicircular decompression therapy if bone fragments were in vertebral canal and spinal canal stenosis existed. This therapy can effectively relieve pain and profit nerve functional recovery.

Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Neuralgia ; etiology ; surgery ; Pain, Intractable ; etiology ; surgery ; Spinal Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Visual Analog Scale ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathological characteristics and the dynamic change regularity of the testis induced by high power microwave (HPM) radiation.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-five male Wistar rats were exposed to 0, 3, 10, 30 and 100 mW/cm2 HPM radiation for five minutes, and changes of testicular morphology and teratogenic ratio of epididymal spermatozoa were observed through light microscope and electron microscope at 6 h, 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 90 d after radiation.

RESULTSInjury of testicular spermatogenic cells in rats might be induced by 3 to approximately 100 mW/cm2 HPM radiation, and the main pathological changes were degeneration, necrosis, shedding of spermatogenic cells, formation of multinuclear giant cells, decrease or loss of sperm and interstitial edema. Injury of spermatogenic cells underwent such phases as death and shedding, cavitation, regeneration and repair, characterized by being focalized, inhomogenous and phased. And the severity of pathological changes of the testis increased with power density. There was only scattered degeneration, necrosis, shedding of spermatogenic cells in the seminiferous tubule one day after 3 mW/cm2 radiation, and the pathological changes six hours after 10 mW/cm2 radiation was similar to those one day after 3 mW/cm2 radiation, but with the formation of multinuclear giant cells, and the above-mentioned pathological changes aggravated from one day to seven days after radiation. There was a significant increase in degeneration, necrosis, shedding of spermatogenic cells, as well as a significant decrease in spermatozoa and focal necrosis in simple seminiferous tubules six hours after 30 and 100 mW/cm2 radiation, and the subsequent changes were similar to those of 10 mW/cm2 radiation. There was a significant increase in teratogenic ratio of epididymal spermatozoa at 3 d, 1 to approximately 7 d, 6 h to approximately 7 d after 3, 10, 30 and 100 mW/cm2 microwave radiation respectively (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHPM radiation may cause injury of testicular spermatogenic cells in rats, which has a positive correlation to radiation dosage and time.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Male ; Microwaves ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spermatozoa ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Testis ; pathology ; radiation effects

Objective Data on the leukapheresis from 26 pediatric patients with hematologic or solid malignancies was retrospectively evaluated to screen predictive factors affecting the efficacy of peripheral blood stem cell(PBSC) collection from donors,as well as hematopoietic recovery in recipients.Methods We present our experience with 49 apheresis from 26 granulocyte-colory Stimulating factor mobilized donors and analyzed the correlations between the mobilization,the leukocyte count in the donor peripheral blood and the MNC and CD_(34)~+ cell yields in collecting products and the neutrophil and platelet recovery of recipients.Results The process of mobilization and apheresis were well tolerated by our pediatric donors.The median numbers for harvested MNCs and CD_(34)~+ cells were 4.5?10~8/kg and 1.9?10~6/kg of recipient body weight,respectively.Mobilizing dose positively affected the number of mononuclear ceus(MNC) but not CD_(34)~+ cells in the apheresis products.The CD_(34)~+ cell number in the apheresis product was influenced significantly by donor circulating MNC on the day of harvest and correlated with recipient′s engraftment after PBSC was reinfused.Conclusions The MNC yield was stable and met with the demand for autologous stem cell transplantation while the CD_(34)~+ cell number varies obviously from each donor.Since a rapid engraftment was associated with a high number of CD_(34)~+ cells collected,which was in turn predicted by the level of the pre-apheresis CD_(34)~+ cells in the peripheral blood of donors,it is necessary to monitor the donors′ CD_(34)~+ cell during mobilization to determine the optimal time for apheresis.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2006,21(3):148-150